As always, feedback is welcomed!
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Chapter One

Hannah Slaughtery knew she didn’t belong here. She had never joined a single club or participated in any other extracurricular activities at Sanguinity College, so the offer to attend a leadership seminar sponsored by the Institute had come as a complete surprise. In fact, the few friends she had made over the last four years were stunned by her inclusion. Still, here she sat, afraid to drive up to the iron gate that guarded her destination.

The Institute was an enigma. Though no one really knew what the expansive laboratory did, the occasional article about a break-through in bio-medicine or engineering was enough to keep tongues wagging. Many believed it was a top-secret government agency, while a few local conspiracy theorists surmised the research interest was extra-terrestrial in nature. One thing was certain: without the Institute, Sanguinity, Colorado would be little more than a sleepy mountain village.

Unable to delay the inevitable any longer, Hannah examined her reflection in the visor mirror. She had never taken much of an interest in her appearance before, but the chance to make a good impression on people influential to her future had inspired experimentation. She touched up the smudged eyeliner below her pool blue eyes and smoothed her short, blonde hair behind her ears. Finally convinced that this was as good as it was going to get, she snapped the cover shut.

A key pad illuminated as she pulled her car up to the gate and she swiftly punched in the access code that had accompanied her invitation. The imposing barrier creaked opened and she steered down a tranquil, tree-lined drive. A security checkpoint appeared and an authoritative man with a military haircut looked down at her through aviator sunglasses. “Good afternoon, Ms. Slaughtery. May I see your driver’s license and student ID?” The guard surveyed the back seat before he returned his attention to Hannah.

“You know my name?” she asked as she fumbled for her wallet.

He looked at her, amused. “The access code alerted us to your arrival.”

Hannah handed over the cards, her face flush. “Oh, right.”

After a quick examination, he returned her information, along with a sleek phone and map and Hannah caught the faint scent of coconut coming from his hand. “Most carriers don’t have reception up here,” he explained. “You can use this to make calls. The route to Garrett Manor has been highlighted on your map. If you need assistance, dial star-nine-nine.”

Hannah thanked the guard before she asked, “Is anyone else here?”

“The first participant rolled in about fifteen minutes ago, but we expect the others shortly,” he answered

Hannah smiled to herself, relieved not to be the first to arrive. The winding road that led to Garrett Manor was flanked by hearty vegetation and thick trees that parted as her temporary home came into view. The tall columns and semicircular arches reminded her of early Renaissance architecture and as she pulled through the stone entrance, she was surprised to discover the parking lot was actually a converted piazza, complete with a large marble fountain. Carvings of saints peered down at her from their protective niches. Clearly out of place in the rustic peaks, the romantic imagery made her smile as she shoved a few items into her purse.

When she finally emerged, a distinguished man in an expensive suit greeted her. “Welcome, Ms. Slaughtery. May I assist you with your bags?”

 “That’s okay,” she stammered. “I can get them.” She yanked her suitcase and backpack from the trunk and added, “Please, call me Hannah.”

He nodded. “My name is William. Please, follow me to the lounge. You can leave your luggage in the foyer.”

 Hannah scurried up the steps behind him. William’s quick gait took her by surprise and she was slightly out of breath by the time they reached the mahogany entrance. An arched door frame led to the lounge and the view from the window wall took her breath away. While the clouds of the anticipated storm loomed in the distance, the last rays of sun cast a warm glow over the Rocky Mountains.

The sight complimented the majestic stateliness of the room. A roaring blaze in the large fireplace combined with the rich red walls and black leather furniture to give the space regal elegance. A table, piled high with food and drinks of every variety, was set up. A lone figure stood next to the buffet, an empty plate in his hand.

 He was boyishly handsome with sandy blonde hair, and though his tanned face looked familiar, she knew they had never met. “Mr. McKenzie,” William called out and the man glanced up. His easy grin reached out to welcome Hannah and she couldn’t help but smile back. “I would like to introduce Ms. Slaughtery,” William continued. “She will also be taking part in the seminar.” With the brief introduction complete, William turned on his heel and left the room.

“Thanks, Billy,” the young man called as he walked toward Hannah, his faded blue eyes bright with laughter. “I bet, if you get a little drink in that guy, he’s a riot.” He extended his hand. “Rafferty McKenzie, but everyone calls me Raff.” Hannah shook his hand and managed to murmur her name before he gestured to the table. “That is a quality spread. You should try some.”

“I ate before I came,” she answered softly.

“Suit yourself. Hope you don’t mind, but I’m starving.”

“Go ahead,” she said and sat down on a long couch near the fireplace. After making his selection, Raff sank down next to her in an oversized chair and skillfully balanced his overflowing plate of food. “So, um, what do you know about this seminar?” she asked.

“Not much,” he admitted between bites. “I don’t even know who nominated me.”

“I was surprised by the invitation, too,” she admitted. “I’m not exactly a social butterfly.”

“Social butterflies are overrated,” he muttered before he cleared his throat. “So, why did you come?”

“Are you kidding? Being inside the Institute has got to be a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“If you say so. I sure hadn’t planned on a hanging out here, but my buddy got a new job and bailed on our kayaking trip, so here I am. It beats the tumbleweeds of Texas. Hey, maybe we’ll have some free time to do a little cross country skiing. There’s some wicked powder out there.”

“I had to cancel on my parents and their idea of a relaxing vacation,” Hannah offered. “My mom is less than thrilled.”

“Where to?”

“Hiking through the Austrian Alps.”

“Seriously?” Raff whistled in appreciation. “I don’t think I could pass that up.”

“I’m guess I’m not real outdoorsy,” she defended. “I’m more of a nature girl.”

“There’s a difference?” Raff asked earnestly.

“I think so, but I’m starting to wonder if I’m the only one. It’s not that I don’t want to be outside. I just don’t like to hike, sail, ride, or bike through it the way my family does. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m adopted. Besides,” she added. “The conditions on this trip are supposed to be pretty extreme.”

Raff lifted his eyebrow. “It sounds like fun. Give me a campfire, some ice to climb, a little hypothermia and I’m in heaven.”

“Maybe my parents would consider a trade,” Hannah laughed.

Raff shook his head. “You don’t want the Colonel for a dad, trust me.” He grew quiet for a moment.

Hannah took advantage of the pause to change the subject. “I heard there’s a blizzard heading our way?”

“When isn’t there a blizzard in Colorado?” Raff laughed. He continued a steady stream of chatter despite her silence. Without warning, his attention was drawn to the entryway and his mouth gaped open. Hannah turned to see what had distracted him and felt her stomach tighten.

Shayne Westmoreland’s long, lean physique lounged against the door. Everyone on campus knew Shayne, or at least knew to stay out of her way. In addition to being rich and beautiful, she had a reputation for using her sex appeal to get what she wanted. Her gaggle of friends secretly loathed her and her enemies probably ended up keeping Jimmy Hoffa company.

Would you sacrifice everything to save a stranger? A town? The world? And if you did, how would you live with the consequences of that choice?

 Outside of the classroom, Hannah Slaughtery is just another face in the crowd. So when an invitation to take part in a leadership seminar at the mysterious Sanguinity Institute arrives, she decides to take a chance that will change her life forever.

 The guise of the seminar quickly gives way to the legacy that she and her fellow classmates are expected to carry on. Born of mystical bloodlines, each individual must give up their mortal selves and transform into a supernatural creature. As the Partizans, they are charged with one task: stand against the Formorians to maintain the balance between good and evil.

 Inspired by Hannah and guided by their mentor, Garrett, each Partizan reluctantly accepts their call and the secrets of the Institute begin to reveal a history of lies, suspicions, deceptions, and unimaginable courage that spans the existence of mankind.

 When one of their own goes missing, the Partizans set in motion a perilous rescue plan. Though they succeed in their first battle against the Formorian, they quickly realize that some sacrifices come at too great a price.

*****
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As it turns out, even livejournal has an app for that. Yes, I am blogging from the comfort of my living room without the aid of my computer. Now I can blog anything , anytime, anywhere. I don't care what they say, laziness has made us technologically savvy! That's all for now. Starting to get texter thumbs... Wait, is this why we have thumbs in the first place?

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Q. Give our readers the basic biographical information on you, if you don’t mind.
A. My name is Hannah Slaughtery. I don’t know who my birth parents are. I was born in Jupiter, Florida, but my birth parents signed the adoption papers when I was two days old.

Q. What was it like growing up? What’s your family like?
A. I grew up in a middle class family where we didn’t really want for anything, but after the insurance, mortgage, car payments and school tuitions were paid, we didn’t have much left for the big vacations or expensive name brand clothes, which was fine by me. As long as I had a decent computer and money to spend at the used book store, I didn’t care. I guess I’m a simple girl at heart. Eventually, my mom took her desire to travel into her own hands and started a travel agency. It’s done pretty well and we’ve been able to see a lot of places we wouldn’t be able to visit otherwise.

My dad is one of the best insurance agents in the area and before the travel agency took off, my mom was the high school principal. I am the youngest of three children, and am definitely the black sheep. My brother was a star football player in high school and went on to play for the University of Michigan while my sister was a nationally ranked tennis star. While we are somewhat close, I don’t really connect with them. I can’t throw a ball to save my life and I would rather surround myself with musty old books than cheering fans and pom-poms.

Q. How would you describe yourself?
A. I would describe myself as a self-reliant intellectual. I enjoy the challenge of tying to put all the pieces together. It’s been like that my entire life. When I was a little girl, I would draw where the organs should be on the body of my dolls. It drove my parents crazy and eventually they stopped giving me any kind of stuffed creatures. I think they thought I was a vandal in the making, but I was just trying to figure out how everything fit inside my body. I was only four.

If you ask me what I'm like as a person, I'd say I live in my head. I believe rules are meant to be followed and I believe that, while I am sometimes jealous of people like my sister, brains have a higher value than brawn. I hate working on group projects because too many people put things off until the last minute and do just enough to get by. I have come to enjoy being alone and find solace in my books. I’m not someone who is the life of the party. I can’t talk easily with people, and I hate letting people know what’s really going on in my head. It’s easier to focus on my goals without all the drama that other people bring with them.

Q. What trait or characteristic do you value most?
A. I like order. Everything has a place and everything happens for a reason. I plan everything out and would rather die than rush into anything rash. When I have something to do, whether it’s a school project or something I’m working on for myself, I don’t stop until it’s done. I think other people think things come easy to me. But they don’t see the toll trying to attain perfection takes on me.

Q. What is your strongest skill or talent?
A.  I would have to say being able to use logic and reason to understand human nature. I love to people watch. It’s my favorite vice.

Q. Do you believe in God?
A. The thing I believe in most strongly is my faith. I know a lot of scientists are trying to disprove that God exists, but I don’t understand why. Can’t God and science co-exist? For me, faith tells us that we are here to serve a purpose. For me, science is my purpose. Rather than pretending I can prove or disprove something truly beyond my ability, I choose to find hope in the things that plague mankind.

Q. What would be your greatest disappointment?
A. Realizing that I may be ordinary. My life goal is to find a cure for something. But what if I do everything I am capable of and it results in nothing. Or worse, what if I’m not cut out for creating a miracle? I know I say I trust my gut, but sometimes, it’s a struggle to completely let go and change from the direction I’ve been moving.

Q. What do you want to accomplish in your life?
A. My most important goal in life is to find a cure for something. I don’t know what yet. Nothing has really inspired me, but I know it will. I want to make a profound difference.

Q. Can you tell us something about yourself that few people know?
A. I secretly yearn to find a place where I am accepted. I want to meet that person that makes me forget my books, just for a moment.

Q. What is your personal motto?
A. Life is a full time job, and it is hard and serious work. It’s up to us to figure out what our roles are, embrace them, and then fulfill the path we are on.

I see a mom with sticky hand prints on her t-shirt. I see a woman, growing older, her hair highlighted blonde to hide the gray hairs that have crept in when she wasn’t looking. I see an artist, alive for the first time. I see eyes, once dampened and sad, re-ignited with passion and fire, though fragile and unsure. I see years of hardship and sadness that can not contain her humor. I see regrets. I see lines around the mouth and eyes. I see the need for lifestyle changes. I see appreciation for what her mother endured. I see resolve to be different. I see memories that cause her to smile and cry. I see the desire to change, but not as much courage as needed. I see a wish. I see faith. I see hope. I see love.