******************
I tucked my legs up under my chin, my arms wrapped around them, feeling the rocking beneath me. I figured I was on a boat. Then the werewolf girl finally talked again. “Was that your boyfriend?” She looked sadly at the door before talking again, “I’m Maya. This is the Faerie Queen’s own daughter, Dalia. We were captured because the demons are going to drink our blood. You see, when a demon drinks all 5 Children’s blood, they can be a full warrior and also split into many other demons as well. At least 5 kids go out everyday to be eaten. This is where the sick ones are kept. Sick blood can kill the demons. At least we’ll live a little longer.” Maya ran her hands along and through Dalia’s hair which looked limp and the color was a dull silver. Her pale face looked whiter than paper, purple circled under the eyes that were so big yet so sad, the big pupils a sick, watery look.
Maya herself looked gaunt and pale, but looked as if she needed her spirits up, just for Dalia. I bit my lip, and before I knew it, I was telling Maya about myself, “I’m Emm Lightsworth. It’s short for Emerson. I’m from Maliste.” Dalia spoke next, her voice as sweet as an angel’s, “My Maman lives there. It’s pretty; she has the prettiest garden. The little bugs like to tickle my ears.” Maya looked fondly down at the little faerie with adoring eyes. I closed my eyes and let the rocking loll me to sleep.

******
Apparently it was night because Luke came back, the door making no sound.
“Hey,” Luke said, glancing wearily at Maya, in wolf form, curled around Dalia. “I needed to talk to you.”
“Yeah. You mentioned that already.
“Sorry. Anyway,” Luke looked like he wasn’t really sorry and took my hand. Abarely audible sigh left Luke’s lips as his eyes fluttered to a close.
“Luke?”
“Do you know how long I’ve loved you?”
The question was sudden and it took me off guard.
“You’ve been way too guarded. I’ve never known what you’ve felt… Even if I thought I knew, I was always proven wrong. It didn’t bother me much, don’t worry…” I was unsure and nervous, my hands turning clammy under the warmth of Luke’s hands when he took both. I was cut off when Luke leaned quickly forward and kissed me. At first I stiffened with a gasp, but eventually loosened and let Luke pull his arms around me. I closed my eyes and let my feelings go. It was only a quick kiss. He left with a whisper before he slipped away from my view, “I’ve loved you since I met you. Undescribable.”
I fell to a sleep, a dream of Luke killing the monster then sweeping me into a kiss. How revolting, usually, but then I just realized how much I liked him. When I woke up, Maya looked sad and she she whispered to me while Dalia slept, “He’s just playing with you?”
“What?”
“Luke. He’s just messing around.”
“No, he’s not like that?”
“Oh,” she said bitterly, “I’ve had my share of good-looking bad boys.”
Desperately changing the subject, I asked, “Can we move around?”
“As long as the demons don’t catch you.”
I didn’t try it until what felt like days later when I felt certain of the Demon routine.
*******************
I went to the next compartment where Luke slept along with 2 other sick boys. I noted one was a vampire, his features a perfect chiseled Michaelangelo. “Hey, where’s Luke?” The other boy, a werewolf, replied in the same thick voice as Maya, “I don’t know. He always disappears somewhere, the dare devil.” I stopped before moving to the next room. For once, I decided to get to know the two boys. I was going to die soon and I wanted people to have known me and to have them say a whole bunch of nice stuff about me.
“Hey, can I safely guess that you’re Maya’s brother?”
Flashing me a canine grin, he said, “Correct. I’m Fletcher, by the way. My sister and I were stolen away a couple of weeks ago.” A frown creased wrinkles in his forehead, “I think it was weeks ago…”
I turned to the vampire, “What’s your name and why’d you end up here?”
“Justin. Justin Jackson. My dad sold me here. He was an Angel’s Own just like you, and when he found out I was bitten, he sold me because he thought I was a disgusting abomination.” He said it tonelessly like he’d gone over it a thousand times. “I’m sorry” I said even though I knew it sounded lame. “Um… I’ll get going.” “Visit us again,” said Fletcher after me.
I open the door and find Luke. Only he’s not alone in the room.
Oh, he’s in there alone with another girl.