• Freed, if only for a week, Atsume Ember Mason was excited. She raced to her grandparent's house, anxious to be away from her mother's constant smothering. She was determined to make it on her own. Her name, she knew, wouldn't save her from harm. It might, in fact, bring her more harm.

    She was happy when she arrived at her new temporary residence. It was a peaceful white house, newly remodeled, in a small and quiet community. It had recently been fixed up and had a white picket fence enclosing the property. She opened the fence and walked up to the front door. She grabbed the key her mother gave her and unlocked the door.

    The inside of the house was lavishly decorated in a Japanese style. The walls were light blue, and the carpets were all white. The furniture was all imported from Japan, Atsume's home country. All the shelves, however, were covered in dust from the lack of people living here. There wasn't much actually here like there had been when it was busy with life. Now that both Luke and Atsume were dead and Shionna was married and living with her husband, this house wasn't really taken care of. Shionna would come over and take care of the yard, sometimes stepping inside to dust briefly. Atsume Ember knew that her mother didn't come in often. She always said that it brought back too many memories, especially the living room, where the two were found murdered.

    Being surrounded with her namesake's furniture and possessions, Atsume Ember decided that she needed to change her name up. It was like she had been living in the shadow of her mother's adopted mother all her life. It was time for Atsume Ember to step out of that shadow. I think I'll just drop my first name, she told herself, I always thought I deserved my own name, but I do understand why Mother and Father named me after Atsume.

    Atsume Ember unloaded her things into the bedroom and bathroom. Exhaustion filled her and she collapsed onto the soft, plushy bed that her mother once slept on. Fully clothed, Atsume Ember, Now just called Ember, fell asleep.

    The next day, Ember, dressed in a black mini-dress that was strapless and black dress shoes, stepped out into the sunlight. Her black purse was clenched tightly in her hand. She was out in pursuit of nourishment.

    Ember smiled when she came up to a pizza joint. She entered quietly, holding her tail as still as she could.

    As soon as the door closed behind her, all eyes were on her, raking up and down her body. A general look of disgust came across the room. Ember froze. What did I do? She thought.

    A burly man walked up to her. "Demons aren't welcome here. Leave!" He ordered.

    Hurt, Ember left. She had never known about prejudice against demons. When she had gone out with her mother, they'd never been told to leave anywhere.

    "Some humans don't understand us." A young demon came out and said.

    Ember looked up at him. He was six-five with dark red hair and orange eyes. He had short horns on his forehead that were red and orange. He smiled down at her and reveled his fangs. He was dressed simply in blue jeans and a black t-shirt with flames on it and holes from actual fire. "I'm Ignite," he said very friendly.

    "I'm Ember," she told him.

    "Are you new around here?" Ignite asked.

    "No," she responded, "but I've never been out without my mother. She's way too over-protective since I'm her only child."

    "I know that feeling. I'm my father's only son. He reminds me constantly that I'm the future of our race. What race are you, by the way?"

    "I'm a Fire Wolf Demon," Ember said, neglecting to say that she was only a half-demon.

    Ignite stood dumbfounded at her confession. He'd been told that Fire Wolf Demons were extinct. I guess her parents must've escaped the massacre. He told himself. “Why don't you come with me? I was just about to get something to eat myself."

    "Sure!" She squeaked with excitement.

    "I know a pizza joint," he said, taking her hand and leading her away, "that welcomes demons. It's actually owned by a demon and a human. I think it's disgusting for a demon to lower their standards and mate with humans. Demons should be prouder than that." Ignite said.

    Ember was shocked by his confession. Doesn't he know by scent that I'm a half-demon? She thought.

    The demon and half-demon entered a small pizza joint. It was dimly lit, but pictures of pizzas and newspaper clippings about the place hung on the walls. They walked up to the front counter that was decorated with titles to look like a pizza. He dropped her hand.