Chapter one: Strangers

Natasha POV

The more I walked the more numb I became. But nonetheless, I continued to walk. For how long? I don't know. The stars were shining through the blanket of crystal midnight that coated the sky. I focused on the music drumming in my ears and inhaling after a while exhaling. My eyes started to flood with tears. I didn't want this, not now, things were finally getting better.

They were finally okay.   

I started to jog, heading further into town. It was lonely and lifeless at night, with no one around the playgrounds, restaurants or anything for that matter. I started to go faster, hoping to clear my mind. The whistling wind made me suddenly aware that I was running. With a quick glance at my surroundings, I noticed I had never been here. 

The air was damp and musky, I looked up to see I was concealed by buildings at least two stories tall. I stumbled to a stop, Where am I? I've been almost everywhere in town, and this wasn't part of it. I took my breath and held it. Suddenly, a cold wind rushed by my ear. I turned my head, looking for the source, maybe a cooler. 

This wasn't right. As I slowly turned around, my eyes caught a glimmer of something leaking out of the shadows. Crimson eyes appeared suddenly piercing the surrounding shroud, a silhouette appeared stepping forward to reveal a figure in a black hoodie and dark jeans. Our eyes met, and my body shook as they seemed to look directly into my soul.

He looked like a boy about my age, or maybe a year older. His hair was pitch black and with the look that he just rolled out of bed. I held his stare until he finally smirked.

 "Hey princess." His voice was soft, in a whisper type way.

I blinked saying, "What?"

He took a step forward looking pleased with my confusion. He started to walk forward, me backing up with every step he made, only for my back to hit a cold wall stopping my progress. The boy was right in front of me now, almost nose to nose. I shut my eyes tightly, and turned my head.

"It's nice to finally meet you." His soft breath was tickling my ear, making me shiver. Even though I was an average height 17 year old it felt like he was towering over me. I felt his hand rest on the wall next to me, while his other one turned my head forcefully with gentle hands.

"Open your eyes." His compelling voice was telling me to submit. My violet eyes slowly opened and stared at him. His eyes were no longer red but bright green. 

My breath hitched and I regained myself and roughly pushed the boy away, and he burst backward, with what seemed to be a gust of wind his head hitting the concrete of the wall to a building. He was startled for a moment but got back up as I started to run towards the end of the alley.

I had no idea what his intentions were and I really didn't want to find out. I glanced back, only to see emptiness. I started to panic, I didn't know where I was, or where this mysterious stalker was either. I looked down at my hands, astonished that they could somehow emit wind?

My thoughts were interrupted by running into something hard. I lifted a hand to rub my aching nose that had hit the wall I ran into. This can't be an alley.  I felt another wind behind me and whirled around, only to face the black haired teen again. He was glaring at me now, his eyes black.

I moved my hands from my nose to my eyes, not wanting to see what was happening next. My head started to sting, then burn, the pain became unbearable and I screamed. Was he stabbing me? The pain suddenly subsided, and I took my hands away from my face. The boy that was in front of me, seemed to be gone. 

Pushing myself away from the wall, I started to walk away. When trying to find a way out of the mess I had got myself into, my head started to burn again. The pain made me dizzy causing me to stumble to my knees. I gasped and jerked my hands to my head, grabbing and yanking at my black hair that had fallen out of its ponytail. I started gasping for air suddenly finding it hard to breathe. 

It felt like something was squeezing me, like something was inside me. Haunting me, taking me over. I slowly laid my head down on the cold concrete trying to numb the pain. I breathed heavily trying to calm myself down, when suddenly my vision went black.

Unknown POV

She was harder to take over than I had anticipated. Sure she was just food, another life source to live off of for a while, then I could move on to another. I could feel something different about this one, as I pushed my way into her mind, I was observing her heartbeat, most people that go through this would just feel a slight throbbing and walk away after I had taken their very soul, crazy or otherwise dead.

I put my head to the girls and closed my eyes, but opened my mind. Being in someone's mind was usually a pleasure, seeing human memories of happiness and carefree. This was different and I could feel that from the start. Taking my physical form away from the world and just using my mental one to overtake her, I noticed a wall. I looked around just to see I was locked into a concrete room, with a singular light dangling about 2 feet above me.

I reached forward and barley let my fingers brush the wall before I heard screaming coming from around me. This is different. I knew for a fact that every other person I overtook was easy to control and did what I wanted easily. I placed my full hand onto the wall, ignoring the screams resonating around the room.

Breaking the wall was simple enough even though human minds aren't supposed to even have them. Her brain went black, and I sighed. Hope I didn't break anything important. Being a demon came in handy at some points, so I blinked and I could suddenly see. Hurry before she dies idiot. 

As soon as I made it to the control center of her mind, I was amazed at how nicely it was designed but no time for this now. I jogged up to the control panel. There were buttons scattered around, all of them facing a huge screen. I quickly searched for the 'on' switch and flipped it. The lights around me turned one blinding me for a moment.

Finally finding the right controls, I smiled. Searching for home, on the little laptop I controlled her body, and led her home.

Natasha POV

When I woke in my own bed with a throbbing headache I groaned. I was in my own room in my own house. My packed backpack was placed neatly by the door. 

" But I swear I went outside..." I mumbled. The memories from the night before came flooding into my mind. But for some strange reason I couldn't remember how I got home, or even at what time I did.

"Nat!" The twin brothers yelled at the same time. I got up out of bed and realized I was still in my jeans.

No wonder I had nightmares. I thought and heard an echoing laugh and turned towards the open window, with the sounds of cars and buses outside, haunting from the outside. Still cautious, I walked out of my bedroom and turned to the open one of my twin brothers.

I came into their room, with them fighting over an iPad. Last Christmas my mother got my 7-year-old twin brothers an iPad to share, let me tell you something, twins don't share things well.

"Nat, Jake won't share!" Liam said this to me, with tears peeking from the corners of his eyes. His brown hair he shared with his twin, was a light color. I wasn't extremely curly but still had small curls here and there. Next to Liam, was Jake who had the same brown hair. The only thing separating the two was their eyes. While Jake had dark blue eyes, Liam had forest green ones.

"It was my turn! Mommy said when she left!" Jake exclaimed.

"Well mommy's not here." Liam retorted. I sighed. These two were always a handful.

"How about I have a turn," I said, and they knew that they had lost their chance. 

"Awe." their faces fell, showing the disappointment in their eyes.

"But, we can all go watch a cartoon." I said, wanting some time to think.

"Yes!" They said in unison pumping their hands in the air, and ran down the stairs, to the small living room that was also the dining room. I wandered around the house, hearing the cartoons playing in the living room. She must not be home...again. Yay babysitting.  I went to the kitchen, and grabbed a bowl, milk, and Reese's puff cereal. 

I was ready to have cereal for lunch.