=~•Colby's POV•~=

I woke up with a jolt from my slumber, I sat up as I tried to clam my rapid breaths. I was covered in sweat and tears. 

Memories flashed through my mind as I grabbed a fist of hair with my hand. "Elton... Shot me?" I whispered to myself as I moved my other hand to my bare chest and feel my skin, slowly moving my hand to towards the left side of my chest. I gasp as pain shoots through my body when touching the tender skin. It didn't feel, smooth, natural... I could feel a difference, even though it wasn't major, I knew something was different. Looking down I was greeted by a deep purple and black bruise that got lighter around the edges but I could almost make out a red mark from where the... The Bullet made contact.

"Colby" Sam's quiet voice broke the deadly silence as my tear-filled eyes turned to face him. The door was closed behind him.

  How long had he been standing there? I didn't even hear him come in.

"Oh, Colby..." His voice trailed off as he slowly took a seat on my bed. 

"W-What happened to me" I stutter in a weak voice as Sam's arms open wide and I fall into his embrace. 

~

•One Week Later•

I spent a lot of time alone, rebuilding my strength. 

Day by day, slowly watching the bruise shrink and lighten, but the red mark in the middle still remained in place.

I hadn't seen Elton at all, even when I did go downstairs, he wasn't there. I wouldn't stay long though, everyone was too worried about me, talking to me as if I were about to get shot again. 

Devyn checked up on me each day and would look over my health, seeing how I was feeling and healing me a little bit more. Seeing her magic first hand was really interesting and cool. She also left a medium-sized chunk of quartz by my bedside, she said it would help the healing process. 

Sam was there for me a lot, he tried really hard to not to worry too much, but he's my best friend, it's what we do. Sometimes, when there was nothing to worry about, we'd just sit in silence, just happy with being in each other's presence. Sometimes I'd asked him to see his fangs along with his eyes. They're so cool! They're kinda like mine, but totally different. Sam didn't mind flashing them every now and then, he even told me some stories of when he'd almost let it slip even back in our old place, before we moved into the Trap House. 

He'd also told me that Brennen left town after the incident. How he'd been the only one to watch the entire thing unfold. Nobody knew when he was going to come back, or where he went. I had texted him but I'd been met by no response, he hadn't even read them. 

Corey would come by as well he wouldn't mind if I didn't feel like talking, he'd just take a seat on the edge of my bed and talk, to me, or just to himself. Corey explained his powers, as well as Devyn's. He'd tell me some childhood stories about his encounter with The Shadow Man, he claims he could somewhat see ghosts, even before he got this sight. 

Since the accident, I hadn't used my powers at all...

It just didn't feel, right. 

~

=~•Third Person•~=

Sam sat in the family room alongside the rest of the roommates, excluding Brennen, nobody knew where he'd gone, he wasn't responding to any of their calls/tets or smoke signals. 

The group was watching Family Feud when the silence grew too deafening. Sam let out a trembling breath, he couldn't take this anymore. "Okay... Guys, I've had enough of this. We need to talk about what the hell is going on" He explains as everyone looks at him as he speaks up.

"Yeah, I agree" Colby suddenly appeared in the entrance to the room. This was the first time he'd seen Elton since the accident so the silence quickly became awkward as the werewolf took a seat beside his vampire friend. "You, and only you, Elton, explain yourself" Colby pointed to his former uncle. 

Elton looked up in surprise as he readied himself. "Well, it was the morning after the full moon. And, I don't even know how to explain this, but I felt like I needed to protect the house, protect you guys, from something... I don't know what, but whatever it was caused me to arm myself and head up to the roof to keep watch. All. Night. Then in the morning, I saw Brennen and a wolf... You. And I totally lost control, this other side took over. And. I. Shot. You..." He took a minute and just ran his hand through his hair, he couldn't meet Colby's eyes. "Colby I don't think you know how sorry. I-I am I wasn't in control" Elton explains as Colby feels his eyes to slowly uncontrollably start to water. 

Colby lets out a deep breath before responding. "It's... It's okay. Elton, I-I forgive you" He slowly says as their eyes meet. "I know how it feels to lose control... But we can't have this happening again" He says shaking his head. 

"I know, I know... That's why I- We have been trying to backtrack and find the point in time when all of this shit happened" Elton started explaining. 

"And we were able to track all of this back to one place, the abandoned mall" Devyn finished as Colby's eyes went wide. 

"With the big symbol!" He gasped at the realization "And the blackout dreams, holy shit..."

"We gotta go back, and find out what the fuck happened to us that night" Elton declares. 

~

=~•Another Week Later•~=

Colby was finally feeling better, even if it was only a bit. 

The house had decided to try to reconnect with each other since they were all thrown off their rhythm by the accident. So now every couple days they've agreed to actually cook their dinners together, instead of ordering junk food. Most nights after dinner they'll go on walks around the block together (W/ all the doggos). That's also a great way for Colby to get some fresh air after being in his room for a week.

"I think I'm ready" Colby announced at the halfway point during their walk. Silence fell over the group as they all looked at Colby, he didn't need to say what he was ready for, they all knew what he was talking about. 

"Are you sure you're ready?" Sam worries as Colby rolls his eyes. 

"Yeah we can take a little more time" Corey suggested. 

"We just gotta go before the next full moon" Elton warned them as the werewolf sighed. 

"No, I'm ready. We gotta go sooner rather than later, the curiosity is eating away at me" Colby says before adding "What about Wednesday? (2 days away) The weather is supposed to be good and it'll give us time to plan". 

"Well now that we're all... Gifted, I don't think much can really stand in our way" Elton smirked, he did have a point.

~

=~•Wednesday•~=

"Trap House, we're rolling out in 10 minutes!" Elton shouted from the front door where he was checking his bags. Everyone gave their individual shouts in response, claiming they'll all be ready soon.

Colby packed the last of the supplies into his bag, checking off the last thing on his mental checklist. He let out a sigh before popping his head into Sam's room. "Hey bro... You haven't heard anything from Brennen have you?". 

Sam was half under his bed, he had dropped his water bottle and it had rolled under his bed. Sam heard Colby and began to come back out.  "What?" BANG, Sam lifted his head a little bit too soon and smashed his head on the corner of his bed. "Shit" He hissed as he pulled out fully from underneath the bed and sat up while he rubbed the back of his head.

Colby kneeled down beside him and put his hand on his shoulder "Sam are you good?". 

"yeah... Just hurts a bit" Sam shook his head rapidly for a moment as if he was shaking off the pain. When he looked back up at Colby all the pain had been washed from his face. 

Do vampires have healing abilities? I think so... I'll have to ask, later. 

Colby thought before Sam answered his question. 

"And, Colby, if any of us were to hear from Brennen, it would be you. Try not to worry too much about it, he's a grown man and he knows what he's doing." Sam comforted him. 

"I knowwww" He stretched out the W. "I'm just worried, he left without any explanation" Colby got to his feet as he reached down and held his hand out towards Sam. 

Sam gladly accepted the help, taking the hand as Colby pulled him up towards him, putting them face to face for a moment, faces only inches away from one another. Their eyes locked on each other. Colby was the one to break the eye contact "Let' s just focus on getting answers, for us".

Sam nodded happily "I'm good with that. 

~

"Baby, have you seen the flashlights?" Corey was running around like a chicken with his head cut off, he was anxious yet excited to go back, he wanted answers, but he was worried about what they'd have to face to get said answers. 
He walked into the closet to find Devyn levitating up to be able to reach the top shelf. Corey's eyes widened in surprise, he still wasn't 100% used to seeing her do random magic out in the open like this. 

(Idk if I've ever mentioned that but it's official, Devyn can use magic to levitate)

"Got em" Devyn reached all the way at the back of the shelve and got their two flashlights that had ended up on the highest shelve in the closet. She floated back down, put them down on a lower shelf and gestured for Corey to give her a hug. Corey obeyed as he wrapped her in his arms. "Are you scared?" she asks simply, feeling his rapid heartbeat. 

"Out of my mind" Corey let go slightly just enough so his gaze could meet hers but he'd still be holding onto her. 

"We'll be okay. I got you babe" She winked as her eyes turned purple for a quick second. That caused his lips to curve into a happy smirk. "Plus all of our roommates are crazy, supernatural beings, I think we'll be okay".

~

The group split up into 2 cars, Sam and Colby going in Colby's corolla while Corey, Devyn and Elton took Corey's Subaru. They had one hour until the sun set when they pulled into a side street a block away from the abandoned mall. The last thing they needed was people seeing the cars pulling up to a mall that's been abandoned for over 20 years and calling the cops. So the 5 roommates casually walked up to the mall and found their usual entrance into the parking garage. 

"Okay, so who's first?" Elton inquires as everyone falls silent. To get into the parking garage they needed to hop up onto a wall (not too high off the ground, about 5 feet) then climb over the railing and jump down into the garage.

Colby volunteers to go first, claiming he can help from the other side. The werewolf was able to climb onto the wall with ease and swing himself over the railing, jumping down, making a smooth landing on the dirty floor of the parking lot. Taking a moment to let his senses adjust and sniffing the air, making sure the coast was clear "All good on this side" He alerted the others as he dusted off his pants.

Devyn went next. She was worried the purple aura of her magic would be too evident as the sunset, especially out in the open like this. So Corey helped her up onto the wall where she was able to climb over the railing. When she jumped off the edge, and now with the cover of the wall, she was able to use her magic. She caught herself a foot before she hit the ground and levitated the rest of the way down. 

"Nice" Colby nodded as she stood beside him. "I probably could've jumped the whole thing if I wanted" He pointed out, playfully jabbing at Devyn and her use of her magic. 

"I could've walked right through the wall" She informs him before their conversation is cut short. 

"Someone take the camera" Elton demanded as Colby gave him a confused look. 

"I thought we weren't filming this?" He asks as he grabs the camera from Elton before he jumps down to join them. 

"We aren't. I am. What if we see something here? Or hear something we might need later? Plus if nothing happens then I can cut and edit it and I have a perfectly good Youtube video" He shrugs as he retrieves the camera. 

~

Moving through the parking lot towards the mall was a bit of a challenge since it was an open area and with the chance that their flashlights being seen from the outside, they decided to just try and navigate by the light of the slowly dying sun. 

They soon found the official entrance into the mall, well... more like a hole in the wall they have to climb into. 

It took them about 10 minutes to get everyone and everything up, over, and in. 

But once they were in, they. were. in. 

Now that they were inside, all of the flashlights turned on and the exploring began. 

"Okay so, should we just head straight there?" Sam wonders. 

"Maybe we should just walk through and make sure we're alone" Elton advises as a sound emerges from above them. All of the flashlights illuminate the ceiling just in time to see a bird fly out from where it was perched on a beam above them. 

"STUPID BIRD!" Colby exclaims as all of their hearts collectively clam down. 

As they continued through the mall, everyone had the same feeling: that they're being watched. 

"I don't think we're in here by ourselves, but I don't see anyone else, or hear them" Sam pointed out as he tried to listen for sounds of other people. 

"I say we just head to the place, then get the hell out of here" Corey suggests.

With no other ideas, the group heads back to the place where they found the pentagram with the circle. But it's hard cause last time, they found it by accident, they're finding it difficult to retrace their steps. 

"It's gotta be this way, near the stairs to the roof" Colby points left as Sam shakes his head. 

"No, it was past the main area with the overlook, in the corner" The blond protests. 

As the duo begin bickering furiously, Corey and Elton attempt to get them to quiet down, but their voices only end up getting drowned out and add to the noise.

Devyn shakes her head at the boys surrounding her, she looks around at her soundings, letting the darkness die at the hands of her flashlight as she moves it around to the different areas of the mall. She takes a step forward as she feels a small tugging feeling from a place inside of her that she can't exactly pinpoint. Turning the flashlight off causes she began to notice that her eyes started to turn purple, a glowling/luminescent purple. Quickly the witch pulled out her phone, turned the camera on selfie mode and turned around and stepped in different directions. 
It was easy to notice that her eyes would become brighter depending on which direction she was going. 

If this is where my powers were created, then it must be leading back to where the magic is strongest.

With the new discovery, she quickly made her way back to the boys who were still arguing. 

"Corey!" Devyn called, hoping to get her boyfriend's attention when he didn't notice she called to everyone. "Guys! GUYS!" She shouted as their voices almost got deeper, something was so off, they couldn't hear her at all...

So Devyn did what she knew she had to do. She clutched her necklace's pendant tight in her hand, feeling it's magic run through her veins before she yelled: "S H U T U P" the magic-making her voice louder, and almost demonic sounding. She could feel the chills run down their backs as the boys turned to her in fear and shock. 

The spell left the witch breathless, leaning forward onto her knees, trying to catch her breath. 

I need to act fast before whatever did that, tries to pull anything else. 

Devyn didn't even finish catching her breath before she started explaining to them that she knew where to go. 

"But how-" Corey got interrupted. 

"JUST TRUST ME!" Devyn shouted normally, which was enough to convince them that she knew what she was doing. 

The witch let the tugging feeling guide her through the abandoned mall and right to the pentagram. 

Returning back to the birthplace of all their powers gave everyone a feeling of strength and power, their abilities now feeling heightened. 

"We're here... Now what?" Corey looks around at his friends. 

"I think we need to get back into the positions we took last time, see what happens" Sam walks towards the same redpoint he stood on prior. Colby followed suit and stood on the yellow point. Elton joined in, taking his place on the black point. 

Corey took a step back, not wanting to confront what was awaiting him on that pentagram, before he could get must further, Devyn grabs his arm and he looks into her eyes. Only now did the banshee notice her eyes weren't only glowing purple, but all of the white in her eyes had now turned to black. Her eyes now matching that demonic voice from before.
Corey gulped, swallowing the lump in his throat as he obeyed Devyn's silent orders. He stood on the white point. As he looks around he notices Devyn has already taken her place on the purple point. Everything was in place...

Then it all goes black, and they all see the same vision.

~

Deep red eyes open wide. Now finally able to see what it's been searching for since its awakening. Surrounding the eyes was grey smoke in a pitch-black world. But for just a moment, they can make out a massive, hulking, body. But it's gone in a flash. 

Now it knows.

~

Word Count: 3046

Hey, guys welcome back to a really long chapter, I hope it wasn't too long...
Let me know if it was, or if you prefer shorter chapters. 

Are y'all excited to see what happens next? I've got a lot of ideas for this book so I'm excited and I hope you guys are toooooo

and don't forget to like and comment, it shows that you guys like this book and it encourages me to update more frequently!

So long

and 

goodnight.