Prologue

   I sat under the three hundred year old cherry tree in our back yard. The stone bench was worn with age and the garden surrounding it was dying. The cottage had been passed down through thirteen generations before we came to live in it. My husband's mother had come to live with us, unable to support herself. I looked over at my daughter playing with her little brother, Akako, and her dog, Akira. Kyra ran over to me and tugged on my hand.

   "Mom? What's wrong?" She asked looking at me with worried eyes. Kyra was almost eight, but looked to be about eleven. She had black hair with blue and silver streaks. Her eyes were as dark as a night sky and would light up with fire when she was mad. Her pale skin was marred with two black stripes on each cheek. Her forehead was marked with a raindrop. Her ears were pointed and her nails sharp.

   "Nothing's wrong, Baby, go play with Akako." I said giving her a little shove. I watched as she walked back to her brother and started playing with him. Her mind focused on something other than her brother. I heard a scream from across the street and Kyra was gone. I ran through the backyard out onto the side walk and watched as my daughter put down the one of the neighbors children. I watched as the girl backed away from my daughter and started to call her a a name. Kyra bowed her head in shame and started to walk across the street.

   A car came speeding down the road straight for her and she looked at it. She held her hand out and I watched as the car went flying through the air. She lowered her hand and finished walking across the street. She didn't look at me when she passed, but I saw the tears running down her face. I looked across the street and saw the mother of the girl yelling at her. I walked over to the mother and she stopped yelling.

   "Your daughter owes Kyra an apology." I said stiffer than a board. I looked at the little girl and she sighed.

   "My daughter owes that freak nothing." The mother said. I believe her name was Lindsey.

   "Then you do, you need to thank her. She saved your daughters life. And you need to apologize for your daughters behaviour." I said, looking between them.

   "I owe your daughter nothing, Kaede. She saved Ali of her own free will. Ali would have moved in time. Right, Ali?" Lindsey said holding onto her daughters shoulder.

   Ali muttered something and her mother let go of her shoulder. "No mother, I wouldn't have moved in time. I didn't see the car until it was in front of me."

   "Ali, don't say that. I know you could have moved in time."

   "But the fact is that she didn't. If Kyra hadn't saved her, Ali would be dead. Forget it, stay away from my daughter." I walked back across the street and watched as the two girls went inside and shut the door.

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   "Mrs. Ookamiko?" Ali asked knocking on the door.

   "What?" I opened the door all the way. My jeans were covered in dirt and my ponytail was messed up.

   "I want to talk to Kyra, I need to apologize. I don't think she's a freak, I'm no different from her." She said her hands behind her back. She looked up at me and I sighed.

   "Alright, Ali. Up the stairs, third door on your right." I pointed to the dinning room where the stairs were.

   "Thanks Mrs. Ookamiko." She bowed and entered the house. She walked up the stair and I heard her knocking.

   "What?" Came my daughters reply. The door opened and something crashed. I ran up the stairs to see Ali with Kyra on the wall by her neck. Akira ran and snapped at Ali's wrist making her let go.

I grabbed Ali by the neck and walked her to her house where Lindsey was waiting. I threw Ali to the floor and punched her mother in the face. I walked across the street and pulled out my cell phone. I looked over at the two women standing there, fear in their eyes. I called the sheriff.

   "Chance speaking." I heard and I sighed.

   "Hey Chance, it's Mia." I said looking across the street.

   "Ah, Mia, what can I do for ya, darlin'?" Chance asked, his feet probably on his desk with a coffee cup in his hands.

   "Can you come pick up two girls? Their names are Ali Waters, she's fourteen, and her mother, Lindsey." I asked looking at the ground.

   "Sure, why?" He asked, the first response out of his mouth anytime I asked him to pick someone up.

   "She tried to kill Kyra." I said rubbing my forehead.

   "Ma'am, I'm on my way." He said and I heard the coffee cup being set on the table, the chair screeching as it was being pushed back, and the jingle of keys.

   "Thanks, Chance. I owe ya." I looked at the house and watched as Kyra brought in Akako.

   "No problem, darlin'. Anything for Kyra." He hung up and I shut my phone. I stood outside for a minute before I went inside to check on Kyra. Akako was in on his mat with Kyra sitting beside him reading a story. The handprint on her neck slowly fading.

   "Don't worry, I took a picture of it. It's on your desk." She said looking at me with almost lifeless eyes. I went over and hugged her.

   "I'm sorry, Baby. I really thought she wanted to apologize." I looked at her and she smiled.

   "No worries, Mom. I can take care of myself." She pulled away and set the book down. She whisteled for Akira and walked up the stairs to her room. I put Akako in his crib and watched as he layed on the pillow. I covered him with the blanket and he fell asleep. I walked up the stairs to Kyra's room. I pushed the door open slightly and listened to her sing; Akira howling along with her at the end. I leaned on the door frame and waited for her to finish.

   "I still don't get why you howl." I said walking into the room.

   "Mom! You were listening?" Her face turned red and she bowed her head.

   "Kyra, I don't know why you're embarrased, you can sing."

   "I don't like people to listen to me sing. Mom, why am I different?"

   "Oh Honey, you aren't the only one that's different. You just can't control your changes yet. It's okay." I walked over and put my hand on her shoulder.

   "Mom, when are they coming home?" She asked and I smiled.

   "They should be here any minute. Why didn't you want to go to camp with them?" I asked. She looked at me then out the window.

   "Cause, why would I go to a camp to learn something when Haylee will just tell me everything anyway?"

   "You are so smart sometimes." The door bell rang and I walked down stairs. Chance was standing in the door way, a sad look on his face. "Chance, what's wrong?"

   "Mia, we found Micheals car on the side of the road." He said and I put my hand over my mouth to muffle my sobs. "We found his body three miles down the river. The girls are missing."

   Chance walked to the stairs and Kyra came up behind me. She tugged on my hand and I fell to my knees. She put her arm around my shoulders and I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I felt someone run their fingers through my hair and everything went black.