Chapter 1

*Damian*

Crack! I'm down on the ground with a bloody nose. I get back up with adrenaline running through my veins as I face the bully.

"You still want more? Give up already!" He says with a harrowing laugh. I punch him straight in the gut then in the face. He's down on the ground as I get on top of him ready to knock him out until I'm stopped by my little brother, Owen, holding on my forearm.

"Stop it, Damian! You'll kill him!" Owen screams. He looked to be in rough shape which angered me more but I looked down and saw the guy that beat him up got what he deserved. I get up and nod to my brother, he lets me go. I turn to his bully.

"You're lucky my brother is here otherwise I would have just killed you." I threaten with a deep menacing voice. "Don't let me see you even ten feet away from him or I'll finish you!" I say as the bully gets up and runs away like a coward. I let out a sigh and turned to Owen.

"Thanks Damian, you're a lifesaver…" Owen begins thanking me.

"This isn't how I wanted to spend my eighteenth birthday Owen! Look, I know you're my little brother and everything but you gotta learn to defend yourself from bullies like him." I say with my hands on my hips.

"I know… I'm sorry." He begins to tear up and I pull him into a tight hug. My little brother is only fourteen but we have a size difference. At seventeen I was very tall, no more than 6'0 and very ripped but my brother is 5'6 and very skinny for his age.

"It's alright Owen, but seriously I can teach you a few moves if you want…"

"You know I'm not as strong or as fast as you."

Damn, Owen sure knows how to get to my emotions. I feel so bad for him and as a big brother this is literally ripping my heart open. Yes, he can be a pain but all little brothers are. Owen and I have always been the bestest of friends growing up but ever since my father started training me to fight at the age of twelve, we've been slowly growing apart. My father was once a great general but he never told me from where and my mom won't tell me either. My dad wanted both of us to start training but my mother insisted that Owen should just stick to the books and be the smart one out of the two of us. My dad taught me how to fight with my hands, knives, swords, axes, spears, bows, arrows, and old weapons like that. He insists that guns are too "loud and clumsy" for a real fight. Anyways, I stuck to the training and Owen stuck to school and scholarships. In fact, I was just picking him up from school when I saw these kids beating up my brother and I guess I spoke with actions more than words.

"You're right. Let's just go home and get some dinner, mom is waiting for all of us…" I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw a beautiful girl come out of the building. She is brunette with hazel eyes, looked bright and bubbly for a little thing, and she had a smile that I got lost in until Owen tugged at my shirt. "What?"

"Uh… you kinda just spaced out there for a second. What are you looking at?" Owen asks. I pointed her out and my brother just shook his head with a smile. "She is a senior this year and she also has a rumor going around." I turned and raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of rumor?" I asked.

"That she is a witch." Owen says.

"That's bullshit, witches and that sort of thing aren't real." I say.

"Seriously? You don't believe in the supernatural?"

"No, I stick to reality. Besides, isn't science fiction kinda your way of saying you're a nerd?" I smile.

Owen sighs. "First off, I'm only a big nerd for Star Wars. Second, the supernatural intrigues me."

"Really? I didn't know you were into that sort of thing."

"Yeah it does. Ghosts, aliens, Bigfoot, and other things like that have to be real."

"Show me proof and I will consider changing my mind." I laugh. "Alright enough ogling over girls and talking about weird science fiction. Mom is waiting for us." I head over to the driver's side as Owen gets in. I start the engine, shift the gear in drive and we head home.

Our home is only ten minutes away but mom should be done cooking by now. I get out of the truck and the wonderful smell of burgers hits my nose.

"Mmm. She's making her special burgers tonight." I say.

"Aw man, I hope she didn't put any onions in mine." Owen whines.

"What is it with you and not liking onions? They are good for you!" I argued. My father comes outside with a beer in his hand and a smile that women could get captured in.

"Owen, how was school?" Dad asks. "Woah! Wait a minute!" He checks Owen's face and sees the bruises from when he gets beat up. He looks straight at me.

"I didn't do that to him. He…"

"It was those bullies again. Sam and Nate." Owen says.

"So did you fight back or did Damian here have to butt in?" Dad asks.

Owen hesitates for a second before replying. "Damian saved me."

"Owen…" He sighs. "Next time you're gonna deal with those bullies or they are going to just beat you more. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." Owen looks down.

"Good. Go get out of your school clothes and come eat. Damian, you go help your mom with setting the table." I nodded and headed inside, feeling bad for Owen even more.