Hailee searched the room thoroughly, not allowing panic to conquer her thoughts.

Shit, there must be a clue about where she went. Or who took her.

She couldn't deny she felt a little hypocritical about the whole situation, especially after her discussion with Theo. They had both wanted to get rid of the kid and now she was gone.

Yeah, but not like this. Not alone in the Lindor streets, or even worse dead.

You could leave now, a part of her brain whispered to her. You can leave now, abandon angels and mysterious girls to their fates. No strange responsibilities.

But what if she talks to someone about the murdered vampires?

Her mind spun at the possibility and Hailee had to grab a chair to get a hold of herself.

Disqualification and death. That's just about it. Shit, I need to find Theo. And fast.

***

She burst out of the inn, asking various people around town for directions. Lady Lucky had smiled on her, as it was a Saturday night and the streets were packed with locals. She walked eight blocks until she finally found the "The Lindorian Train", the pub which Theo had mentioned as they had separated. He was supposed to meet his old acquaintance there.

"If you need me, just mention my name to any of the bartenders."

Hailee had laughed at his pompous comment. She wasn't laughing now, though. Trying to maintain her composure, Hailee fixed her hair and clothes and entered the pub. It was loud and dirty, with thick rings of smoke all around. A band was singing on the stage, and couples were making out passionately. She took a sharp right turn and headed straight for the barman.

"Hey buddy, maybe you know where can I find a guy named Theo Mailand? Medium height, thick black hair, green eyes. Has a very distinctive large old backpack and was supposed to meet with a Lindorian girl. Any ideas?"

"What do I look like girl, the fucking information services? Do a have a sign on my face saying Lost&Found? Now move your sweet ass from the bar, I have orders to take."

Hailee grabbed the back of his head with a sudden move, a handful of hair in her closed palm. She pulled the barman close to her face, raising him a few centimeters from the ground, his belly squished by the side of the wooden surface. Every single employee left looking in awe, not quite catching on with the scene played in front of their very eyes. Hypnotized.

Hailee's eyes burned bright red and so did the bartender's.

"Am going to ask you one more time. Where is the guy?"

"Theo was here. He met with Hanna Bows, one of our social workers. They both exited from the back door a few minutes ago."

"Good. That was really easy, see?"

She let go of her target, who struggled to regain his strength and pushed through the crowd, trying to catch up with Theo before it was too late.

Hailee pushed the back door with all her strength, practically unhinging it.

"Theo, are you... WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?"

Theo was there alright. Standing straight, pushing his body in a girl leaning against a wall. His arms were around her waist and his lips were on her neck. The girl, who most likely was Hanna Bows the social worker, was moaning loudly from pleasure, her hands already in the zipper of his jeans. Hailee's scream interrupted them from their ecstatic occupations and they pulled away from each other, scared to death.

Theo looked at Hailee's direction with a killing intent.

"What the hell are you doing here? Can't you see we are busy?"

"Oh I see that already. Me and every other Lindor citizen. What if you get caught by the police?"

"Well that's an enemy less for you right there isn't it? Why are you acting like a pious old lady? And you still haven't answered my question. What do you want?"

Hailee was at a loss for words. What kind of Angel had sex in the middle of a back alley, anyway? But mostly she was surprised with herself. She had no business telling an enemy of hers what to do or actually caring about his well-being. Caring about anyone's well-being for that fact.

When I'm done with this case, I am never talking to another person again in my life. Ever.

"Natalie has escaped... Or more accurately, the window was wide opened and all her stuff is gone... And before you say "isn't that what we wanted from the start?" let me tell you..."

"Well I was going to say it, but... we really didn't want her jumping out of windows in the middle of the night."

Damn straight.

"Excuse me, Theo... Is that about the little girl you told me about?"

Hanna had approached them as they were talking, finding a little of her lost courage.

"Yeah, baby."

Theo buttoned up his shirt and looked at her with sad eyes, ruffling his hair.

"I am going to take care of this mess and come back for you, ok? Sorry our fun was ruined."

Hailee sniffed ironically and turned to look at Hanna. She was a sweet brunette with a nice-shapely body and round face. Ideal for a social worker.

"I think I have an idea of where she may have gone. They way you describe her, she looks like a rather traumatised kid. It's probable she's returned to the same place she first met you and talked to you. Where she felt safe for the first time, you know?"

The forest we woke up... Fuck.

"Then let's put an end to this mess of a story, right? We have a train to catch in the morning, don't we Hailee?"

Hanna looked at them with a brow raised. "Theo are you two...?"

"NO." A collective shout escaped Theo's and Hailee's faces.

A sign of relief on Hanna's face. "Ok."

Theo walked close to her and kissed her sweetly.

"I promised I'll come back when I'm done with the girl. And I never go back on my promises do I?"

Hannah's cheeks were red from excitement. "That you don't, mr. Dreamy."

***

They walked the distance to the forest silent, looking straight in the horizon in front of them. Hanna was left behind in the pub, with Theo's promising lingering in her mind.

"So, now that we are alone, Mrs. Saint, what's the real reason you want us to find Natalie?"

"You mean you don't believe I am good hearted person that wants to leave a kid to the kindness of the social workers?"

Theo gave her a look of ironical disbelief.

"Because I don't like leaving loose ends. And she is a loose end, Theo. We got involved in this mess when we saved her. If we had ignored her cries, we would have been on our ways by now. But we ran to her rescue and until she is safe, she is our responsibility. At least that's what my sense of justice tells me."

"...And?"

Hailee sighted.

"And there are three dead bodies we left on our wake. Vampire bodies. They attacked us first, and it was just self-defence from our part, but still... If the Elders discover any traces leading back to us, we're screwed. Disqualified, even executed. If we leave Nattie with your friend, our little secret stays the same. Here, there goes my true selfish reason why. Happy?"

Theo shook her head and brought his fingers at his temples.

"Not really. Fuck, that's why I should have never gotten involved in this mess. Guess my sense of justice took the better off me in that train. Oh well too late now to..."

A scream pierced the night. A girl's scream. For the second time in a very, very long day.

"For the love of everything that's holy, not again..."

Hailee's left arm extended right in front of Theo's exposed neck, as two fast-as-lighting shadows attacked straight to it. The vampires hissed and fell back as Hailee's mental barrier hit them, with Theo's backpack transforming into his glowing sword.

Vampires again? What the hell is going on?

"Help... Help!" Nattie's pleas were heard as two buffy Vamp-Wolvie hybrids drugged the girl from her arms, her frail torso bumping on the ground.

"Is that how you want to play it, fuckers? By hurting a little girl? You are going to be sorry for this."

Theo held his sword high in the air, his knuckles white from pressure. His careless attitude was gone, and anger was drawn in every single muscle of his face. Hailee smiled.

Here's the real Angel, at last.

A third shadow emerged. With a high-pitched laugh, their well-known train Vamp leader stood between them and their two Vamp allies. Two Wolvies appeared from the bushes between them.

What the hell is going on? Vampires and werewolves allying in order to hunt a girl?

Vampires and werewolves were not the enemies they used to be in past times, mindlessly killing each other. There were even some marriages and friendships to be found between the two clans. Still, the operation held here was extraordinary.

"Well, well, well if it isn't the surrogate parents once again. We already lost a few allies because of this mess, going against a few important rules on the way. I know we made a bad start and all, but we can still be friends, right? I have a suggestion. You let that little monster to us, and you go along in your business. Or else you'll regret it."

Hailee smirked and her eyes turned red. She looked at Theo and he winked at her.

"Sorry pal. We don't react well to threats."

The werewolves opened their enormous mouth and roared, attacking them. Hailee pushed her weight to the ground, connecting with the soil right underneath her feet. With a swift move she lifted a chunk of earth and pushed it right at the Wolfie's face. He was knocked down in an instant, wailing painful while his back connected with the ground below him.

The second Wolfie took up speed and tried to snatch Theo with his clawed hands. Theo moved left and right with small, co-ordinated steps, avoiding the claws by centimetres. In a swift manoeuvre he turned his sword horizontally, forcing the werewolf to catch it with his palms in order to save his exposed neck. The blood was dripping from his traumatized hands and the wolf screamed in shock as Theo pushed his blade further into the beast's soft flesh. Then his Angel's wings opened up and he took flight, hitting the Wolfie right at the centre of his head with the hilt of his sword, rendering it unconscious.

The Vamp leader was already running towards the bushes, making his escape. His two Vamp accomplishes were already on their way towards the two, and Theo sighted.

"Do they never learn?"

He raised his sword and Hailee caught him by the shoulder. Theo came face to face with her red eyes and took a step backward, frightened.

Hailee faced the two approaching enemies with a smile on her face. She rubbed the small black azurite stone hanging in a necklace around her neck. A gift from her father. Two slick, black iron knuckles appeared on her fists. She punched the first Vamp straight in the face, sending it flying and landed a second punch in the other Vamp's soft belly. Their enemies stood up enraged and attacked once again, quicker this time.

That won't do, my sweet blood leeches.

She moved her right arm and a wave of electrified smoke and dust raised from the ground, imprisoning the Vamp's bodies. They jerked violently, dancing along the electric waves and Hailee's hand movements. They both fell on the ground, drained of their energy. She punched them in the face once more to make sure they stayed unconscious. And because they were assholes.

"Who are you?" Theo was sincerely taken aback for the first time this afternoon, a mix of amazement and fear on his eyes.

I am the Devil, boy, thought Hailee, but said nothing. She rubbed her medallion once more and the knuckles disappeared, with her eyes turning back to her own violet colour.

"NO.... NO... PLEASE DON'T KILL ME... NO...."

The leader's scream made Hailee's skin crawl. They run together with Theo, her show of power forgotten. They jumped through the busses and found themselves in a small clearance, not far from the one they had landed on this very morning. And came across a surprising sight.

"Shit..."

Natalie was lying in front of them, curled up, knees in her belly. She was still breathing, tears running silently in her round, baby-face, and butt-naked, her body full of scars... Scratches, burns, bruises... Some of her cuts were bleeding, painting the leaves and grass around her.

Right next to Nattie's wounded body the Vamp leader lied dead. Torn apart to shreds most accurately. His head was the only thing that stood straight up on the ground, disconnected from the rest of his body, his face locked on a post-mortem cry for help. The rest of him was scattered...everywhere. Limbs... guts... brains... you name it lay all around the clearance, in a macabre mosaic of death.

Hailee's eyes turned from the Vamp leader's head to Theo's strained face and to the source of his discomfort. Mr. Teddy was laying a little further away, a beautiful, soothing lullaby coming out of his mouth. The bear was singing to the little girl, and Nattie's tears were reduced and finally stopped as she picked herself up from the ground. She took Mr. Teddy on her arms and kissed him sweetly.

"Thanks Mr. Teddy."

The singing stopped and Natalie ran towards Hailee. Her child arms extended in a warm hug.

"Can we go now, Hailee? I am really tired and the wounds hurt."

"Sure, dear. Did that guy do this to you?"

Natalie turned to look at her with eyes burning bright from hate.

"He is one of the many who caused this wounds to my body and soul, yeah."

Hailee was taken aback by the girl's sudden adult like way of speaking.

She killed them. Maybe in self-defence, but she did this.

Theo held his place, unexpectedly calm.

"Natalie, is there a way for the Elders to find out you killed that Vampire?"

She gave him a calm smile.

"None. I was designed this way."

Theo let out a sad chuckle. "As I suspected. Let's get out of here while we still can right? And then when we're all clean and rested... it's time for you to tell us a little story."