Chapter 1

Jeff takes his eyes off the television on which he has been watching the football game for the past hour and smiles as he sees his long time girlfriend, Amaya, looking back up at him. "Bored?" he asks.

"No... Well maybe a little. It's just a bit too violent for my taste, you know, all those men out on a field, almost killing one another for a little ball. I swear I don't understand you guys sometimes," she answers.

"Good. That's how it is supposed to be so that there is equality between the sexes since men definitely don't understand women! Although, I have to say, having Samantha as a daughter makes me appreciate the female gender more."

Amaya slaps him playfully and sits up before saying, "Excuse me? It took our daughter to make you see the positive side of females? Geez, I guess I don't count for anything around here anymore, huh?"

Jeff laughs at the sight of her well-accustomed pout and says, "I never said that. Simply that the finer qualities of females have been shown to me through watching her grow up. It's a totally different thing. I love her but I love you in a much deeper, romantic, and carnal way."

"Carnal?"

"You got it baby," he says before pushing her back onto the couch and kissing her deeply. He can feel her fingers slide through his hair as his hands go down to her sides and up her shirt, where they rest on her waist. Jeff can hear the game still going on and breaks the moment by quickly sitting up and yelling, "Go, go, go!" The team he is rooting for makes the touchdown, causing him to yell in happiness. "That's the way!"

"Jeff, be quiet! You'll wake up Sam if you keep that up!" Amaya scolds as she sits back up and straightens her shirt.

"Sorry honey. This is a really good game and I can't help myself."

"I figured that much out," she mutters as she begins to feel ignored again while Jeff sits back down and continues to watch the game, absently wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She lets her attention on the game move towards the night outside, which is when she sees the cat.

It is dark black and looks to be young but not a kitten. The cat is just staring at Amaya though, unnerving her. If that wasn't bad enough, Amaya watches in shock as the cat's eyes change from cat eyes to normal, brown, human eyes. Amaya blinks a few times to make sure she isn't seeing anything and discovers that the cat is still sitting there on the porch, staring at her, with human eyes that change back into cat eyes as Jeff asks, "Amaya, what's wrong?"

Amaya turns her attention back to Jeff. "Do you see that cat out there?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Do you notice anything different about it?"

"Like what? It's just a cat. I've never seen it before but it is normal I think. Why? What do you see?"

"Nothing, never mind."

"Aww... You just want my attention again huh? I'm sorry sweetheart if I am ignoring you. Come here," he says, pulling her to him again, where she contentedly snuggles closer to him.

The two share another intimate moment until Jeff spots that the referee on the television screen made a bad call and breaks away from Amaya again to yell at the screen. "That was such a bad call! Come on ref, get some glasses!"

Amaya rolls her eyes and moves to the other end of the couch so she can look out into the night again in peace. She notices that the cat is still sitting there, right at the edge of the porch, staring back at her. This is really starting to scare her so she tries looking away but is drawn back to it by some invisible force. What really scares her though, is when she watches the eyes change from cat eyes to human eyes again and then watches in horror as the cat becomes a human.

Once fully transformed, Amaya notes that the cat has morphed into a young female. The girl smiles evilly at Amaya and a voice in Amaya's head says, "So, we finally meet. Our face off will be soon, I promise. Be prepared." With that, the girl turns around and vanishes into the night.

Amaya is left staring in shock. 'How could she possibly know me or what I am? I don't practice the craft anymore,' she wonders.

"Amaya!"

"Huh?"

"I've been talking to you for the past couple of minutes with no response. You got me scared there," Jeff says.

"Sorry. I was just thinking. What's up?"

"Well, I was just saying that Nick, Drew, and Justin are coming over tomorrow to hang out and have some lunch before we go to our recording session. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I haven't seen the guys for ages and was going to tell you to invite them over anyway."

"I guess I have been keeping you and Sam to myself."

"Not like I don't enjoy it. I've missed you so much because you've been on tour for so long. I still can't believe that from the request my friends and I asked you to do at that one party so long ago that you became such a successful singer in a popular group. 98 Degrees is one of the most loved groups among people of all ages."

"I don't know about that. I mean, we didn't even get nominated for any Video Music Awards categories this year. However, I have to agree that I am amazed that my dream has come true. I never thought that I would actually make it as a famous singer in a successful group. I guess I have you to thank for that."

"What do you mean?"

"If you and your friends hadn't been there that night of the party to request for my friends and me to sing for you, I would never have even thought about singing. Thanks baby," Jeff says, kissing Amaya lightly.

"As if it was any hardship on my part. It was actually quite entertaining. I'm really glad though that your dream has come true."

"It will be complete as soon as we are officially married though. I can't wait! Sam is almost nine months and well, I want to be able to celebrate her first birthday as her dad and the husband of her mother as well."

"I'd like that too. Hopefully everything works out within this next month. Nervous?"

"Naw! Why would I be since it's a dream come true?"

"Possibly because no one in the public's eye has had any confirmation that I even exist."

"Still burned about that?"

"No, it's just that they are going to be shocked to find out that you are married."

"That's why our publicist is making a public statement tomorrow about it. I am really sorry that you haven't been able to come to so many things with me. Every time I go somewhere without you I feel terrible. However, I am glad that you have been attending some of the award shows and concerts with me anyway. Too bad you couldn't for the past year though because of Sam. Actually, since so many fans have seen those shows with clips of us in the audience, wouldn't they figure out that you were my girlfriend?"

"Not necessarily. I just hope that this doesn't hurt your career."

"Well if it does, I guess I'll learn that they are more interested in what I am instead of who I really am and the music I make with the rest of the guys, which will be a sad thing. I hope it doesn't come to that but if it does, I'm prepared for it. Now, why were you staring out the window like that?"

Jeff's question reminds Amaya of what she saw and heard, worrying her that he could have seen that too. "Nothing. Did you see something?"

"No, that's why I'm asking you. Come on Amaya, I know whatever it was bothered you."

"Jeff, there is honestly nothing out there. I was just thinking of different stuff. Getting married to you in less than a month is stressful you know."

"Stressful? How so?"

"All the plans, pressure to make it perfect, and making a lifelong commitment to remain faithful, true, and totally in love with you. It scares me to be honest."

"It scares me too Amaya, but I still want to do it. My life is so complete with you and now Sam in it. I will never forget your many mood swings, weird cravings, and passionate moments while you were pregnant with her. You have to realize by now how much I love you."

"I guess I do. I don't know. It's just that just a moment ago, I experienced real fear, something I haven't felt for a long time."

"Something in which I will never let you feel again if I have anything to do with it. Come on sweetheart, let's go to bed now."

Jeff holds out his hand and Amaya uncertainly slips hers into his grasp as he pulls her up. Together, they walk up the stairs to their bedroom and collapse onto the bed, lying really close together, kissing. Although Amaya is totally into it though, a corner of her mind is concerned about that voice she heard, and the cat that turned into the girl. 'What if she does come after my family and me? What in the world could she want? Who was she? I remember Mom and Grandma talking about some family history about a battle but I can't remember what was said. Could this be trouble?' she wonders while lying in Jeff's arms as he slept.

Amaya is about to drift off into sleep when she hears crying going on in the next room and reluctantly extracts herself from Jeff to go check up on Sam. To her horror, there is the girl from earlier on that night, standing over the crib.

"What are you doing here?" Amaya asks.

"Looking at my second cousin. She is beautiful you know. I wonder if she has the powers like you and me," she answers.

"How do you know I even have it?"

"Because it is the third generation in the cycle of three that has the strongest abilities. You and I are the ones of the third generation. It has been prophesied in the past ever since your great, great, great, well you know, grandmother and mine did battle. At some point, within the next year, you and I will have a confrontation that will leave one of us the victor, or dead. We are the final opponents, the end of each line. Even with this child of yours already in existence, if you die, she won't develop powers. I hope you'll be ready for when I come to get you."

Amaya is speechless. "Wait, who are you?"

The girl laughs and says, "I guess you weren't told about me after all. I'm Lacey, your distant cousin, the one you will have to kill to stay alive. I hear Jeff rising so I better go. Don't worry, this won't be the last you see of me."

Lacey smiles evilly and then transforms into a little fly and flies out the open window. Before Amaya could get her senses together, Jeff comes in and sees her standing there, staring out the window.

"What is it Amaya?"

"Nothing Jeff. I was just checking on Sam."

"Well, it looks like she is fine now. Come on back to bed."

"I'll be right there. I think she may be wet."

Jeff squeezes his face together in disgust and says, "Sure thing. Be sure to take good care of that little business of hers."

"Thanks for the support Jeff," Amaya says, laughing as Jeff quickly walks away, out of the room. Amaya turns her attention back to Samantha, who has quieted down. "So Sam, you and I finally met the girl I was told may not exist. I guess neither of us is that lucky, huh?" Amaya picks up Sam and rocks her back to sleep, meanwhile watching the night and the creatures that lurk around in it. Once Samantha is asleep, Amaya puts her down and closes the door. She walks back to her bedroom and slips into bed, smiling when Jeff's arms instantly slide around her waist before he dozes off again. After a while of staring at nothing, Amaya slowly falls asleep, but not before she hears female laughter echoing right outside her window.

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