Arabella's POV
In the garden, I was weaving flower crowns for Annabel and Raven. 'I wonder when will they be back?' I thought to myself. I soon heard someone coming toward me; the thing that was coming was walking slowly, as if they were carrying something. I looked up and gasped. Dropping my flower crown, I stood up quickly. There was a demon holding Raven in its arms. She had some cuts and bruises on her arms and face. Tears began to stream down my face and I ran to the demon. "Who are you?" I asked the demon with menace. It flinched, as if stung by my words. "It's me, James. I tell you what happened but first we must help Raven." "......James?" I was in awe. I thought he was a human! But...I did feel something off about him when we first met. I snapped out of my daze and quickly ran to a nearby bench. "Put Raven down here carefully." I kneeled on the grass. James nodded and quickly went to the bench, setting her down gently. I looked at James then at Raven. I tried my best to help her wounds. Some of her cuts and bruises disappeared but some only grew smaller. I looked at the demon that was James and said sadly,"I'm sorry. This is the best I could do." He nodded and said,"Thank you." I looked back at Raven then James. "James, what happened at the ball? Where is everyone? Is Annabel ok? Who did this to Raven?" He sat down on the grass and I saw a red tear run down his face. "We went to the ball and all of a sudden, they came...They wanted Raven.....but why....." James trailed off. I looked at him in confusion. "James....who are 'they'?" He looked at me dead in the eye and said angrily, "Angels......" "Angels.." I gasped, knowing which angels he was referring to. 'Ash......you arrogant idiot....' I thought angrily, clenching my fists. I had to know for sure if it was him. "James," I asked,"Were any of the angels' name Ash?" He looked deep in thought for a moment and then nodded. I slammed my fist onto the ground. James' eyes widened in shock. "Arabella? What's going on? Are you...." He trailed off, his expression suddenly hostile. "Are you with them?!? Do you work with them?!" James stood up and grabbed me by the neck. He pulled me up and tightened his grip. I began to choke, a tear running down my face. He kept on tightening his grip and I was beginning to black out. "JAMES! STOP! LEAVE ARABELLA ALONE!!!" James and I looked at Raven, shocked. Raven began to stagger toward us, gritting her teeth together in pain. "James....Arabella is not our enemy....." She put a hand on his arm. "And how do you know this?" James snarled. Raven looked at him dead in eye and said in a dark voice,"I have met the Council before. I have seen all the members. Arabella is not one of them. She has been the most nicest angel to me and would never work for them. Now. PUT. HER. DOWN!" Her eyes flashed a bright red. James loosened his grip on my neck and put me down gently. I began to cough rapidly. He looked at me with sadness in his eyes and said,"I'm sorry Arabella. I don't know what came over me..." I sat up and whispered,"It's alright James. It was just your demon part speaking for you." James looked down at himself. "Do you know how I can go back to normal?" I nodded slowly. "For Raven, how she turned back to normal was looking at you. Maybe looking at Raven would help you calm down." James looked confused. "Wait," he said,"I looked at Raven plenty of times in this form but all I've done is calmed down a little." I thought to myself for a moment and looked at Raven. "Raven, can you kiss James for me?" She looked at me weird. "Uh....alright....." She said, walking over to James. He scoffed. "This isn't some fairy tale where a kiss would magically make things..." James was interrupted by Raven grabbing his face and kissing him on the lips. "....better....." He finished after she let go of his face. I saw that his demon form was beginning to disappear. Soon, he looked like his usual self again. I let out a deep sigh and asked Raven and James,"So, where is everyone else?" "Right here." I heard a voice say behind me. I quickly turned around and saw Annabel. I ran to her and hugged her tightly. "Oh thank goodness you're ok!!" I said happily. "Can't....BREATHE!!!" Annabel gasped. I let go reluctantly and put my hands on her shoulders. Then I noticed the cuts on her face and arms. "Annabel......" I heard a cough behind Annabel. The boy and his butler came out and so did a man and....no....IT COULDN'T BE!!! I slowly walked over to them and asked,"Onyx........is that you......." She nodded and said with a cat like grin,"Why, long time no see, eh Bella?"