***
We didn't stay long at Niko's after we left the forest. Niko suggested that we all head back to the Saiges' to discuss what the strange trees symbolized and who Diana and Carlisle were.

We all crammed into his mini van.

"You okay?" Cade asked me.

"Yes," I smiled at him, "Thank you."

He stared at me for a few seconds with his intense amber eyes before looking away. The rest of the ride was proving to be uneventful until Aiden announced:

"We're being followed."

"What?" I cried, " Are you sure?"

Sure enough, there was black Sedan a few distances away from the mini van.

"He's right," Niko peered through the rear view mirror, " We are being followed."

"Step on it then!" I advised him.

Niko nodded and pressed his foot down on the gas pedal. The mini van zoomed down the Hollington road and bent a few corners.

The car was still hot on our trails. It hit against the back of the mini van repeatedly.

Niko swerved the vehicle to the side. I was flung over the other side of the car and hit my head against the glass window.

"Christ!" I groaned and tried to steady myself.

"You're okay," Cade whispered and squeezed my hand, "I got you..."

I thanked him and looked behind us. The black sudan was no where in sight.

"Did we lose them?" Paige queried and looked behind us as well.

"Seems so," Niko replied.

Everyone visible relaxed.

"Who do you think they were?" Nia tapped Aiden on the shoulder.

"Not sure," Aiden answered, " But I'm starring to believe that we'll have to leave this place soon."

When we drove into the driveway of the Saiges' house, Aiden found it odd that the front door was open, especially given the cold.

"Katherine?" He called and gingerly stepped inside the hallway. We were greeted by silence.

Aiden motioned for us to follow him and we cautiously entered the living room area. It was empty.

"Katherine?" Aiden called again.

No reply.

Something wasn't right.

We followed him towards the kitchen and froze.

Katherine, her father and Leo were tied to chairs with cloths covering their mouths. Tears were streaming down Katherine's face.

Before we could react, some men had appeared behind us and grabbed our shoulders, forcing us onto the ground.

"I'll take this one," a female voice said and hauled me to my feet. I felt the cold blade of a knife against my neck.

"Hiiii," the female drawled from behind me. I thrashed against her hold and caught a glimpse of her face against the blade of the knife.

"I thought I'd killed you."

Nadiesha grinned. "Killed me? It's not that easy bitch. Move and they all die."

She pointed at the group.

"Careful now," a familiar voice warned.

Alec stepped into view with baby Lola in his arms.

"Alec?" I heard Paige whispered in horror across from me.

"Hush uncle's baby don't you cry..." He cooed and kissed Lola gently on the cheeks.

Katherine's eyes widened at the sight of her baby. She rocked madly in the chair and made muffled screams against the cloth covering her mouth. One of Alec's men walked over to her and gave her a hard slap against the cheek- which caused Leo to start thrashing about in his chair as well. The man gripped Leo by the neck.

Alec whipped his head around when he heard Katherine's whimpers.

He walked over to the man who'd slapped Katherine and snapped his head around in the most contorted fashion imaginable.

I almost vomited.

"You! How could you betray the family like this Alec?!" Katherine screamed. She'd somehow managed to get the cloth away from her mouth.

"How could you?!"

Alec smiled sinisterly and placed baby Lola in the rocker on top of the kitchen counter.

"Sweet sister, don't cry for my turning. I am content."

"Content?" Katherine croaked in disbelief, "Look what you've done to the people around you! Leave them be you demon!"

That seemed to irk Alec a little. He swiftly went over to Katherine's chair and gripped the side of her face.

"You never chastised little Aidey when he killed our little sister now did you?"

Whoa...

"It was an accident!" Aiden cried out and struggled against the men's grips.

Alec rolled his stormy gray eyes.

"Sure thing," he turned to his father and removed the cloth from his mouth, "But what did Papa Saige think huh? Didn't you warn him not to take her on his bike that horrid day? Huh pops?"

Mr Saige casted his face away from Alec's.

"It was an accident," Aiden kept repeating as he crumpled to the ground in defeat.

There was one word to describe me: confused.

Alec laughed and patted his father on the shoulders.

"We're all murderers in one way or form. Cain killed Abel. Aiden killed Emily. Paige killed her pet fish once. Papa cheated and killed mother. Clay killed Cade's dad. Nadiesha killed Flora. See? All murderers in the eyes of God."

He was sick.

A sick, twisted being.

"You're despicable." Katherine spat at him.

"Oh?" Alec smirked. Fire sprung from his finger tips

"No! Please!" Katherine pleaded as he gripped Leo's clothes and set him ablaze.

Leo's screams of pain, as well as Katherine's filled the entire house. I had to look away.

"Oops," Alec frowned and knocked Leo's burnt body to the floor, "Look what you made me do..."

"You're a monster," Katherine sobbed.
"Watch your words Katherine," Alec warned, "Or baby Lola will be next."

"You wouldn't dare!" I interjected.

"Don't test me," Alec walked ponderously up to me. " Aeja, Aeja, Aeja... Still beautiful as ever."

I spat in his face.

He laughed and wiped it away.

"Still feisty too I see..." He shook his head, "I've missed our little encounters. Thanks to my little protégé here, I was able to catch up with you guys again."

What was he talking about?

"Niko," he summoned.

Aiden looked across at his bestfriend in shock. Two of the men shoved Niko towards Alec. He avoided our eyes.

"Niko?" I asked in surprise, "Wh..."

" I... I..." Niko stuttered, "I didn't have a choice... He... He threatened to..."

Alec pat Niko on the shoulders.

"There's no need to explain yourself son. Your deeds will have great potency on the success of the Dark Clan. You helped us find the Electi. Your family is safe."

"We trusted you!" I cried, "Aiden trusted you! The entire family trusted you."

Niko glanced away, not meeting my eyes.

"Boo ooh!" Nadiesha mocked and pressed the knife harder against my neck, "How touching."

"Now now... No need be angry at Niko," Alec adjusted his trench coat, " He was only looking out for his own."

"Bullshit!" I cursed despite the knife pressing against my neck, "You're a manipulative cunt!"

"You don't have to die Aeja. Join us and rule the Dark Clan alongside your father."

"F*ck you."

"Sadly, I cant..." Alec guffawed, "Due to you being a minor and all; which doesn't seem to stop Aidey here, but still. I like my women older ... And darker."

He moved to trail kisses down Nadiesha's neck, gaining soft whimpers from her.

Disgusting.

"Pun intended."

Nadiesha's grip of the knife slackened as Alec kissed her again. I wrenched her hand away from my neck in one swift movement and pinned her against the wall.

"Try anything, and she dies." I warned and pressed the knife against her neck.

"God I just love your spirit!" Alec smirked and stepped closer to me.

"Don't come any closer!" I warned again and drew the knife slightly against Nadiesha's neck.

"You cut me you little bitch!" She growled.

"And I have no issue in doing it again," I threatened.

"Give me the knife," Alec admonished and stretched his palm out.

"You think I would be that stupid?" I raised my eyebrow.

Red-orange flames proliferated from his palms.

He was about to charge at me but suddenly stopped and whirled around in confusion. There was a low, compelling chant coming from outside.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

As it got louder, a dizzy feeling shrouded my thoughts. I realized that the chanting was affecting everyone around me.

Except Niko and Nia who stood rigid with bewilderment.

The chanting was affecting only wielders. An excruciating pain shot through my head. I doubled over in agony and fell to the ground, shaking and frothing at the mouth.

The others fell around me too, groaning in pain and bleeding from their eyes and noses. I reached up to touch my own nose. Sure enough, my fingers were covered in blood.

The chanting grew louder, and so did our screams.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

The voices continued to augment. I felt like my life was being drained out of me.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

Everything was slower. It took everything inside of me to roll over onto my side.

Cade's bleeding eyes met mine.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

He smiled at me and reached out to squeeze my hand.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

No.

We couldn't give up!

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

We couldn't just die like this after everything that we'd been through.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

"Ni..niko," I forced out and glanced at the Asian boy, "Help us."

His steps were almost in slow motion.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

His mouth was moving, but I heard no words. I pointed outside.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

He shouted something to Nia and they both ran through the door.

My body was shutting down. I could feel it.

"Est destruere mala. Omnes interficere. Magicae perdere. Omnes interficere."

I don't remember much of what happened next; maybe due to my near death experience, or because everything happened so quickly.

What I do remember is feeling as if life was rushing back into my body after the chanting ceased.

I remember rising painfully to my feet.

I remember the others rising too.

My head felt fuzzy and I kept seeing two of everyone.

Two Lanis.

Two Cades.

Two Aidens.

Two Cassias.

Two lifeless Nikos laying on the ground outside.

We were outside now. I remember that.

I remember seeing several crosses.

Lit candles.

I remember hearing bible scriptures.

I remember a white haired girl.

Light gray eyes.

Diana.

I remember a robed man.

Blue eyes. Dark irises.

Carlisle.

I remember skeletal fingers clawing at me.

I remember someone grabbing my hand.

I was hauled into a van.

Into a van.

My head was quicksand.

I felt sick.

Sluggish.

"The van won't start!" Someone cried.

I don't know who.

Maybe it was Aiden.

Maybe it was Cassia.

Maybe it was Lani.

Maybe it was Cade.

Maybe it was Aeja.

Me.

The van started.

I felt weak.

The Dark Clan was behind us.

I saw Alec.

He looked mad.

I saw Nadiesha.

She looked enraged.

I threw up.

Someone embraced me.

I think it was Cade...

I can't remember.

I remember four cars.

Two were black.

Two were silver.

They chased us.

Down the road.

Into the night.

Trees uprooted from the road.

Lani did that.

Roots swallowed the black one.

Fire shot from one of the cars chasing us.

I remember seeing it slow.

Then died out with a sizzle as water met it.

I think Cassia did that.

Then something else happened.

I remember Cade and Aiden switching places.

Aiden sat next to me.

I smelled cinnamon.

He said something.

His lips moved in slow motion.

I didn't hear.

But I nodded.

I remember seeing fire on his hands.

I remember him holding them out towards the other three cars.

I remember fire shooting through the air.

Towards the cars.

I remember one blowing up.

Then another.

Then another.

I remember Lani's screams as the tremor sent our van sailing off the side of the road.

I remember my head smashing into glass.

I remember Cade hollering my name.

I remember being thrown out the back of the van.

I remember abyss.

***
I hope no one was confused by the diction. It was just Aeja's state of mind.

***Please remember to press the tiny star at the bottom of your screen. Thank you! :)***