Her signature went on a few things, as her fingers let loose of the pen. She had so many things to do, it was not funny. Her office was a mess at this point, but it didn't matter. Her office could be a bomb zone, but her apartment would not become that. It was only because she hadn't enough time to situate everything in its proper place. Hands went up to her face, as she pulled straight strands from her face. Hues had been decorated in hot pink, and yellow eye make-up : though to a moderate amount. She didn't need to get fired, but at the same point : she was also the rebel of the entire operation.

She pulled the earplugs from her form, as she glanced towards the doorway. Ned was a co-worker, but he was also the one that she gave the sample to. She raised an eyebrow, as she canted her head causing bangs to cover the one side of her face that was pierced underneath her right eye. She noticed that he had a case file in his hand, and that wasn't normal for just a scientific analysis. Either she had made a mistake, and they finally caught her for using the cocaine as an escape from work filling her head : or they had a bigger issue, and she finally trampled upon it.

" The sample you gave me didn't match human strands. " Ned finally let the egg out of the nest, and it was going splat against the concrete.

Solidad only blinked cautiously, " And it wasn't spaghetti? "

"Correct. Where did you say you got the sample from again?" Ned asked. He moved into the office, making his way towards the desk as he left the case file on top of the other stacks of papers Solidad had.

"A bartenders head. He had it on his hands first, and then he wiped his hands on his face. You don't think he's an animal killer, do you? " Solidad had a funny way of joking, as that smile came to grace her features.

" We don't know where it came from -- all we know at this point is that it is not human. We're going to run a match analysis to see if it matches any of the other DNA we've ran through the system."

Solidad blinked. That meant it would be ran against everything living, and non-living thing. Fuck, that would take weeks. She reached down for her earplugs once again, as she looked down towards her paper work. "Thanks, Ned. Just let me know when you have a match, alright?"

She heard his feet shuffle out of her office mainly because she didn't have the volume on her i-pod up at the moment. Oh, boy. This was bad. She bit the inside of her cheek, as she rolled back in her chair just an inch away from the desk. She opened one of the drawers: the one ticket to hell was in there, the one that the one for questioning had given her.

What the hell was going on?

[ March 28, 2007 03:02 AM: Message edited by: white lines do not lie ]

i couldn't do it. for some off the wall reason, i will not sleep with the man in whom is in questioning with the 'un-natural' DNA analysis. i can not believe that i can still think straight with a bottle of vodka running through my system, and a few shots more of another bottle. i don't know what he thinks i am. he must think i'm an idiot -- because i felt that way tonight. he had me standing in front of him like a fucking doll. and he thought it would be easier to get into my pants when i'm drunk.

let's face the facts : yeah, i do like him -a little bit-. and i don't even know why.

he's a bartender, and he flirts with every femme who comes to the bar, and here i am -- thinking, or knowing that i know better then to like a tender, or for the fact standing: a natural flirt.

i don't know. i'll just play his games. it doesn't matter anymore.

i feel like i'm missing something. the analysis isn't done yet, and it's been four days. it should've been done yesterday. shit. you know the stories that every little boy, and girl are told to scare them. the ones about vampires, and the shape shifting things : what if they were based off of some truth. like, somehow dna got some fucked up in someone that it caused a dead weight shift in genetics. i know that i work for an government system that are based off finding these sort of things to be true, for the last two years we haven't been able to prove it. of course, then we go off to find the myths of thought. ghosts are true. so are witches, well: believable to a point. we've -- the agency as a whole; has found artifacts that connect the legends of the monsters hiding inside of lakes, and the sky; forests; dreams, and nightmares-- all true. today, i was given a profile on someone. ( name has to be with held, for i don't know who will break in one of these days, and read this. ) the product was made from one of our companies, and the product also had been injected with animal protein. so, in turn -- it changed the dna. ( the agency ) can make these things from basic test tubes, but it was processed centuries ago. so, could this product have gotten out, and made more? or maybe the whole analysis having to do with the profile made up to be read as if we made it ourselves ( the american government. ) thinking about it, we're too stupid to think as a whole to even come to that. i know that we have a certain section of the office closed off, and only people with the right colored code ( obviously not me ) can go down, and run whatever they do. maybe that's the missing link. maybe for some off the wall reason, i'm not getting everything. maybe i'm out of the loop on a lot of things. i've been doing this since i've turned twenty, and that was four years ago. it'll be five in october. for some weird reason, i think i'm being fed lies, and bullshit. i'll admit that i always believed that things only talked about, and sometimes made as movie cinema monsters were always true. i used to go around school ( i remember this ) and talk about it. i've always theorized about it.

the first thing you have to do in order to work for this particular section : a test. the test, i remember, was very strange. it wasn't asking things like can you count, or do you actually have intelligence. it was based off of the theory of unliving ; unimaginable things. i thought it was a joke, and thus the reason why i completed it, and obviously how i landed this gig. i do know that if i had found prove, and if i ever do -- there could be a possibility! ( dreaming. ) i would protect the secret. i wouldn't share it with anyone, mainly because i wouldn't want to be locked away for the thoughts of being insane. i do know that at the office, there are files surrounding around the legends of the shifting kind, and the vampires. i know that people are always looking at them, and tearing notes from there own notebooks. i never once picked up one of the books, because if they do exist : the books would probably be shit-eaten. lies, and more bullshit.

but it is insane. people, when they die : they die. they're buried six-feet under, and never seen again, unless their rotting corps is dug up for scientific research -- which rarely happens anymore these days. whatever is going on at the club that ( hector ) has invited me night, and night again : it isn't normal. today, i smelt blood. and normally, one can not smell a tiny cut, or a drop. it seemed like the whole building had been coated inside out with it. i know that the culture today, there's an underground party who damages themselves with self-infliction, and who fed off of each other in the meaning of blood letting. but those people are just sick in the head, or they have a fetish. i just don't know anymore.

maybe i should just stop, and let the truth come to me?

the results had come back, and i made sure that ned kept his little slimy mouth closed about it. i've realized that i've opened a fucking can of worms, and if it leaked out into the human population : chaos, and panic could, and would spread like the latest word of a man-killing disease in the cells. thinking about it, this revelation is the man-killing disease. they eat men, women, and children : don't they? they're the reason for all the police reports going without a hunch, only to be led towards some animal attacking in the Key West. i don't even know how i'm supposed to react to the man : the bartender : the one that i started feeling something for ( for what reason, i do not know yet ). i don't know if i'm supposed to cry wolf, and have them all taken down one, by one. or if i'm supposed to keep my mouth shut about everything. but if the bartender is something un-natural, just a decomposing body trying to get his limelight in his life before he -- wait : this means that the whole club is probably filled of them.

i start to think back on the night when i was dragged to that room with hector : by hector. did he want to end my life there, and then? god, i'm a stupid girl. but what if they're like what they've been portrayed as in the movies. romantic, and broody. dark, and at the same time light because all they want in life ( other then to survive on blood ) is someone to take them as they are, and love them for that. dracula i blame that theory on. wait, does this mean that they can turn into bats, or wolves. and what actually happens if they go out in the sun : do they burst into flames, or do they slowly melt down until their rib cages are glistening with their own juices left not baked by the steaming star. and do they sleep in coffins? and do they have really scary looking houses that was meant to be like .. a mansion of some sort. do they have blood-banks, or do the ones that humans go to donate blood -- do those become the monsters source? ... do they use the sources given to them just as a back-up if they can't find any victim. god, this seems like a horror story come true.

the papers are all trashed. they've been ripped up so many ways from sunday, and irreplaceable considering that now someone went to my home, and retrieved the rest of the copies i had. but that has nothing to do with any of it. when you're not around, i fall in a daze. and somehow i think it's because you're a vampire, and it's supposed to work out that way, because in the end i'll be nothing but blood for you to feed on. that scares me, honestly. your twin threatened to pull my emotions out, and verbally stomp on them. i can't deal with the hurt that comes from hearing that threat. it hurts too much. and the whole thing that i had to swallow today about everything made me sick. it made me so sick that i threw up for three hours. they told me that i wasn't able to leave the club : guess what, i left.

it doesn't matter. i'll do my daily life as it was, and as it always will be. even if that means i'm falling for something less ( or more ) then human. one man was right though. he mentioned that the government has known about you, and your kind ( even other supernatural things ) for centuries now. we just didn't have the will power to control the reaction of the human population. it would be like releasing the news that bird flu invaded the united states' poultry. it would be panic, and wide spread horror. i'm still trying to figure out if it's all real, or if your so called kind has just over-sized canines. or maybe superficial mounted canines. maybe it's always halloween at the club, and i'm the last one to know. or maybe it's all true. maybe i'm not able to relive this tension i have from learning all this information in one full hour of a very long day until i talk to you.

the club had to switch locations due to an attack on the keys. personally, i'm not okay with it. i liked the keys, and it was easier to get to the office from living in the keys. at the moment, i'm doing all the work from home, and it's hard. it's not hard because of the whole working from home thing, but it's hard because i want to see him almost every second of the day. or at least during the night.

that's when he comes out of hiding.

he told me that i could believe anything i wanted too, and that it didn't really show proof to what i accused him of being. but evie told me that he was what she was : a vampire. and that night, when i confronted them about it, so did celeste. evie even snapped at me with those infamous fangs that are always talked about in stories, so now i know they're real. they are really existent. vampires, and shape shifters.

the club is now made of ice, or at least the first story. i'm told that are four complete stories, but i only saw two. the actual club meant for dancing, and drinking. then the restaurant type of setting. it's really 1920's done retro. rumor has it that the captain came into the club tonight, and nearly had a heart attack. thing is: that night that he went through with celeste, i almost came down and shot someone because usually i don't stand for violence. or at least when i'm around, and i can stop it. and thinking about that choice i almost made : it could've ended my life. so, i'm working with evie now, and the club. evie asked me to get information on the captain, and any on the database that they have of vampiric ( or vampirism ) activity. it wasn't so hard. see : i work for the government, and normally i'm supposed to expose things like vampires, and were-animals, or shape shifters. pick your choice of word, but i didn't. i haven't.

i'm almost feeling like i'm a criminal to the united states. like i'm keeping the vampirism community underneath some type of protective shield. i know that it could mean death for me if i'm ever caught by the government. either that, or life in prison. i'd be labeled as a scapegoat, and also crimes against humanity because i didn't issue the threat of what i know to be vampirism. it scares me, and that is why i don't sleep well anymore. i'm just waiting for the knock of the office to come to my door, and put me in cuffs. to drag me away to some type of holding cell.

Her brother seemed amazed by the sight, as he brought that question forth. The two were having a dinner that they had planned for weeks to have, and finally got around to it. Personally to Gunner, it was nice to have his sister laughing, and smiling -- but at the same time : It was scary as fuck.

Solidad only shrugged slightly, as she canted her head. " Um .. I don't know." She brought it out like a child would. That long drawl of words, and finally a perky smile afterwards.

" Okay. What did the doctor say when you went to go see her? "

" I wasn't paying attention. "

" What do you mean you weren't paying attention? "

" Exactly what I said. Nevermind. Next topic. " Solidad answered.

" How's work? "

" Fine. " Giggle.

" There you go with the giggling. "

" Oh. Okay, I'll stop being happy. I'll just fucking sulk around like you until you get enough courage to have a cock up your ass. Isn't that how you like it, Gunner? "

" Go back to your giggling. You were nicer. " Gunner retaliated.

" I'm always nice to people. I'm just not nice to you. " A dazzling smile.

" The pressure of being older, I guess. "

" No, you're a dickhead. That's why. "

" How the hell am I a dickhead? "

" You suck them, and you act like one when you're not getting your way? " Smile! " And besides, Gunner : I'm supposed to be a bitch to you. You're the older brother, you have the right to be a dickhead. And as the younger sister, I have a right to bitch, and nag you until you're lying on your deathbed. "

" That's so not fair. "

" Then stop being the dickhead. "

Silence.

" So, Soli -- How's the love life going for you? "

" There isn't one. "

" What do you mean? I thought you liked that bartender whatshisface. "

" Hector. And I still do, but there isn't anything going on. It's called being a tease, my dear Watson. And we're both good at it. Both meaning Hector, and I. You, on the other hand, suck at teasing. "

" Wait. How the hell do I suck at teasing? "

" Because you just suck. You don't tease. You skip the whole teasing part, and you go directly towards the sucking. Your ex-boyfriends told me. "

" How the hell did you talk to them? "

" I work with one at the Office, remember? He's got a big mouth too. He never shuts up. "

" Just like someone else I know. "

" Your cat? "

" No. You, Solidad. "

Silence.

" You're retarded. " Solidad finally erupted from that silence, as she pushed back the plate of pasta.

" That's what you keep telling me. "

" 'Cause it's the truth. "

" The truth is out there. Mwhaha. "

Solidad pushed her elbow onto the table, as she set her head in her palm. She stared at that brother of hers from across the table, and finally spoke. " You know, Gunner. For a gay man to do that, he must be really gay. "

" Just like you said. I like it in the ass, what can I say? "

" That's gross! "

" You're the one who said it. "

" Still. I didn't need to actually hear that from your mouth. It's gross. "

" I bet you like it in the ass, Soli. "

" No. I don't like it, I love it. "

" See, that's gross. "Gunner finally threw his napkin into his plate.

"Soli, have you gone back the Club lately?"Gunner asked softly.

"Nope, been too busy."

"Too busy? You're never busy. Ever."

"Well, that changed." Solidad smiled slyly, as she looked over her shoulder to take in the image of her brother.

"Wait -- You took someone to Eden, didn't you?" Gunner had the most ridiculous look on his face. It seemed to be somewhere between confusion, questionable sanity, and good taste.

"Mmmaybe." Solidad answered, as she turned in her chair to look at her brother face to face.

"It was that Irish, tall dude that got into that fight wasn't it? The one that kept looking at me, and gave me false hope." Gunner was begging to know at the moment. He was always like this, ever since he had become steadily known as a player.

"Mmm, well that Irish, tall dude's name is Cahal. I ran into him at that club that you dragged me to. We had a few drinks, and whatever happened after that was human attraction..."

"Or sexual. Tell me. I want juicy details, Solidad. Like, now." Whining.

Solidad bit down on her bottom lip, as she canted her head. She took a look around the room before she started to whisper. "Gunner, would you ever tell me about your one night stands?"

"No."

"Then why should I?"

"Solidad. I can see it in your eyes, you want him again. You want him to be that one night stand that happens over, and over again." Gunner laughed. "You're so easy to read, Sol. It's pathetic."

"I'm not talking to you anymore." Solidad protested.

"Why can't you tell me, your flesh and blood, about this man that has obviously made your past few days really good." A question that had a thousand answers.

"Gunner. If I wanted you to know every, juicy detail -- I'd have called you, and invited you." Solidad answered, she turned back in her chair towards her desk, as her eyes scanned the papers scattered about.

"Did you at least clean the sheets? 'Cause from what I hear it's like horribly nasty to your skin, and your pores if you keep dried semen on your sheets."

"Where the fuck did you hear that from?"

"A friend."

"A friend named bullshit, Gunner. I'm probably not going to see him again. You know how it goes in this town. The new ones always end up leaving town immediately, or dead." Solidad pressed the issue to a close.

And that silence seemed perfect.

Until ...

"Did he at least like the room decor?" Gunner requested.

"Gunner! We didn't have time to discuss the 'decor' of the room, or the floor. Or the sheets for that matter. We're not like you gay people to comment on every color scheme, or to discredit the thoughtful into thinking that they have a huge cock. We fucked. Period. Alright? Enough of this post-sex questionnaire." Solidad spat.

"HA! I knew you two fucked. Was he good?"

"Gunner, I swear to God. If you do not shut the fuck up -- "

"You're going to force Cahal's cock inside my mouth to shut me the fuck up?" He was full of wishful thinking.

"No." Solidad finally answered, before she canted her head. What was that Mr.Wolfy doing?

"You're going to see him again, aren't you?" Gunner questioned.

"I already answered that." Solidad was annoyed.

"Oh, please. The last bastard was stupid to not give into you. He tried .. "

"How about you shut the fuck up, Gun?"

"Well. You have Mr.Tall.Irish.Man running around with you from now on. And I know that you think he's gonna skip town, or end up dead. But you never know. Solidad, you better keep him around. Or at least give him to me." Gunner was grinning now.

"I don't think he's your type." Solidad answered.

"No. You don't think he's gay." Gunner said.

You saved my life. I still have your leather jacket. Don't worry, I'll dry clean it to get the blood out of it.

Solidad blinked, as she allowed the cell phone to drop from her shoulder into her free hand. Her eyes were darted towards the end of the hallway, as she canted her head. She didn't feel that cold air around her due to Cahal's leather jacket still being around her shoulders when she left him outside, but if she could : It would've froze her from the inside out. She bit down on her bottom lip, as she took a deep breath.

The little girl was staring at her with two small orbs of makeshift - hatred. Solidad knew that look, Hector used to give her the same look when he got hungry for something other then food, or sex. The flesh of the small girl seemed to pale, especially for it being Key West. At least the children had color to them, this one did not. That was the thing that caught Solidad's eyes. The dark colored dress was tattered, and somewhat dingy to the view that Solidad had, as she swallowed softly.

"Beware for the little girl." That was what the last owner of the Loft had said. Solidad shook her head, and placed the key into the hole. An elevator would soon come down, and Solidad would step on in, giving no second look towards the little girl down the hallway. There were only ten floors, mainly because they were lofting complexes. Sure, they seemed nice from the outside but it depended what the owner did to the inside. She nibbled on the inside of her cheek, before the double doors opened to that seventh floor.

Seventh heaven.

Home was sweet. The white walls seemed to be contrasted with the black picture frames which held black, and white photographs inside them. The leather furniture had nothing on the leather that weighted down the shoulders of the young woman, as she listened to her own heels against the hardwood floor. She placed down the bags in her hands against the marble counter tops as soon as she reached them, as she stepped out of the heels. She'd pick them up later, but she discarded the jacket quickly as she laid it down against the nearby kitchen stool. She pulled the bottle of wine from the store bag, as she smiled softly to herself. Hopefully Cahal was going to like the wine, and if not then it wouldn't take long to find something he did like. He said it himself, he liked Solidad.

Solidad had everything contrasting. Black hardwood floors, and white leather couches. The kitchen was done also in black, as were the window treatments. Though, it was a different story up the narrow path of stairs which led towards the hidden bedroom, though still opened to the whole loft. Her eyes searched the room for a moment, as it suddenly felt freezing.

The silent buzz from the lights above came into her ear canals, as she raised her head. Her mouth was partially opened, as she narrowed those hazel orbs. The light flickered Solidad in, and out of reality as it continued to make that horrible sound. Something inside Solidad's mind tripped, and she suddenly found herself running back down the corridor, as if she was running for dear life.

It was the coldness that she was running from.

She pushed open a door, as she leaned back on it, shutting it with her weight. She was breathing hard now, harder then she would when she, and Cahal would be done with their wild escapades of the night. Harder then she ever remembered, even in her youth of sports, and track in High School. Choking now, as she leaned forward. Her dry hands came to her bare knee caps, as she slumped her shoulders downward. Just breathe.

If there was ever a smell of fear that humans could trace, and recognize : they'd be able to catch bucket fulls of fear-soaked tears from Solidad. A few nights ago, she had ran from Cahal's brother. And now, she was running from something that didn't even exist. Well, not in the real world. Her hands moved to grasp her shoulders, as she felt those warm hands of hers against the glossy-coat of freezing air around her form. Ever since Cahal came into town, these things have come to light. Vampires, Dark Fae's. Headless Horsemen, and carriages with skulls. Werewolves, but she knew about the first, and the last. She also already knew about the one who carried the coldness with her, and that was the ghost that she had been warned about.

Ghosts can't hurt, or maim. They can't kill. They can, however, throw things, and make noises. Talk to you, and mimic you. They show their presence with fire, and ice. Weather changes, and temperature dropping, and then raising. But everything scared Solidad. It seemed like something had reverted her into the mind of a child when fear crept its way up her spine. She'd cry, and she'd run. She'd scream, and pass out. Had she relied on Cahal being there every single time something came to scare the living shit out of her so much that she forgot her own strength? Yes.

And another note. She hated basements. She didn't even know why she came down here, other then to get the clothes she needed out of the dryer number seven. That was her number. That was her mailbox, and her loft floor. That was her paradise : the number. For some weird reason, unlike other basements, this one had been in perfect condition. The white paint looked fresh, and so did the tile. It had so many corridors, Solidad didn't even know how she was supposed to get back to the elevator. It was Butterfly's fault. That's what everyone called her, and maybe that's why the upstairs loft, or the one above that one wasn't occupied. Something must've happened, or was going to happen. Solidad didn't really want to get into that line of business again. It nearly cost her life the last time, it wasn't going to happen again.

She blew the strands of multicolored hair out of her face, as she glanced down the never ending ( or it looked like it anyway ) hallway, as she narrowed her eyes slightly again. Her heart felt like it was pounding so hard, that it was going to break through its ribcage prison, and splatter against the fibers which made up her insides. She was staring right at the little girl, and this time : the girl was walking right towards Solidad. Gather yourself, Solidad. It's a fucking ghost. It can not harm you. She had taken a deep breath, as she bit down on her bottom lip. God, Gunner would probably be laughing at her at this point. Thank god, he was too busy with his own dick in someone's ass to even call his sister once in a while. All though, he had been there earlier that morning when Solidad had seen Cahal.

Back to the picture, Solidad. Don't go thinking about someone, or something else when there is a fucking ghost in front of you. Her mind screamed at her, as she swallowed hard. The little girl was almost to her, and Solidad had not moved. It was like her fear had froze her still, and she couldn't breathe right even if she tried.

Close your eyes, it'll be over in a moment's time. Solidad, however, started to mumble a prayer. The thoughts in her head raced from the ghost in front of her, to her brother, to Cahal's brother, and then finally to Cahal as her lips pressed together to form his name on her tongue. Something reached inside her chest, and it felt like her heart had been ripping from the seams in which kept it pulsating within her body. She screamed a bit, as she pressed her back further against the door.

And then darkness came, and the coldness left.

Hours later ..

Gunner had been pacing back, and forth downstairs as he mumbled things over his cell phone. Solidad's loft had been spotless, so it made it easy to walk, and to pace. To Gunner, that was a good thing. His shoes had been left at the door, as his bare feet padded against the white carpet.

"Cahal. Hey, it's Gunner."

Pause.

"Solidad had a bit of a -- um, I don't even know what to call it. Well, first : I don't believe she's mentioned anything about the ghost that lives in the Loft complex, has she?"

Another pause.

" Oh, she's fine. Well, actually. Fuck, I knew Solidad was doing her laundry, because she always does it on Tuesday's. It's her thing. Anyway : I don't even know how to explain it all. Story is this, I rang her bell. You know, when you get into the lobby? That bell list?"

Pause.

"Right, well. I'm sure you'll be able to see inside her Loft one of these days. But back to the point at hand. I rang her bell, and usually she answers if she isn't out with you, or at Eden. And she didn't. And I heard one of her nieghbors say that they say her go down into the basement. Soooo. I walked down the stairs, because I have this huge fear of elevators. And I have no idea how the fuck Solidad got so fucking deep into the basement. But she wasn't in the washing room, so I checked the dryer room. No sign."

Long Pause. His eyes went towards the upper level edge that Solidad had been placed in. That had been her bedroom area, and he heard fits of groans. He blinked softly before continuing.

"So, I went towards the other corridors. So, I'm walking, and walking. And let me tell you this, this building that my sister lives in is fucking scary as shit. The building was built twenty years ago, but the paint in the basement looks brand-fucking-new. And there hasn't been any remodling of any kind. BUT so I was walking, looking for your girlfriend, or whatever she is to you : my sister, and I find her in the last corridor. Cahal, I found her passed out, and even though she was passed out, and shit : I swear to God she was shaking. And something about that corridor just doesn't feel right, you know what I mean?"

Short pause.

"Yeah, I know she's a magnet for trouble. She's been one ever since she was little. It seemed to have started after our parents passed."

Pause.

"I'll let Solidad tell you when she feels ready. But Cahal, Solidad mentioned to me that she saw you walk out of that church on twenty-fifth street. Is there anyway that you can get someone over here who deals with ghosts, and whatever they are. I, and you probably know that my sister is a huge scardy cat. I have no idea why either, she's been through hell, and back. But here's the creepy thing : when I bent down to pick her up, her lips were trembling your name. And that doesn't seem .. like wrong considering you've probably left a lasting impression on her, and all. It's just .. weird. I haven't seen her tremble, or shake this much -- or even feel this cold since she was on Cocaine years ago."

Pause. Gunner gave a nod.

" She felt deathly cold, man. It was almost like she was dead. But don't worry, she isn't. She's sleeping, or what it sounds like right now having a nightmare, or just groaning a lot. Solidad's known to having nightmares here, and there. She had that one childhood disease : Night terrors. It drove me nuts, but she came out fine in the end. She -- Yeah, I'm going to stay here just in case something else happens. Solidad, and I have been through Hell together, mostly because I'm pulled into a situation where I have to be the big brother, and help her through shit but --, " A pause, and a sigh. " She'll be fine. And I know that for a reason because you came to town. And I'm getting off subject, but I haven't seen Solidad's eye gleem the way they do when she's either thinking about you, or this morning over that coffee.

"but Cahal, she's a fragile girl. So, do me a favor -- and take care of her while you can. My sister is a beautiful girl [ inside && out ] and I would love nothing more then to see her smile because of something good finally coming into her life. Hey, um. I'm sorry for calling you this late, but thank you for saying that you'll take care of the situation."

I need you. I need your help.

Commit your body to advice you can't live with.
It's hard enough to lose a life that you once lived.
And all that's left are all the things.
That you've never wanted, never wanted.
Cause you're trembling at the sight of blood.
It leaves you cold and alone.
And we can't live on with the sins you've learned.
The hunger's gone, gone.

Cause you know what you have to do just to keep you happy.
You know what you have to do just to keep you standing.
You know what you have to do.

Every girl dreams of finding her Prince. Solidad figured this solution of heartache was to place blame on the childhood stories told by parents. It had been weeks since Solidad had seen her own Prince. The evil brother of Cahal had scared Solidad so badly, she didn't know where to run off. Prince Cahal wasn't there to protect her from everything, but he seemed to come at the right time. To remind Solidad that he was still around. Solidad almost forgot all about that Prince of hers, but once he crawled through the doors of Eden again, she seemed like a child wrapped within that fantasy land. She had forgotten how to deal with blood, and with the paranormal. She had got wrapped inside this coil of lust, and emotions for one man. Solidad would surely fall down one day.

Solidad stared at the men in front of her. She swayed side to side while being seated within the office chair, as she raised an eyebrow. She cleared her throat, and shrugged. "Went on vacation." was the only response.

"Went on Vacation in Tuluca Lake Provence, and started stripping at one of the Strip Clubs down there." Mr. Stone had answered. His voice was something that Solidad didn't like so much, as her eyes went towards his face. He wore sunglasses, even inside the room as he threw down a manila folder. It skidded own the slick table, as he smiled. "That is no vacation you took, Miss. De Rhone. The fact that an agent of the Department of Supernatural Affairs went down in a Provence that is highly restricted to our viewing eyes is more then enough evidence to have you stripped from your duties."

Solidad smiled softly, as she canted her head. "Mr. Stone, the only reason why I left without a trace was because I wanted to get away from this bullshit that we call a department. It's nothing but a freak circus act. The ' high guys ', such as yourself and the other clowns behind you hide things from the public view. And the only reason why the Lake is restricted is because its the only place where Vampires can call home without a thought of being taken in. It's a free ticket, and how do I know this? I don't follow company rules, thus the idea of one going outside the box, and thinking for herself is outrageous. Well, Mr. Stone here's a story for you. A little girl found herself involved in a shit load of the wrong crowd. That same little girl turned blood doll for that same wrong crowd."

She paused for a moment. Her body relaxed into the chair as she relapsed back into her story. "That darling little blood doll couldn't think of a way out. She wanted nothing more then to die considering that her older brother was about to leave her for a relationship, and the fact alone stands that he was the only living relative to her -- it completely broke her heart. Blah blah. Little girl lives, and brother is back in her life. Though, here's the kicker. You're looking at that little girl, and I met that man who tore my world upside down with the blood doll shit once again. I wouldn't be sitting here unless my prince .. "

"The were-wolf, Solidad. We know. Where is he?" Stone questioned.

Solidad raised her shoulders in a shrug, as she shook her head. "I have no idea." She paused, "Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. I know what you want to do. You're going to track him down, and then put him in one of the experiments that we are known to run. Guess what, I'm not having that done to him. Period. "

"You're going against regulations."

"Regulations? You want to talk about regulations now? Okay, but let me call you on your mistakes first, and lets see if you can even try to muster up mine. First; you've been lying to the American people about these 'attacks'. They are not animal. They are supernatural, and who gives a flying fuck if hysteria flies. It's going to fly once they find out the truth. Secondly; how dare you follow me, and track down my whereabouts. Thirdly; There is something that we don't understand, and it's taking place. It's swarming, and it's going to swallow us whole unless you can alert the people about the regulations of such actions. If you want to strip me from my duties, go for it Mr. Stone, but I'd much rather get paid for the strip tease instead."

Silence came from the other party, as Solidad narrowed her eyes on Stone. She held her standing point, as she heard one of the men speak.

" You sound tired, Gunner. " Solidad spoke softly.

" It's three in the fucking morning, what do you expect me to be? Wide awake, I don't think so, Sis. What's wrong? "

" How do you know there's something wrong, Gun? "

" I can hear it in your voice. Cahal left, didn't he? "

" My tone has nothing to do with the man, Gunner. It has to do with the Department tracking me down, and supposably keeping tabs on me. " Solidad answered. Her voice didn't hold glorified truth, but she figured that Gunner would continue to talk about Cahal. He did.

" He did leave, and your upset. Soli, you could care less about the Department, and the Government for that matter. You're more choked up about that man of your dreams not being there for you. " Gunner sounded like he was getting high with a needle.

" He's not the man of my dreams, Gunner. If he was, he wouldn't have left in the first place. I don't even know if he left town, I think he's just avoiding me. It doesn't matter, vodka can take his place any day. Just like Momma used to tell us, ' If a man isn't around to support your emotional habits, there's always liquor.' "

" That wasn't a smart move on her behalf, Sol. Has the Department said anything about Cahal? "

Solidad went silent for a few moments.

" Solidad? "

" They did, and they want to know where he is. They would like to bring him in for questioning , but Gunner I know how those questioning periods end. They end with the person in for the questioning dead, and I don't need a dead love on my conscious."

" Did they say what would happen to you if you didn't do what they asked of you?" Gunner seemed intrigued now.

" I would be arrested for housing a wanted man. " Solidad smiled into the phone. " He hasn't done anything, but chase that ghost from my Lofting Building, save my life when Max came to claim it again, and he's done the service of clearing out the city of most of it's Vampires. "

" And gave you the best weeks of your life. The incredible fucking, and the smiles. I bet you miss his Irish charm the most, don't you? "

"Gunner, " Solidad was changing the subject. "I did a bit of digging after I met his Brother. The freak alone scared me into tears, but I knew it wasn't just another Vampire. And I sorta found truth to the myths about the fairy folk, and the Fey people, and all the Irish Folklore. I have a strong connection with the other side, and we both know that considering I always attract them."

"Soli, what are you getting at? "

" I have a feeling that he sorta disappears to another place when he's not here. Either that, or his Brother does. Maybe I can make a wager, or a standing bet with one of them to allow me to come with them to that place. I remember reading something about a ' Fairy Court ', and it seemed interesting to say the least. I just need to get away from people, and disappear for a while, Gunner. A place where I won't be tracked, or followed. "

" Solidad, is this a suicide note said in person? "

Solidad giggled.

" No, silly. I'm serious. I need to find his brother again, or Cahal. Either way, you're not going to see me for a while, or even hear from me. I love you, and you know that. I always have. Do me a favor, and take care of my dog for me? "

Before Gunner could say anything, Solidad had shut the connection off. She leaned back in her office chair, as she bit on her bottom lip. Dozens of books about the same things she had been mentioning to her brother laid before her, as she canted her head.

My name is Solidad. There's no importance to knowing my last name, unless you're involved in the DSA. Oh, that would be The Department of Supernatural Affairs. We're a small, yet vital branch of the United States Government. We're just never known spoke about, something to do with the hysteria that would come from the truth of mentioning, or even thinking of supernatural occurances. I personally believe it has to do with the Religious communities around the Country, and the negative feedback it would bring. Something akin to the End of Days, or something around there. I used to know. I could always be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time, and it wouldn't be the last time either. Hey, at least I'm admitting that I'm wrong - usually.

I used to live a normal life, and I did have personal relations. Once. That all changed with the deaths of my parents, and the alarming toll it took on my thinking processes. I was one of those kids that flunked tests, and ditched school because I thought it was the ' cool ' thing to do. After the tragedy, I became very attentive. I went all the way, and I managed to come out on the top of the Graduating Class of 2002. Something about tragedies has something to do with a kids mind : it can either tear it down to pieces, or it can force itself to think about other things other then what was tragic to begin with. Unlike the other students, I forced myself to finish school tasks, and to write all my essays out instead of copying the material off of the computer via the Internet.

Gunner, my older brother ( and only brother ), thought it was a good thing. I had to make him proud since my parents were not around anymore ( God, rest their souls ). He's the one who really pushed me, and who wanted me to succeed. Though, with the subjects taught in school, I took it upon myself to research out of the box. For the essays, and the reports, I had to do it on something abnormal, and not talked about much. Most of my written works were surrounded by the Supernatural community, and I was seen as an outsider for that.

Most children are seen as outsiders due to their weight, or if they have a strange abnormality. If they eat glue, or talk to themselves. You get the point, we were all in High school at one time, or another. If we weren't the people who picked on others, we were the person being picked on. I was seen as another thing. After my parents deaths, I wanted to learn more about Death in itself. I wasn't going to believe that it was just the end of living, and that was it. I couldn't believe in that. That would be too easy.

I started to condition my mind, at the age of fourteen, ( three years before my parents had passed ) to open it up to the other side, and to somewhat speak with the dead. I would read multitudes of books, and of case studies passed on through the generations. I would go to psychics, and to meetings for people who believed in the supernatural, even if my parents thought I was going to study at a friends house. Something inside me needed to know what happened, and what was truly out there. At a young age, I knew that we weren't alone. So X-Files, I know.

I began reading on Paganism, and Wicca. The religions have nothing to do with the Supernatural, but they did have good morals in them. I remember a corner store I would visit quiet frequently, and I would spend hours in there. It was a store of Mystics, and of crystals. The owners sold some Egyptian statues as well as Greek, and Pagan Gods. They had tarot card readings, and incense just burning away. I felt like it was a second home to me.

I caught the DSA's attention with my written works, and apparently ever since my first article about the Supernatural Truths of Vampires, they had been following my works. My teachers at the time would copy the essays and send them off. This is what my School Principle told me once. I don't think he was exactly sure what they wanted with the essays.

" You're not. " Solidad answered harshly, as she loosened the tie around her neck.

" Then why am I seeing you now? "

" You're the one who knocked on my door at two in the morning, and just caught me from getting naked, and soothing the sheets. " Mock.

" You haven't talked to him, have you? "

" Who? " Solidad was undressing. Her fingertips pushed the small buttons out of place, as she climbed out of the buttoned up shirt.

" Cahal. "

" Gunner. If I would've talked to him, would I be in my living room, talking to you? Personally, "

" You would be fucking right now. " Gunner answered for her.

" God. I want more then just the fucking from him. A nice dinner, a normal evening out. "

" But don't you bring on the fucking? "

" He could always decline, and say that he wants something else. Company, perhaps. "

" Have you looked for him? "

" No. " Solidad threw her shirt on the floor, as she unbuttoned her work slacks. She inched them off her waist, as they fell to the floor. She'd step out of them, leaving them there.

" You want to find him, but you haven't looked for him? That doesn't make any sense. "

" He usually finds me, Gun. From the alarming rate of leeches out there on the streets now, which is horrible when one wants to get home, I can tell you that he hasn't been out for a while. "

" Has the Department found him? "

" No. "

" How do you know? "

" They continue to harass me into bringing Cahal to them? "

" Good point, and good answer. " He paused, " Solidad : Is everything okay? "

" Gunner. Come on, "

" No, seriously. You seem really scared, and that's always like you, but it just seems a bit odd. What with Cahal being around like he was, and with your problems gone .. "

" You might want to take Shadow now. Her leash is on the table in the kitchen, and her food is on the floor. " Solidad changed the subject completely. She only stared at Gunner, while he leaned into her forehead, and pressed a kiss.

" I know something is wrong, and it isn't Cahal. No, we've established that you're upset about the whole thing with him, even if you disagree. There's just something in your eyes that is strange, and it's almost making me rethink this whole thing about you going somewhere else. Does it have to do with the Department? "

Solidad only gave silence as an answer.

Solidad's been going on a hunch that there's another world then the real one, she's either out looking for you, or your brother. She's in a lot of trouble due to her past catching up with her. She'll tell you about that when she's ready. It's nothing bad or anything, but it has to do with the Department of Supernatural Affairs. Anyway, I would appreciate it if you would take care of her. Bring her down from this hunch that she's on, and just take a drive out of town for a few weeks with her. I just wish that you find her before she finds your brother. I have a strange feeling about it all together.

Thanks.
Gunner

P.S;

Cahal was gone, and so was the real world.

It was time to start fresh ALL over again.