A/N: Pic of Cade up top!! Tehe!

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After emptying my bladder, I headed into the kitchen to see if I could do anything about the insistent growlings of the lions in my tummy.

Goosebumps scattered all over my body as my bare feet glided over the freezing floor. The snow had picked up drastically and the cold draft was beating against the cabin in protest.

"Ah crap," I groaned as I spotted Aiden standing at the cabin window.

He was peering out at the snow; deep in thought it seemed, with his hands folded across his well-defined chest. I had forgotten just how great he looked. He was in a casual jeans and a plain white t-shirt which greatly highlighted his muscles.

The cold did not bother him as usual for he had the ability to warm himself. For non-fire users like myself, I had to depend on the body's natural way of producing heat: by shivering like crazy.

I always said that one's ability should match their personality. Aiden wasn't really fiery. I mean, don't get me wrong he was smoking hottt(note the use of multiple t's) and he was a God at combat; but being pyro would probably fit me better.

I whipped my head around to focus on the refridgerator when he finally sensed my presence.

"Miss Cyzek..." His voice was silky and low.

Per usual, my mind began to stray into my fantasy land of him calling my name out of admiration or lust; not just businesslike.

Think about food!  I screamed internally.

"Sup?" I muttered and shoved my head deep inside the freezer just to avoid his blue gaze.

Ah,milk. I took one from the freezer and went to search for something to eat with it—possibly cereal.

I felt his gaze burning a hole into the back of my head as I stretched towards the food cabinet to try and grab the box of Honey Nut Cheerios I had spotted.

"Come on..." I gritted my teeth as my too-short hands failed to grasp the box.

"Stupid cerea—"

My respiratory organs stopped functioning temporarily as I felt someone's body standing directly behind me. I was all too familiar with that distinct smell of cinnamon and that swirling mass of warmth.

Think about food, I coaxed myself again as my rebel thoughts resurrected.

His hand grazed against my neck as he reached up to grab the cereal box. My nerves were instantly set ablaze by the contact. I sucked in my breath.

Why must he affect me so badly?

He placed it on the kitchen counter infront of me. I could almost feel his warm breath brushing against the skin of my neck.

"Uh, thanks..." I cleared my throat and ducked around him to get to where the bowls and dishes were located.

I needed to get out of that kitchen.

"Miss Cyzek I wish to speak to you..."

I stopped dead in my tracks and closed my eyes for a while in frustration.

"About?" I asked and stuffed my mouth with cereal in an attempt to avoid his eyes.

"Well I think that—"

"Sorry don't mind me," Cassia's small voice entered the kitchen," Just...getting something to eat."

Her eyes travelled to Aiden and nervousness rippled through her aura.

He doesn't know a thing kid. Chill.

I made sure to inspect if her wrists were covered and thankfully they were. I smiled back knowingly and nodded.

I faced Aiden. "So what were you saying?"

"Oh yeah," Aiden seemed genuinely baffled by the gestures passed between Cassia and I.

"I was just saying that—"

Smash!

Cassia stood with her hands trembling and her eyes fixed on a broken China dish.

Oh no you don't, I thought as  Aiden made off to help her. I beat him to it.

I couldn't risk him finding out about what Cassia had done.

"It's fine, I've got it..." I flashed him a fake smile and bent to pick up the china pieces.

He opened his mouth to say something but quickly decided against it. However, I caught his eyes darting back and forth between Cassia and I in suspicion.

"You ok?" I whispered to Cassia when she stooped to help me.

"It just hurts a bit," she whispered in reply and involuntarily scratched her wrists.

"Dont do that!" I whispered a bit loudly then remembered that Aiden was still in the kitchen, even though he was back at the cabin window. His eyes were still locked on us.

"Don't do that," I reiterated softly,"He might notice..."

She bobbed her brown hair in understanding and we disposed of the pieces in the wastebin.

"I'm going to head back to my room," she informed me as she went out,"...and thank you..."

I could clearly pinpoint the ambiguity in her 'thank you'.

I hovered my bowl,which I had placed on the countertop and asked Aiden:

"Do you still want to talk or...?"

He just stood there watching me for a while. I squirmed beneath his gaze. If there was one thing that intimidated me the most; it was those eyes. They felt like two blue orbs trying to penetrate deep within my soul. Like he was trying to get inside my head. Instinctively, I quickly stashed my thoughts at the far, far back of my mind.

"So are you going to say something or...just stare? I know I'm hot."

My wit unfazed him.

"I know what you did Miss Cyzek."

"When?" I arched an eyebrow.

"Earlier..."

"What,take a piss?"

Amusement littered his features and he shook his head.

"I know what you did for Cassia."

My spoon, which was halfway up to my mouth clattered onto the wooden floor.

"Uhm..." I bent to pick it up and tried to come up with some form of lie or quip.

"Help her pick up the broken dish?" I batted my eyelashes in exaggerated innocence.

"No,I know that you helped her to clean her wrist wounds..."

I didn't like the way he said that. He spoke as if it wasn't only her wrists that she cut. I wondered if she could really keep the promise she made to me.

I sighed in defeat. "How? How did you know?"

"I have known Cassia for years. Do you seriously think I wouldn't have found out?"

I shrugged. "Well...yeah I guess."

"Mmm...plus as I told you before Miss Cyzek,your thoughts are very loud."

My cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"Look,she needed help and I assisted her ok?  What's so bad in that? I was just trying to-"

"Thank you..."

"W...what?" I stuttered in disbelief.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Thanks for helping her. It means a lot to myself and to her.I can tell. Plus she is completely fascinated by you."

He smiled a bit as though recalling a past event.

"Fascinated by me?" I querried in skeptism,"I'm not much of a role model so I think she seriously needs to reevaluate that list."

"She isn't wrong to think that," he said softly without meeting my gaze," I think you're amazing..."

The words fell from his lips like manna from heaven. What he said totally disoriented me and my legs were on the verge of failing on me.

I was on cloud nine... Or was it seven? I don't know but I was high up in the clouds.

He frowned and looked momentarily embarrassed by what he had said. I wondered if it was a mistake and my joy immediately dimmed.

Ofcourse it was a mistake,my subconscious hissed and rolled her eyes.

I hated to admit it but my subconscious was probably right. Aiden was just not the type to say things like that-especially to me. Maybe it was actually a mistake or he just said it because I had helped Cassia.

Either way, I couldn't help the sudden anger that unfolded inside me.

"Are you done?" I snapped.

He raised his eyebrow in surprise at my sudden change of mood but didn't question it. As expected.

"Not quite,but I guess you need to eat?" It came out more like a question than an observation.

I looked down at my bowl and nodded slowly.

"Oh did you contact the chancellor?" I blurted out.

"Oh," he narrowed his eyes," Not yet. Why?"

"I don't know... Just...don't...not yet. We need to train and lay low for a while."

My gut instincts were telling me that something wasn't right with the whole situation.

Aiden's blue eyes demanded information and proper reasoning but I didn't elaborate. I would've probably sounded stupid anyways.

They always tell you to go with your guts right? Well that was what I did.

"Well ok... But we will have to phone her eventually," he stated.

I nodded.

"Hey uhm... Did you notice that the men who attacked us didn't have any markings at first?"

"Yes I did," Aiden walked over where I was and sat on a stool.

"I have been thinking about it a lot," he continued," I think I know why they weren't visible."

"Go on..." I reassured when he paused.

"They are hiding their markings somehow. By use of a powerful form of magic I infer."

"But," I sat on a stool across from him," This means that we can't tell who is a member of the Dark Clan anymore. Anybody could be one of them."

The thought was scary. Imagine finding out that your 'associates' were members of a dark,secret society that have plans to eradicate the human race.

He frowned and stared into nothingness.

"I have another concern. Well it's more of a question. Why is it that their markings vary so much? Like some are more widespread than others..."

"Good question. Simple answer. You see,it is contingent on how long the dark magic has been induced in the blood. The longer it has been there,the darker the being gets. This results in the extension of the dark markings across the body."

Oh. That explained a lot. My mind went back to the Nadiesha chick. Her markings had almost covered one side of her face and were inches away from the white of her eye.

"We have to tell the others..."

"Yeah they need to know how much the war has elevated now. The Dark Clan is on a mission to kill us and to kill the Electi. We can't afford that."

"This changes everything doesn't it?"

"Yeah. You all have to work on your abilities so that you won't be defenseless if we come upon them again. I can't defeat them all. We NEED to start training."

His azure eyes darkened as he stared at me seriously.

"We need to start training NOW."

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