Chapter 1

It was well past midnight when the inner city guards showed at my door to order me to the games. The last thing I remember before the world went dark was a pin prink on my wrist, and a sinister smirk from the fair-haired guard.

I awoke in the darkness of what I assumed was sector seven. Groaning, I let my eyes adjust to my new surroundings, but when I tried to move I found that my hands were bound and the chains were wrapped around a rather large tree.

"Don't try to move, you'll tighten the chains for the rest of us," said a deep voice next to me. "Ah sleeping beauty is finally awake I see," said a woman who I assumed was on the other side of the man who spoke first.

"Apologies for not gracing you with my presence earlier, now if you would just be quiet I can get us out of these chains. And if any of you ever has the two sense to call me sleeping beauty again, I'll roast you." I let the silence fall over us and concentrated my mind on the chains wrapping us around the tree. Shadows seeped out from my palms and wrapped around and around the chains and through the locks until a small click was heard and the chains dropped to the ground. I stepped away from the tree first and turned around to be greeted by six others.

The first man to step forward was tall, very muscular, with tattoo sleeves on both arms, the one on his right looking similar to mine. He had silver hair that was cropped on the sides and longer on the top, pale skin, and eyes so black the pupil wasn't visible. "Well, I suppose since my life will be in the hands of you lot for the foreseeable future introductions seem to be in order. My name is Tobias Kane." As he finished his last sentence his fangs were put on display; vampire.

The next woman to step forward introduced herself as Opal Banks. She was a tall woman, a few inches taller than my average stature. She had shoulder length blonde hair, blue, icy eyes, freckles, and tan skin. The woman on Opal's right introduced herself as Eden Zenith. Her average height, long hair, and mixed skin tone mirroring my own, but that's where the similarities ended. She had brown eyes, not green. Light brown hair, not onyx, and freckles splattered across her face.

The man with the deep voice who spoke to me earlier stepped up next. He was even taller than Tobias with icy grey eyes, muscular body, pale skin, and black hair. "Bane Zev, werewolf." His icy eyes began sizing me up, "And you dear girl smell like a witch, a very old one at that. As do our new friends Opal and Eden, but you Tobias...ah you smell like a demon."

"Alright enough. Let us get this done with. I'm sure you heard me call you sleeping beauty earlier. Azalea Skovif, and just so the dog doesn't have to sniff me out I also happen to be what Mr. Zev referred to as a demon." Azalea put her fangs on display to prove a point. Her attitude certainly matched her fiery red hair, and her eyes that matched. She was of my height, muscular, and tattoo sleeves on both arms.

"Well I suppose that just leaves the two of you," Opal cut in looking at me and, well, the last man standing.

"Roth Vaslof. Warlock." He matched Tobias' height, with shoulder length black hair, mixed skin tone mirroring my own, and chocolate-colored eyes. With that, they all turned to me.

"Zeraphina Bloodshade. Witch, but you all knew that already, didn't you?" Azalea chuckled, but went on to say, "We shouldn't stay in the same place we were dropped; they'll be looking for us. Now that the pleasantries are finally over I for one would like to survive sector seven."

"Fine but we gather our weapons first," Eden tilted her head towards a metal trunk hidden away in the brush. Roth, Bane, Opal, and I stayed put, not needing any of the weapons, but the rest of them seemed eager to have some of the guns and knives the inner city guards so graciously left for us.

As I turned on my heel to lead us in the other direction I heard a snap of twigs to my left. Shadows and black flames seeped out of my palms as if my body could sense it. My head snapped to the left and out from the brush came a werewolf with auburn fur that stood 6'0 at the withers. Atop its back was a woman with glowing eyes, a demon I assumed.

"Welcome to sector seven, looks like you lot won't last long."