**Quote: "When a man hits a target they call him a marksman. When I hit a target, they call it a trick. Never did like that much." ~~Annie Oakley **

Chapter 14

"Would you pay attention?" The voice snaps me out of my reverie just in time for the swinging kitchen door to smash into my face and send me crashing to the ground.

"Marie! That's the second time today you've let that happen. Am I going to have to drive you to the hospital for a concussion? All the nurses know me by name now." Kerri the café's cook rambles on as she crouches down beside me and gently presses her fingers to the growing bump on my forehead.

"No Kerri, I am fine. Sorry, I'm just distracted." That's an understatement.

Ever since lasts night's call with Nate I had been concentrating on trying to feel what Nate was feeling. It seriously was starting to worry me. What if becoming human had severed my connection to Nate. Like not being the same species as him made my bond to him weaker. Other than feeling my growing frustration I felt no other feelings inside my head.

Sadly Kerri mistook my distracted self for a different topic. A topic I have been actively avoiding but she couldn't seem to let go. "Oh I'm so sorry sweetheart! I know it must be hard for you with your father in the hospital! And you can't even see him." I find it funny how my father was able to make everyone believe that we were some lovey family that just didn't like to talk to each other. "But...would you know how he is?"

Ah...finally the reason for her concern. I understand now. "Trust me, if something happens to my father I will gain possession of the café and you are more than welcome to stay as the cook. I'd be relieved if you stayed actually."

Her eyes widen and I can tell that's what she wanted to hear but maybe not as blunt. Her eyes shoot around and she takes her apron to pad the sweat off her forehead. She was overweight which never helped her perspiring, especially when she's over a burning stove. I guess my casual talking of my father's impeding death made her nervous.

"Well thank you Marie, but I do hope your father-well I mean I know he will-" Kerri stumbled over her words as she grabbed at the blue striped piece of hair on the side of her head.

Putting a hand on her shoulder I try at a comforting smile. "It's okay Kerri. You've been working here forever so of course you can stay. As for my father, he is not your concern."

With another sputtering smile she goes back into the kitchen and my weak smile slips into a grimace. Flipping pancakes! That really hurt. I grab at my forehead where a bump is most likely turning black and purple.

"Are you alright?" An emotionless voice makes me spin to look over the counter at a girl in the same bland uniform that all we workers are required to wear. The only difference is that she wears an ear-cuff with a chain leading to dangling feathers from her earlobe.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a headache." She stands there for an awkward second as if wanting to say something else before turning to go help a customer. "Jem, wait! I..."

The words in my mouth die away as she turns her puppy eyes to me. I expect to see an expectant expression on her face but that damned soldier isn't going to show an emotion. As if saying I'm sorry twice in less than twenty four hours isn't hard enough.

Shifting my feet and twisting my fingers together I force myself to keep her gaze. "Look what I said that day was out of line. I was upset and I shouldn't have accused you of, um," I look at Vikki flirting with a young customer and the caffeine addicted old guy and I lower my voice. "Of enjoying other people's pain. I know that isn't true. I am sorry." The words come out with a bad taste in my mouth and my pride roars in the background. "But I still-"

"Believe what we have to do is morally wrong." She finishes what I was going to say and puts a fist on her hip.

"Yes. How did you know that's what I was going to say?" I ask.

"Nate called me early this morning to tell me about your memory and your loss of connection with him. Despite what you think I still care about what's happening to you." She grabs a rag and starts to wipe down the dark counter separating us.

My jaw drops and I feel irritation take the place of old anger. "So you're telling me that all our lessons the past few days are just normal cruelty?"

"If you think those lessons were harsh just wait until I teach you about throwing knives and stars." Her familiar smirk is in place and I feel relief flow over me. I had my friend back.

I decide to jog home after work. The sun was still high in the sky as it was only October but I could feel the chilly breeze bringing goose bumps to my skin. Jem was going to drive to Lily's house to have dinner with us before we headed to Nate's house to train.

Our rekindled friendship deserved one of Lily's famous dinners.

By the time I got home I was breathless and sweaty but I didn't bother hopping in the shower as dinner was already on the table and I was just about to go to training anyway.

"Have a nice run?" Lily asks me and hands me a plate filled with pasta and sauce and broccoli. She jerks her head in the direction of the huge wooden table where a chair sits empty between Jem and Pepper with Ivy across from them. Her question asks one thing but her expression means another.

"It was good, thanks." I smile at her and take a deep breath. "All is forgiven." I say under my breath and go to take my place with my friends.

Since everyone seems to have forgiven me Pepper seems to deem me worthy of her smiles again. I feel like I should be annoyed by this fact but I know what it feels like to be alone. Before Eliza I knew what it felt like to not have anyone. Sometimes I just accept the fact that my friends have their petty flaws because I know they have accepted mine.

Once we are all seated conversation immediately starts buzzing around the table. I'm more of a eat first, talk later kind of girl but one certain topic perks my ears.

"So, Ivy I see Kye has caught your eye. He is kinda cute, a little too skinny for me but cute all the same." Pepper says as she delicately puts a piece of broccoli in her mouth. Her dark eyes sparkle at the prospect of gossip.

Ivy chokes on the sip of water she was drinking and she grabs a napkin before it can drip onto her dark pink striped sweater combined with a black skirt. I can just see a pink blush burn on her tan cheek bones.

"He's just nice is all! We are just fast friends." She says with her chin held up high. As if that will make us back off. Yeah right.

"Just friends? You have the girl-with-a-crush symptoms." Pepper says casually biting into the toast at the center of the table.

I snort. "Oh and what are those symptoms?" This should be interesting.

"You giggle at all his jokes a little too much, you lean into him when he's talking as if he's telling you the most interesting story you've ever heard, you blush when he's around, and whenever you're in a room your eyes do a quick sweep of the room to see if he's there." She lifts a shoulder as if she's some type of professional while Jem and I crack up. "That's just the having a crush symptoms. You should see Nate more often when he's got the being in love symptoms."

It's my turn to choke. Only Ivy was lucky to only be drinking water. I had my mouth stuffed full of pasta and sauce. Which half of it managed to burst out of my mouth when I choked.

They all scooted farther away from me and let long squeals fill the room as I picked up my own napkin and cleaned up the mess.

"What did you have to say that for?" I glare at Pepper as Jem, Ivy and Lily cautiously approach the table again.

"Good lord woman!" Pepper fans her face in a very old fashioned way and glares right back at me. "You thought that your fiancé harbored no feelings what so ever for you? You must be joking."

"Well feelings of course but love..." Ug, the stupid L-word. Growing up with parents who usually only used that word if it was followed by vodka or Bud Light.

My head feels fuzzy all of a sudden and I have to take a few cleansing breaths before I can comprehend that Pepper is talking to me.

"-loved you for many lifetimes. Across our entire existence we all came together somehow. But you and Nate have been together the longest. The two most powerful angels. It's not a mystery that you were both attracted to the power you both project." She makes it sound like it had nothing to do with feelings but with power.

"No." Pepper looks at me and raises an eyebrow as she scoots back to her place and continues to eat her toast. The others around us listen silently. "Look I don't remember much from my pasts and I still think that the L-word is too strong a word to describe my feelings to Nate right now. But I do know that I didn't fall in love with power. I fell in love with my best friend." I feel relieved to have gotten that out.

But it only lasts a second when I look at Ivy. Flipping pancakes! I totally forgot to keep my mouth shut around Ivy. My friends don't trust her yet and they aren't willing to share any information that could jeopardize my safety. But that's their way of things; to be distrustful and overly cautious. But I rely of friendship and faithful trust above all things. Maybe that was a stupid way of thinking in a time of war but the only way I survived this long has been my unrelenting faith in my friends.

Ivy looks at me curiously. "Why can't you remember your past lives? Why are you so powerful? I thought your wings were injured and I heard rumors that the General of the Angels army was bonded to a great warrior. I heard she had power beyond the limit of any ordinary angel." She looks from Pepper to me. Ha, I'm not the only one with a big mouth. "No offence Marie." Her eyes spark with an intellect that's dangerous for both her and me.

Pepper's dark curls bob as she stares at the rest of us with her petite mouth forming a perfect O. Lily grips her fork so hard that it's bending but I keep my eyes on Jem. Whether or not I still obtain great power as a human it's obvious that Jem is in charge here.

She leans back in her chair and folds her hands on top of each other. "Nate will not be happy. You know his caution."

I nod to her comment. "I will deal with him. Eliza won't be happy either." I throw that out hoping her strife with Eliza would persuade her to let Ivy know the truth.

Sadly Jem seems more professional than that. Her jaw tightens as she closes her eyes and sighs wearily. "Fine but I will tell her the truth." Which means that she's going to lie again with a little bit of the truth sprinkled here and there.

I open my mouth to argue when a fork stabs my side. Look down at it I open my mouth in a silent scream. It's just floating there with no one holding it. Jem starts to speak to Ivy so she's not even paying attention to my dilemma.

Glancing up at Pepper I see a smile curving her lip glossed mouth with one of her long fingers up in the universal sign of shut up.

"You're doing this?" I hiss at her as Jem continues to tell Ivy the "truth".

"How else do you think I can have such deadly accuracy with archery? My power is control over metal. Small amounts mind you." She flicks a finger at the fork and it obediently goes back to its proper place on the table. "Let Jem handle this. Nate would never let Ivy know the whole truth about you." I open my lips again to argue when a carving knife on the table starts to shake threateningly. "Keep quiet and listen."

I tune into the conversation as Jem is just about to answer a question shot out by Ivy. "Well isn't it obvious? Becoming as powerful as Nate is means he also has many powerful enemies to deal with. He needed stories to be told of his mate so they would fear her. If they fear her then they won't be so bold as to use her against him. Recently a few Fallen have tried to attack her. As a Healer she has no great fighting skills and so they easily crippled her wings.

"They even burnt her house to the ground to prove they know she is weak and they can strike whenever they want." Jem shifts slightly in her chair and I have the sudden feeling her next words are going to be the truth. "Only we believe these Fallen aren't apart of the Fallen army. We think they are a rouge group led by a leader that we are not familiar with. If this were the work of the Fallen army and they thought for a second they had something of value to the General they would have stormed this town and taken her. They have both the numbers and power to do so."

Ivy looks grim as she nods. "That's why you lied to me." It's more of a statement than a question. "You don't want a chance of her location slipping into the Fallen's army hands."

Jem nodded and leaned forward. "A rogue gang, just trying to distract the General from his main objective, we can deal with. They are cowardly rats that hide in the dark, only to come out to steal and bite when they think they can't be caught. They work on their own agenda. Any gangs that can crimple the General will be far more powerful than the Fallen army. But an army is much more difficult to protect a weak angel from. As for her memory, it was damaged when she was attacked by the gang, and her Healing powers are not powerful enough to restore it."

I lean back completely in awe of the lie and truth that Jem just spun and weaved into an elaborate tale. Shock also crimples my speaking capabilities as I absorb what she just said. I never realized how important I was in this very deadly game of chess. I was an important pawn that everyone wanted in order to get to the real power. Nate. That didn't even include the angels who wanted me for my power.

I don't know whether to be relieved at the fact that the army doesn't know where I am or worried sick at the fact that no doubt ruthless gang members are out to get me because they know I am a doorway to the all-powerful General.

Then Jem leans forward and I suddenly become aware of both Lily and Pepper sitting uncharacteristically taller with their faces set into stone. I shrink back slightly at their expressions. I'm not even going to lie; they were scary as The Whisper Men.

Surprisingly enough it's Lily who speaks first. "As we have given you the truth," well most of it anyway, "we expect you to keep this information disclosed to those who mean harm to Marie."

"If you fail to keep this information to yourself we will hunt you down and happily decapitate you. I am sure you have also heard of the legend of Medusa. She would be happy to do the job." Jem says in a low voice, referencing her twin swords. I gape at her and I can't fight the shock that rushes over me like a bucket of cold water. These two seemed to be really hitting it off as friends. Now one was threatening the other with her very intimidating weapons.

Pepper says nothing but she had taken what looks like a nail file out of her boot. But at the slightest flick of her wrist it quickly became a shiny switchblade.

Ivy, to her credit, didn't shrink back into her chair but I visibly see her swallow at these threats. My sympathy for her was trumped by my sense of pride at my friend's protectiveness over me. If it meant killing someone, who was slowly becoming their friend, to protect me then they would do it.

"Ivy," I say her name softly but I don't smile so she knows I'm being honest. "I know my friends. I know they are telling the truth when they say this. But I also know that I feel I can trust you. Please don't waste the trust we are giving you by telling you this."

She seems to consider my words and finally she nods and very seriously puts her hand out towards me. In a language I don't understand she lets a few phrases flow out and nods at me. Puzzled I look at Jem who has the expression of someone slightly impressed. "It's an oath. To fight beside you and protect you no matter the cost. I haven't heard it in a long time."

Looking her straight in the eye I sit up straighter and grip her forearm with my hand and she does the same to me. After a few seconds I feel a weight lift off my chest. I can now trust this new friend of mine.

After releasing each other we smile and turn back to our dinners. Jem had said in one of our lessons that if you are to fight with someone covering your back you had to have one hundred percent of trust between the both of you if you wanted to survive. Looking at Ivy I am content to know I would trust her with my life if I had to.

"So what are we doing tonight?" I ask as Jem leads us to the fireplace in Nate's living room and kneels down to punch the brick that leads us to the training cavern.

Strangely enough Lily and Pepper were accompanying Ivy, Jem and I. It took us only twenty minutes to clean up our pasta dishes and change into work out outfits. It surprised me to see Lily and Pepper in cute sweats. They made me look ridiculous in my Clones are people two T-shirt. I've never been very professional when it comes to working out.

Jem takes the lead on our group down into the sloping tunnel. "I'm going to have you watch some sparring matches between Lily, Pepper, and I so you can know what signs to identify for weaknesses."

Hope swells in my chest. Does this mean I don't have to get beaten to a pulp today? My aching muscles scream their approval as we enter the stone cavern. The torches, I'm now positive are fueled by some type of magic, light our way to the middle of the floor. There wide, thick black mats cover a large portion of the stone floor.

I recognize them from my former hand-to-hand combat lessons with Jem and Ivy.

Jem slings her light jacket off her shoulders to reveal a plain gray tank top that match her shorts. She goes to the middle of the black mats and rolls her shoulders. Shifting her right foot back slightly she starts to lightly bounce on the balls on her feet and she throws quick punches into the air.

After she seems satisfied that we understand how lethal her punches are she turns to Ivy and I. "When you are in a fight you don't have time to strategize or look for their weaknesses. You have to buy yourself time to know what your opponent is going to do as soon or before he does it." She points at Pepper and bounces a few inches back from the center of the mat.

Pepper strolls onto the mat and I notice she wisely pulled her long curls into a tight bun. Taking the same stance as Jem she starts to bounce on the balls of her feet.

As if an unheard bell had gone off Pepper charges Jem. I have to focus hard to keep my eyes on the unnaturally quick movements that Pepper makes. I notice right away that she's quick, agile and unrelenting. She doesn't like drawn out fights. Before I can even register her feet leaving the ground Pepper jumps into the air and the heel of her foot connects with the side of Jem's head. But Jem isn't even fazed as she circles to the back of Pepper.

Pepper spins around and is doing what looks like a crazy Irish dance as her feet fly up and down so fast it's just a blur of colors to my eyes. But as fast as Pepper is, Jem is quicker. She blocks every blow with her forearms and she moves in time with Pepper's blows.

The heel of Jem's right foot is just about off the mat as Pepper moves her farther back. In the next instant it takes me a moment to realize why they are both suddenly on the ground. Jem had grabbed Pepper's arm, stepped on the top of her thigh, and swung onto her shoulders. Wrapping her legs around Pepper's arms she slammed her into the ground and immobilized the entire top of Pepper's torso.

"Out." Pepper said through clenched teeth.

Immediately Jem releases her and jumps to her feet. She turns to Ivy. "What did you notice out of that fight?" She asks as Pepper walks off the mats.

"Pepper is agile and flexible so she likes to use her feet. Her speed makes it almost impossible to grab her legs to set her off balance but if you can grab her upper torso you will have the advantage. She also likes to stay on her feet. Once you take her to the ground she's done.

"You, I noticed, like to be on your feet and on the ground. It confuses your opponent and means you can defeat more than one person. No matter their preference." Ivy says this with a tone that says she knows she's right. I wish I had that much confidence.

Jem nods her approval and I feel a pang of jealousy. "What do you notice about Marie?"

The question catches the both of us off guard and I whip my head around to stare at Ivy. Yeah, what did she notice about me.

Ivy takes a deep breath and blows it out nice and slow as if buying time. "Well...she's impulsive. She acts on emotion and lets them carry her into a situation that could possibly get her killed. She lets anger cloud her judgment and usually ends at the mercy of her sparring partner." She ends in a rush and I turn away with a huff. Just because she's saying what she honestly sees doesn't mean I have to listen.

Jem paces before us on the black mats as if she didn't notice my reaction. "Good, good. You're very right. If she can't take her opponent down after a few strikes she gets frustrated and sloppy. It costs her."

"I'm standing right here!" I yell, anger coursing through me and making my blood boil. A little voice in the back of my head is saying, she's doing this on purpose to make you angry, but I ignore it and let my anger take flame within me.

"Yes you are. Thank you for pointing that out." Jem jerks her thumb at Pepper and then me before I can remark. "Marie, I want you to use this anger inside you right now. Channel it and make it make you stranger. Don't let it make you sloppy. Let it wake you up and show you what's right in front of you."

Jem slowly walks off the mat and I feel like it's one of those slow motion moments in the movie where the two opponents walk onto the mat and face each other, the dramatic music in the background.

I use the few seconds I have and think about everything she just said about Pepper and I. Closing my eyes I take a deep breath and mentally imagine my anger flooding through me. To my muscles. To my bones. To my brain. Jem says to use my anger as fuel. Well that's exactly what I am going to do.

Snapping my eyes open I don't let Pepper even lean my way before I'm charging her. That's something Ivy didn't mention. Pepper likes to come at you and deliver the first strike. But I'm small and fast and I won't last long if I don't take my opponent out fast.

My human strength and speed means that Pepper has time to shift on her right foot to try and go for a roundhouse kick to my temple and no doubt I'd be knocked into darkness but I don't give her the chance to complete it.

I ball up my fist and using the power in my right hook I punch her right in the throat. She immediately is off balance as she chokes and grabs at her throat. It isn't hard to knock her down onto her back. I only get to hit her once before she knocks me off.

"Enough!" Jem's voice slices through our concentration and we were left staring at her, both in a crouched position like cats. Ready to pounce.

"Marie, you seem to have taken Nate's advice well. Good job." I stand up and smile slightly at her praise. It takes a lot to impress Jem.

That's how the rest of the lesson progressed. We all got a chance to spar with one another. I was surprised to see how Lily fought. She used strength instead of speed and one of her punches almost dislocated my jaw. After Pepper and I went around healing everyone we stretched and wearily emptied out of the cavern.

Even though I had healed myself from head to toe, everything was still sore and my eyelids began to droop. But I knew I couldn't fall asleep yet as I still had extra credit to finish for Chemistry. I had wisely taken my free block at school to do most of my homework.

Jem and Ivy disappear farther into Nate's house to go shower and sleep and Pepper, Lily, and I trudge out to my old truck to head home. Training to protect myself from evil Fallen angels really sucked a lot out of me.

Why couldn't school work be the only complicated thing in my life?

Getting home Lily goes straight to her room with a mumbled good night. Pepper had called the shower first and I nodded. Getting in a hot shower would just make me sleepier and I would never finish my Chemistry homework.

And I really needed that extra credit.

Trudging into Eliza's room, where I can use her writing desk, I get to working on my paper.

A dull pain starts throbbing at the back of my head and soon my own writing starts to blur. My tired mind refuses to make any more coherent thoughts. Putting my head in my hands I try to rub my temples to relieve the stress.

Pushing the paper away from me I decide to just wake up twenty minutes earlier to finish a flimsy conclusion to the paper.

Looking around Eliza's room I feel a sudden sadness and worry overtake my tired brain. Why couldn't she be here? She would have never let me mope around like this, with her tough love. It was nice in general to get hugs and pats on the back but sometimes you needed that one friend that would slap you in the head and yell "Get yourself together!"

That was Eliza to me. And I missed her. I missed Royce and his funny comments that were almost always an inappropriate time to say them. I missed Nate and his charming smiles and dark eyes.

Why can't I just always have all my friends together at once? Without any of them having to leave because of some Fallen attack.

The pounding of the shower suddenly stopped and Pepper is probably going into my room to grab her clothes and then come in here to sleep. With a great sigh I get up and carefully pick my way over the discarded clothes.

There is no way I'll be able to fall asleep with this pity party going on in my head. Even if I am exhausted and it's closing in on midnight. Grabbing my tennis shoes from the front entrance I start to slip them on when Pepper walks out of the bathroom with a thin towel wrapped around her. It's not even fair that she gets blessed with such long legs. Her dark skin glistens with the water from the shower.

Eyeing me wearily she seems to be struggling with the choice between asking me what I'm up to or ignoring me and going to sleep.

Before she can choose the latter I answer her. "I feel sorta restless so I'm going out to take a quick jog."

She closes her eyes as if she's in the presence of a crazy person and she has to rally as much patience as she can before answering me. "You're going running at night with a gang of freaks after your blood?"

Well when she puts it like that I do sound like a crazy person. But my mind is whirling with all my thoughts and worry and fear. That old feeling I used to get when I was on a cross country team is stirring inside me. The feeling of being cooped up to long in a dormant state. Of wanting to run until my lungs burn and my muscles quiver.

Getting slightly desperate to escape out the door I start to unlock it as I talk to her, "You are welcome to come with me. I'm just going down to the creek that is in the woods behind my old house. It won't take but thirty minutes."

Pepper leans against the wall behind her and lets out a fed up sigh. "Just be back in thirty. If you aren't by then I'm coming after you." She grabs a slim black phone off a side table and tosses it at me. "Just press one is something happens and I will be there to help." I can tell she doesn't like the idea of letting me go off on my own so pocketing the cell I quickly slip out the door.

As soon as the crisp air touches my skin I take a deep breath and the dull throbbing in my head fades away as fresh air rushes to my brain. Setting off at a slow jog I pay attention to my breathing, and to keeping my pace the same, and to the stitch forming in my side. I don't think about any of my worries or fears as my feet pound a slow rhythm in the ground.

When I start to feel the stress creep back into my mind I push myself into a full sprint until only the ground beneath my feet and the trees swaying overhead of me matters.

People never realize how different the woods look at night. The trees are dark silhouettes against the midnight sky, the limbs forming jagged scars and their leaves rustling in an unseen wind. Almost everyone I know find it strange that I would enjoy running through just a frightening landscape and yet I find it keeps me motivated to keep up my pace. The woods hide mysteries that some are too frightened to even think about but I find it exhilarating to have the chance to reveal one of the secrets that whisper through the branches.

From my old house to Lily's it was at least an hour long walk. But since I practically sprinted the whole way here it takes just under fifteen minutes. My breaths come out in short harsh puffs as I grip the stitch in my side.

Staring at the empty black carcass that I used to call my house makes me almost feel happy it burned down. Nothing in that house gave me happy memories. It just gave me nightmares and a chill that has nothing to do with the sweat drying on my forehead from the cool night air.

Personally I wanted to thank whoever burnt down that hell hole.

Shaking my head I start to walk to the woods behind my house to the creek I always seek solace in. there would be no use to let myself reminisce on old memories if I ran all the way here to be free of the weights dragging me down.

Once the stench of burnt wood finally leaves my nose I let myself relax as I walk the familiar path to the creek.

At night it's not as beautiful as it is in the sunlight but I can still hear its soft trickling against the rocks and smooth stones. If I stay very still I will even be able to hear the movement of deer.

Only when I finally reach the creek something doesn't feel right. It's too quiet. Nothing in the woods seems to move. Even the leaves and branches are still. Looking around me I realize that the moon must be covered by clouds because I can barely see five feet in front of me.

There have been nights when I came down here and I felt safe in the cocoon that the trees and the darkness provided. But tonight I feel exposed and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end.

It feels exactly like that night I accidently fell asleep on the sand and woke to the feeling of someone watching me.

Spinning around I frantically search the trees for the white of an eye. The rustling of the creek slowly falls away to the roaring of blood in my ears. My heart starts to pump faster and I feel the overpowering need to run fast and far until those eyes are no longer on me.

Before I can even start up the path a dark figure steps out from behind a large tree trunk to stand directly in my path. "Now what's a pretty thing like you doing in the middle of the woods alone?" The man's voice is low and suggestive.

"Okay I know I should be quivering in fear right now but can I just say that was a really cheesy bad guy thing to say." I throw that out with as much sass in my voice while I try to formulate a plan of escape in my head.

The man chuckles and steps out of the shadows into a sliver of moonlight that had escaped the cover of clouds. He was tall and lanky, with his hair in a close shave to his head. His black clothes provided him cover in the shadows but with his pale skin I was surprised I didn't see a glimmer of it in the trees.

Putting something shiny out of his pocket he moves a step closer and instead of retreating I step back into a fighting stance.

My anger flares when he looks at me and then throws his head back and laughs. His chuckles almost rattling the trees around us.

Then he flicks the silver thing in his hand open and flame flairs to life. "Calm down sweetheart, if I wanted to kill you I would have done so that night you fell asleep. Or all the other nights you came to this very creek." He takes something else out of his pocket and sticks it in his mouth. Bringing the lighter to the cigarette I get a glimpse of teasing green eyes and what looks like ginger hair. It even looks like he has a piercing in his eyebrow.

Not being fooled by his light tone I step back and keep my ready stance. "So you were the one watching me that night. Why? Who are you?" Maybe I shouldn't be talking to a stranger in the middle of the woods when he just admitted to stalking me but my curiosity was battling my fear at the moment.

Slipping his lighter back into his pocket he takes the cigarette out of his mouth and breathes out a long puff of smoke. Smirking when I coughed he leans forward. "Who I am and why I was watching you is none of your concern. Although I won't lie; you are really cute when you're sleeping." His eyes roam a lazy trail up and down my body. "But that doesn't compare to how sexy you look when you're pissed."

Ew! What a creep. Enough of this. I'm not going to get any answers out of him and I can tell he isn't going to let me just go freely. I really hope all these lessons Jem has been giving me will pay off.

I take a step back and act like something tripped me up so I fall into a crouch. Cigarette guy arches his brow and lets another puff of smoke float through his lips.

Grabbing a fist full of soft sand I chunk it right at his eyes and run at him. "Son of bi-" His cursing is cut short as I grab his shoulders and bring my knee up hard into his gut. With him momentarily distracted with rubbing the grime out of his eyes and gasping for breath I bolt up the path. In no time I'm out of the woods and sprinting to the road that would lead me to safety.

Of course I know this guy must be a Fallen angel so it won't take him long to catch up. But I run as fast as my short legs will carry me.

After only a few seconds I feel long arms wrap around my waist and pull me off my feet. Screaming won't help since my house is in the middle of nowhere and kicking isn't doing any good since my feet are off the ground and his shins seem to be made of iron.

"That wasn't very nice of you. That was my last cigarette." He hasn't snapped my neck yet so I'm going to take that as a positive sign. Since I don't have any weapons at hand and I'm not even touching the ground I decide I need to use my head to get out of this situation.

With all the strength that my fear is giving me I buck forward like a bull and as soon as my toes touch hard earth I spring backward and knock my scull into his face. Okay so maybe I meant literally using my head but at the moment I can't even think straight. With a yell of pain and surprise he lets me go and as I scramble away from him I feel the spray of something warm on the back of my neck.

Spinning around I see his lip bleeding profusely. A grim satisfaction sets in as he touches his finger to his lip and winces.

Then he smiles and looks me straight in the eye with those clear green eyes. "I love a woman who can fight dirty." Oh my God! I just busted this guy's lip and he's still got enough creep left in him to make my skin crawl.

Moving so fast he's just a blur, he suddenly has me to the ground with his legs pinning in my sides, and his hands gripping my arms. Suddenly the fight just drains from me and I feel so incredibly weak. I can't win against a Fallen.

Glaring with the degree of the burning sun I spit out my next words, "You cheated." If the bastard had been stalking me long before I ever found out the truth then he already knows I'm a human and knows that I don't have super speed like him. He used that against me to making this an unfair fight.

"Aw, babe, I think you should know that I only ever play dirty." His reply comes through surprisingly white teeth as he grins.

I squint at his use of words. "I'm pretty sure the phrase is 'fight dirty'."

He leans his face closer to mine and smirks. "Oh I do that too."

Groaning I throw my face away from his. "Whoever the hell you are why don't you just kill me now and put me out of my misery."

When he doesn't answer for a few seconds I look back up and am surprised to see him frowning. "You think I'm going to kill you?"

"Well duh! Why else are you watching me and attacking me?" Why can't the jerk just kill me! Just get it over with.

"Trust me sweetheart, if I killed you I'd catch hell from both of my bosses." He lets go of my hands but stays straddling my sides so I can't get up.

I scowl at him. "Why wouldn't they like you killing me? I'm pretty sure out of all the enemies I have at least a few of them wants me dead."

Patting down his pockets his face lights up when he produces another cigarette. "Would you look at that? It wasn't my last one after all."

A surge of anger gives me the sudden strength to buck my hips up, setting him off balance I knock him off me and grab his arm. Twisting it back I pin him on his chest with my knee drilling into his spine. "Who are your bosses and why were you watching me?"

The infuriating ginger chuckles as he turns his head and he tries to look at me. "Nice to know you like to be on top."

"Ew! Would you quit being a disgusting slime ball for one second and answer my question!" I twist his arm like Jem taught me to until I know only a few more tugs and I can dislocate his arm.

"Alright, alright! Jeez, I'm just trying to be honest and all I get is punishment." He snickers again and I can just imagine him taking some dirty meaning out of what he just said. I jerk his arm a little more and he hisses between his teeth. "All I'm saying is that one of my bosses would be really pissed if something happened to you and the other doesn't want you dead. Yet."

"No, I need names." I growl out.

"As much as I'm enjoying this whole bad ass thing you've got going on I've got to be going before the big guy gets here." Without a seconds hesitation he yanks his arm out of my grip, successfully breaking free of me and dislocating his shoulder at the same time.

I jump back from him as he stands and smirks at me. "Wanna help me with my shoulder, Phoenix?" How the hell does he know about that name? Does that mean he knows who I am? "No? Too bad."

Gripping his shoulder he pushes back, forward and then in. A loud pop echoes around us as he grunts with pain. The grimace immediately goes back to his smirk as he looks at me and picks up the slightly bent cigarette from the ground. After blowing the dust off of it he reaches for his silver lighter again.

"I guess I'm a little too late." As soon as he says the words the ground beneath my feet shake slightly and cigarette guy smiles at something behind my shoulder. "Hey boss. Look who I ran into tonight."

Spinning around I almost scream at the figure in front of me. What. The. Hell. Is. Going. On.

"Jasper, I thought I told you to not let her become aware of your presence." Nate says calmly as he steps closer to us.