My senses start to clear up as I come back to consciousness. I groan in discomfort as my head rings with pain. I seem to be getting knocked out a lot lately.

As I try to move my numb fingers, I feel soft sheets underneath me. When I manage to open my eyes, I see the walls of someone’s dorm, entirely empty aside from the bed I’m laying on. There aren’t any boxes or anything that could hold belongings. Where am I? More importantly, how did I get here?

Almost as if on cue, the door swings open, revealing a black-haired girl on the other side. After shutting the door behind her, she gazes up and down my frame with intense crimson eyes. She grabs my chin and forces my head back and forth, as if she’s inspecting my face for something. Things just keep getting weirder!

“Do you mind not assaulting my face?” I say, pulling myself away from the mystery girl. She slides her slender hands into her pockets before standing herself up.

“I guess you are tougher than you look.” she says in a condescending tone. Her pale-white skin starts to turn a tint of black before turning back in an instant.

“Get up. You’re coming with me.”

I jerk my hand back as she reaches for my wrist.

“What? No! Who are you?” I yell, jumping out of the bed to stand upright. “You have something do with all of this, don’t you? What the hell is going on? I need answers right-”

I’m cut off when the girl grabs my throat and pins me to the wall behind her, her eyes glowing with a fierce red glow.

She presses her sharp fingernails into my throat as her skin starts to turn black again.

“You listen to me!” she says in a deep, but loud growl. “You’ll get your answers, but right now, you need to come with me! Whether you like it your not, you need me!”

I open my mouth to speak, but stop when the girl presses her nail deeper into my neck. She bares her teeth at me, revealing… fangs? This girl has fangs! What did I get myself into?

“If you choose not to listen, I have no problem ending you here and now!” she says, her growling louder than before. I simply give a small nod, without saying a word.

The girl releases me, stepping back as I regain my balance and breath.

“Do we understand each other now?” she asks as her skin starts to turn back to its pale shade.

I raise my hands up in front of me as I bring my eyes to look at the girl who almost killed me just a moment ago.

“Can I at least know where we’re going?” I ask, my hands trembling lightly.

She groans, crossing her arms before turning towards the door.

“There is someone you need to see. She’ll explain everything you need to know.” she says with an irritated tone. “Now, let’s go!”

Before she can open the door, it swings open, revealing a face I didn’t expect to see.

“There’s no need to be so harsh, Natalie.”

“Angela?” I yell, glancing at the black-haired girl in front of me. “You know her? She almost killed me!”

Natalie turns to me, her eyes starting to glow as she releases a growl. I jump back as she marches towards me, only to see her stop in her tracks.

I look past her, and notice Angela… with sparks of lightning coming off her fingers! This is getting to be way too much for me!

“What… the hell?” I whisper as Angela walks over to Natalie, still frozen in place.

“What did I tell you? Stop being so forceful.” she says before Natalie drops to her knees.

She jerks her head up to me, her red eyes still glowing as she get up and walks towards the door.

Angela turns to me, an apologetic look in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry about her Cayne. Natalie tends to be a bit… aggressive at times.” she says. “Come on.”

I take a deep breath as Angela motions for me to follow her.

“Angela,” I say softly, “I don’t mean to be rude, but would you mind telling me… what the hell is going on?”

Angela lightly grabs my wrist before leading me out the door.

“Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything. For now, I’ll leave it at this…” her voice immediately turns stoic, “you’re going to need to listen to us if you want to live through the week.”

Chills shoot up my spine as Angela drags me down the hallway, Natalie right behind us. She stops at another dorm at the end of the hall, the door opening to reveal yet another girl inside. Her bright red hair hangs over her front as she beams a large smile at Angela.

“Finally, you guys are back!” she says in an upbeat voice, motioning everyone inside before closing the door. She suddenly turns her eyes to me, making me jump in place a bit.

“You’re the new guy?” she asks, moving closer to me.

I stutter slightly as she steps into my personal space, placing her hands on my chest as her smile turns devious. Now I have this girl to deal with? Could things get any weirder?

In the next instant, the red-haired girl disappears. Laughter rings in my ears as she appears behind me, wrapping her arms around my neck. Did she just… teleport?

Before I have time to think anything else, Natalie rips the other girl off my back, glaring at her with fierce red orbs.

“Knock it off, Audri!” she says, holding the girl by the hair. Like before, she disappears, then reappears at the other side of the room, wiping her sky-blue eyes with the bottom of her floral tank top. She gives me a wink as she pulls it down over her midriff, making my cheeks flare with warmth.

“Pervert.” Natalie whispers under her breath, making my face even warmer.

“What did I do?” I yell. Natalie glances at me before turning away with a huff. I hang my head down as I let out a quiet groan.

“Sorry, Nat.” Audri says, turning to Angela. “You said he was nice. You didn’t say he was cute!” She shoots another wink at me before Angela brings everyone closer. Seriously, what is with these girls?

“Cayne.” Angela calls to me, “You’ve been wondering about what’s been going on here, correct?”

“I think I’m way past ‘wondering’ at this point.” I say in a deflated voice.

“Well, this is the short version. We aren’t human, and, as you could hopefully guess, neither are you.”

Angela and the others raise their hands in front of them, turning the backs of their palms to me. Within seconds, a glow of amber erupts from them, taking the form of a tattoo of a beetle. A burning sensation appears in my own hand. When I look at it, the same marking shows on the back of my palm. What the hell is this thing? This only raises more questions!

“What is this? What the hell did you do to me?” I say, panic obvious in my voice.

The girls lower their hands as the burning in my own disappears. I look at them with wide eyes as I step back towards the wall.

“What are you?” I ask in fear of their response.

“You mean, what are we.” Natalie says, taking a step forward. Angela moves towards me before adding to the statement.

“We are Kheprians, Guardians of Man.”

Thanks for reading! Be sure to leave a like, and comment what you thought about this chapter!