Just a short message today, just to say I love you, and I truly hope you do like this. Please vote and comment if you feel like it, and enjoy this weather.

Playlist: 

Blinded by the Light by The Weeknd

Stay by Rihanna feat Mikky Ekko

One Thing by Finger Eleven

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Instead of leaving, I chose to stay with my parents and explore the town on a shopping trip, immersing myself in the bustling atmosphere of the early afternoon. Despite texting Nya multiple times, I received no response from her. I'm certain that Milo put an end to the threat before it escalated, but the oppressive silence is haunting me. Only when the sun is low do I receive a text from Nya.

We're fine, the threat was taken care of. Milo wants to talk to us about last night. I reread the words over and over, a feeling of relief washing over me.

"Mom. I have to bring a book up to Nya's house, I'll be right back."

"Do not be out past dark or have me or your dad come get you." She calls back.

I head out and up the hill. Sun behind me, Nya's arms embrace after door shuts.

"I'm so happy you're alive, I can't believe that happened."

"What about you guys? What about Nik?"

"Nik is fine. Once he flashed his stake, Enni ran away. He stuck close to the house until morning, he'll be back tonight. In regards to Enni's statement, an ambush had been arranged, but Milo dismissed everyone and entered the woods.

"By himself? " I gaze around the empty room, examining every corner.

"Yeah, he's fine. I don't even think there was a fight. He came back less than an hour later and told me he took care of it. I tried to ask for more details, but you know him."

"I do." A comfort calms what nerves still feel as if they were jumping in me.

"We need to talk." As we both looked down the hallway, our eyes met the intense glare of an enraged Milo.

Within an hour, we find ourselves on the couch, Milo pacing quickly and mumbling in a language neither me nor Nya understand, every once in a while, he says "How many more?" or "Who can we trust?"

We sit there, watching him, not saying a word. Nya is right, he gave no information about what he had done in the woods, kept saying he took care of it, then hounded me for details of my encounter. Finally, Nya looks at me, laying back against the couch cushion. "So, you have a boyfriend now? Is he cute?"

"You can't be serious." Milo pipes in, continuing his marathon pace. "We are at the brink of war, with a mutinying community."

We chose to ignore him. "I think he is."

"Ah, young love." She stretches her legs out across my lap. "I wish I was 15 again, and not an immortal kite doomed to the night."

"Stop caring about human affairs." His eyes bore down on me, and then he turns his attention to Nya. "And help me figure out a solution."

"Speak in a language I understand, and I can help." She sits up. "Plus, maybe her boyfriend can help us."

"I highly doubt that." He murmurs, then louder. "We don't know who in the community we can trust now, how many worked with her." He falls back in a chair. "I wish Levi was back."

"Think about it like this: the older they are, the more likely you can trust them, right? They're alleged to Levi, that cuts out 10 or so. Then the ones that didn't come from the nest, like me, that's like 10 more. Nik is definitely on our side, so that's one more for sure."

Milo begins to count on his fingers, then shakes his head. "Little more than half, 17, and that's a generous number. I'm not sure if I can trust all of them." He tilts his head backward. "I have no idea what to do, which is why I despise participating in running communities."

"Call a meeting?"

"And say what?" He sits up and looks at her. "'I don't think I can trust all of you, so let's line you up by most to least trustworthy?' I can't inform them about any of this having taken place."

"They'll notice she's gone."

"Her mate died, she was a rogue, no one will be shocked." He stands up and begins his pacing again.

"Can we call Levi?" I try to help.

"No, there's no way to contact him while he's gone. Most communities are very hesitant about others, excluding Levi himself, and if he shows any sign of communicating with us, they may turn him away. If only there is a way to get help from the inside without making it obvious that we're in trouble." Milo chews on his lip. "Unless we had someone from the outside..." He stops, and looks at me, then back at Nya. "Your idea might be the answer."

"I didn't give you any ideas."

"Is this boy you hang around, is he the one you said what a kite in the daylight?"

"He's not a kite."

"But is he the one?"

"Yes? But he's not a kite. You said-"

"Is he a Woodman?"

"What?" I look at Nya, who shakes her head, then back at Milo.

"Are you familiar with his surname? Or were you too busy getting inappropriate in a stranger's house to even find that out?"

"Hey," my voice booms over Nya's as she tries to defend me. "that's totally uncalled for."

"Are you aware of his last name?"

"Yes."

"Is it Woodman?"

"How do you-"

"Is it?" He cuts me off irritably.

"Yes, Jesus, yes it's Woodman."

Milo turns away from us, running his hand through his hair. "This was too close of a call; I should have investigated this sooner."

"What is wrong with you?" I stand up. "How do you know who he is?"

"Not him, I couldn't care less about the offspring."

It takes me a moment, but it clicks. "Have you met his dad? Have you met Cyrus Woodman?"

"What is going on?" Nya stands next to me. "What aren't you saying?"

"That boy, or at least his father, is a hunter."

"Yeah, everyone in this town knows that." I scoff.

"He hunts kites."

"You're crazy." I shake my head, but with a glance at Nya, it is evident to me that they truly think that. "There is no way he's a kite hunter." The more I contemplate, the more it makes sense. "No, he can't."

Milo stands up and pulls on his bomber jacket. "Nya, stay here, do not open the door for anyone. Come on Columba, we're going to have a little chat with this Woodman."

"Can't I come?" Nya is off the couch with me.

"No."

"Milo, he can't be a kite hunter." I'm frozen in my spot as I watch him turn, striding out the door. "Milo!" I throw a glance at Nya, but she shrugs, so I run out the door, chasing after him without even putting on my jacket. "Stop, what are you going to do if he isn't?"

"He is, so I won't play these what if games." He steps with a fast pace down the hill, a speed I'm struggling to keep up with without feeling like I'm going to tumble forward.

"Milo!"

He turns and faces me, I almost run into him, but he steadies me by grabbing my shoulders. "If he isn't, I'll compel him to go home, and I'll figure out a way to talk to his dad, I guess."

"If he is?"

"Hope he listens, and if he doesn't..." He shrugs and turns, continuing his trek down the hill.

"If he doesn't?" I chase after him, but he doesn't bother to answer, and I don't want to hear the answer. We walk down to my street, and then cut into the woods, he keeps to a pace that is quick for me, but I'm able to keep up with him.

"So," I say into the quiet night. "is this weird to you?"

"Why would it be weird?" He keeps his eyes forward.

"Kite looking for help from a hunter? Isn't that weird to you?"

"We've made deals with hunters before, not the first time, and probably won't be the last. As long as we keep to ourselves, nothing normally goes wrong."

"Normally? What happens when something does go wrong?" I frown when he shrugs. "Milo!"

"Just trust me. I possess the ability to manage these situations. I possess the ability to engage in negotiations with these individuals.

"You?" I stop walking, watching as he continues on. He looks back at me, stopping without turning his entire body back. "What did you say to the ambush so they wouldn't attack?"

"Nothing."

"Did you fight?" I picture him getting overwhelmed, but only to end up on top.

"No."

"Why don't you talk to anyone? It's stupid, not cool, you know?"

"Why do you even care? It didn't happen, that's that."

"Why didn't you hang up the phone?"

"Why'd your parents let you leave the state with a boy? It's highly inappropriate for a teenage girl to be left alone with a boy to have intimacy with."

"Well, first gross. Second, they didn't know until, like we're literally leaving the house. Third, you compelled them to let me go."

"I did not compel them to be okay with the opposite sex by joining a young girl."

"He's friends with the others I went with. Why am I explaining this to you? I don't owe you an explanation. Don't judge my parents anyway, you don't know, you don't have kids."

It's subtle, but I catch it, a painful expression flashes for only a second before he catches himself. I must have affected him deeply; someone without experience won't comprehend the feeling. Before I apologize, he abruptly changes direction and heads back towards us. As I race to catch up to him, I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. Just as I reach his side, he abruptly stops, causing me to collide with him.

I stumble back. "What the hell, man?"

"This is as far as I can go, go get him, and bring him back to me."

"What?"

"We have a treaty, what part of that aren't you understanding?" He turns his head in the direction of the Woodman house. "I can't walk up to their house, and they can't come into our community."

I peer out into the woods. "The last time I was there..." I shake my head. "I can't go."

"This is important." He runs his hand through his hair. "Please listen, I guarantee I won't do anything to him, you have my word."

I direct my gaze towards his green eyes, then shift my focus back to the woods. "Fine," I sigh. "Stay here." I take a step forward.

After about a five-minute walk, I come into the clearing where I could see Abe's house. I pull out my phone and lean against a tree.

Hey, I type quickly. I'm outside, come take a walk with me. I shiver into the darkness, watching the light of his bedroom. What if he doesn't see it for a while, or if he is obeying the curfew? I should have known better when a dark shape blot out the light, and someone climbs out the window. He looks around, spots me, and jogs over with a giant half smile.

"Hey." He gives me a warm kiss, then takes off his jacket, and wraps it around me. "It's freezing, are you sure you want to go for a walk? Shouldn't you be at home?"

I slide my hand into his and beam. "Keep me warm." I pull him along.

"I could get used to this." We walk away from his house. "Glad to see you're not sick of me already."

"You're too cute to stay away from." I look up at him with delight as his expression broadens.

"Wait until I scare you off." He squeezes my hand gently.

"I've seen probably the worst of the worst; I'm not going anywhere."

With a firm grip, I guide him towards the spot where Milo is supposed to be, my determination evident in each step we take. He is gone. Where did he go? Abe embraces me before I had an opportunity to observe my surroundings, and starts kissing me, instantly heating up my body. I don't want to care about Milo's dumb idea; I want this moment to last.

Someone clears his throat, and we pull away. Milo stands in the darkness, his eyes glowing at us. With no hesitation, Abe pushes me behind in.