LEO

"Alright, boys, that's it! I'll let Leo take over from here!" Couch Saunders walked away. "Okay, boys, pep rally next week! We gotta bring our top game. Keep up with your exercise and Nigel, keep up with your running-I'm seeing a real improvement with you out on the field." Nigel grinned. "See you soon!" I smiled, walking away, when Lachlan ran up to me. "So, I'm just picturing what you're going to say to the new girl today." I sighed, shoving him away. "Shut up, would ya?" Lachlan sniggered, clearing his throat haughtily and showing me an expression of mock superiority.

"Greetings, Miss. Top of the day to ya! I am the mighty, the legendary Leo Malik, and the honour of escorting you around the school premises has been bestowed upon me because I am, quite frankly, the best student this establishment has ever seen." Kicking Lachlan in the shins, I scoffed. "Firstly, I do not talk fancy like that. Only in Public Speaking. Secondly, I am the best this little place has seen, and you know it." Lachlan sighed, patting me on the back. "Good luck with the new girl." He walked away, hurrying toward Hannah, a dark-haired freshman girl he liked. I walked into the office, noticing a tall, lean man with silvery blonde hair leaning against a wall. He looked like he was in his early twenties. Clearing my throat, I raised my voice. "I'm looking for a... Gemma?" The man scoffed, easing himself off the wall.

"Well, at least they got the first three letters right. I'm Gemini. Gemini de Vere." Gemini walked over, taking a look at the paper I was clutching. "Seriously? They put me down as a girl?" He rolled his eyes, smirking. "Well, you gonna introduce yourself, mate?" I nodded, stuffing the paper back into my pocket. "I'm Leo, captain of the football team, school debate champion, Honours stu-" Gemini cut me off, smirking precociously. "They're all the same," he mused before turning his gaze toward me. "Okay, so basically, you're a pretentious show-off with a desperate need for attention." I frowned, growling. "Okay, calm down, mate!" He frowned. "What did you say your last name was?"

"Malik," I answered, teeth gritted. "Ah, Malik. I see." He smiled. "Well, any more showing off to do, Mr. Malik, captain of the football team, school debate champion, Honours student?" This boy was starting to get on my last nerve. "You know what? Show yourself around the school," I spat before walking away. "Wow, real mature, Captain." And with that, Gemini de Vere walked away. "What a jerk," I muttered, leaving school for my free period.

LIBRA

"My goodness, this place is filthy," Aquarius muttered, casting a scathing glance around the revoltingly glutinous mall. " I cannot believe we are eating in this... filth," I added, disgusted by the stature of the place. Noticing the clothes people in this parts wore, I understood immediately that Woodflore Plains was a plain place. With seemingly no attractions, a barren landscape, and a minuscule population, this small town was a far from ideal lodging. I had dressed in clothing too fine for such a shambles-a designer ensemble probably worth more than this town. Taking off my sunglasses, I noticed a small restaurant in the corner.

(Libra's outfit)

"Well, at least it has seats." Aquarius and I walked in, seating ourselves at a table for two inside the restaurant, making sure to sit close to the warm hearth blazing in a Victorian fireplace. A rather homely looking woman hurried over with two poorly laminated menus, smiling. "Welcome, my dears! Have a look at those menus, will ya, and then let me know what I can get you, sweetcheeks." Aquarius nodded. I turned my gaze toward the woman, glaring at her and tilting my head slightly, a smirk spreading across my face. Her eyes widened as she bustled off, looking terrified.

A few moments after she had left, I slammed down the menu, horrified by its contents. "What on Earth is a 'mac and cheese'?" I muttered to Aquarius. "Some sort of comfort food," he replied absentmindedly, scanning the menu. "Well, this is an atrocious menu!" I hissed. "Just compel that waitress to get you something else. You know, something stronger." Rolling my eyes, I turned toward the fireplace. "Waitress!" Aquarius called. The same woman came hurrying back, no longer smiling. "W-what can I get for you?" Aquarius cleared his throat. "I would like... wedges." The woman nodded jotting down his order.

"And you, Miss?" she asked, flinching. "Get me a bottle of your finest wine. Now." She hurried away, returning seconds later with a bottle of Didier Dagueneau Silex, which I knew was valued at about $120-quite a cheap wine, in my opinion. Smirking, I poured myself a little less than half a glass. "Now, I'm going to get you to add something in this for me. A special ingredient." Aquarius laughed, watching the scene unfold. I looked the waitress in the eyes, still smirking. "Stay calm. Do not make a single noise.

I produced a Swiss knife, opening up a sharp bladed section. "I want you to cut across your hand with this knife and then squeeze your blood into my glass until it is full." Looking more terrified than ever, she did as she was told, the blood dripping into my glass slowly but surely. As it began to well over the top, she stopped abruptly, the last drop ruffling the surface of the glass. "Good job." I poured my brother some wine. "Now, do the same for my brother, would you?" She proceeded to repeat the exact procedure for him. "Okay! Now, remember. the only reason you came here was to collect our orders. Unfortunately, you cut your hand on a rather sharp table corner."

I retrieved my Swiss knife. grinning. "Oh, and tell your chef to make me a panna cotta, would you?" I threw a hundred dollar bill in her direction. She nodded, once again smiling, before proceeding toward the kitchen. Smirking, I raised my wineglass to my lips. Aquarius eased into a lazy smirk as well, showing close to no emotion as usual. Both our glasses drained, I looked over at my brother, who had just finished his wedges. I turned toward the waitress, smiling. "Okay, love, here's the cash." I handed her three hundred dollar notes, chuckling slightly upon her reaction. Aquarius rose from his seat, arms crossed. "Now, love, I seem to need... a chauffeur tonight. Come with us?" Her eyes reverted to their normal state. "Of course."

.....

"My goodness, Aquarius, could you be any more of a pig?" I laughed, looking at his blood-covered face. "We are in an abandoned parking lot, dear sister, with a human at our mercy. Pardon my table manners, would you?" he chuckled, wiping the blood off his face in a crude manner. I rolled my eyes, taking a napkin and wiping the slight drop of blood still on my lips before hastening to reapply my lipstick. "You do the honours this time, sister."

Aquarius gestured toward the waitress' limp, lifeless, figure. "Get the car out. I will follow." He nodded, driving away. Smirking, I grabbed the wine bottle from our luncheon, pouring it generously over the body. "Well, dear, at least nobody will see your bloodied face. You'll look prettier in the autopsy shots that way." I threw the bottle away, hearing it shatter, before pulling out a lighter and setting fire to her body.

As the fire caught on, I put on a burst of speed, finding myself by the car within seconds. "Let's go." He nodded, driving us back to the motel. As we arrived in the rather compact lobby, I noticed a black-haired woman dressed in an all-black outfit. Catching my brother watching her intently, she turned, glaring. "What do you want?" she asked in a rather brash tone. I smiled coldly, narrowing my eyes. "We happen to be staying here."

She nodded. "In that case, welcome to our small town, I suppose." Aquarius chuckled, stepping forward. "You know, I would love a tour of this humble village... perhaps you could show me around..."

"Aries. My name is Aries." She smirked. "Sure, Tuxedo. Meet me here at six. And, hey, why don't you bring your sister with you?" He nodded, watching as she left. "I knew they weren't all good girls out here," he remarked. Scoffing, I made my way up to my room, showering and getting changed for the night's outing. Finally settling on a sleeveless blue blouse, black miniskirt and grey knee-length boots.

(Libra's look)

Leaving my suite, I noticed my brother waiting downstairs, dressed in black jeans, a crisp white shirt and a grey cashmere sweater. Next to him stood Aries, once again dressed in a rather dark-toned outfit. She wore a black and gold jumpsuit, paired rather inexpertly with a torn leather jacket.

(Aries' look)

"Well, let's proceed!" I exclaimed, smiling. "Well, come on, then." Aries gestured toward a grey ute. "Pardon me, but how are we to fit?" Aries rolled her eyes, opening up the back. "Get in, Princess Pouty. It's gonna be a bumpy ride, so hold on to the sides." Scoffing in outrage, I clambered into the back of the ute, extending my (rather short) legs as far as I possibly could. "Alright, we're off!" she called from the front. The ute gave a sudden jerk, sending me sliding sideways. "What is this?" I cried, outraged, as I was sent barreling into the side of the ute. A long and bumpy ride entailed, and somehow I managed to save my ensemble and my hair from destruction in Aries' ghastly monster of a ute. "Alright, out you come!" she called. I stepped out of the back, fuming. "I am never getting back in that thing again." She laughed. "Well, have fun walking home, in that case."

She took Aquarius' hand, leading us into a rather shabby looking bar. "Welcome to the Woodflore Barracks. Used to be a country home for a doctor, I think." That explained the seemingly expensive English oak floorboards that went uncharacteristically with the whole rundown apparel of Woodflore Plains. "Well, Aries, can I get you a drink?" Aquarius asked, grinning. "I never say no to free drinks." As they slunk off, I sighed, sinking into a barstool as far away from them as possible.

"Why the long face?" I turned toward a nearby voice, noticing a rather handsome man with platinum blonde hair and light green eyes. "I've been third-wheeled," I replied, sighing. "Oh, I'm sure a drink will loosen you up." He whistled at a bartender. "Perhaps spiked with some blood, Libra?" he muttered in an undertone. Frowning, I looked him up and down. "How do you know me?" He laughed. "Oh, please. Who doesn't know you, Libra Atel-Badeaux?" He smirked. "You're legend for lowly 500-year-olds like myself." I laughed, regarding him with newfound interest.

"Well, what's your name?"

"I'm Gemini. Gemini De Vere."

"Well, nice to meet you, Gemini De Vere."

He smirked, taking his drink from the bartender. "What will the lady have?" the bartender asked, grinning. "I'll have a bourbon. Bring the whole bottle, would you?" He chuckled, grabbing a bottle of bourbon from the shelf. "There you are." I smiled sweetly at him. "While you're here, I must confess... I love my bourbon spiked." I poured myself a glass. "Be a dear and drop some blood in there, would you?" I muttered, looking into his eyes. Dazed, he nodded, cutting his own hand with a blade and adding some blood to my glass. "Well, well, well. You're the bourbon-compel-erase type then, are you?" Gemini asked. I nodded. "Leave. You only came here to give me my bourbon, and you cut your hand on some broken glass."

Turning toward Gemini once again, I thought to inquire him of his habits. "Well, what about you?"

"I'm more the scare-kill-burn type."

"My oh my, Gemini! You aren't a Ripper, are you?"

"Oh, no. But my friend, Willem, is-was-a Ripper."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine, honestly." He frowned. "Somebody's calling you." He gestured toward Aries, waving toward me. Smirking, I stood, taking my bourbon with me. "See you soon, Mr. De Vere." Planting a kiss on his cheek, I stood, walking toward Aries. "Get in-there's one last place I want to show you."

.....

"We're here!" she called, smiling coyly as she gestured toward the forest. "What-I'm afraid I don't understand," Aquarius stressed. Aries smiled nastily, and I noticed the chains around our wrists and the bulky guards behind us. "We've just captured you two."