When I go to school the next day, the three boys are nowhere to be seen, nor do they turn up the day after, or the one after that.

And for three days, I've spent every spare minute watching the school security cameras to find the gaps. For such a prestigious school, their security is pretty lax.

And for three days I continue to go to classes, eat with a silent Kat, plan, rinse and repeat. The only person that has been paying me any attention is Aubrey - the childhood friend of the boys who seems the watch me from their table. Even empty and sitting alone, she still seems to rule over everyone within a fifty-mile radius.

Exhaustion pulls at my limbs like an unruly child, begging and pleading at me to stop, yet I wake again, ready myself for school and start the day - at two in the morning.

I fall to my knees at the front of the school building, slipping the lock picking kit from my pocket and begin to pick the front door of the academy.

With a quick snick and hiss, the lock disengages, and the door snaps open on silent hinges.

I slip through, closing it silently behind me, cringing at the click of the lock and how it echoes down the cavernous hall.

Straitening, I glance down one side, modern day sconces lining the wall and keeping the hall lit up, and then look down the other side, seeing that the lights are dimmed, almost nonexistent.

I start walking that way, keeping silent as I make my way to the library. My fingers skim along the stone wall, running over bumps and ridges until I find the sign I'd seen earlier in the week and follow it all the way to those engraved double doors.

I stop in front of them, eyes drawn to the detailed engravings.

Creatures border the doors, clawed hands reaching out as if to snatch me away and bring me into their world.

Flying monsters are pictured in the air, maws open wide, flame and what looks like smoke spilling out, raining down on smaller, weaker creatures below.

Dragons. The word hits me. These are dragons.

A group of people - monsters crest the hill, swords drawn, hands clawed, fangs sharp.

I don't know what this art is a depiction of but whoever did it, did it beautifully.

I push the door open, palm splayed over the engraving of a beautiful man, wings sprouting from his back and slip inside, motion lights brighten as soon as I walk in.

I cringe, wanting to switch them off but no one is here. Only me and the shadows.

I walk through the library, my head turning at every rustle and noise, eyes tracing the large book cases that seem to travel the length of the library and then some, disappearing into a deeper, darker part.

A second level houses more books, the level open to the main one, bordering the stone walls of the building, a banister the only thing between readers and falling down a floor.

I move to an itemised map on the wall, finger lifting to trace down the list until I find what I'm looking for.

And of course, the books I'm searching for are kept in one of the furthest locations.

Turning, I begin striding through the emptiness, eyes locked on the back wall, skipping down row after row after row of books until finally I'm standing in front of the shelves I was looking for.

I reach for one book, then another, tucking them into the crook of my arm and finding a spot on the floor to nestle into and begin.

The first book I crack open is called 'The Great History of Creatures Long Forgotten.'

The second, 'The book of Hellish Hounds.'

Well, if anyone's going to be a hell creature it'll be me.

Settling in for a long night, I begin to read.

• • •

I've read so many words that they start to blur around the edges, my body begging for sleep.

Exhaustion is constant companion lately, especially since I'd stopped fighting, stopped feeding on the pain.

Hopefully just working near the fight rings will be enough to sustain me.

I flip the page on the book, the clock to my right ticking away, the sound seeming to echo in my head until a rustling noise interrupts it.

My head snaps up, eyes drawn to the shadows that line the walls but nothing shifts in the darkness.

Another rustle and I stand from the desk, leaving the book open on the table and stalk through the aisles, trying to find the source of the noise and the sudden uneasy feeling that slips through me.

I retrace my steps to the front of the library, watching the double doors for any sign that someone had walked through them recently.

As far as I know it is the only entrance and exit into the library.

More engravings litter this side of the door, depicting Angels and Demons standing side by side, more creatures dwelling lower than them, as if beneath them in both stature and reality. Like they're underground.

I turn from the picture and make my way back to the desk, the only noise my own footsteps.

Except I almost stumble when I see the person sitting in the seat I'd occupied, reading the words I'd just been reading.

Killian looks up at me, a pair of black rimmed glasses perched atop his nose, hair falling over his forehead like he'd been sleeping and came here for a midnight read.

His blue eyes brighten when they rest on me. "I didn't take you for a thief."

"I haven't stolen anything." I muse, walking forward.

"Not yet." He whispers and I narrow my eyes.

I don't get the chance to say anything to his words when he looks back down at the book and flips to the cover.

"Hellish Hounds." He whispers, eyes moving back to me. "Interesting read. Any particular reason?"

I look down at his hands, trying to see the shadows that Malachi can control dancing at Killian's fingers but his are bare, normal, human. "Like you said. Interesting read."

I know I didn't imagine the shadows that night. Know that Malachi isn't the only one that can do it.

The shadows that live inside me beg to be released, to show Killian what they can do, as if seeking his approval.

I clench my fist and look back to the book as Killian flips it open again and reads.

And I need to know how Malachi and I can do it. What are we? What the hell am I because it sure as hell isn't human.

"Succubus release a pheromone that slips over the object of their attention, compelling them to listen, to obey whatever the succubus desires. This is a useful tool for the succubi and incubi and can turn the tides of war if the creature is strong enough. Though in recent years the power had diminished through generations, like many species, and had forced the succubi and incubi to procreate and mix bloods with other creatures to keep the line alive."

Killian looks up at me then, "reads like a history book."

I shrug, but my mind linger on the words he's just spoken.

Succubi.

"-many had chosen to procreate with sirens or demons, drawn to the sexual and dark nature of their counterparts." He continues reading.

"Demons?" I muse, stepping forward and taking the seat beside Killian.

He looks to me, eyes lit up with something I can't decipher. "You don't honestly believe any of this, do you?"

I blink at the push in his tone, the way he watches me and shrug, slipping the book from his hands to read about demons.

"It's sounds interesting." I say, flipping the pages until I find the chapter for Demons.

Killian gets up, moving for the aisle nearby and grabs some books, the books seeming to almost float into his grasp.

God, I'm fucking exhausted.

He delivers them back to the table and I skim the titles before looking back up at him quizzically. "Angels and Demons?" My hand lifts, tracing the letters embossed on the cover.

"You said you found them interesting." He drops another and I tilt my head at the word before reaching for the book, dragging it closer.

"Drakoni?" I say the word slowly, unsure if I'm pronouncing it right.

I look up, finding his eyes intent on me.

"Dragons." He murmurs.

My eyes are drawn to the doors that enclose the library, drifting over the winged creatures. "Like on the door?" I find myself murmuring, turning back to stare at Killian. I don't know why I find myself relaxing around him, asking him questions like we're friends.

His face is expressionless, and he nods slightly. "They're wyverns." He says softly. "But yes."

I take the rest of the books from his grasp and begin reading, feeling him at my side. reading along, silent and still, but there.

It's not until I'm leaving the library later, Killian already gone that I look at the engravings on the door and find the dragons again.

But, not. Powerful back legs, smaller clawed hands. Wide spread wings.

Wyverns.

I look closer to the image and find, far in the back a larger flying creature, four strong thick legs, wide wings, open maw almost screaming to the sky, standing above every other creature on the door, perched on an outcropping as if looking down at his kingdom.

Dragon. Flame seems to dance along the dragon's tail, whipping up into the air.

• • •

I walk down the hall, ignoring the whispers from the students that linger at their lockers. I'd gotten used to them the last few days, funnily enough they had become one of the normal constants in my life.

I feel eyes on me, my hair standing on end and I turn my head, eyes connecting to Sienna's. She leans against her locker, a posse of girls surrounding her, hanging on her every word as she speaks. Yet her eyes remain on me, narrowed with a shine in the depths that I couldn't even try to decipher if I wanted to.

A body sidles up to me from my peripheral, almost colliding with me and I stumble to a stop.

The boys hands settle on my hips as if he's doing me a favour.

I step out of his reach, glaring at Lachlan.

I glance down the hallway but it lay empty.

"What do you want?"

He raises his brows back at me, tsking under his breath. "I decided to give you the benefit of the doubt, with you being new and everything but it's been a few days now and it's time to pay up."

"Pay up?" I mimic, bored.

He steps forward, a leering gaze slipping down my figure and he raises a hand, almost touching my face before I move back.

I spin on my heel, intent to get away from him but he catches me with a hand around my wrist, pulling me back and slamming me against the lockers with a resounding bang.

I grunt at the impact, narrowing my gaze on Lachlan as he crowds me, too busy looking down my shirt to notice the fist I pull back before it's slamming into his nose with a vengeance.

Energy zips through me, seeking a home and I breathe in the familiarity of the fight, feeling like myself, truly like myself, for the first time since I ran away.

He rears back, a whine exiting his lips and his blood spills.

"You rotten bitch." The words are like gravel as he spits them but I'm too focused on escaping his hold to care much for what he's saying, twisting out of his grip and stepping away.

I shake my hand out, mouth lifting at the pain throbbing from my knuckles and notice the split skin.

I didn't think I hit him that hard.

"Careful, Lachlan, I have a short temper." I shrug, stepping past the whining idiot and make my way down the hallway.

I only make it about half way before my wrist is once more grabbed and I'm being pulled into a supply closet.

I pull back my fist, ready to let it fly into the person face but Malac catches it with his own fist, grinning at me in the shadows.

"That was sexy as fuck, baby girl."

I drop my fist but Malac doesn't let it go, stepping forward to crowd my space. He brings my fist up for inspection, looking at the split knuckles, my own blood spotting the bruised skin and then his eyes flit to mine.

I watch as he leans forward, placing a delicate kiss against my knuckles and I let out a heavy breath.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I letting him kiss my skin?

His lip's part, tongue coming out to lick at the small amount of blood before he pulls back and let's go of my hand.

I let it drop to my side slowly, entranced by the presence in front of me.

"I want to see you do that again, but next time you need to wait for me to get closer and I need you to hit harder."

I blink at the words, pulling myself out of my stupor. "You haven't been at school."

"You didn't think we forgot about you, did you, baby girl?"

I pull back from him, flattening my back against the door and he lifts his hand, thumb pulling my jaw towards him. My attention zeroes in on his lips and I blink it away, cursing myself for letting hormones get the best of me. He grins.

"What did you see the other night?" His voice is like honey, thick, sweet and protected by an animal that knows how to sting.

"Nothing." I murmur, lifting my head and pulling my jaw out of his grip.

He drops his hands slowly, fingers lingering for the slightest second. "You didn't see anything?"

"I already told you." I say, reaching behind me for the door handle. "I didn't hear or see anything."

His eyes hood slightly, and he steps forward, crowding me back against the supply closet door, the wood creaking at my back from the weight I put against it.

A cool touch against my leg and I'm glaring down at the sliver of darkness I can see slinking away.

The power inside me writhes, demanding to be let out. To play.

I swallow the saliva in my mouth, eyes jumping between his dark ones.

"Such a pretty colour", he murmurs, looking at my eyes.

They're a deep green, so dark they almost appear black in some lights.

I blink back, entranced and Malac swoops forward. For a second I think he's going to kiss me.

And he does, but instead of touching my lips he skims my cheek, murmuring in my ear lowly.

"Do you have any idea what Kade would do to you if he found out you were lying?"

I suck a breath back in, heart galloping away in my chest, hoping to any gods willing to listen that Malachi can't feel it.

I can feel his smile in response, the way his cheek skims mine as he grins.

"Did you want me to kiss you?"

I try to keep my mouth shut, but instead of keeping quiet, a small noise exits my lips.

"Don't lie to us again." It's like a bucket of cold water has been dropped over my head, Malachis words entering my subconscious and I tense.

He steps back, blue eyes watching me.

I twist the handle and pull the door open, slipping out of the closet before I have the chance to embarrass myself further.

• • •

Water splashes up, soaking my face, coating my lashes and dripping from my cheeks.

I lift a hand to wipe the droplets from my face, eyes moving to the split and bruised knuckles.

A thrill races through me at the memory of Malac kissing the wound and I blink the image away, glancing up to stare at my reflection.

Auburn hair, dark green eyes, fair skin, small lips.

The bathroom door is pushed open and I blink at my reflection, turning to stare at the girl that walks through the bathroom door, almost tripping over her feet at the sight of me before she strides to the cubicle.

She was one of the girls surrounding Sienna this morning.

Drying my hands, I turn and stride for the door, pushing out into the hall.

I turn down the hallway leading to my first class, late.

Except I stop when I get to the doorway, seeing Malachi sitting at the seat that I had claimed as mine.

I glare at him but the boy only grins, patting the seat beside him. "Nice of you to finally join me, Rosie."

"What are you doing here?"

He leans forward, tilting the chair onto two legs. "Gotta keep an eye on you, Boss' orders." His grin is slow, the act doing something unfamiliar to me, something stirring at the action.

I shake it off.

I scoff, "So you're on babysitting duty?"

He winks, "You got it, baby girl."

"Do you always follow Kades instructions?"

He doesn't take the words as the insult I intend them to be, instead he only grins wider with a shrug.

The bell rings, signaling the start of class and I huff, taking the seat.

Malac rocks back onto all four legs, feigning interest in the class.

Three classes have passed and Malachi is in all of them, taking up the seat beside me at all times, even at one point threatening the boy who was sat beside me in the second period with his trusty switchblade.

But it did the trick and now no one sat beside me, leaving the seat empty for Malachi to claim.

By the grin on his face as he sat there for our fourth class of the day, he was proud of his work.

I tried to leave him behind when the bell rang for lunch, but I knew it was in vain, because the boy just followed me around like a lost puppy before separating from me at the last second, stalking off to his own table while I took a seat at the one, I'd deemed mine, Kat staring at me with curious eyes.

"Did you just walk in with Malachi?"

"By walk in, you mean he followed me from our class to the cafeteria like a deranged stalker then yes."

Her eye widen and I look back at her, noticing the fear.

"I knew you loved me, baby girl." The devils voice says above me, swooping down to grab my tray and Kat's, walking off with them.

Anger lights me up and I turn in my seat to glare at the boy, pushing from my seat and storming over to the table he'd placed them at, ignoring Aubrey, Kades and Killian's eyes on me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing."

It's Kade who speaks. "Sit the fuck down."

I flash a glare his way.

"I was." I say through gritted teeth, waving a hand to encompass the seat, Kat - who is now hiding behind my back because for some reason in my week here I'd picked up a stray - and I were siting at. "Over there." I finish, moving to grab my tray but Malachi keeps a hand on it, preventing me from grabbing it.

Kade doesn't care, rolling his eyes at me as if I'm being dramatic. "Sit the fuck down before I make you."

A slight squeak exits Kat's lips, and she slips into the seat beside me, diving into her food to refrain from staring around at the table of hungry wolves surrounding her.

I sigh and slip beside her when she gives me wide eyes, begging me to sit and not make a scene.

We'd already made a scene but I don't tell her that. I also don't know when I'd decided that I would do stuff like this for her. It definitely wasn't by choice.

"You will sit here from now on." Kade says without looking up from his phone, tapping away on it with furrowed brows. "You will eat with us, Malachi will be in every one of your classes." He looks up and pins me with a harsh stare. "We own you now, Princess."

My lips curls at the name, disgust roiling through me. "Don't call me that."

Kades eyes only light up in challenge but he doesn't say anything, and my eyes move to Aubrey, finding the girl watching me with hard eyes, no hint of emotion in the dark depths.

Kat hits my elbow with hers and drags my tray towards us, begging me again to just do as I'm told.

I don't have the heart to tell her that I was never good at doing what I'm told.

• • •

The bar is quiet tonight, which isn't odd for a weekday but makes for a boring night.

I finish cleaning the glass in my hand and plop it on the tray to be used. Candace sidles up next to me, tsking under her breath.

"Slow night."

I nod my head absentmindedly, eyes going to the ring in the middle of the bar.

It's currently occupied by two men fighting, their fists flying towards each other with no rhyme or reason.

It's embarrassing to watch really even if the act itself has a part of me perked up with energy.

But still, I watch riveted as the lankier of the two men throws a jab followed by a right hook to his opponent, flooring him instantly.

I wince as the sound of his body hitting the floor resonates throughout the building.

The small crowd let out a chorus of boos, followed by loud cheering.

I pick up another glass to dry it when Candace's hand lands on my shoulder.

"You could probably go home early, it's a slow night here tonight and I doubt there'll be much more of a show." She flicks her chin towards the ring, now emptying. And I lock my gaze on it, that familiar pang of longing hitting me.

I flex my fist in response, the bruises there smarting from the action and I nod to Candace.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Six o'clock." She responds, turning to help a customer.

I slip from behind the bar, my footsteps almost silent in the building, my eyes on the exit but I can't help but glance at the empty ring from the corner of my eye.

I pull my gaze away but the ache in my knuckle calls my attention towards the one thing that is truly mine in the world.

The one thing that could get me out of this hellhole faster. I know I could earn good money.

Plus the pain, to feed off it would make me stronger, better.

I try to talk myself out of it though I don't try very hard, my mind already made up.

I'm going back to fighting, but this time I'll get to keep my winnings.

I almost stumble when I think about him finding me again, he will know it's me if an auburn haired girl starts fighting, I'll be a beacon leading him straight to me.

He may have never come to this city - that I know of but that didn't mean he didn't have spies in every corner - especially if it involved underground fighting.

After all, that was the devils domain, his very lively hood.

With determination biting at my heels, I slip out into the night and find the bike, a list of things to help disguise myself coming to mind.