We left the roof quietly and quickly. Nevaeh hailing us a cab and instructing the driver to remember nothing of us, our faces, our conversations, our destination. There was maybe three seconds of silence before Ailech started in.

"Just so you know, I'm not an idiot. I know you didn't turn on the emotions just for today. And I already knew you and Jordan were...fixed, connected, reconciled? Whatever it's called when two broken halves become one. You're both cringe-worthy actors, so please, don't continue just for my sake."

James glared at him for only a moment before shrugging.

"I knew you wouldn't fall for it for long. You could sense my sickness after just meeting me twice at the Vault. I figured you'd be able to tell when we were unbroken-"

"Ah, unbroken. Thank you for the correct vocabulary for whatever you two have going on. As long as I don't have to see you 'connecting,' I'm fine with it."

Kael smirked from the other side of Ailech, looking more like the friend I had known the past fall. James looked up and took a deep breath through his nose, apparently beseeching the heavens for the patience to not strangle our healer once again, but I saw the slight tightening of his stance as he sat, the minute tension. It was as obvious to me as if he had blushed. He was embarrassed. It made me remember our kiss, the strange feelings of losing control, of wanting to hurt him, love him and kill him and devour him, something neither of us had talked about since. Probably because we didn't know what to say. Was it a True Pair thing? A Half thing? We couldn't exactly ask anyone why I had the urge to black widow him.

I glanced to the boys in time to see Kael wink at Ailech. He would have liked Syn, and Chimarah, he would have liked them all. Maybe not Horn and Halo, but I couldn't think of anyone that would get along with them. Except maybe Nevaeh, the old version of her. Though this new one seemed almost pleasant? I didn't expect it to last. I still thought she would have liked Spade, how they were both so beautiful and regal, how even their voices would have complemented each other.

I pulled my thoughts away from my surrogate Clan once again as I realized I had let my mind circle back to them. I shook my head slightly as if I could fling them away before staring out the window. I felt eyes on me a moment later, navy ones that somehow always had a weight to them.

What was that? That thought. I felt it, like a cringe but less, a shudder from you through my mind. It was new, and unpleasant.

I didn't know if he meant our bloodlust from my bedroom or Chi's Clan, but I sure knew which thought I would admit to right then.

Syn, and Chi. I keep thinking of them, I can't get them out of my head, like there's something I should kn- oh.

What?

We need to go to them, to get them. Bring them to the Vault. They must be in trouble, that's why I keep thinking of them. I had the same feeling the day of the Serpentine in the city, with you. I couldn't get you out of my mind.

I looked at my Pair, meeting his eyes that had been heavy on me since our conversation started. He nodded, letting out a sigh. Neveah was watching us now, her eyes flicking between us as if she could tell when we spoke to each other.

"Secrets are no fun, I thought there would be nothing hidden anymore. Care to share with the class?"

Her tone wasn't aggressive despite her words, like once again, she was trying to balance her old habits with this new version she had become. I was curious how she really felt, how deep her changes ran, but I kept my Gift far from her mind, though I knew she couldn't tell when I was poking around it, or she used to not be able to tell.

James looked to me, eyebrows raised in question. I replied after only a moment's pause to contemplate. But James had been right, and I didn't want to hide anything from them either.

"I made a mistake right after the cemetery, I wasn't thinking straight and my mistake cost me dearly. I found myself bound to Jevin, but too dulled to do anything about it, to even care. Once James learned I was still in the city and who was controlling me, he killed him. But before he did, he sent a Clan to capture me. They helped me separate myself from Jevin's blood and took me in, even full-well knowing what I was. Then, one night while I was out, hunting, the Collector sent Shafes and-"

I paused to bite down on my teeth, clenching and unclenching my jaw to keep my voice from breaking and try to put out the burning in my chest, to stop it from climbing my throat and settling behind my eyes.

"They killed my friend, Syn, and took his body. When I found out, I left, ran away really. I just couldn't handle the guilt, not again, not so soon after Jevin...or James.

That's what I was talking about with James just now, that Clan, the ones who are still alive at least. I keep thinking of them, and I feel like they must be in trouble. I want to go to them and bring them to the Vault too, to be with all of us. Protected. They are a good Clan, but they're weak. They wouldn't survive in any fight, especially since the Collector knows about them now. They were found, targeted, because of me. Syn died because of me. And now I feel like it's my responsibility to keep them safe, like they did for me."

Nevaeh gave a quick nod, still watching James and me with her even emerald eyes when she spoke.

"I'm sorry about Syn, and for what you went through with Jevin, and after, I imagine. I never thought of you as able to be-"

"A victim? Yeah, me either. But, thank you."

Nevaeh looked like she couldn't tell if I was being sincere, I understood the feeling, but I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. All of us had changed so much since the Clan's dissolution, been forced to change so much. It seemed unfair of me to assume only her changes weren't genuine.

"Thank you for telling, for answering me when I asked. And for telling the truth."

The car fell into silence until we arrived at the motel. Ailech, James, and I immediately began preparing to leave again, but Kael sat on the edge of my bed, his hands in his lap as he stared down at them, clicking his lip rings against his teeth methodically. He looked like he was weighing two options when he looked up and spoke.

"James, I will follow you again, but not like before. I meant it when I said I'll help share the burden of leading, but I want the freedom too, the choice. And I don't want to leave until we eradicate the Skia. It's personal for us. We kill evil and they are the darkest evil I've seen in a long time. These soulless Humans make the criminals you used to hunt in our cities look like schoolyard bullies. We have to stop them."

Nevaeh stood to the side of Kael, basically the same height since he was sitting, and nodded her agreement, placing a hand on his shoulder in support.

"If this Clan is going to work, two Halflings, three leaders," she gestured to Kael, James, and myself, "and then me on the bottom rung, I want everyone to have a say, a vote."

"You want a democratic Darkling Clan?" James finally spoke, amusement in his voice and his signature smirk pulling at his lips. He chuckled, dropping his head and letting his smile hide behind his overgrown hair.

"Then we're a democracy - but not a perfect one. There will be times, maybe very soon, where I will make decisions you do not like. I'll discuss everything with you as I promised, but I ultimately still serve you, the Clan, and I will still protect you even at the expense of your freedom, your vote. If I need to, I will make the final decision, and you won't be able to stop me. You know that. Understood?"

I fully expected them to agree automatically like it always used to be, but Nevaeh and Kael looked to each other first, seemingly having a silent conversation just with their eyes, before coming to their decision.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"Or have that fight when the time comes."

They both answered in turn, Nevaeh with a glint in her eye, like she would relish that fight. James stared at Kael, his brother meeting his gaze for a few long seconds. Then Ailech spoke up, being fully forgotten during our Clan discussion.

"I never understood why hierarchy was so important to Darklings. You aren't pack animals or Shifters, you're Humans, why not act like it?"

"Because we aren't Humans," James said tiredly, like he was sick of reminding Ailech of that fact. Ailech just rolled his eyes.

"That's what Jordan thought too, but you are Human, half-Human. Everything out there is at least partially, except your daddykins and demons. And your other Clan members are far more Human than Darkling in fact. You can't say your Darkling half is all that matters and ignore the other half like it isn't just as big a part of you. You are Human. And your Clan is free to do what they want. Having an unquestioned leader is what we in the lowly mortal world call a dictator, and though you have the first half of that down, maybe don't make the rest your goal, yeah?"

Kael let out a laugh at the end, not quite his booming one, but close.

"Where the hell did you find this guy?"

James ignored Kael, watching Ailech like a wolf circling its prey. He looked hungry, and not just because he was still far too thin. When he spoke it was with the calm, arrogant tone and amused look in his eye I used to always associate with him, like he knew he had already won even before he played.

"You want to sit up high and preach about freedom and choice, really? Care to share the prophecy with the group? How about your role? Jordan's and mine? Now, tell me again why I should let the rest of my Clan walk into something they don't have to. Why I should give them a vote on my fate when they can't change it.

I won't lie to them and say they can choose any option because I swear to you, I will break their legs out from under them if it means they cannot follow where I know I'm going, if it means I can spare them from my father. And I won't apologize for that. Any group that doesn't have a leader, that has too many heads, will fail. So, yes, we'll be a democracy, but they have ultimately chosen me as their leader, that's their first vote. Things will be more equal than before, I won't hide anything from them, but there is still a hierarchy, and I will stop them from needlessly dying, even if they delusionally think they want to. That's what leaders do, protect their Clan, serve their family, sacrifice for them, even when it isn't the popular choice."

Ailech narrowed his eyes, but stayed calmer than I would have expected. James spoke again in the lull, but to Kael and me.

"Jordan needs to go to Chi and her Clan. Nev and Kael need to eradicate the Skia. It's unwise to split up. So, let's do both. Can we wait to leave?"

I nodded, not seeing any way around it, nor feeling any warning, any dread at his words. Maybe that meant they would be okay until we got there, or maybe all my thoughts on them weren't a sign at all, just me torturing myself, my guilt rearing its face once more.

"Then today, we hunt. Agreed?"

Even before I met his eyes I felt his Shift. His voice changed, the very air around us crackling. And I couldn't wait for the hunt to begin.

First fully-new writing I've done in years. And all typed up from my phone, mainly as I do cardio at the gym 😂

But hey, first step is getting it down, yeah? It needs a lot of editing, and a lot of additions. But it's a start.

Hope you enjoy!
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