Ethan Orozco's Story

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“Mom! Dad! No!” Tears streaked down Ethan’s thirteen year old face as he saw the strangers grabbing his parents. They struggled to escape the vampires’ grip, but there were too many of them.

“Just run Ethan! Get out of here!” His mother’s sapphire eyes were full of fear, but no tears. She knew this was her fate, dying to protect her son. Ethan’s father’s steely gray gaze locked with his. He was mute, but his stare spoke a 1,000 words. “GO!” She screeched, just before a man buried his fangs into her throat.

Ethan choked back a sob and ran off, hearing the vampires sucking his parents clean.

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“Gah!” Ethan gasped, jolting into an upright position in his bed. His sweaty hand gripped his chest where his beating heart was hidden. His breathing was ragged and quick. “That stupid nightmare!” Ethan snarled, throwing his pillow at the wall. It hit with a soft sound, and landed on the ground with a thump.

His apartment was very small. One room and one bathroom, but it had a fridge, oven, microwave and running water. As long as these things were included, Ethan was satisfied. The paint on the walls was chipped and the ceiling was cracked, but it was home. Ethan let out a small grumble as he sat up, rubbing his face in an attempt to remove the sleep from his eyes.

It was early morning at El Casa De Ethan, and breakfast was an apple and some milk. The Were got dressed in a black button up shirt and some black jeans. No tie today. What was ironic was the fact that the only thing Ethan was actually willing to pay a lot for was clothes. He brushed his hair quickly and then took care of his teeth, making sure to spend some extra time on his canines. He grabbed his wallet, keys and a candy bar for later and left his lonely apartment to go to his minimum wage job working in a music store.

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Ethan was strutted his way down to the train station. With his pay, owning a car and an apartment just didn’t work. His acute senses worked to make sure the area was safe. As he walked, he could see people staring. He knew what they were gawking at. It was the odd color or his hair. He even heard a little boy whisper to his mommy asking why he looked like that. Ethan scowled a bit.

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Ethan sighed. For some reason, a lot of the trains were late. He couldn’t afford to be late and lose his job. He plopped down on a bench. After a few moments, he began to start… looking around. At his line of sight, he was entertained by what he could see. No one seemed to notice his staring.

Sam smiled as she saw the woman walk into the train and leave. Sam looked around and sighed, she didn't really have to leave for work now, but she thought she better leave. Sam stood up and then got a quick scent of another creature. She could smell strong body spray and she then saw where the scent was coming from. She saw a blue haired guy, sitting on a bench and seemed to be staring at something. Sam could feel multiple emotions coming off of him, Sam felt bad for him. But, she could smell something besides the body spray, she smelt his real scent. Sam walked over to the pay-phone and made a call to her boss, '' Hello, it's Sam. I won't be at work today, something very important has come up and I can't come to work today.'' Sam then stopped and listened to her boss talk. She was alright to skip out on work today, she was only a cook at fancy Italian cafe'. So she could miss one day of work. She then said, '' Thank you. I'll make up tomorrow, good bye, Sir.'' She hung up the phone and looked at the blue haired guy.

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Ethan sat with a rather bored expression. His train was very late. With a light sigh, he pulled out his iPod and decided to listen to some music. The sound of guitars blared in his ears, drowning out the sounds of all of the hustle and bustle of the people. His head leaned back and he closed his eyes, losing himself in thought.

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The music played until Ethan felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Someone was staring at him. He opened a single eye and looked around, seeing a woman looking at him. Ethan's nose twitched. Something was different about this girl. His nose twitched once more, picking up a familiar sent. Ethan barely held down a snarl. He stood up abruptly and walked over to her without thinking about the dangers of stomping up to a possible vampire.

"Is there something you want with me?" He demanded, towering over her with an angry glint in his eyes.

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Sam was shocked when she was asked this question. She looked at him for a second, then felt what he was feeling. She looked into his beautiful eyes and said, '' Um, not exactly. I was just thinking. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable or angry. I truly am sorry.'' She made a quick little bow with her head and took out her i-pod and put her ear buds in, and pretended to be listening to music as she left. But she could feel like this boy could start some trouble, and she was getting ready for it.

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''Um, not exactly. I was just thinking. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable or angry. I truly am sorry." She bowed her head rather nervously and walked off. Ethan felt bad. What he said was rather rude.

"H-hey! Wait!" He jogged after her and walked around to in front of her, blocking her path. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. You just caught me in a... bad mood." Ethan sighed and rubbed his neck. He wasn't feeling like himself today. "My name's Ethan, what's yours?" He asked. "But still... why were you staring at me?... I know you're not... normal." He bent over and whispered the last few words in her ear. He backed up and took another glance at the clock. Eh... he wasn't too late. Plus he was kind of the store manager's pet, so he wouldn't get into too much trouble.

All the while, around him, Ethan could hear people talking about the strange murders. They all wondered how the victims could die and have no blood left in their body. The answer was rather obvious, but these people were oblivious to the supernaturals that live amoung them.

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Sam was amazed that he didn't want to start anything. She looked at him and said, '' No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have been looking at you like that. So I'm sorry.'' She smiled at him and kept walking, she then said, '' My name is Sam . But my friends call me Sammy. You can call me either, I don't mind. And it's nice to meet you Ethan.'' She smiled at him and then said, '' What do you mean you know I'm not normal? At least I'm not the one with blue-''She cut herself short and said, '' Never mind. I'm sure you have work to get to. You should go. It was nice to meet you.'' She then took another step forwards and tried to get away from this awkward meeting.

As Sam was walking, she felt someone is distraught. The feeling of panic and confusion was overpowering Sam. She looked around and saw a girl, not that much older than her, standing near the tracks. Sam looked at her more closely and realized she was going to jump. Sam took one step towards her direction, and the wonderful to some, but repulsive to her, she could smell blood. Sam eyed her and saw she was holding her neck. Sam thought for a moment and knew that she was attacked by a Vampire. She then thought to herself, '' What Vampire could it be? I don't know any Vampire that would go in broad daylight. Then again it is raining today, but still. Who would be so stupid and go and attack someone?'' She was about to run to the girl and save her, but before she could do anything, a stranger came and grabbed the girl and pulled her away.

Sam looked at Ethan and said, '' Let's take a look.'' She ran towards the girl and saw that a group of people started to swarm around them and see what happened. Sam pushed and made her way past and through the group of people, until she got to the front of the crowd of people. Sam looked at the girl and studied her from head to toe. Sam then felt some kind of aura coming off of this girl. She didn't know what, but Sam knew that this girl wan't human, she was far from it. She then heard the man cry out for help. Sam walked up to her and said, '' What can I do? I'm pretty well trained in first aid, and other kinds of healing processes.'' She bent down to the girl and said, '' My name is Sam Larson. Who are you? I'll need to know your name and age.'' Sam then grabbed her back pack and started to look through it.

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Sam really seemed like she wanted to get away from Ethan. This made him sigh. He walked with her for a few moments, before deciding that he should just say bye and leave. But he froze, mid-step. His nose wrinkled. The stench of blood overwhelmed his senses as his head whipped around, looking for the source. Suddenly, there was a bunch of commotion near the tracks. Bingo.

“Let's take a look.” Sam seemed to have the same idea as Ethan. He darted forward, wiggling his way through the crowds. He squeezed out from in between two husky fellas and sort of dropped to his knees mid-stride, and slid next to the girl.

Ethan’s eyes, and nose, were drawn to the famous two holed puncture wounds in the girl’s neck. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, moved her hand out of the way and pressed the cloth to the wound. He bent over and muttered into her ear. “Don’t worry… we’re different…” Ethan then nodded in Sam’s direction then looked back at the girl. He didn’t know if telling her that right now was that great of an idea, but he did it anyway.

Ethan looked back at Sam and whispered, “What can we do? She’s been bitten!” He made sure no one else would be able to hear. It wouldn’t be long before an ambulance arrived. He could hear the sirens already, and they were approaching fast. “We need to go. Now.” Ethan hissed under his breath.

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Sam looked at Ethan and said, '' I'm not leaving her. Go, I'll be behind you. Go!'' She said to Ethan. Sam knelt down to the girl and said, '' Don't worry, I'll make sure you stay safe.'' She sat next to her and waited for the ambulance and the Police to arrive. Sam looked at the girl and didn't say or do anything, she knew what was going to happen to her. Sam didn't like it, but she had to accept it. She stood up when the Police and Parametics came. Sam looked at them and said, '' She's been hurt, make sure you keep her safe. And others.'' She looked at the girl and stayed there. She was going to keep her word and stay with her.

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''I'm not leaving her. Go, I'll be behind you. Go!''

"That's not what I meant-" Ethan called as Sam sat with the girl in the ambulance.

Ethan was going to go with them, when a paramedic stepped in his way. "Sorry pal, not enough room." Ethan let out a quiet growl.

"Alright." He looked over the man's shoulder at Sam. "I'll meet you there. I might even beat ya." Ethan winked and darted into a dark alley. As soon as he was obscured from others, he clenched his fists and concentrated. Hard. His muscles flexed and relaxed as he grinded his teeth.

His hands changed to large meaty paws and his legs and feet changed as well as he pulled off his sneakers to reveal another set of furry paws. The fur crawled up his legs until his entire lower half was covered in pitch black and sparkly white fur. A tail grew from his tail bone and it lashed for a moment. A pair of ears appeared on the top of his head. His body was now covered in fur. Powerful muscled rippled under his pelt. Letting out a gasp, the change stopped when he looked something like a mixture between human and tiger with a human face that was standing on two legs.

Ethan stood catching his breath, then shook out his pelt, loosening his muscles. "Alright Ethan. Its go time." He cracked his neck and took a few steps back, then ran at the side of the building, scaling it quickly. His paws beated on the roof of the building as he sprinted forwards, leaping from roof to roof with ease. His sensative ears could pick up the sounds of the Hospital. He would be there in moments.

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So much had happened all in just a few minutes. A girl around her age had asked her a few questions and when the boy that was with her explained that they were different like her she answered. "I-I'm Jayson, I'm 21." she stated. When she heard the ambulance farther away she begun feeling afraid. Why now of all times? She didn't understand it and wanted to be left alone but she knew now that was going to happen. By the time she made it into the ambulance she had fallen completely unconscious from the blood loss and all the overwhelming things around her. The last thing she remembered was seeing paramedics sitting near her asking her questions.

Sam looked at Jayson ans smiled. She then said, '' What can I do?'' The paramedics looked at her and said, '' Do you know how to do an I.V. needle?'' Sam looked at them and nodded, they then said, '' So, do it now.'' She cleaned her hands and took the I.V. needle, she swallowed hard and slowly put the needle into Jayson's arm. Sam then looked at the others and said, '' What else?'' They then said, '' You can help stop her neck from bleeding.'' Sam grabbed a blanket and brought it up to Jayson's neck, Sam looked away, then looked back at Jayson and pressed the blanket against her neck to stop the bleeding. Sam almost puked when she had to do that, she doesn't like the smell, sight, taste, and the look of blood. She felt a little sick, but kept the blood from coming.

They got to the hospital about fifteen minutes later. The paramedics jumped out and rushed Jayson into the hospital. Sam got out and walked over to the nearest trash can and puked. She then quickly finished and walked over to a bench and sat down. She then started to shake from nervousness and the thought of what is going to happen to Jayson. Even though Sam had just met Jayson, she felt like they had known each other fora life time. Sam didn't know why, but she just had that feeling. She then started to panic since she didn't see any signs of Ethan around.

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Heavy paws pounded the concrete roofs of the tall buildings as Ethan ran swiftly. He followed the ambulance all the way there, always having his ears open, listening to the sirens. He was like a black and white streak as he sprinted and jumped over alleyways many feet below him. It felt good to be able to run like this, having the wind flow through his fur.

After a few minutes of enjoying his run, the hospital drew closer. He skidded to a halt near the edge of the current building he was on. He jumped off, into the alley way behind the large hospital. He didn’t want to be spotted. He crept along the side of the hospital like a lurking shadow, until he neared the front of the immense building. His nose twitched as he picked up familiar scent.

“Sam! Psst! Over here!” He hissed quietly when he saw her sitting on a bench, rather queasy looking. His tail flicked from side to side as he waited for her to walk over.

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Sam looked up and looked around for Ethan. She looked to where she thought she heard his voice. And sure enough, she saw Ethan hiding in the shadows of the side of the building. Sam looked around and stood up, she quickly rushed over to him and said, '' Uh, what do you want?'' She said that in a way that anyone could tell she had just puked. She looked around and walked into the alley and stood next to him. Sam looked at Ethan again and then noticed he had Tiger paws and Tiger feet. Plus a Tiger tail. She quickly looked away, so he wouldn't see her looking at the other side of him. She blushed and looked at his face, she then started to blush again, since she didn't realize how good looking he really was, until now.

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''Uh, what do you want?''

Ethan crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. She walked over to him and he could smell something foul about her, well, besides the smell of vampire. He was going to say something, when a sudden smirk creased his lips. He took note of her blush.

“So… do you like what you see?” Ethan teased, flexing his enlarged biceps. He chuckled and stuck out his tongue from in between his large canines. His clothes still fit him well in this form, just a bit… snug. Plus, he was about another four inches taller, towering over Sam. His tail tip twitched with amusement.

“I told you I was going to meet you at the hospital. Someone has memory loss…” He joked, poking her head with his paw.

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Sam looked at him and smiled. She was shocked of his size as a were, this was her first were encounter. She looked at him and said, '' Uh....I....I have a boy friend.'' She blushed and moved away from him. She then looked at him and said, '' You can smell it, can't you? The vampire part of me, plus the-'' She stopped and jerked around as she heard something coming from the other side of the alley. Sam looked at Ethan and said, '' We have company. Stay alert.'' She cracked her neck and took a deep breath, she could smell another creature, but she didn't know where he or she was.

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''Uh....I....I have a boy friend.''

Ethan blinked slowly a few times. “That just makes things awkward…” He snickered jokingly.

“ You can smell it, can't you? The vampire part of me, plus the-“ Ethan was going to nod and begin shifting back when Sam suddenly tensed up. [b]''We have company. Stay alert.''[/color] Ethan himself stiffened and whipped around, his tail lashing. His claws unsheathed as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the alley. He couldn’t see anything with his night vision, so he wondered what had spooked Sam.

“It’s probably just a dog or something. Relax.” Ethan said, standing up straight.

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Sam looked at Ethan and said, '' Yeah, it does make this even more awkward.'' She said with a serious tone. She looked around and heightened her hearing. Sam then could hear a raspy breathing coming from an old, shattered window on the third floor, of the building next to them. Sam looked back at Ethan and said, '' You have a lot to learn about me then.'' She smiled and climbed up the side of the building. She peered over the window and saw an old, ugly man sitting next to the window, with a beer bottle and a sharp knife. He looked at her and attempted to stab her, Sam moved to the side and dodged the knife. She grabbed the handle and made the old man drop the knife, and it landed next to Ethan. Sam looked at the old man and said, '' Now you're coming with me.'' She picked him up by the collar of his shirt and brought him down with her.

She dropped him next to Ethan and said, '' Now Buddy, want to tell us why you were in the building? And if not, we can always make you talk.'' She said that as she bared her two fangs and sneered at the old man that was on the ground.

You ever stare at your own shadow?

You ever see your shadow blink?

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Nicholas White-Eyes stared at himself in the mirror. Or rather, he stared at himself staring at himself in the grimy mirrors of the filthy Downtown Crossing restroom. The thing that so naturally wore Nicholas's face with warm mahogany eyes wheeled around and his hand reflexively reached for the pistol at his left hip. But Nicholas was faster. A flash of grey streaked in Nicholas's hands as he strode toward to his doppelganger between the on-and-off flickering of the single strip of dim fluorescent lamp hanging overhead. He closed the distance in the space of a second.

Nicholas peeled back the silver foil cover of his colored-eye contacts as he took the sink beside his copy and began the tedious process of putting them on. The Fetch eased visibly and his left hand eased away from his firearm.

The Changeling glanced at the Fetch, the Fae "replacement" of every human to be captured and transformed by the powerful and insane True Fae. The Fetch was an eerie copy of himself; a perfect duplicate of Nicholas from his lean countenance to the salt and pepper goatee, now turning to a rough beard. A simalcrum of human life made with a bit of magical Glamour and a scattering of sticks and a policeman's badge. Yet the Fetch had the same face, same voice, same clothes, even the same smell as the original Nicholas. The only difference between the Changeling and his Fae doppelganger was the Fetch's eyes which held the color of his Nicholas's eyes before his abduction by the True Fae.

Yet the Fetch had no idea that it was anything less than Nicholas Ramirez, a veteran detective of the Chicago Police Department until that horrid morning two years from today that a thing of creeping shadow first appeared outside his window wearing his face. The Fetch represented ten years of Nicholas's missing life; it had risen to the top of his field, gotten married with a child on the way, and was thinking about moving into the suburbs. It was truly remarkable that the Changeling hadn't filled the thing with lead on their first meeting. But having been gone ten years changes one's perceptions on identity.

The two had come to an uneasy agreement. The Fetch received his Changeling's assistance on difficult cases where things just didn't seem to add up. In return the Changeling received a commission on each case. A Pledge had been struck, both shadow and simalcrum bound by the magic of the Fae Wyrd. Neither had bounds to kill each other and neither could reveal the existence of the other without incurring seven years and a moon of blindness and deafness. The creatures of the Wyrd kept their promises.

"Fetch," said the Darkling as he rapidly blinked his right eye.

"White-Eyes," said the Fetch as he turned to face the Changeling.

"No blood?" White-Eyes put in the second contact and blinked his now mahogany eyes twice.

"Like the rest." The Fetch crossed his arms. The unease had lessened but not abated.

"You must be desperate," White Eyes said.

"Yer a chatty son of a bitch you know that?" said the Fetch in a flash of petty anger as he handed White-Eyes his badge.

"Gimme fifteen minutes. I'll contact you tomorrow morning," the Darkling replied. His Fetch ripped out a page from his notes, handed it to the Changeling, and began transcribing the memorized list into the page behind it as he moved into the restroom stall and locked the door shut.

The Darkling glanced at his watch and left the restroom and onto the crime scene. He held a hand up to shield his eyes form the glare of the light and every step through the morning light was like slogging through water. As a creature of shadows, sunlight weakened him, seemed to stretch him too thin. It did not hurt Nicholas but did flip him the metaphysical bird for not bending to the rules of the mundane. The Changeling nodded to the two police officers who glanced at him crossing the yellow warning tape and joined them to discuss the state of the body and to inquire about the coroner. A single, long shadow dragged behind him, lapping up the ambient feelings of confusion and the fear hanging heavy in the air. Nicholas breathed it in deep as he went to work. He sidled up to the body and stood so that the shadow of the corpse and his own merged.

The taste was foul. Old, bitter, like a mouthful of wet pennies. Something not quite dead. And so terribly far from alive.

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Twenty-five minutes later, Nicholas White-Eyes was racing up a set of stairs in an abandoned building cursing the sunlight for making his mad dash through the Chicago shadow paths difficult as he tailed a girl with a bitter shadow and a beast-man who had just found a girl with two bite marks on her neck.

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''You have a lot to learn about me then.''

Ethan smirked. “Is that a challenge?” He winked playfully and watched as Sam yanked an old man from this window.

''Now Buddy, want to tell us why you were in the building? And if not, we can always make you talk.'' She bared her fangs threateningly.

“Now now now…” Ethan shook his head. “There’s no need to get feisty sweet heart. I’m sure the man will tell as all we need to know…” Ethan took a step out of the shadow he had been hidden in. The man looked upon with surprise, but Ethan sense his sudden wave of fear. It was then he felt his body stiffen. “There are others here…” He bent over and whispered in Sam’s ear. “I’ll be right back…”

Ethan bunched his leg muscles and leapt upward, his claws digging into the building’s side. He quickly climbed to the top, his tail flicking from side to side, looking for their little follower. He walked silently along the edge of the building, gazing into the alley he was just in. His eyes narrowed, spotting a small figure looking in Sam’s direction. A small smile crept onto his face. He snuck along the edge just a bit more, until he was behind the other being. His hands gripped the building and pushed off with his legs. With a silent whoosh, he landed behind the being. He bent over and tapped her shoulder. “Looking for something?” He snarled, rising to his full height, towering over the being. He quickly noticed this being was a girl, and much smaller than Ethan, especially since he had half-shifted.

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