Chapter 1 Introduction

Jade Pinkerton's pov

I had gone to bed early because I wasn't interested in seeing the meteor shower that the news announced would be visible during the evening. All I was concerned about was getting to sleep before work at the coffee shop in the morning.

Resting comfortably in my twin bed in my second-story apartment, I was suddenly awakened by a loud-sounding notification on my cell phone along with my room shaking.

Lifting my phone from the charger, my tired eyes tried to focus on the words from my best friend, Monica. When my eyes raced across the announcement, I muttered, “What in the hell?”

That's when I saw numerous balls of fiery lights falling from the night sky, then numerous loud explosions filled the peaceful night of my tranquil small mountain town.

Emergency sirens began wailing next as I peered out my window at the chaos happening across my street.

It was like the apocalypse, and I scrambled for my clothes in the darkness. The electricity had been knocked out, I realized after I tried to turn on my bedside table lamp.

“Come out, humans, if you wish to live!” A stern male's rough voice bellowed below.

Scrunching my lips, I glanced out my open window to see a group of scary-looking individuals and a crowd of my neighbors walking toward the group.

My eyes widened when they were ambushed, and I saw the group biting at Mrs. Jackson, while her nephew Zach was held by his arms. The younger people were bound, gagged, and then tossed into the bed of a pickup truck. The older individuals were slaughtered right in the street.

I was frozen, my eyes glued to the crime scene unfolding right below my window.

Rubbing my eyes, I saw what looked like a black-furred bipedal wolf biting off my dear old neighbor's head.

Backing up from the view, I swallowed uncomfortably and started glancing around for something to use as a weapon.

I'd been mugged in the city before and had a small taser and pepper spray somewhere in my home. Grabbing my ball cap, I tucked my shoulder-length hair up and put it on to cover my head, then pocketed my small pepper spray.

Hearing my building getting raided by more individuals below, I scrambled to my back window to escape and hurried down the metal stairs while hearing more of my neighbors screaming in terror within.

Creeping down the alley, I kept my eyes peeled and ears open for anything to be wary of.

My heart was racing in my chest as I ran swiftly down the dark asphalt to an old abandoned warehouse that once stocked and shipped archery items for hunters. Pausing with my back against the brick wall, I saw an old man get attacked by a vampire. Shaking my head, I refocused and saw another one biting the man who had started to fall to his knees on the pavement.

“Oh hell no,” I stammered as I forced the metal door open to get inside the abandoned building.

Catching my breath, I was trying to make sense of what I had seen. My mind couldn't process what my eyes had witnessed.

"My late dad always told me they were real, damn he had been right," I murmured in discomfort.

Taking my phone out of my back pocket, I tried calling my mom's number, but I got a busy signal.

Gritting my teeth, I turned on my cell phone flashlight and traveled through the dark hallway of the building to get to the lower locker room since I could use the discarded area for cover. My tennis shoes patted against the concrete floor as I headed down to the interior of the building.

The sounds of sirens had died down along with the screaming. As I stepped into the locker room, I heard a familiar voice call out to me.

“Jade, is that you?”

Surprised by my next-door neighbor, Monica, being hidden here, I muttered sarcastically,” Yeah, it's me, I missed a bit of shit show, didn't I?”

“There are werewolves and vampires all over the place! After the meteor shower hit our town, they came out in droves, I'm in utter disbelief,” she said in a frightened voice.

Seeing her silhouette, I stepped closer to where she and several others were huddled in a corner.

“What did you see out there,” she asked, and a man told her to shut up.

“If they hear any of us, we'll be the next ones getting our blood drained and heads bitten off!”

Monica sneered at the older gentleman and pulled on my arm to draw me closer.

“Do you have a tampon or a pad,” she asked me quietly.

Showing her my empty hands, I explained to her that I didn't even grab my purse and was over my monthly time anyway.

“I grabbed my cell and pepper spray, that's all,” I informed her.

She nodded and said,” I will search the cabinet in the bathrooms. It's not for me but for my sister Bridget.”

Confused about that, I looked around at the faces and saw Bridget being held by her boyfriend Steven.

She was shell-shocked and wasn't even aware of her surroundings, causing me to frown.

“All you monthly bleeders are going to get us caught!” The older man from earlier declared, and I pfffted at him.

“Don't be an asshole, we are all dealing with some fucked up shit here, Mister,” I asserted and watched his face become blotchy with his anger.

“Turn off your flashlight or it will attract…”

A low growling could be heard, and I turned briefly to see two lovely glowing blue eyes, along with scruffs of inky black fur covering a huge beast that was very male.

“Everyone, run!” I shouted as I grabbed for Monica and dashed off around the rows of lockers.

“Good thing that we played here as kids,” Monica laughed painfully as we circled the room and out of another door that led to the office area. Finding a single office I pushed her inside.

“Help me find something to brace the door!”

Sliding over a metal chair, Monica told me to prop it underneath the door handle.

Jamming it underneath we stood huddled together in fright as the handle jiggled and loud thuds began.

“It's a metal door and can't be broken,” I commented, and Monica exhaled sharply.

“What about my sister?”

Feeling her concern I told her that Steven would protect her. At least that was what I hoped for.