I do not know how long I have been walking or how far away from home I have walked. All I know I know is that I had to leave it all. I was so wet from the rain that you could never tell that I have been crying. Maybe my prayers will be answered and I'll accidently walk off a cliff or in front of a bus. I smiled; death was the only option I could think of. I put my hand to my neck and held the translucent blue stone in my hand. I then closed my eyes and saw them. My mom showing of her white teeth in a huge grin, her strawberry blonde hair pulled back into a big ballerina bun and her hazel eyes wide with excitement. My dad was swinging me in his arms, also grinning with joy. I was giggling like the idiot I was. I was stupid for thinking happiness could last. I chuckled. It doesn't matter anymore. I am alone and happiness is dead.

At least I thought I was alone. I didn't notice that there was a car following until now. I turned my head and saw a big black jeep moving slowly, almost silently behind me. The only thing that gave it away was the sound of raindrops bouncing off the metal, so unless this was a forest made of steel trees; it would most likely be an automobile. I turned around and the headlights flashed in my eyes. I looked straight ahead and squinted through the rain.

The car stopped and the door opened. A tall man stepped out and suddenly I was running as fast as I could through the trees. I could hear him and others following behind me. I quickly glanced over my shoulder to see how far behind they were, but It was so dark I couldn't see. I slowed thinking I had lost them and bent my head back into the rain.

Then I was on the ground, face first into the dirt, with a massive amount of weight on top of me. Whoever it was pushed up my sleeve. The last thing I felt was something sharp being jammed into my arm.

I woke up under a ton of blankets, in a strange, unfamiliar room. I moved the covers to the side and saw that I was dressed in a long white night gown. I laid my head down on the pillow and closed my eyes, hoping when I woke up I would be in my own room, or at least six feet under. No luck. I opened my eyes again to find myself in the same pale blue room. I swung my feet over and tried to stand, but my legs felt like jelly and I almost collapsed. I held on to the nightstand for support.

Then I noticed the voices that were apparently coming from downstairs. Trying to be sneaky about it I tiptoed through the hallway and carefully down the stairs, knowing I would be prone to accident walking barefooted down hardwood stairs. I crouched down trying not to be seen.

"Ugh, Ryan could you please turn that crap off?" the short red headed girl asked the tall blonde guy. She was apparently referring to the music being played on the television, well, I thought it was music, but the dude was screaming so much you could barely hear the lyrics, if there were any.

"Excuse me?" the blonde guy asked back, offended.

She rolled her eyes and asked again "Please?"

He sighed. "Sure, whatever." He said as he grabbed the remote control and clicked the TV off.

Then another guy walked into the room. He had short dark brown hair, and was wearing a blue collared shirt. After him was a blonde woman, you could tell that she was older than the rest of them. She was wearing a white, short sleeved, turtle neck with faded black jeans. "Okay everybody, breakfast is ready. Could one of you go wake up our guest?" she asked.

I leaned forward, trying to hear better. Were they coming to get me? I sat there pondering, what would they think if they found me on the stairs? Maybe I should just go back into bed and pretend that I was asleep instead of listening in on them. Even though I didn't hear that much, I wouldn't want to upset my kidnappers.

I stood up, planning to go back upstairs, but my heel was apparently on the edge of the step and I slipped and tumbled down about seven stairs. I was afraid to look up, but when I did I realized that they weren't angry they were laughing.

The blonde woman chuckled. "Never mind, apparently there's no need," she said as she stepped forward, offering me her hand. "Are you alright, dear?" she asked now concerned.

I hesitated, but nodded and took her hand. She helped me up and caught me when I again lost my balance. "Thanks," I whispered hoping I said it loud enough so she could hear.

"No problem," she said as led me to the table. I sat down and folded my hands in my lap. The others sat down around me.

"Clara could you pass the eggs this way? If they go to them our guest won't get any." The red head said to, um, I guess Clara, and then she smiled at me. I tried to smile back. The blonde guy, I think his name was Ryan, smirked and rolled his eyes. The brunette barely smiled, but kept his expression cool. I quietly ate my breakfast and watched as they quite ate theirs. What am I doing? What are they doing? Why are they being so friendly knowing they basically hunted me down and kidnapped me?

Soon the silence was too much for me and without thinking about it I blurted out "Can one of you please explain to me why I am here?" I slapped my hand over my mouth.

"Yes dear, I will, but after you finish eating." Clara said half smiling and pointing her fork in my direction.

As soon as I was done, she took my hand and led me to the couch. I sat down and folded my hands in my lap. She sat down next to me while the others just stood. "Now, ask away," she said.

I took a deep breath. "Well, why were you following me? And how in the world did you get me here completely unharmed."

"Well, my answer to the second one is your were never in any danger in the first place." She told me, but I was shaking my head before she was finished.

"No, you misunderstood. I wasn't talking about me, I was talking about you guys," I said gesturing toward her. "I mean, not to be vain or anything, but there's no way you could have gotten here without a few broken bones, unless I was drunk."

"We injected you with a small dose of anesthesia," the brunette said finally speaking. "Luckily it was able to keep you unconscious through the rest of the night." As soon as he said it I remembered that stabbing pain I felt in my arm a few seconds before I was out of it.

"Okay, so you were able to find a way around injury, but that still doesn't explain why you would want me here." I said getting a little anxious.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she reopened her eyes with this very cryptic expression. I could tell she was getting ready to tell a long story so I leaned back and tried to make myself more comfortable.

"Almost a century ago, there was secret empire. It was so secret that we don't even have an official name for it, but it was called the city of slaughtering for a reason. It was an awful empire; its king was a sick minded monster." She said disgusted "He took great pleasure seeing his people being torn limb by limb. He was also very greedy…man." She struggled on the last word. "He hated the idea of his city being kept secret. He wanted power."

I sighed irritated. "What exactly does that have to do with me?"

"Be patient, please," she whispered her face gentle and then she went back into story telling mode. "One day your great grandmother, Elizabeth accidently came across it traveling. She saw the people diseased and injured and used her special healing stone. It was the mate to another special stone, one that instead of healing, it destroys. When combined they have the ability to do absolutely anything. The king saw this great power and tried to take it."

"She was so horrified and disgusted that she used her great power to free all the people and bury the entire city, including its king. But it takes a lot of energy to power these stones and a lot more to use them. Unfortunately it was to much for her and she passed, taking the ruby red destruction stone with her." Her face grew soft.

Still not knowing what that has to do with them keeping me here, another question popped into my head. "Wait a second, if she died wearing one stone, what happened to the other one?" I asked curiously.

She didn't answer; she just smiled and looked down at my neck. I immediately knew what she meant. I too stared down at the sapphire stone and didn't believe it. She was telling me that the stone around my neck is some ancient power. "I…..don't believe this. This can't be happening." I know that I am a walking, magnetic danger freak, but this is just ridiculous! I refuse to believe it.

"Unlike the destruction stone, this stone was able to sense the danger and it fled. Soon it caught up with your grandmother and she knew exactly what it meant. She too passed and it was passed down to your mother, your birth mother I mean." I flinched at the last part. This is a lot to take in.

"She knew that they were going to come after her, so to protect you she gave you up," the red haired girl said continuing.

"What do you mean they?" I asked even though I was sure I didn't want to hear anymore I couldn't stop myself.

Clara picked up where the red head left off. "Some of the king's servants did not agree with Elizabeth's methods. They supported the king in all of his cruel ways. Years after the downfall, those few people went digging around hoping they would find exactly what they needed to resurrect the king and his empire. They found the destruction stone, but they couldn't use It." she said smug.

Red head interrupted again, and I turned to look at her, "Apparently only blood can use it and that's where you come in. When your mother gave you up she sent it with you."

"But that still doesn't make sense. If they only needed my blood, why didn't they take it from my mo-Her? I mean, her blood is my blood right?" I asked starting to get a little sarcastic, but getting sick of everybody calling this stranger my mother. I mean I know gave me up trying to protect me, but still.

I looked at Clara, expecting her to continue the pattern between her and red head, but was surprised when the brunette chimed in instead; I forgot him and Ryan were even there. "Your mother knew this, which is why to keep them from using her blood she committed suicide." He said simply. "That's why you are here. They found a way to track you down, so we had to get to you before they did."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "How do I know you're not lying? That you're not the bad ones?" they seem too nice to be anything bad, but this guy, I'm not to sure about.

"Come on, we're not fibbing." Ryan said answering my question. "If we meant you any real harm, Willy over here would be fried right now." He put his arm around the brunette's shoulder.

"What?" I asked and I could feel the confusion on my face.

"Like I said, the stone can sense danger, so if we meant you any real harm it would have reacted when William tackled you," Clara explained. So it was him who basically, shoved me on the ground and stabbed and drugged me to make sure I couldn't fight back. I stared at his face and gritted my teeth, trying not to show how irritated I was. He stared back for a moment, and then shifted his brown eyes to a different direction.

"We knew that we didn't have much time after what happen with your parents…" she trailed off and looked at me with apologetic eyes.

"What do mean by that?" I asked confused again.

"They got to your parents before we were able to. When they realized that they didn't have it, they asked where you were, but when your parents would not tell them, they killed them and then set the car on fire." Clara said.

I gasped. They tried to protect me, but it cost them there life. It's my fault they're dead. If it weren't for me and this stupid blue rock, they would be alive. I felt sick.

"So what do I do now?" I asked looking down at my hands.

"We are going to protect you. They want you and the stone and we're gonna make sure they don't get either one." She said assuringly. Then she leaned in and kissed me on the forehead and got up to clear the table.

Red head sat down in her place. "Hi, my name is Belle," she said smiling, holding out her hand. Finally, I know this girl's name.

I took her hand and shook it, "Belle, that's a pretty name. Is it short for something, like Isabelle or Isabella?" I asked curiously.

"It's just Belle actually," she said as- a-matter-of-factly. "And your name is..," she trailed off wanting me to finish.

"Oh, it's Melinda," I told her and then sighed. I never liked my name, it never seemed to fit, as if i need another reason why i don't belong. I thought about changing it, but i've gotten so use to it that nothing else fits.

"Lovely," she said smiling.

"Thanks," I replied smiling back.

ok i changed 2 of the names. i took someones advice and mad a character sheet, and i realized that their names didn't fit so i thought really hard of names that did. And Renee always reminds me of twilight and im trying to keep as far away from that as i can. i promise that this will be the very last time i change names. oh and im almost done with the next chapter so if your still there you wont have to wait much longer.