A/N: Hello my friends! Just so you don't get confused, I'm going to be changing Callie's name to Ezlyn- pronounced Ezz-Lin-because I totally forgot I have another character named Callie in another one of my books, and that's confusing for me. I'll be editing the previous chapters as well with her new name.

A V I V A

Since I got home, my head has been throbbing. It's driving me crazy-the curiosity. It's eating away at me. I wanted to follow Paige and see what she was up to, but Mom and Dad dragged me away as soon as she left. Paige was never a problem before, besides her obsession with Weylen, so I don't understand why she's suddenly beginning to pop up out of nowhere and everywhere.

She's becoming another Ezlyn, if not worse. And I don't like the sound of that.

My stomach growls. It's around two in the morning, but it's never too late-or early, for that matter-for a snack. I jump out of bed and trot downstairs, but stop dead in my tracks when I hear mumbled words coming from the shop.

I thought everyone was asleep.

Mom's chanting can be hauntingly beautiful, but this time her hushed voice sends chills down my spine. It's eerie and unfamiliar. I tiptoe, trying to be as quiet as I can. I hide behind a wall and take a peek at her. She has a scroll in her hands, muttering words under her breath. What catches my eye is the number of books scattered everywhere in the room. Thankfully, one of them is close enough to me that I just reach out and grab it, praying Mom doesn't notice anything.

I've read every spell book on the shelves of the workshop, but I've never seen the one I'm currently holding. The title read, Demons. I have never heard any stories about them before. I didn't know they even existed.

"If she ever finds out. . . No, she can't. She mustn't." Mom's words cut through the silence. She talks to herself in a whisper, but loud enough to reach my ears perfectly.

She? Who is she talking about?

She continues to pace through the room, her brows knitted. My grip on the book tightens. I don't plan on getting any more sleep tonight.

"But it's her fate. Those nasty Nymphs. Out of everyone on the planet, why her?" Mom says, pinching her nose. "This cannot happen. It's too dangerous."

What on earth is she going on about?

Her footsteps get louder, so I scramble to my feet and dart back into my bedroom, closing the door behind me gently. So much for a late night snack. I'm still hungry.

Hiding under the covers, I grab my phone and turn on the flashlight so I can read the book. I flip straight to the 'What Are Demons?' section.

Demons are strange Supernatural beings. Many of us do not even know they exist. They have the ability to go into hiding and act like Humans, which means other Supernatural creatures can come across them and think they are just that-Humans. The only way you will know someone is a Demon, is if they tell you themselves.

Demons can shapeshift into a shadow-like creature. They cannot speak in their shadow form, but they can move rapidly and disappear in a blink of an eye. Some Demons can be very aggressive, especially while they are a shadow. If you are to ever come across one that is gentle, consider yourself lucky.

Much like Vampires, Demons are always cold. The reason for this is unknown.

As far as anyone knows, Demons do not have Soulmates, just like Cupids. It is still unclear as to why. Rumour has it, the Demon species is ruled under a monarchy. According to some, they are the most dangerous Supernatural species, which is one of the reasons why they prefer to be hidden. They-

My reading is interrupted by the sound of slow whistling. I quickly hide the book under my pillow and get to my feet. Another creepy noise comes from outside, so I climb into my balcony and search the area with wide eyes.

I freeze.

The shadow is back. Or, now that I know more, the Demon is. I would be calm, if it wasn't moving towards me. I take a step back, but then suddenly it charges. I'm so shocked by the action that I don't even get the chance to move out of the way, and my body slams against the wall behind me.

I gasp as the air in my lungs is knocked out of me. It's insanely hard to breathe. I release a strangled cry when a surge of pain shoots through my body, rolling onto my back with a wince.

What the heck was that?

I glance up and flinch at the sight of the shadow floating right above me. It charges again, and I brace myself for the hit. But it doesn't come. My eyes widen in astonishment. There's two shadows now, and one seems to be . . . attacking the other.

I want to get to safety, but I feel too weak to move at all. I can't even scream for help. All I can do is watch the madness.

Balls of what looks similar to black smoke are thrown back and forth between the two shadows in the atmosphere. They are circling each other, as if trying not to get too close. Their movements are frightening and violent, yet it somehow manages to look elegant all the same. I bite my lip so hard that I taste blood when a ball hurls my way and hits my left arm, leaving it burning like it's on fire. Before I know it, a small, dark grey tornado forms and crashes into one of the shadows, consuming it completely.

In an instant, everything looks normal again. Everything except for the fact that I'm sitting on my balcony floor, clutching my stomach in a lame attempt to stop the searing pain. That, and the remaining shadow.

It stops in front of me, but I have no idea whether this is the same Demon that attacked me or not. But that thought doesn't last long, because the black smoke from figure traps it inside something like a cocoon. I draw in a sharp breath and dig my nails into my palms.

The cocoon dissolves and the black smoke vanishes. So does the shadow. My jaw drops. Alec takes the shadow's place and stands there, fazed for a second. His dark eyes find mine and he rushes over, cradling my face as gentle as possible in his hands.

"Cupid? Shit, are you okay? Can you hear me?"

My vision blurries.

"Aviva, say something! Holy crap, I'm so sorry." He cries, examining my injuries. "I'm going to kill her."

Kill who?

I try to sit up straighter but that only makes the pain worse.

"It h-hurts . . ." I croak, letting a tear slip.

"I know, Cupid. I know. Just work with me here, okay? I'm going to pick you up, and that might hurt. But we'll get to your room, and I'll clean you up and explain everything, alright?"

I don't have the energy to talk anymore, so I settle on nodding. With a frown, Alec swoops me up into his arms. Another wave of pain washes over me, but I hold my breath when I start to feel light headed.

The last thing I see is Paige's scowling face off in the distance.

♡♡♡

Heyo!

I am so, so sorry for the long wait! Hopefully it was worth it. I added some action into this chapter. What do you guys think? Did anything surprise you?

I know some of you had your suspicions about the shadow. What about the whole Demon thing? I've included some information about them, but most of everything should be revealed in the next chapter! If you have any questions, ask away.

If you see any mistakes, please do point them out. I'll be quick to edit them. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to vote and comment!

❤ Chloe