"I'm at the entrance."

I'd been staring at these four words on my phone for the solid thirty seconds they'd been here.

My request to meet the Hunter's head was one I'd been going back and forth on quite a bit for the last two days. Even now, a part of me wanted to tell him to leave. Turn around and exit my life. I didn't want to ever find out that my ex was a hunter. I'd rather have found out it was Lou in disguise. It would have been surprising, but then again, it wouldn't have been as surprising to know it was Lou after I'd caught him rifling through my apartment.

I sighed, looking away from the small bubble on top of the screen. Those green eyes still haunted me. I didn't want to miss the person I'd once known. I wish I'd never met him.

I called him up as I pushed off the couch. Regret crossing my body the instant I heard his voice.

"Hey, Ryleigh."

Dammit. Fucking dammit. His voice was Trace. In this moment, with just his voice, he was Trace. I would have to forget that. I would have to start rejecting my memories of him. This is no way to live. "Yeah." I greeted vaguely. "I'm not at home."

There was a short pause. "Okay. Where are you?"

I looked around the cafe, meeting Antonio's eyes. He winked at me, I held up a thumb. "The cafe where we had our first date."

The man with the familiar voice on the other end sighed. "Stay there. I'll come pick you up."

"Okay." I hung up, placing my phone face down on the table as i let my head fall back. My eyes fell shut as I felt a lump form in my throat. I wasn't ready to see him again.

It was rather early. I'd met up with Antonio for an early workout as usual and then we'd headed back to his cafe to relax. Relax for me, anyway. Tuesday's were one of their busy days so I was helping out a bit wherever the old man let me.

"You done with that menu?"

I took a moment to reply, straightening my head to look forward again. "Yeah. I'm done."

"So..." Antonio walked up to me, white beard shifting up at the side as he smiled excitedly. "What do you think? Is it better?"

"I like it." I replied truthfully. "The new menu looks cleaner than the old one as well. It's a lot more classy. Removing some of the salad options was a good idea."

His smile fell a bit. "It was my niece's idea."

"Sorry." I shrugged with one shoulder. He didn't like taking a lot of input from others on how to run his place. "The old menu's good too if you want to keep it. Just... replace some of the lamination."

"Yes." He took the new menu card out of my hand. "I was planning to have them replaced next week, but figured I could try out printing new menus as well. If I'm spending that much on reprinting..." He trailed off, mumbling about the costs to himself as he turned away before pausing. "By the way, can you clean those tables in the corner? The new hire is late."

"Sure." Cleaning up on my day offs too. Great. Ln

"Sorry to make you do this on your day off."

"It's okay. I have nothing else going on today anyway."

I headed behind the counter, picking up a wet rag and moving towards the tables he'd indicated. The wood and metal chairs were heavy. They would've been hard to lift for the Ryleigh a few months ago. The somewhat-muscles I'd started building helped in lifting them. They certain didn't help when the metal footrests slammed against my ankles.

I exhaled harshly as I placed the finally chair on the floor. Today being arms day was not helping. My limbs were still jelly after the workout. Antonio popped by to pat my back and apologize once more as the customers started lining up at their counters.

I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket as I started on the third table. I didn't even need to look at it to know who it was. Wiping my hands down on my shorts, I accepted the call. "Yeah?"

"I'm outside."

"Be right there."

I rolled my neck, picking up the rag and heading behind the counter. Antonio looked at me with a raised eyebrow as he poured creamer into a cup. "I have to go. My... friend's waiting outside."

"Oh." He smiled at me. "Plans?"

"Something like that." I replied half-heartedly. "I finished three tables. Text me if you still need help later."

"I'll be fine." He patted my shoulder. "Go on. Your friend's here. Don't look so sad to be leaving."

I nodded at him, throwing him a wave as I turned away. He wasn't wrong. I didn't want to leave. I'd rather work a full shift at this cafe despite hating waitressing than be heading towards this car right now.

I spotted Trace across the street. He had his head turned to look at me. He threw me a wave I ignored using the excuse of looking up and down the road. I don't know where that guy was taking, but I hoped it would be a fairly short ride. The last thing I want to do is be stuck in an enclosed space with him.

"Hey." He smiled at me as I approached the car. I nodded back at him, rounding to the passenger side. "Hey." He repeated as I sat down inside.

"Hey." I mumbled back, turning to my seatbelt after closing the door. "Let's go."

"Okay..." He started up the car. "So, what's up?"

"Nothing."

"Well, obviously." He scoffed. "I mean what were you doing there?"

"Antonio and I work out together. I decided to help out a bit because one of his waiters was late."

"Working on your day off too?" He chuckled to himself. "How are you so energetic all the time with the amount of sleep you get?"

"You learn to live with it." I shrugged. "It's a lot more time in your day, that's it."

"So you work till 2-3, and then you head for a workout at like... 6?"

"Earlier on some days. Antonio barely sleeps. He's a true monster... I think he's up at 4 everyday."

"What?! Why?"

"Some pastry and bread prep at his cafe, and then he goes to work out while they proof. One of his assistants usually arrives sometime in between to pop them in the oven, and start on other stuff."

"Hard-worker."

"Very." I paused, finally turning to look at him. "Why is the meeting so early?"

He shrugged, turning to look at the window and basically, stalling. "Uh, we need... We are normal people, Ryleigh. We are not full-time hunters because that's not viable, you know..."

"It's also stupid." I replied bluntly. "You don't need to do this, Tr-" For fuck's sake, that fucking name... "You make a good enough living as you are."

He frowned. "It's not about just making a living and living life, Ryleigh. It's about making a change. Demons and angels go around, using human bodies as throwaways and doing whatever they want. You have no idea about the lives they've destroyed!" I raised an eyebrow at the sudden increase in volume. "They are nothing but... leeches! They hurt people and they get away with it just because they don't have a physical body! They have hurt a lot of people."

"Who?"

He turned to look at me. "What?"

"Who have they hurt?"

His expression turned to one of surprise. "Aren't you one of their victims? Forced to serve them ti-all night?"

"Well..." I shook my head. "It's not exactly forced anymore. I'd call it 'symbiotic."

"Symbiotic?!"

"Yes." I turned away from him. "Give and take. Something that was apparently missing in our relationship."

"Our relationship is not the topic here, Ryleigh!" I jumped as he slammed the wheel. My head turned to face him in surprise. "You work for demons and angels, and are at their mercy, and-and beck and call to do whatever without having a choice!"

"I do have a choice." I replied before thinking. "They're fairly understanding about how much I wish to work and wh-"

"So what?! It began with you being forced to work for them!"

"I..." A losing conversation, clearly. "I guess." He wasn't entirely wrong. It did start out with my reluctance.

"'I guess'? Ryleigh! They held you hostage!"

"They... did." Confusion passed through me. "How do you know?"

"Please. It was obvious." Strangely enough, pity crossed his eyes. "You're a fairly headstrong woman. I don't think you're going to be serving someone you don't want to. Especially, for unpaid overtime."

He had me there.

"You know,..." I turned away from him again. "They tip pretty well."

"W... What?"

"The demons like me and rarely ask for their change back. The angels think that the concept of money is beneath them and don't usually count out their money before paying."

"You're... You got enticed by money?"

I sighed softly. "Don't judge me. I barely earn in tips and the crowd is pretty shit at night. It's a welcome change to be able to earn like that."

"I... I never took you as someone like... that."

I pressed my lips together, feeling that comment twist deep in my gut. Did I do something wrong by getting compliant? The demons... one in particular, had been pretty bad for me in the beginning. And the angel, again-one in particular... actually, quite a few of them. They hadn't been any nicer for my health.

But I was a bartender. I worked in the service industry. I've had shitty customers, I've had dangerous customers. That doesn't matter. In the end, I have to give them what they request, and in return, they pay me.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I'd only seen a good side of them all. Angels following the rules they hate, demons enjoying themselves and interacting with each other. I hadn't actually seen them interact with other humans. I had no idea what they did most of the time. All I saw, was a part of them.

The car had fallen silent with the stranger's final comment. It was tense, awkward. I was lost in my thoughts, wondering if I should regret what I'd been doing the last few months when he spoke up. "Listen, Ryleigh. I..." He exhaled. "I didn't mean it like that. I-You're-"

"Shut up." I snapped bluntly. "You said what you said. And you've said a lot of things since the last time we met. It just adds to it. You can't take it back."

Trace pressed his lips together. "That... I do have some things to say before we get there."

There... I'd been so distracted with how uncomfortable I was I hadn't even asked where we were going. "Uh... there where?"

"It's... You'll see." He scratched his head. He was stalling again. He seemed embarrassed. "Anyway, uh... I-I've got a few things to say. I didn't..." He sighed again. He was stalling a lot. Did that mean he had something else to add on to everything he'd already told me?

I felt my gut contract down to the size of a pin. I had to make a conscious effort for it to not reflect in my face.

"I didn't want to do this." He finally spoke.

I raised an eyebrow. "The... meeting? Or everything?"

"Ev-everything." We came to a stop at a red light. "I was selected for this, despite a lot of inhibitions, to... be Trace." I didn't want to hear that name again. "It was mainly because I looked similar to him but we still needed an excuse-"

I groaned to myself, cutting him off with the sounds of my further humiliation. "The fucking accident story. That stupid fucking story. I can't believe I fell for it."

"It's not your fault that you did, honestly."

"Well, then who's fucking fault is it?!" I finally snapped, twisting to glare at him. "How is it not my fucking fault when I immediately trusted a random man who claims to be a childhood friend I can barely remember approaching me out of the fucking blue?!"

Random-man-who-approached-me-out-of-the-fucking-blue shook his head. "It's really not your fault. But it's a bit hard to explain how exactly that all came about."

"There's an explanation?" I scoffed. "What? Did you put me under a spell?" We started moving again as I continued to glare at him. His colours went murky and my jaw dropped open. "It was a spell?"

"I-I didn't say anything." He hastily replied. "Anyway, since we're almost there let me just say what I want to say because I might not get a chance later." He cleared his throat. I was still feeling stupid. "I didn't want to be Trace. I didn't want to be your childhood friend, or boyfriend or whatever." Okay, ouch. "I did not enjoy even the thought of getting close enough to you to find out your association with the demons and the angels, or what happened to the weapons, or the Hunter."

He hesitated before continuing. One thing was confirmed for me- the missing Hunter had been noticed. In a small community, people who go missing become the news. I wasn't going to confirm his death at Lou and Mike's hand for them.

"I know you know what I'm talking about." Trace's voice cut through the silence I hadn't realised we fell into. I turned to look at him. "You're the only thread we have to connect all these things."

"Maybe I'm the wrong thread." I shrugged. "I'm just a bartender."

Trace sighed, I saw his jaw tighten. He was entertaining the possibility that all of this had been for nothing. "I hope not."

I rolled my eyes, tired of listening to his bullshit apology. What he didn't want to do wasn't the problem here, what he did was.

"Okay, not far now. Just a few more blocks." Now he was just trying to fill the awkward silence.

I just shifted in my seat, letting my head fall back on the headrest as I watched the traffic go by. My head was as busy as this street for every moment these days. All I wanted was peace and quiet. A relief from all this unending bullshit about the war between the angels and demons, the stupid weapon, and now these fucking Hunters. I thought I had to worry about Trace and how to deal with what he'd done, but how do you worry about a nobody?

"Alright..." I could hear relief in his voice as he pulled over to the side.

"Yup." I replied absently, feeling the same relief he was.

I pushed the door open the moment he stopped the car, stepping around the front and standing a fair distance away from him. "I thought we were going to your apartment. Why are we here?" I asked, looking up and down the street. His place was around the corner.

"We're here." He gestured to the coffee shop in front of me. My eyes went to the door. It was closed... during rush hour.

"Here." I looked over the building. "Are we meeting them over coffee?"

"No. This is the where Hunters work."

I had to look over the place again. The name caught my eye. "This is where you always got breakfast from when I..." Used to stay over. That's how the sentence ended.

"Yeah." He didn't need to complete it. I saw people move towards the door.

"Updating them about what you found out during pillow talk?"

He sighed beside me, starting to move towards the coffee shop. "There was never anything to say."

Hence, the busted coup in my apartment. They were getting desperate. One of theirs had been missing for two months now. It had to be hurting considering their small group.

The door was held open for me. I hesitated before edging past him again. I didn't want to touch him. I didn't want to be here.

There were eight people in the room, and for some reason they were all standing. The drama most probably. They wanted me to be scared of them maybe. I saw intimidating poses- arms across chests, angry glares, suspicious glares, every other emotion they probably had a right to feel undulating with their auras. The predominant one seemed to be of suspicion.

It was rather weird watching these guys. I'd expected... more black. Not sunny yellow shirts under white aprons with the coffee shop logo. And two of them seemed like teenagers.

"I... brought her." There was reluctance in his voice. I saw him walk past me to stand beside a woman who seemed familiar. The deja vu was spot on.

My eyes went to the their hands as they intertwined, and then the glint of gold on both their fingers. I had the sudden urge to throw up. All over the wife of the man I'd been sleeping with for months. My eyes rose to meet her smug smirk and look, and then they immediately moved away to meet the eyes of an elderly man walking towards me. He fit the demographic of my human customers. Late forties, early fifties. A small scar on his forehead, white beard, hard dark blue eyes. And a hundred percent human.

"Welcome to our humble little establishment, Ms. Ryleigh." He held out his hand. I looked at it blankly. "We've been looking forward to meeting you for a while."

I should probably shake his hand. It's a good sign of cooperation. Grasping his hand, I nodded. "Can't say the same."

"Understandably so." He withdrew his hand, his smile not reaching his eyes. "It's not an approach that's common for us."

"Is that so?" I nodded once again. "Why didn't you guys go the normal route and stick wires and cameras all over my apartment?" I raised an eyebrow. "Maybe send me one of those threatening letters made out of newsprint saying 'We know'. That would've been fun."

I met the eyes of everyone in the coffee shop, avoiding a certain man and woman. "Is this set up supposed to scare me?"

"Where's Gerheart, you sick bitch?"

My eyes went to one of the teenagers. She was shaking. I could see it had taken effort to not spit it out in anger. "Am I supposed to know who that is?"

She pressed her lips together, eyes turning to the other teen standing her. "Well?"

Silence. The other girl was shorter, covered in pimples, chapped lips. She was staring at me, around me. Up and down, left to right. I did that too. She was looking for an aura.

"Sara!" The first one snapped. "Is she lying?"

I could feel the air empty in the room as everyone collectively held their breaths. Sara bit her lip, confusion crossing her eyes before she slowly shook her head. "I... don't know. She doesn't have an aura."

The air that had left the room, returned, along the with the sound of guns being cocked and raised to point at me. The sunlight falling through the cafe windows behind me dimmed as I heard the sound of falling blinds.

The old man stepped back, his own hand reaching behind his back but not pulling the weapon out. "Demon?"

"No." I replied easily.

"Demons don't have auras."

Time to play dumb. "What's an aura?"

"What's an... " The old man frowned, his body tensing. "You're a newly formed demon, aren't you? You don't even know what auras are."

I shook my head. "I'm not a demon."

"Angel?" The girl who'd pointed me out asked.

"Nope." I met her eyes, widening mine slightly in response. "Does it look like I'm one?"

"Ryleigh's eyes are brown." A familiar voice cut in. "They've been brown the entirety of our... relationship."

As much I didn't want to have anything to do with that bastard, he just came to my defense in a room full of trigger-ready Hunters. I could see the edge of an aura by the open door leading to the kitchen too. There were no opening.

"How can she be human and not have an aura?" The teen who'd scowled at me turned to Sara. "That's not possible."

"I don't know." Sara mumbled, looking down at the floor and squirming with the amount of eyes on her. "I... never met someone like her. I don't sense demon from her either. Or-or angel."

"Good." I turned to the side, moving towards the table and disregarding the guns trained on me. The sound of the chair being dragged out was loud in the silence. I exhaled softly as I sat down, rolling my neck and placing my phone on the table at leisure. My eye went back to the man who approached me first. He was probably a leader.

I met his blue eyes and smiled at him with the customer service smile he'd failed to give me so far. "Can you calm down? I'm here to discuss how you can get those demons and angels out of my life."