The day grew older by what little you could see of the sky through the clouds. Raven Night
an eighteen year old high school graduate look up to see just a glimmer of what was left of the
day. School was finally over and college was going to be a breeze in her opinion without
considering the fact that she got all C’s on her report cards since the beginning of freshmen year.
But not that it mattered. No. Only one thing truly mattered. Finding her one true love.

Raven had only two love interest in her life. First there was Bobby, who came out a week
after they broke up. Then there was Jack who many thought was a department store mannequin
until they saw him pushing Raven away when she wanted him to hold her, but he was disgusted
by the thought of having girl germs on his precious iPod Touch.

It was clear to Raven that she was not in Aphrodite’s favor.

Oh well. She thought to herself. Maybe I should keep my mind on books and not boys. Yeah
that’s what I should… Oh my God! The new edition of Teen Vogue! Raven scampered off to the
magazine stand to find the hottest rumors of her many celebrity idols. Yes, Raven was quite the
reader. Everything from Daylight to Full Moon, anything between The Human Diaries and the
Stookie Steakhouse series. As she flipped through the pages of an o-so-important piece of news,
it came to her. When she glimpsed over at a picture of Richard Peterson, she realized her destiny.
She was meant to be a vampyre’s love interest. The thought was so original and new. Of course,
she thought. It all makes sense now! The reason no one trusts me with their kids after little
Danny cut himself with a knife while I was watching American Idol! How my parents always
want me to come home around eleven! How my skin turns red and burns when I don’t put any
sun block on! My one true love is a vampyre! Raven jumped and screamed with the joy of her
new epiphany then ran with the Teen Vogue still in her hand.

She ran until she came across the college that her older brother Larry was attending.

“Larry!” she yelled to an open crowd “Larry! Hey! Has anyone here know a Larry
Night?”

“You mean the Dungeon & Dragons geek that wheezes and casts spells that make
absolutely no sense!” yelled the only ginger kid in the crowd.

“Yeah, the one that wears purple dinosaur underwear! The very same!” Raven yelled back
with enthusiasm.

“Yeah.” The ginger kid replied with a puzzled look. “I uhh…. Saw him hanging around the
old gym.”

“Thanks,” Raven said as she sprinted her way to find Larry. Many people wondered how
someone as physically fit as Raven could be related to the tub of lard that was Larry Night. The
fact that they had different dads never crossed any one’s mind, or Raven and Larry’s for that
matter. All they knew was that both their dads had the same first name, Fred.

Larry was finishing up a love potion that he had found the recipe for on the internet. He was
hoping to spike it into Crystal Carning’s herbal tea. Crystal Carning was everything that Larry
was looking for in a woman, beautiful, witty, flexible, and care-free. This potion was his last
hope of ever making it with her.

“Larry!” Raven exclaimed then became confused. “Why is there a tiara on your head?”

Larry ripped the tiara from the crown of his head “It’s a crucial part to this potion I’m
making!”

“What kind of potion?” Raven asked still staring at the tiara.

“It’s a love potion for Crystal Carning! You know, the blonde one who always sings along to
Madonna and Britney Spears.”

Raven snickered at such an idea. Boys were always so silly to her. So silly that it was
adorable.

“What’s so funny?” Larry asked, offended by his sister’s lack of understanding of the
mystical world. She was magically challenged at best. Poor soul.

“Love potions, Larry? Really? I think you need to stop hiding behind your wizard act and
talk to the girl like a normal person.”

“Normal?” Larry scoffed in disbelief. “Yeah, since when did you have the faintest clue what
normal means?”

“Because I don’t go around telling everyone about elves hiding out in the girls’ locker
room.” Raven giggled.

“That was one time!” Larry exclaimed embarrassed.

“But anyway…” Raven started. “I’ve found that I’m not meant to be normal.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying that I’m not meant to be with a normal guy. I’m meant to be with a vampyre!”

Larry bursted into laughter, of all the things she could have said, this was by far the most
ridiculous. “A vampyre!” Larry said in the middle of his hysteria. “Really! A vampyre!”

“Yeah, a vampyre, one that’s strong and fast and beautiful.”

“Raven, Raven. Have you learned nothing from Bram Stoker? Vampyres are ugly, hairy,
corpse-like, and smell bad. At least they would be if they existed.”

“Yeah.” Raven flared out. “Says the man who went hunting for unicorns last summer.”

“Hey!” Larry jerked up with his index finger pointing at Raven’s nose. “Unicorns exist,
their population is only decreasing because we’re destroying their natural habitat!”

“Whatever…” Raven rolled her eyes. “Look I’m going to go find my soul mate, so if Mom
asks where I am just tell her I staying over at Crystal’s trying to help you score with her.”

“If only you would.” Larry muttered.

“No complaining! Just do it!”

“All right, all right.” Larry said waving his arms in defense. And without another word,
Raven left.

After an hour of walking around town trying to find any man that sparkled in daylight Raven
realized that she needed to change her approach on this whole finding-your-soulmate business.

“Excuse me miss.” A middle aged man said. Raven jerked a little from surprise.

“Yes?” she replied.

“I couldn’t help but sense that you’re looking for something.” He smiled hoping to reel in
another sucker. He was gypsy one-sixteenth from his mother’s side, but he just usually took in
anyone he could get even if it meant approaching them on the street.

Raven eyes widened with excitement. “Yeah! Yeah! I am looking for something!”

“Something or someone?” The man said with a smirk.

“Oh my God!” Raven shouted. “How did you know?”

“Ahh…” The man took a slight bow. “I am the great Paparelli.”

“Oh my God! I love your pepperoni pizza!”

“That’s Papa Murphy’s! You idiot!”

“Well that’s not very nice.” Raven cried.

“No, no, no!” Paprelli apologized “Look I can help you find what you’re looking for.”

“Really?’ Raven sniffled.

“Of course.” Paparelli said reassuringly “But nothing comes free. I do charge for my
services.”

“Oh… Well I’m not into that sort of thing sir.”

“What?! No…! Not that! I was talking about telling your fortune!”

“Ooohhh…” Raven caught on. “Well when you put it that way, sure.”

“Alright for you I’ll charge twenty.”
“Well.” Raven said digging into her purse for change. “I was gonna donate this to
underprivileged pets, but I think this serves a better cause.”
“Excellent!” Paparelli took the money straight from Ravens hand, closed his eyes and
concentrated.” You… have… been… in… love… before…”

Raven’s heart leaped at such truth, but then she realized that she had never loved, truly loved
anyone, ever. “Hey… Wait a…”

“In… another… life…” Paparelli continued.

Again Raven shot up in excitement. Another life? She had loved in another life?

“Your… lover… still… waits… for… you… “

“Where?” Raven shook the gypsy ” Where is he? I must find him! Or her!”

“In… in…”

“Where? Where?”

Paparelli the held out his hand. It took Raven a few moments to realize what he meant. She
handed him another twenty and he continued. “In… in… Mexico City!”

Raven was at a loss for words. Her vampyre lover resided in Mexico City. But how was she
to get there? Car? Plane?

“Go… by… air…” Paparelli said.

“Thank you sir!” Raven shouted giving Paparelli a bear hug. And off she went. To the airport.
To her lover who she hadn’t seen since her past life. Throughout the flight she wondered where
she could find her vampyre. The museums? The fountains? The churches? There were so many
places she could look. But where to start? Then it hit. The magazine stands. Where she first had
her revelation.

Once she landed in Mexico City she went to the first magazine stand she could find. Once
there she stared at every customer looking deeply into their eyes to see if there was any
connection, but all she received in return were a bunch of blank stares.

She moved from one magazine stand to the next, looking for her soul mate. Everything went
by without any change in the stares until she came across another girl who was also staring at the
customers.

“Excuse me?” Raven asked “But what are you doing?”

“Looking for my soul mate.” the girl replied.

“No kidding!” Raven exclaimed “So am I.”

“Oh…” the girl said shocked “You’re also here looking for werewolves?”

“Werewolves?” Raven questioned “No, I’m looking for vampyres.”

“Vampyres.” The girl’s gaze turn deadly. “I can’t stand vampyres. They’re abominations. And
if you know what’s good for you, you’ll turn away right now.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Raven stated, standing her ground. “My true love is out there
somewhere and I will find him.”

“Not when I’m done with him.” The girl said, pulling a wooden stake from her purse. “Be
warned you’ll curse the day you messed with Leslie Ganza. Ha ha ha.” And just like that the
named Leslie ran into crowd.

What a weirdo. Raven though. Thinking she can meet her werewolf boyfriend at a magazine
stand. Werewolves don’t even exist. She needs a life. As night began to fall Raven looked for a
hotel to stay at. Inside her room she found a sunflower on the end table with a note that said:
To my sunshine who makes me sparkle during the day.

Raven’s heart almost stopped beating he had found her. But where was he now? Though as
much as Raven wanted to stay awake and find her love, sleep overpowered her.

In the morning Raven woke up to the sound of glass breaking. Some idiot had thrown a pair
of sneakers through her window. After making a complaint she hurried back to all the magazine
stands she had visited yesterday but still no luck. Raven began to doubt whether she would ever
find her true love. Once she returned to her hotel repeating the rhyme “The night is all that is
seen, by those who wish to kill the queen.” It was a rhyme that Larry used to sing to her when
she said she thought she could be royalty.

As she reached her room She heard someone whisper her name.

“Raven…”

Raven turned to see the ginger kid from the university staring back at her.

“It’s you.” She gasped.

“Yes. It is me.” He chuckled.

“What are you doing here?” She asked dumfounded.

“Isn’t it obvious Raven? I’m here I’m your soul mate.” He said with a smile.

“No. My soul mate was in Mexico City before I knew about it.” she stammered.

“Yes… Well… I was on my way here when you showed up at the university. But I knew you
were the one the moment I saw you.”

“Then why did you leave me to come here?” she pestered.

“I figured you’d wait for me.” He moved in closer to her “But it doesn’t matter we can be
together now love.” He moved closer inch by inch.

“No.” Raven said bluntly.

“No?” the ginger kid pondered. “What do you mean no?”

“You really think I’m some kind of idiot. I know for a fact that vampyres are not ginger. It’s
been really nice meeting you but I have to go to bed now. Goodnight.”

And with that Raven slammed the door on her soul mate. Leaving him heartbroken and
confused.