That first night was uneventful, as were the next several. No sinister dreams, no visits from James' father, not even any conversations of note. And though it was strange, sharing Malachi's room became a routine. James and I would go across the hall late each evening once the Vault's corridors were mainly empty. Sometimes Malachi would already be in his room, sometimes he wouldn't be. Sometimes he would show up in the middle of the night after he was satisfied or exhausted with whatever solo-training he had been filling his time with, sometimes he didn't come back at all, opting to stay awake all night in a library or forested area or gym or cafeteria.

On the nights he wasn't there, James worked with me on my Sight, helping guide me through the cavernous Vault and search out Malachi. More than once, I watched him until I fell asleep - him training or studying or eating. He was often eating. Something about watching him was calming to me. Though I knew he was anything but calm-inducing.

When Malachi was in his room, he wasn't nearly as willing to talk as he had been on our first night, only giving brief replies to James but shutting down anything resembling a real conversation. And though his personality and ego hadn't changed, his needling or inappropriate remarks, his predatory smirks, and winks, or even his relentless attempts to fling unpleasant emotions on us, I felt like he was different somehow. He seemed more calculating, like he was planning something, watching, waiting.

Maybe he was just bored. He had a lot of time to himself, and with no one telling him what to do, no missions or targets or other duties from his master, there wasn't much for him at the Vault. And he didn't strike me as the type who knew how to do nothing well. His constant training, practicing, and studying made that apparent. It seemed every time I sought him out with my sight, he was working weapons or just his own strength, sometimes for days straight. It was like he didn't want to slow down for fear he'd feel something or think something outside of strength and violence and blood.

James and I didn't return to our schedule, though we saw some of our tutors on our own. I sparred with Prey and Parish once, saw Katz and Zodi briefly, and walked in the woods with Levi almost daily. But mainly, I spent my days training with my Clan, something that felt so rare and new after all our time apart. Kael and Nevaeh, James, and I spent hours everyday training and talking, becoming reacquainted with each other, and wrapping our minds around all the truths James shared. His father, his childhood and past, our powers and connections, the prophecy and what it could mean, our future.

To his credit, James never shied away from answering Kael's ocean of questions. And when Nevaeh spoke up, he answered those too, not sugar-coated or in a positive light, he just told them the truth, every time, no matter how damning it was. No matter how it made him look. That was what built our Clan again - his truth and honesty. Our sparring and time together helped, but James was the one who mended what had been broken. We had fallen apart because of lies, I suppose it is only made sense that we would be rebuilt by the opposite. And just as my forgiveness had helped James, his health and mind, I could see his improvements as our family came together again too.

He was gaining his weight back, he looked stronger, and he could eat and sleep regularly again. I caught the ghost of a smile on his face more than once when Kael would crack a joke, when Nevaeh would say something kind, sometimes just when he was in his own head. He looked serene in those times, and I liked his soft smiles.

Time stretched on at the Vault without a single sighting of Abby. And I couldn't decide if he was giving us time to calm down from our turbulent first days back, or if he was giving himself time to calm down. But I started to miss him and feel guilty for my anger toward him, even for what James and Malachi had done to Grayson. James hadn't experienced any consequences from the collar yet either, as he wasn't an actual danger to anyone in the Vault.

The same couldn't be said of Malachi. I witnessed at least one triggering every day, either when I was watching him with my Sight or when he was with us. Sometimes just when he was peacefully laying in bed, but apparently thinking banned thoughts. And I'm sure there were many other times I didn't see. It seemed that reigning in his desires was exceedingly difficult for him, though he seemed to be able to handle the electricity better now. It still stopped him in his tracks, his whole body tensed, the slightest tremor, but he could breathe through it usually. And his panic seemed to have lessened. I couldn't decide if that was a good or a bad thing, but I was glad he didn't whimper through the currents anymore. Most times he was silent now, or at worst, he would suck in an audible breath through his clenched teeth.

By the end of the first week, I knew what was coming. So, when Ailech knocked on Malachi's door with three schedules entirely too early on the eighth morning, I wasn't the least bit surprised. What surprised me was that the schedules were identical.

"Kael and Nevaeh have their own sets, you have a few classes with them. Chi and her Clan have some too...and guess who their keeper is?"

Ailech strolled in casually as ever and flipped on the lights, oblivious to the fact that three Halves were glaring at him through sleepily squinted eyes. Malachi was sprawled across his bed, a jumble of scarred skin, arms, and legs. While James looked like he hadn't actually slept at all, lying on his back, his arms lightly laid on his chest, the sheets hardly disturbed. Over the last six nights, I'd quickly learned that the boys' sleeping styles were as opposite as their waking styles were similar. That is - when Malachi slept at all.

Ailech continued when none of us guessed at who their healer was.

"Ember! Right? Exciting."

"Who's with Kael and Nev?" I asked after clearing the grogginess from my voice.

"Me, doing double duty. There aren't exactly a ton of volunteers to babysit dark Angels - go figure."

He smiled sweetly at me as he dropped the schedules on each of our beds.

"Better get up. You're meeting with Zodiac first...innn about thirteen minutes."

» ✦ «

We walked into the gym to see Zodiac along with two others I didn't recognize. The resemblances were impossible to ignore, though, clearly nymphs. Probably one for each of us and our Signs, as our pseudo-class now had two additional Fires. Zodiac walked forward, floated really, to make introductions as the others hung back stoically. But before she could open her mouth, a rough, deep voice rumbled from just behind me.

"A fae? Mmh, the things I could do to you."

Malachi's voice dripped with his signature flavors of threat and lust. He purred deep in his throat as he watched Zodi approach with a hunger in his yellow eyes I thought might actually mean he wanted to eat her. He licked his bottom lip, darting his piercing out when she stopped before him.

Her reply caught both me and him off guard.

"Oh, you poor broken Angel. Does it hurt? The edges of the soul you keep tearing at?"

Her voice was melodic and kind, not pitying as her words seemed. But Malachi clearly didn't hear the difference as he nearly spit his words back at her. I almost wondered if the collar would be called from the sheer level of animosity in his voice alone.

"I don't need to be judged by some lesser half."

His sneer said as much as his flashing animal eyes, but Zodi remained calm and composed like the marble her skin looked cut from.

"My dear, I am not judging you. I am seeing you. You are light fighting to be dark, just as surely as they are dark, fighting to be light. But where they are constantly tasked with pulling their souls together, you insist on ripping yours apart. It must hurt. Though maybe you find comfort in both the destruction and the pain."

She gave him a small smile before turning to James and me and introducing him to his tutor. Malachi stood speechless behind her, his lips parted slightly, stunned.

» ✦ «

The training session did not improve with time. Malachi didn't listen to his tutor in the least bit, and burned every object or training tool to a crisp with a smirk on his face. James couldn't get any mix of his and my Sign to present. And though I had trained before and knew what to expect, my head wasn't in it, as I was wholly distracted by Malachi's presence. At one point, Zodi stopped me and stared toward the door in silence for so long I thought I had upset her. Then her perfect, pale lips parted and she explained.

"We're done today. I've just sent word to Abby. I think it would work better for the Halves to practice on your own, and for you to find some way to motivate your youngest on your own. I do not believe he will be taught by our kind."

She watched Malachi as she spoke. And I wondered how young he was, if James knew. I had heard him call James Abbas. Malachi merely smiled sweetly through his pointed teeth as he noticed our attention. His chin was low, making him look up menacingly with his smirk and black eyes. He had Shifted once it was established that it was allowed in trainings, and kept it over him even after his tutor asked him not to, growling in response. I nodded my agreement to Zodi and the fae swept out like vapor on the wind. Malachi looked particularly pleased with himself. James did not. He stalked over to his old acquaintance.

"Are you trying to get locked in your room? Because those are your choices - train with me or not at all. You won't be off on your own anymore. I prefer to keep an eye on you."

Malachi pushed his lips out in an exaggerated pout, ever theatrical, before replying. But even before I heard his words, the tilt to his head and his smirk said enough.

"Oh, my dear brother, you can't tell me what to do. You aren't my leader or even my master's favored pet anymore. You're nothing."

He tapped his collar with his index finger as he hung his arm from it and continued.

"There is no 'motivating' me because I don't have to listen to you or please you or follow you - not anymore or ever again. In fact, I bet when we return to my master, I'll be the one calling the shots and holding your leash. I mean, you're clearly a switch, right? So, that shouldn't bother you much, being my bitch."

James snarled and I rolled my eyes. There they went again. Instead of waiting for one of them to throw a punch and go into a full fake-training-real-fight, I listened to the gentle nudging of my newest Gift...and pulled the anger from the air around the two men. I considered it a mistake a moment later as both Malachi and James slowly turned their faces toward me in unison, two Shifted eyes and two deep blue. James had genuine disbelief beneath his sharp look, but Malachi's was black like murder.

He took one step toward me and I honed my Gift to only him, pulling a measure more. He froze and lifted one hand before him, his fingers tensed.

"If you do this to me again, I will kill you. I will find a way out of this damned collar, and I will slice you groin to grin and savor your screams. Do you understand me?"

His voice was still deep and rolling, but strained, either from trying to pull more anger or fight his rising fear that was apparently always just beneath his surface. In that moment, I knew I had a choice: back down and pull my Gift back, or show him my place - and put him in his. And with his anger and violence already flowing through my veins, clouding my thoughts, I chose the second option after only a moment's consideration. I lifted both of my hands from my sides, palms to him, and let my eyes darken as I drew harder on the emotion I could almost taste in the air around him.

He took another step toward me, but only one before dropping to his knees with a cry, one hand at his collar and the other clutching the center of his chest. I almost felt sorry for him, but then I remembered that the collar only triggered if he was planning my death. I felt my anger flare as I dragged more of his into myself until his forehead was to the floor. And though I could hear his gasps of fear both from my power and the panic the electricity elicited, I didn't feel guilty. Instead, the sounds made waves of pleasure roll through me.

I liked seeing him trembling on the floor, his light hair matted to his head from his cold sweats. His breath came so quick and heavy now, it was like his lungs didn't know there was air all around him. His rage and fire tumbled through me, mixing with my Shift, and it somehow made the scene in front of me a masterpiece. I smiled at it, at him. I felt powerful, and I liked it. I could control him, and I liked it. I walked nearer, crouching down.

"You will be training with us now, won't you?"

I purred in my Shifted voice and brushed his hair back as he jerkily raised his yellow eyes and that pretty, angled face up to mine, his Shift fleeing him in his panic.

"Yes," he gasped the labored word out just as I heard James' voice say my name.

I looked up to see the disapproving set of his face. But it only sent a flash of renewed anger through me. How dare he think it was okay for him to fight with Malachi whenever he was bothersome, but I couldn't do the same. He was weak for not being able to follow through like I could, to get the results I would...

"Enough," his voice rang out again, louder, commanding and final, an order from my leader.

I realized my own chest was heaving too, with something rising, a burning hatred for Malachi and James and- I pulled back, stuffing my Shift down simultaneously. I felt cool air on my skin again, my mind lightened and cleared, and finally, my body relaxed. Malachi's body collapsed on the ground before me too, a groan coming from him as his breaths slowed and shallowed.

I backed away, feeling guilt fast on the heels of his retreating anger.

"I'm sorry," I muttered as James approached.

"It's ok, just means we found another area to train. And, I think we found Malachi's motivation."

James' eyes were still on Malachi where he was crouched on the ground, composing himself and gathering his shields of violence and hatred again. James didn't sound mad, not even disappointed, but that didn't change the disappointment I felt in myself. Something in me, the real me, couldn't bear to see Malachi suffering, though I knew he was still more-or-less an enemy, even if he was declawed for the time being.

Some strange protectiveness reverberated through me whenever he was hurting and it made me regret every time I was the reason for his pain. I turned away, not wanting to look at my guilt anymore, and met Ailech's eyes as he approached with Kael and Nevaeh, who apparently had joined at some point since Zodi's exit.

"So what, he's a Halfling with anxiety?"

Ailech's voice was teasing, but I saw the edge of concern in his eyes as he looked past me to Malachi, still on his hands and knees.

"Technically, I think that was a panic attack," Kael replied thoughtfully.

"Great. That's just great. Perfect."

So, sometimes a conversation pops into my head from my characters randomly (normally when I'm driving or some other wildly inconvenient time) and I'll write it in the notes of my phone. Well, these last three lines have been chilling in my phone's notes since the first day Jordan pulled emotion from Kael in the woods and I was like - yup, that's a cool power - and then BOOM, thought of this fun lil conversation and have been waiting to use it ever since.

And I knew it would be Ailech and Kael too, because, I mean, it just sounds like them, yeah?

Also, also, I have had yet another request for a little more steam, and she has been such a great reader...soo...you've worn me down and I will add in a smut scene - but just know they will still be signature-dark as possible and also know I'll be going back through this book and adding in some more spice throughout because I do need more relationship progression - I know.

I'm working on it, I promise. Call it smut-research. Stay patient, please :)