Chapter 1

My name is Kira Stackhouse. I am 18 years old and I have a particular life. I grew up with my uncle Remy and my cousin Hunter. I never knew my mother; she died when I was born. I can't say I miss her, since I never knew her. According to my Uncle I look just like her. I had medium blonde hair and blue eyes (like Barbie my cousin would tease me when we were younger). My cousin and I are…how do I explain? …Different? Yeah we'll go with that. My cousin and I can read people's minds…some better than others, but this little difference has made our lives a bit harder than everyone else's. Although, I must say that Hunter being a telepath, like me, as made things easier. As children we would usually keep to ourselves. One would think that because we can read each other's minds we would get sick of one another but to be completely honest it has actually strengthened our bond to one another. Although, if there is something that I don't really care to share with him I can block him out.

My cousin is three years older than I am and he is a private eye with his own business. I have to say he does well for himself since he can read people's minds to find out who's cheating on who and whether or not someone has lied to him. I can't say I agree with him and his choice of jobs, but who am I to judge? He does his job and he does it well, I don't think anyone would fault him for using his talents. I however, do not like people knowing that I can read their minds. Granted Hunter doesn't out right say "HEY I'M A TELEPATH!" but he is more out of the "closet" than I am. Although I don't like helping my cousin with his job, he does enlist me when he needs to stake out large areas because, as Hunter says, "Two telepaths are better than one."

And this is how we come full circle to me standing in a ballroom dressed like a nit. Earlier this week, Hunter got a job for some local vamps, because they had it on good authority that there was going to be an attack from the Fellowship of the Sun fanatics. Since the local vampires are attempting to "mainstream" as they call it they wanted Hunter to stake out the place and capture the culprits before they caused harm to anyone attending the party. Personally, don't believe that anyone should be judged for what they are be it twoy, vamp, or telepath. Not everyone has my opinion though.

You doing ok Kiki? Hunter asked me silently from across the ballroom. He was dressed very nicely in a black Armani suit with a white shirt and dark blue tie. I could appreciate how handsome my cousin was with his short jet black hair and dark eyes. He was the male version of his mother, who had died when he was four. She had left my uncle Remy and Hunter to become a vampire and she died a second time to another angry vamp.

Yea, haven't gotten anything yet though…I answered back silently scanning the room as I did so to give him a mental picture of what I was seeing.

Ok I'm going to check outside…keep me posted. And with that, he trotted out the side door.

I sighed, resigned to walking around the groups of oney's, vamps, and the occasional were who were thoroughly enjoying the party. I concentrated on the groups of the breathers since I couldn't read a vampires mind even if I tried. My cousin and I decided that since vampires were dead we couldn't pick up on their brain waves like we could on breathers. I walked around the ballroom "listening" to the same thing over and over again. I wonder if my hair is straight…Did she just smile at me?...I wonder if I left the light on? I was beginning to think that the vampires had gotten a bad "tip" when I caught the tall end of anger and violence. Sometimes I don't read people's minds so much as I "hear" feelings that person is having.

I spun on my heel looking for whoever that bad energy came from. I saw him, standing by the orchestra, looking around suspiciously. I straightened my back and marched over to him. I planted the sweetest smile on my face and said, "Hey there might I ask you for a dance?"

He seemed utterly surprised, and sputtered a bit but before he could tell me the 'no' I was getting from his brain, I grabbed his hand and lead him to the dance floor. Touching someone amplifies my 'ability' and I knew that he had planted a few bombs in the ballroom. While I held him on the dance floor spinning us around I sent the locations to my cousin who was still outside.

On it! Was the reply I got from Hunter.

"So," I said a little breathlessly from dancing, "You wanna go out and get some fresh air?"

"Sure." He said without hesitation. He was happy to be getting out of the ballroom and even happier that he was getting out of there with me. I picked up out of his brain that he thought I had a great "rack" and that he wouldn't mind finding out what else I had under my black Ralph Lauren dress. I keep my sweet smile on as we walked out the front where he was pleasantly greeted by the police.

You get all the bombs? I asked Hunter silently.

Hunter bobbed his head in response. Got the vamp bomb squad on it.

Ok, I'm going home… I didn't want to hang around for the fun of secretly getting the bombs out of the building.

Be careful cous…

Will do boss-man.

I could hear Hunter's laugh in my mind and could feel him mentally shaking his head at me.

I started for my car, which was an uncomfortably long way away for someone who was in high heels. Delving into that man's mind was like diving in a dumpster looking for lost change. I felt really gross at the disgusting thoughts he had had about me while we had been dancing. Five minutes later I had arrived at my car only to see a tall man with brown hair leaning next to my car.

"Uh, hello." I said uncertainly. He was a vamp and really handsome. His hair was long, and tied neatly together with an elastic band. His face was smooth and white, and glowed a bit. I was terribly uncomfortable around vamps because I never knew what they were thinking about. He eyed me with his brown eyes and smiled showing me white teeth and a little fang...

"Hello my dear. Leaving so soon?" his voice was smooth and silky.

"Yeah, I'm awful tired. Well, see you." This guy made me nervous, I could tell he was trying to use his glamour on me, thank God being a telepath means that doesn't work. I pulled my keys out of the small hand bag I had picked up before leaving with the FOS guy.

"You should stay a bit longer the party's not over yet." He had moved to stand right beside me and my car. If he had been any closer he would have had his nose in my ear.

"Thanks ok, I'm not much of a party kinda gal. Thanks anyway though." I kept my smile plastered to my face…I do that when I'm nervous.

Quick as a wink he grabbed my arm as I tried to put my key in the door. "Stay." He commanded. He was trying his damnedest to make me do as he pleased. The look on his face was strained and frustrated that I wasn't sub coming to his glamour.

"I said no." I said through gritted teeth because his grip was starting to crush my arm.

"Is everything ok here, Henry?" Another vamp waltzed up and took in the scene. She was beautiful with long blonde hair and a tight satin dress.

"Y-yea, just helping the madam into her car Pam" Henry said releasing my arm.

"I think she can handle it Henry." She said with a smile.

I could tell Henry didn't appreciate the new vamp, Pam's, appearance. He stalked off in a huff. Pam watched him go then slowly turned back to me. "Sorry about that miss..." she trailed off as she looked at me. Her eyes got round and her jaw went a little slack. I can honestly say that I have never seen a vampire look surprised before.

"Thank you very much for that…Pam was it?"

"Yes…" Her eyes scanned me for a moment before she said, "What is your name?"

"My…my name?...It's…Kira Stackhouse."