I've spent a few days searching for Gabriel and calling out to him, but it's been a futile effort. I haven't heard a word from him since the moment he disappeared out of the kitchen, leaving me with an empty box and a confused Zeke.

I can't seem to bring myself to be angry at him for what he did, because I understand why he reacted that way, I actually expected it. If the roles were reversed and I was in his position, I probably would have done the same thing.

But, despite my pride, a part of me wants him to come back now, not only to ease my guilt, but also to give me the opportunity to talk with him.

Since he left, I've been plunged into an eerie stillness, the last time that I saw Gabriel also being the last day that I talked to Zeke. I've distanced myself from him and the others, which I think is for the best right now.

The isolated silence has left my mind to be plagued with memories of Lucifer, creating an unending horror movie in my head. His voice, his cruel crimson eyes, and his menacing smile are all burnt into my brain.

But, during this time, I have realized that just a couple of werewolves still won't be enough for us to fight against him. I know that it won't be long before he comes again, except this time, I don't think he will just come in the form of a nightmare. It will be much worse and I doubt that he's going to come alone, which means that we don't stand a chance without a stronger army.

And for that exact reason, i'm now standing in front of an old, dirty apartment complex in the middle of the city that never sleeps.

The poorly painted, dented and dirty red door is the first thing my eyes fall on before trailing upward over the tall, thin, brick building hidden amongst other unkempt buildings. The front is littered with a variety of windows, some illuminated with a yellow glow and others are pitch black to match the midnight sky. The street is mostly empty, aside from a few random strangers still wandering around under the cover of the night, the bustling noise of the city preventing the neighborhood from drowning in silence. Heavy, smog filled air blocks any stars from shining through the sky and fills my lungs while I resist the urge to cringe from it.

I'd expect nothing less from New York City.

My steps are careful and quiet against the pavement as I make my way toward the door, only to find that it's already cracked open. Pulling the handle further, it creaks loudly in protest which echoes in the alleyways between the surrounding buildings. Once opened, it reveals a dimly lit, aged, small, white room, just big enough for the start of a staircase that leads to the higher floors. The light above flickers and buzzes, just barely being enough to outline the shape of the stairs.

I walk up them cautiously, trying to be as silent as possible. The smell of dry blood, cigarette smoke and alcohol are singed into the walls and floors, permeating through the air. Eventually, I reach a hallway lined with various doors and I'm certain that all of them lead to small apartments that are in the same damaged state as the rest of this place.

Among many heartbeats scattered throughout the interior of the building, I use my spectacular hearing to find the exact one that I'm looking for in a room at the end of the hallway. It's rhythm is significantly faster than the others and much more powerful, making it easy to hear.

My steps become determined, but even more silent as I traipse down the hallway. I pass a room that's blaring with rock music but I pay it no mind, my focus fixated solely on the dark green door at the end of the hall.

When I reach the end, that heartbeat is louder and clearer, joined by another repetitive rhythm, indicating that another person resides inside of the room. The second heartbeat is drastically slower and significantly weaker. Flaring my nostrils and inhaling deeply, the scent of a humans fear overwhelms my senses.

Without a second thought, I take a step back and the bottom of my foot abruptly rams into the center of the door, the force making it fly off its hinges and clatter loudly to the floor. I stride inside confidently, stepping over the heavily damaged door without a care, my dark red eyes taking in the sight before me.

A girl with short, dirty blonde hair is facing my direction, standing on unsteady feet with her head lulled to the side, and her half-lidded, brown eyes are glazed over and dull. She appears unaffected by my entrance, her sluggish state not changing despite the loud disruption.

My eyes move to the pale, smooth arms latched around her torso, the only thing supporting her from collapsing, before sliding up to a familiar head of curly, red hair. His face snaps up with a hiss, symmetrical, sharp white fangs on display. Pale, aqua colored eyes with enlarged pupils glare at me.

Unaffected by his aggression, I flick the hood of my black jacket off my head casually. Realization clouds his features when he can fully see my face, his anger swiftly turning into shock and frustration as he curses under his breath.

"How the hell did you find me?" he bites out, eyes narrowing.

Ignoring his question, my calculative eyes scan over my surroundings. A kitchen, living room, and bedroom are crammed into the expanse of the mostly bare apartment. It could be mistaken as abandoned if it wasn't for the mattress on the floor, littered with personal belongings like clothes and toiletries which were obviously emptied out of a black backpack laying next to them.

My eyes slide back to his and I cock an eyebrow, stepping further into the room. "Is this where you live now?" I ask, my tone unimpressed and laced with disbelief.

"Well, you did burn down my last house," he spits spitefully, his lingering anger obvious. His attention falls back on the blonde girl, still gripped in his arms, when she mumbles incoherently. His lips quirk up into a devious smile as he looks back to me. "But, no, I just eat here," he says mischievously, shooting me a wink.

His fangs get closer to her neck, prepared to sink into the delicate flesh and drain the life out of her. In an instant, I'm behind him, ripping him off of her, my power supporting her fragile body as he flips across the room.

His feet hit flat against the floor with a dull thud as he gracefully lands in a lunge. His head snaps up and his lips curl back into a sneer as he lets out another hiss. Suddenly, with inhuman speed, he charges at me.