The man moved back, glancing behind him as his cold hands met the wall. He looked forwards again worriedly searching through the dark “H-how did you get through the guards!?” Their was a moment of silence, another voice answering him from the dark “How?...They have all been killed…” The man swallowed “W-why are you here!?” There was again, a pause “You…should fully understand…my purpose…” The voice answered from a different angle. The man froze “How would I?…Wait…you don’t mean this is the organizations plot…! Then are you, the White Dog!?” He held his breath feeling the cold steel of a rigged blade against his neck “The White Dog…as a matter of a fact…no.” The man paused for a moment “Then who are you…?” He watched as the moonlight reflected off of the blade, and into the eyes of a masked face, two dark eyes watching him “The Black…Trailist.” The voice answered calmly.” The man smiled slightly “So your not the other one…then…can I compromise with you?…Look I will give you a share of my money once the chip has been sent to Northern Rau…just let me go!” Their was a longer pause this time, the man’s hopes shattered as the figure laughed, a chilling laugh that seemed to feel the room with dread.

            He froze pushing himself harder up against the wall as the figure pressed harder down on the blade his voice speaking up quietly “What a selfish creature…it is no mystery the organization wants you dead…yet…you look down on me for I am not well known as an assassin…as The White Dog. You misunderstand…The White dog is an amateur…that’s is why others know of him…his missed targets speak to civilians of his existence…yet…the reason you never hear my name…is for no target of mine…has ever escaped to tell.” The mans eyes widened as the figure drew closer placing his other hand on the blade “I give them…a black trial.”

“Well done…Trialist…here is your pay.” He lightly took a black envelope, as the man reached it out towards him “I will look forward…to working with you in the future.” The figure shifted slightly, glancing at the lightening window. “Oh, and…” His didn’t move from the rising sun. “Can you please wash the blood off of your cloaks? I bet you recall the last time I had to clean it off of the carpets.” He chuckled “As you say, chief.” He moved quietly to the door, placing his hand on the doorknob “Oh, and one more thing.” He moved his head to the side his chocolate brown hair covering his blind eye “What?” The chief crossed his fingers on his desk, the fan droning noisily above them “I know you work for any one that hires you…but would you mind letting us hire you…to work for us?” His eyes narrowed “I refuse.”

“May I ask why?”

“I chose no side, grow close to now client, and refuse to reveal myself to anyone.” He opened the door before walking out “Things seem to be better that way.”

“HEY TRAI!” Trai yawned glancing lazily over at the doorway to the classroom as the bell rang. Vera was waving happily from the hall her black hair swung over her shoulder. “What?” He said lazily his visible dark brown eye staring at her casually. “Come on its time to go hurry up!” He yawned then stood up quietly, swinging his book bag over his shoulder “Yeah coming.” She watched eagerly as he walked past her. “Wow, you’re not your happy self today, come on smile!” Trai looked over at her, and after receiving her pair of dark brown puppy eyes smiled slightly. “Good! THANKYOU!” He chuckled slightly glancing down the halls of busy students packing their books. Both of them began to walk down the side of the hall near the windows that aliened them. “Hey, Trai what do you have for homework tonight?” He looked back down at her as they passed a set of lockers “Homework? Don’t have any.” She shot back at the door stubbornly her book bag dangling from her fingertips. “They let you of the hook again didn’t they? Uhhggg I hate your stupid mind…just cause you get good grades and all doesn’t mean they should not give you any homework!” He ran his fingers through his hair yawning as they past the last set of windows. “Vera, I get above average grades on every subject, their either hundreds or higher, even in honors…they don’t need to give me homework. I’m busy enough.” She smiled at him sheepishly they pushed on the doors. The locks clinked and they slowly opened into the sun lit day. “It’s still unfair.” He laughed a little under his breath, roughly rustling her hair so that it fell over her eyes. “A lot isn’t.” She growled moving his hand as they stopped for a moment out of school grounds. Vera threw her head down, and up again her hair whisking behind her eyes. As she did this something caught his eye “Hey…Vera, hold still.” She paused for a moment staring up at him “What?”  He lifted her chin up with his finger “What’s that?”

“What?”

“You have more makeup on one side of your hairline than the other. Near the temple…you never do that.” She tried to pull away a little but he held her tighter “Well, maybe I just wanted try something new?” 

“Hold still.”

“W-what why?” He wiped away the makeup with his thumb and paused “Why didn’t you tell me?” He said examining the black bruise.

“It’s just a bruise…and its…not as bad any more.” He hissed quietly to himself “You’re not going home tonight.”

“What!?”

“There’s an extra room at my house…”

“What! No! I can’t he’ll find out!”

“I don’t care, I’m not going to let your dad do the same to you that he did your mom.”

“Trai!”

“No arguing.”

“But!”

“I will knock you out, you know I will.”

“Trai…I don’t want to get you involved.”

“I don’t care now hurry up.” He began to walk again, Vera following quietly behind him “What would your parents say?” He glanced back at her, his blind eye now slightly visible form under his brown hair. She never got to see that eye much. “Oh…sorry…I forgot.”

-His parents are dead aren’t they? He lives by himself. Seven years of friendship and I still haven’t let that sink in. I’m so stupid-

After a moment of silence hey finally reached a two story house. “You know what?”

“What?”

“I’ve never been to your house before have I?” He chuckled “Yeah, actually when you were nine…but you freaked out because you heard something in the attic.” She laughed, lightening the mood, as he unlocked the door. “Yeah, what was that anyway?” He hit the jammed door with his foot, and it flew open into a wide plain living room, with a large staircase. “Mice.” She wandered in slowly, recognizing the living room and the kitchen door beside of it. “Trai, are you sure this is ok?”

 He nodded shutting the door behind her “Yeah…The kitchen and living room are downstairs. There are three rooms upstairs, and one bathroom down the hall near the attic door upstairs. She nodded “What am I going to wear?”

“I still have some of my mom’s left over clothes…and some other extra clothes.” Vera left her book bag onto the couch, slowly nearing the staircase “This place is really clean…no dust at all.” She heard him chuckle behind her “Yeah, I work on it during my free time, are you hungry?” He said changing the subject. She looked back over to him lying “No, I’m fine.” He began to walk to the kitchen “What do you want?”

“I’m not”

“You’re a horrible liar, don’t try it again.” Vera watched in amazement as he made his way into the kitchen “I’ll….be upstairs then…”

“Good, ill bring you something to eat soon.”

She sighed walking quietly upstairs. The stairs creaked quietly under her feet, and before long she reached a door. “Now which one is mine?” She opened it quietly. The room was clean, nothing inside but a bed, carpet, mirror, and table, with a window. “I guess…this is it then.” She walked in steadily, shutting the door behind her “It’s…actually pretty nice.” She fell back onto the mattress behind her, the springs bounding up and down.  She stopped after hearing a strange yelp. But after staying silent for a few minutes ignored it. “Probably a mouse” she let her back fall against the covers, and this time, she shot up.

“Ow…”

“Be quiet, or she’ll hear you!”

“You’re the one making noise!”

“Shut up.”

Vera slowly leaned over the side of her mattress, peeking under the bed. She nearly screamed seeing two sets of light blue eyes staring at her. “W-what?” She was prepared to say it louder but a pale hand broke from the dark under the bead and covered her mouth “Be quiet!” The other one added a polite please. Vera pulled out from the bed, her hand over her chest “Who are you!?” She whispered loudly, as the two girls pulled themselves out from under the bed.

“See, I told you she’s find us” the dirty blonde one said, to the pure blonde. The dirty blonde was about eight, and the pure blonde seemed to be about eleven. “Yeah thanks to you” The pure blonde responded. “Excuse me?” Vera said quietly. The two blondes looked at her, their light blue eyes, glimmering with the light of the now lowering sun. “Oh…sorry.” The eleven year old curtseyed politely. “I’m Ari, and this is my sister Kara.” Vera stared at them “Sisters? What are you doing here?” The eight year old; Kara opened her mouth “Oh, we live here, we’re” Ari cut her off, covering her mouth “Kara, you can’t say anything remember?!” Kara gasped “Oh I forgot sorry!” Vera stared at them, but Ari was quick to change the subject “Who are you?”

“Vera…”

“Now, what are YOU doing here?”

Kara giggled “I wonder if she’s brother’s girlfriend?” Everyone froze, Ari slapping her head, my mouth hanging open “Your brother? You don’t mean Trai?” Ari growled “No.” Kara stared at her “Yea he is.”

“KARA SHUT UP!”

Vera’s eyes narrowed “Wait…you don’t look anything alike.” Kara yawned “He was adopted…he doesn’t look anything like the others either.” Ari gave up sitting down “So…Vera…I don’t want anything she says to leave the room, if brother finds out were done for.” Kara plopped down on the floor, as if remembering some time tin the past when he got mad “Yeah, brother is scary when he’s mad.” Vera stared at them “So what exactly is going on here…I never knew he had sisters.” Ari leaned back against the mattress her legs curling up near her face “He wants to keep us a secret…he doesn’t want the government to take us. He always tells us that ever since the country was split into two opposing governments that it became twisted. He hides us, and works so that he can give us food, he also teaches us things from school.” Vera leaned her back against the wall “Earlier you mentioned the others…?” Kara grinned “There’s twelve of us.” Vera gasped, and nearly yelled “What!?” Ari reached to cover her mouth “I said quiet.”

They all jumped as there was a knock on the door, the two girls shooting for the bed. “Hey, Vera I’m coming in!” She waited until the two girls were completely under the bed “O-Ok!” The door opened, and Trai walked in, a small plate in his hand. “I used the last of the bread on this sandwich, so I’m making some other things downstairs. He shut the door, putting the food down on the table. “I heard someone talking up here…everything ok?” She opened her mouth to speak but he quieted her, a now more serious expression on his face, one that nearly scared her “Is everything ok? Ari?” I gasped, how stupid was I? Trai was smart, too smart…he realized things that other people didn’t. They were toast. I put my hands up as the figures under the bed began to move out “Look, I found them, they didn’t do anything!” “They knew better.” He hissed. I watched carefully as the two girls stood up from the ground, their heads lowered. The eight year old was already crying. “I’m sorry…” She whined. Trai sighed. It wasn’t a calm sigh, sympathetic one. It was unnaturally angry. “Trai I won’t tell I promise!” Trai didn’t look at me, but I was amazed when the eleven year old raised her voice. “I’ll take her punishment!” Trai lifted his hand over his forehead, covering his eyes.

“What’s going on in here-oh…” I looked over at the door to see another blonde, around fifteen, her hand clasped over her mouth. “Oh…no…” I watched in amazement, as she rushed into the room, grabbing the two girls by the arms “Trai I’ll take care of them.” He breathed out, a breath that halfway converted to a growl “Sandra…I’ll be right back, can you please get Anna to take care of Vera while I’m gone?”

“Sure, no problem.” Vera watched quietly as he left the room, Sandra signaling that she’d be right back.

I sat in the living room, the blue eyes of twelve girls staring at me. “Ok everyone this is Vera.”  One little girl probably age eight raised her hand. “Why is she here?”

Anna smiled at me “She’s a friend of Trai.” I heard a few whisperes, then another girl maybe sixteen raised her hand “Will she be taking care of us too?” Anna, the seventeen year old shook her head “No.” Then she turned to Vera “Ok Vera let me introduce you.” The ones that you met upstairs, were of course Kara, and Ari. The fifteen year old.” She pointed to Sandra “is Sandra, and the other fifteen year old.” She pointed to the other similar looking girl “Is her twin Menni.” The fourteen year old over there is Ren, and the other thirteen year old beside of her is Sarah. Kenni, Amy, and Erin are the youngest, seven year olds, over there on the couch. The last two eleven year olds, and two twelve years olds are Mary, Karmen, Terri, and Kally.” I stared at all of them. They were all girls, and all of them looked so much like each other. White skin, blonde hair, bright blue eyes. “So…where do all of you live?” Anna smiled slightly “Twelve and under sleep in the rooms, and thirteen and over live in the attic. My name is Anna, as you know, and I usually help take care of everyone when Trai is at school. I stared at the floor now thinking. “OK everyone go to your rooms, I just needed to introduce you!” I didn’t remove my focus from the ground, and in a  few minutes the room was quiet, Anna sitting down beside of me “Quite a surprise isn’t it?” I looked over at her “Why didn’t he tell me?” She glanced over at the door, as a crack of lighting stretched across the clouds, rain begging to pour over the windows. “He probably didn’t want you to worry, he really cares about you.” I nodded “But why…when did this happen? Has he been working to feed all of you for this long?” She nodded “Yea, that’s why everyone gets really upset when someone does something to upset him. We’ve all practically taken away his youth without realizing it. He sacrificed his life for us. All of us get upset when  he is…we all know what he’s done for us…but Vera.” I looked over at her kindly “What?”

“Something is wrong.”

“What?”

“I’m worried…about him.”

That morning I woke up again to the rain pelting the window mercilessly. It still seemed dark outside, and after listening to the rain for a few more minutes, my dry mouth couldn’t take it. I had to get some water. I crept slowly out of the room, and even slower did I make my way down the staircase. I made my way down the stairs and as I reached the last step, I saw Trai sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. “Trai?” He didn’t move when I said this but I saw him take in a quick breath. “I can’t do this anymore…” I saw him mouth. “Trai…are you ok?” I approached him slowly sitting down beside of him “I’m sorry…I won’t tell anyone…you know I wont. This is my fault.” Then I finally heard him speak, but his voice wasn’t as casual as I remembered. It was a purer sound…calm. It reminded me of when I first met. Everything about him was perfect, all of the girls loved his appearance. He was the most attractive person I had ever seen, not even a magazine could match it…but I guess after so long I grew accustomed to it. I made close friends with him, and grew accustomed to it, but now this new voice…reminded everything again. This was new.

“I can’t stand this much longer.”

I stared at him “Then…let me help.” He didn’t respond for a moment “No…Vera …you don’t get it. You can’t help…” He seemed so upset now…too upset. “Then tell me…you’ve been hiding everything from me for so long…” I winced as lighting boomed outside. I watched closely as he leaned back against the couch his brown hair nearly covering his deep eyes. “Then…can I ask you something?” I tilted my head a little, my now shaggy black hair tied in a bun “Anything?” He closed his eyes, and nearly whispered a question that caught my heart in my throat “Have you…ever killed…someone?” I shook my head a little trying to realize what he was asking me. “No…” He chuckled, a cold empty show of amusement. His next sentences seemed more to himself now. “Of course…that isn’t something…every average person has done is it?” I stared at him. “Well…can you imagine…what it would feel like?” I lowered my head thoughtfully. “I imagine…it would feel horrible…a stain that couldn’t be washed away.” He leaned forward breathing in again “What would you do…if you killed someone and you were sorry…but you knew…you would have to do it again.” I glared at him for a moment. Where were these questions coming from? I was prepared to answer, but suddenly he clasped his hand over his mouth, wrapping his hand over his waist tightly. I stood up as he began to cough bending forward. Something was hurting him. “Trai!” I put my hand on his back. “Trai, ill get Anna.” I was prepared to run, but I gasped feeling his hand clasp around my wrist. I winced as my back fell against the couch, and after a flash of movement, He was over me, pinning me down, his eyes closed in pain, and his hair draping over his face. “Don’t…tell anyone…please.” I clenched my teeth “Trai what’s happening?” He shook his head a little, and I felt his hands tighten on my wrists as the pain continued. “Trai, get off…I’m going to get your sister.” He lowered his head setting it on my shoulder “Vera…please…don’t tell…anyone.” I winced feeling his grip tighten again. “Trai what is wrong? Tell me! Why are you in pain?” Then I felt him freeze.

TRAI’S P.O.V.

I couldn’t take it anymore, I could feel it devouring the very essence of who I was. The pain echoed through me, and I couldn’t stand it. I had to give in…it couldn’t hurt. Could it? No…I couldn’t think like this. Then I felt a fifth rush of pain run through me, and a clenched my teeth, muffling a yell, but she could tell. “Trai…what…is happening to you?”

Then I could feel it. That part of me that I built up just to use…I never expected it to control me like this. That…darkness.  

NORMAL P.O.V.

Slowly I felt him lift his head a little, and I held my breath. This wasn’t him. “Trai…what?” I was cut off as his lips met mine, in a rough kiss. I tried to move my head, but the more I struggled the more his lips pressed against mine. I felt myself get weaker, and gasped as he forcefully deepened the kiss. I could feel darkness tug at the corners of my vision, and finally I understood his intentions. He was trying to suffocate me, he was trying to knock me out. I couldn’t give in. I continued to move struggling from his grasp. I closed my eyes for a moment, successfully taking oxygen for a second before opening them. When I did, my eyes met his. I froze. His eyes weren’t the same. Instead of the happiness, that I struggled to see in them before, I saw rage, hate, lust.  I closed my eyes, tightly as his hand slid behind my back, arching as he pulled me up against him. I tried to pull away again, feeling the couch was no longer behind me, but he merely followed, my back bending more as he did. Then finally I felt my resistance breaking. He tilted his head to the side, as if he knew I was giving in, I couldn’t give in. This wasn’t right. This…wasn’t him.  I began to deepen into my thoughts, but suddenly my attention was divided, as his hand slid over my stomach, and around my waist. I felt myself shiver as something cut my hair band, my hair falling back behind me. Wait…something cut it. I froze as something glimmered from the corner of my eyes. I closed my eyes, as he slid a carefully crafted dagger into a sheath on his leg. Hidden. Suddenly I forced myself back my breathing unsteady “Why…do you have a dagger?” I tensed as he leaned in tilting my head to the side. He whispered, quietly into my ear, his voice, was different. “Does it bother you?” I leaned back, and he followed crossing his arms over my head and leaning his forehead against mine. “Who are you?” I whispered, staring into his now black eye, the other still a silvery white, from his blindness. “Who am I?” He laughed under his breath “Who do you think Vera?” I tensed “You’re not Trai.” He tilted his head a little in amusement, his eyes narrowing “Ah, but I am…I’m what he’s been hiding from you, love.” He leaned in closer until out faces were only centimeters away “I’m upset that he didn’t let us meet sooner…I’ve been eager to see you.” I shook off a dreary feeling as something seemed to fog over me “I’m his demon, my girl.” I winced feeling his lips brush lightly over mine “Sleep…” I suddenly felt the tiredness wash over me again but again I tried to shake it off “No.” Then I felt the darkness close in around me “Don’t worry…I wont hurt you…” I heard him laugh under his breath “At least not now.”