Love you guys, hope you're all having a FANTASTIC day.

Two and a half hours into walking, I fell to my knees in the snow, my hands catching me. I was feeling the cold in the slightest, just a tiny bit. I was wearing down, tired. My adrenaline was gone. I was weakening. I looked at the Rose I dropped when I fell, it's colors so defiant against the white.

I took a deep breath and then coughed, my throat was dry. I laid down in the snow, letting it cool my body off. I started drifting off, comfortable.

I heard the snow crunching and someone slid next to me.

"Mom!" Someone yelled out. I looked up and saw a boy peering down at me with near familiar brown eyes. "Are you okay?"

He looked at me with respect and adoration. He wasn't 20 yet, he wanted to be what I was. He could feel my blood humming still. All underages could feel a Supernatural's Power. It called to them. I didn't know him, but I knew those eyes.

I sat up and felt my head get light, immediately falling back down. My body faded off to sleep.

***

I woke up warm, with a bright light on my face. I shot up and twisted my head around. I couldn't be back at Konrad's. No no no.

I expected a cell, a cage to lock me up like an animal. But there was no jail. It was a warm bedroom with a fire place in it. A pile of clothes sat next to me, clean and folded.

I was covered in a thick wool blanket, one that smelled of dust. The smell wasn't what bothered me though, on the ground was a bear rug, the head poking out and showing me that it was once a real animal. It sent shivers down my spine, even in the heat. I never did like bears. Something about them gave me the creeps.

I ignored everything else that was creepy and old about the room. Konrad could get here any minute. Any second. I didn't have a single breath to waste.

I looked for the nearest window but didn't find one. What kind of house was this? A hunter's lodge? Even those had windows.

I stepped out of the bed and walked to the door. I opened it and was met with a beautiful girl about to knock, her fist raised halfway up.

"Oh, hi." She said softly. She sounded familiar. Like a distant relative. I brushed it off as a, "everyone sounds familiar."

I looked down each side of the hallway, expecting Konrad to jump from behind either corner. "Uh... hi." It was dark in one direction, the other a light was on. The walls were a dark mahogany color, only one full light on in the hallway.

She was a lot taller than me, which in the first place was weird. Her hair was greying but her face was near flawless. I felt like I should've known her. She was like a dream that I knew I had but couldn't remember.

"You might want to put on those clothes." She nodded to the stack, her voice was gentle but definitely not going to take my shit. She looked sad, depressed. Her eyes held bags under them. She was tired. Tired but somehow... strong. She seemed... odd.

I shook my head. "I really must be going."

"Out there? In the cold?" She asked. "You just got here."

"Someone is looking for me. I have— I have to go." I pushed past her. I felt bad but I needed to leave.

"Konrad isn't going to get you, Eve. You're safe here." She was trying to be calming but her statement only made goosebumps arise on my skin.

I spun around quickly, far too quickly. My head rushed. I had to ignore it, had to pretend like nothing was wrong. "Who are you?" I snapped. "How do you know my name?" How did she know his name?

She hung her head, her grey hair shining from the dull light above us. "My name is Sisca. Maiden name, Partain." Her Brown eyes flittered up to mine. "We've spoken on the phone." She sucked in a deep breath.

"Sisca?" I asked. Was she lying? Was she really the Sisca that I owed so much too?

She nodded back slowly. "Arlis... he mind linked me and told me about you."

"He can mind link non werewolves?" That was unheard of. Werewolves can only mind link each other.

Sisca rubbed the back of her neck. "I've known him for a long time. We're both powerful enough to do it. Yes."

I blinked back at her. She was so frail, so skinny. But she was beautiful. Like... drop dead gorgeous. She must have looked sixty five but... wow. I hope if I age, I age like her. And she was... more powerful than she looked.

"Are you the one who..."

"Blocked you off Konrad's maps? Yes." She shuddered.

My entire body relaxed. "Thank you." I said, running a hand through my hair. "Very much." I didn't hug, but if I did... I would hug her in that moment.

She smiled softly. "Of course. Any Dawn who needs my help is welcome to it."

"Dawn?" A male voice entered the room, making Sisca tense.

I looked at the opposite end of the hallway, behind Sisca. He had blonde hair, blonde blonde hair. And brown eyes, brown eyes that reminded me of Becker. He was young too, around Zach's age.

"Kaspar, go back to your room." Sisca ordered.

Her son, who was apparently named after my Uncle, did not go back to his room. I would have. Sisca might of been old and frail but she scared me.

Kaspar, instead, took more steps so he was standing with us. "Mom. She's a Dawn?" He asked.

Sisca's eyes watered. "Yes. Your cousin, Everly Dawn, to be specific."

My head was rushing for a different reason. "Is that... is that my Uncle Kasparov's son?" I asked.

Sisca huffed out a breath. "Yes."

"Your Uncle was Kasparov Dawn?" Kaspar asked.

I nodded back at him. "Yes. That's why you helped him so much, and was so torn up when he..."

"When he what?" Kaspar asked. Oh. He didn't know. He was young, so young. I can't imagine how he's going to be grown up without a father.

Just like Zach.

I bit my lip. I couldn't tell him his father was dead. That wasn't my job to do. That was a conversation him and Sisca needed to have in private. "When he left Canada." I explained, clearing my throat. "I called Sisca a while back and told her he was leaving Canada and we needed her help.

Kaspar rose his chin up and nodded, his mouth forming an O. "Where is he now?"

"Doesn't matter." Sisca thanked me with her eyes. She couldn't avoid that forever, but even I knew right now wasn't a good time to tell him his father was dead. She looked at her son and narrowed her eyes. "Are the dishes done?"

"Would you be mad if I said No?" He teased.

"Yes." She scolded.

"Then yes! They're done!" He laughed.

Sisca swatted his head. "No they're not. Go do them."

He chuckled, rubbing his head, and walked off. He walked like Kasparov.

"Do Becker and Constance know?" I asked Sisca when Kaspar was out of hearing distance. "Did Uncle Kas know?" Wow, Becker was Kaspar's brother and cousin. Good job Uncle Kas. This is why you don't have sex with sisters.

She rubbed he temples. "Kasparov, yes. Connie and Becker, no. Me and Kasparov both said that it was better if Connie and Becker didn't know. Especially Connie. She thought very highly of her father."

I scoffed. "Try again."

"Point being, he was our secret."

"How old is he?" I asked. He looked my age, but he could've been Cosntance's.

Sisca rolled her shoulders back. "Kasparov came to me after he found out what the prophesy was. You do realize him and your mother knew it was about you and Colin, don't you? Or they knew you two would end up together." She asked.

I widened my eyes. "What? How?"

Sisca rolled her eyes at me and gestures with her chin to the hallway behind her. "I'll tell you over tea."

***

Tea was made, we were sitting with Kaspar on the couch. She was wearing a pair of mom jeans and an old t-shirt rolled at the cuffs. Had to admire her sense of style.

"Kasparov came to me and told me about the little flower Colin gave to you." Sisca rubbed her hands, nervous. I didn't think it was because of me, though. It was because she had never talked about Kasparov in front of Kaspar spare a few details. "And was worried that it meant something."

I widened my eyes. "I dropped a rose, wh—"

"It's on the nightstand In the room you woke up in." She assured. "But that's kind of what the flower he gave to you was. You have the roses, the ash rose and the blood rose. And you have Lotuses, everyone's weaknesses. You have the flowers witches use for brewing. The ones Vampires use to get rid of the smell of blood." I didn't miss the way she said Vampires instead of Hunteds. "Flowers surround the supernatural world, Eve. All of them mean something. The flower he gave to you was a Forever Flower, a cheesy term that us witches use. That flower was a certainty that you'd see him again. Only underages can get it. It lasts forever, until the day one of you dies."

What the hell. Really? Of all the stupid things that's gone on in my life, the flowers were the stupidest. I could've had ALL my problems solved had I asked about that flower. Oh well. Too late now.

"Why didn't mom and Kas do something?" I asked.

"They did. They came to me. And I couldn't do anything. There was nothing. You were going to see him again, get him entangled in your life." She shrugged. "Kas ended up getting stuck here, his car had troubles. Although looking back, I don't think it did." She chuckled. "And the rest is history. We were together until just a couple years ago. We broke off because... he wasn't here. With us." She looked at her son.

What the fuck, Kas? I hoped he could hear me scowl at him from wherever he was.

"So how old are you?" I asked him.

The boy smirked. "Eleven."

Wow. So a year younger than Zach.

I went to speak but someone knocked roughly on the door.

"Kaspar, take Eve to the bedroom." Sisca ordered.

"No." I stood up. I knew who was on the other end of the door. Konrad wasn't an idiot, he'd figure out where I was. Colin probably led him to my footprints. "Nobody is getting hurt because of me." I said.

Sisca closes her eyes and began muttering Latin and... another language I didn't know nor had ever heard anyone say.

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine, Eve. I'll answer it, you stay there."

"Mom what's going on?" Kaspar asked as another loud pounding rapped on the door.

"You— go to your room." Sisca ordered. He did listen to her this time. He scurried off.

Sisca walked to the door and snapped it open.

Konrad smiled at her. "Smells like tea time, sis." Konrad said, taking a deep breath.

Sisca. Didn't. Miss. A. Best.

"Fuck You." She was still quiet, but somehow that made her even more threatening.

Konrad dropped his smile. He looked over her shoulder at me and then his jaw locked. I waved at him and drank a sip of my tea.

"Can I come in?" He growled.

"No." She chuckled.

Konrad tried to come in anyway, but an invisible wall held him out. He stuck his hand toward Sisca but was blocked off. He laughed. "Oh, good one. Sisca, let me in."

"Are you deaf along side your stupidity? I feel bad for you. I said NO." She shouted.

Konrad popped his neck and then looked at me. "You want me to kill her too, Eve. I will."

I was biting my tongue down.

Kasparov. Dad. If you're looking down on me right now, please. Please don't let him in. Keep him out. I'm begging. Please.

I was praying to them. I was pleading. I wasn't a praying type person, but at that moment I was scared to death. I was terrified. I felt like crying I was so scared. I was a fish caught with no other option than to swim away from a shark who was faster, stronger. And no matter which direction I swam, the shark would anticipate it.

I stood up.

"Oh, Good girl. Come here." He was so condescending it made me sick.

Sisca turned and glared. "Go sit back down. Please." Mmm... much more scared of Sisca than Konrad. I sat down on the chair next to me. She smiled sweetly and then turned back to Konrad. "You're not getting Eve."

Konrad pounded on the invisible wall between them. "The next time I see her, she's dead. Right there. That's not a threat I'm taking lightly." He turned and looked at me. "Do you hear me, Everly Dawn? Next time I see you, you're fucking dead." He turned and took a couple steps before looking back. "Oh and Sisca, maybe shut your mouth. Stop talking to your friends about me and how I'm just such a bad guy."

Sisca stepped our of the door frame and Konrad smiled.

"Sisca, no!" I yelled and ran forward, to leave with her. But the invisible wall blocked me in.

She turned and gave me a small grin. "I'm fine."

Konrad whispered under his breath and I watched as a canyon formed in the snow, cracking towards Sisca.

Sisca guffawed, scoffing at the spell. "I may not be a Salem. But I know more magic than you ever will." She bragged.

Sisca swung her hands from behind her forward. Snow erupted into two pillars, curving at the top, and then headed straight for Konrad.

Konrad rolled and held his hands above him, the snow bouncing off a domed forcefield around him.

He rose one arm up and pushed forward with his hand. I watched as fire formed itself around Sisca, getting closer from all angles.

She swept her arm to the side, all the fire blowing into ash, immediately dying out. She made a fist and then pulled back.

Water formed around Konrad, throwing itself onto him. When it receded, he was in the snow, cold and freezing as we spoke.

But he started steaming. The water evaporation off. He shot his hand up and then back down. Something fell from the sky and it took me a moment to realize what it was. Acid rain. It hissed when it hit the snow. When the first drop hit Sisca, she yanked her hand to her chest. She looked at Konrad as he watched, his eyes prideful.

It was pouring now as she ran to the house. She tripped and fell in the snow, screaming as acid rain covered her.

I couldn't watch this. I ran outside and into the acid rain, grabbing Sisca and yelling out as we walked to the porch. I tossed her into the house, the storm above us disappearing.

Something wrapped around my neck. I was pulled back, falling outside and into the snow. I felt every piece of frozen water nip at my skin. Every cut and bruise burned and hissed.

Konrad stood above me, his hands open into a lotus flower position. I tried to tear at whatever was around my neck, but only ended up scratching at my own skin.

I couldn't break the noose. It was a line of roots wrapped around my neck, lotus flowers, burning my skin. I tried to breathe, only to gargle my own blood.

I reached for my dagger but it wasn't with me. It was probably on the night stand. Not that it mattered, I barely had enough strength to keep my eyes open.

Konrad smiled, his teeth near sharp from the reflection and the shadows cast by the reflection of the sun. "It's over, Eve." He smacked my face with his elbow, everything turning black.

COLIN
Colin twisted the rose in his hand. His skin felt tight around his body. He felt wrong.

But he had to be here. He understood Becker now. He understood why he was here.

He looked up as his door opened, his dad walked into the room with a sad look on his face. He was always sad now-a-days.

"Colin. Where's your sister?" He asked.

Colin shrugged. "Not sure. Why?"

Clay sucked in a deep breath and say down next to Colin on Colin's bed. "Just wondering if she was close. Look, Colin. I'm sorry I dragged you into being here."

Colin stood up and tossed his rose on his nightstand. "It's fine, Dad. As long as Sophia is safe."

"Yeah but... Everly. I mean I know you and her... all I'm saying is. It must be hard." Clay rubbed his hands together, nodding to the rose.

Colin scoffed at his dad. "Please. She killed my mom. She just used me. That's all I was to her. A way to get closer to you and Konrad. I'm stupid. I should've see it earlier." Colin didn't understand why his dad was in here trying to talk to him. It's not like he ever cared about Colin's opinions and feelings before.

Clay narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Colin looked to the window. "She killed mom."

"No. Your mom is here. She's fine." Clay argued.

Colin closed his eyes. He remembered when Konrad came to him, showing him what Everly did. Nobody could just make that up. "Everly killed her, dad. When Becker and Konrad started their plan to get Arlis here."

Clay stood up. "I came in here to ask if you wanted to go see her with me."

Colin tugged at his hair. "She's dead."

"She's Atrax. Locked away in a cell, not dead." Clay looked at Colin like he had seven eyes and four noses. "That's why... that's why Konrad told me not to tell you. That it would upset you too much. Did you switch to Konrad's side because you thought your mom was dead?" Clay spat.

Colin closed his eyes. "No. Konrad came and talked to me before I went on my date with Eve. He was telling me that if I was with him, he'd let Sophia go on January 2nd. Once I got here, he broke the news about mom."

"He's a liar." Clay pointed out the obvious.

Colin rubbed his face. "So mom's not dead?"

"No!" Clay yelled. "And the only reason he's letting Sophia go on January 2nd is because that's the day after he uses her to kill Arlis. January 1st is when he tells the human population about us. He doesn't need her after the first anyways."

Colin felt played. He really should've seen this all coming. He didn't, and he felt stupid.

"Where's Konrad now?" Colin snapped. He had some bones to pick with his grandfather. Some bones to break too.

Clay but his lip. "I can't... I can't tell you that."

"Where is he!" Colin shouted.

Just then, they both heard a loud cracking noise, like someone smashed a bunch of poppers on the sidewalk.

Colin turned to his rose, which was slowly lighting on fire.

"What the hell." Colin ran to a vase with flowers in it. He took the flowers out and ran to his rose, dumping the water out onto the desk.

The fire only got higher.

In the smoke, he watched as Everly tugged at a line of lotus flowers on her neck. He watched as Konrad slammed her head to the side with his elbow, her eyes shutting immediately.

He put two fingers on her neck, and then smiled. He stood up and kicked her, her lifeless body rolling away and revealing her with her eyes open. Blood seeped down her neck, down her mouth.

The smoke evaporated.

Colin fell to his knees, watching the floor spin underneath him.

Everly was dead.

I REALLY HOPE my little "love you guys, have a fantastic day" is making you not want? To chase me? Down? Hopefully?

ANYWAYS— I'm obsessed with Sisca. I'm just gunna say it... she radiates big dick energy. Yes. I went there. I'm bringing the meme into this book. SHE DOES, THO! I love her. 2nd favorite character. Maybe I'll tell you guys who my No.1 is after the book is over (which should be in about (5-12 chapters).

Speaking of faves... WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER?