I woke under the warm blankets, wrapped up in Anzide's arms. I'd fallen asleep even though I didn't feel tired. Maybe the day itself had taken its toll on me.

Demon headmaster attacked. Now ex-boyfriend realized the truth and how we could not be together. Nephilim protector makes a serious move.

His body was warm under the sheets. I snuggled in and savored the moment of peace and quiet.

I didn't know what to expect from my first time, but it was certainly enjoyable. My mother was open about sex. She told me more than she should have and probably not the right things. Still, I'd enjoyed it and was definitely eager for more.

"You sleep deeper when you are relaxed."

He sat up, leaning on one hand as he looked down at me.

"You also look different. Like there is no weight on your shoulders."

"Well, to be fair, my life is not exactly a walk in the park. Imagine losing your mother at fifteen after spending years with her either at work, passed out on the bed, or awake and cursing because you had the audacity to clean the house."

Or worse.

"Then you're tossed at your uncle that you think you've never met before, but it's a lie. In fact, your whole life is a lie. You're made to move because of his job, but that's just your uncle keeping the wishes of your dead mother. You're really some kind of hybrid creature, vampire, shapeshifter, human. A man appears, and pretends to be your father, but he really wants to hand you over to serve as his punishment. Biblical creatures, dangerous creatures. All the while, there's school to be finished. Oh, and don't forget the incorrect birthday which still has no valid reason as to why.

"And you're a biblical creature yourself."

"Ah yes, the missing father and his input into this mess. Do you know where he is?"

Anzide shook his head.

"Good. Don't bother to find out."

"You stated quite clearly that you were not interested. I am not going to waste time doing something that is not pleasing to you."

He lowered, settling against my body.

"I can, however, be pleasing to you in other ways."

"I like the sound of that."

"Evie," Brad bellowed from the bottom of the stairs. "Lunch."

"Or not," Anzide whispered.

We dressed quickly, emerging from my bedroom within a minute.

"Evelyn,"

Anzide stopped me at the top of the stairs.

"It would be wise to avoid telling your uncle to begin with. I'm supposed to be protecting you."

"Not getting into my pants?"

His lips twitched, slowly becoming a smile.

"That would be the one."

"Sure. Probably for the best after what he did to Mardyl."

Brad was protective, perhaps too much. I suppose that he thought that I needed it after everything that I'd been through. It was also possible that he was desperate to leave this town just to get me away from Drakkus, but he couldn't.

Turning the corner, I saw an elaborate spread on the table. Salad cut and put into bowls, cheese, spreads, and bread. He'd even set the table for three.

"I have no idea if you can eat, but rather than be rude."

"I can," Anzide said. "But it's often unnecessary. Thank you all the same."

Brad nodded, sitting down. I carefully lowered to the seat, feeling Anzide's presence all over again. It was tender, and I did not want to make it obvious.

"We have a lot to talk about, so how about we start with the obvious, the demon."

"He made a serious move," I grumbled.

"It was a low-grade attack to figure out how Evelyn would cope, if she would react or break down into a mess. He wanted to know what she would do on the low end of what he could throw at her rather than going into a full attack. There were other students around, so I think that would have been a large factor in why he went down this path. He was determined to keep her at the school."

"And what happens now?"

"He will pull back once Evelyn stops attending school. I would suggest that you move quickly on the homeschooling as he could call the authorities on you in an effort to get her to return to the school."

"I don't have to finish this year, you know."

Brad shook his head as he buttered the bread in front of him.

"I've already started the process. You might as well get it done. What else is there?"

"Drakkus made another move."

My knight in shining armor saved me twice today. I wouldn't have even made it out the doors of the school if it weren't for his help.

Brad sighed as he put the butter knife down, glancing between us.

"We need to move." he grumped. "I know that you want to honor Niko's memory, but this is ridiculous. We can't trust any of the vampires in this town, can we?"

Anzide shook his head.

"Not even the Lothaires?"

"They are the snake in the grass, waiting for the opportune time to strike. Drakkus is your obvious enemy. He has made it quite clear what his intentions are. The Lothaire family, however, they are the ones that hide what they really want. I would trust Drakkus long before I trusted anyone out of that family."

Brad sighed, looking at me with a lot of sympathy. Yes, I liked Kannon. He was a good person, despite the issues that were hiding in the darkness. I would have preferred that he was honest with me, but clearly, I have a sign on my forehead that says dishonesty welcome.

"What about you?"

Anzide stopped piling things onto his sandwich and looked at Brad.

"What about me?" he asked cautiously.

"You know, the Nephilim. What's happening now?"

His eyes darted as the frown deepened, and his head lowered. Slowly his fingers slid over the edge of the plate.

"The portal is locked," he murmured.

"What?"

Anzide's eyes lifted to me. In them, I could see fear.

"They're coming."

Renuge appeared, looking between Anzide and me. A sly smirk slid over his lips before they opened. I was expecting him to drag us out to the front lawn again, but he didn't. Instead, he pulled a chair out at the other end of the table and sat down.

"Please, continue to enjoy your meal. I can deliver the message while you dine."

I don't know if I could eat at this point in time. It concerned me that they'd do their worst, and I'd be dragged away. Was this my last meal?

"It has been agreed that there is no warning for any immortal or mortal creature about procreation, and as such, all investigations are now finished. The charges against Evelyn Newton have been dropped, and no further allegations regarding this matter shall be brought forward or noted."

"Great," Brad said. "If that's all,"

"No, unfortunately, it's not."

"What now?" he snapped. "You said that it was over."

"It is for that charge. However, the rules for the Eternal are quite clear, and it would seem that someone forgot them."

I looked at Anzide. His gaze lowered to his hands as they lifted. Cuffed like a criminal.

"No," I yelled, standing from the table.

"What's going on?" Brad snapped again.

"The Eternals are not permitted to engage in frivolous activities that can lead to more Nephilim being created."

Brad frowned, still unable to figure it out. Sometimes it was better to be oblivious.

Renuge stood, and Anzide did as well, but it appeared as if he was dragged out of his seat by an unknown force.

"You won't face charges as Anzide has taken full responsibility already. Sit down before you make it worse for yourself."

"Don't you dare tell me what to do." I hissed.

Renuge said nothing, just a silent smirk that needed to be punched off his face. Anzide trudged behind him, looking back at me.

"Do something, Anzide."

"I did. I saved you from this fate."

The front door swung open, and Renuge walked out as if he actually needed to. I followed them, getting angrier by the second.

"You have no right to do this," I yelled.

Renuge stopped at the top step, looking out at the driveway.

"Friend of yours?"

I looked over at Drakkus and rolled my eyes.

"Go away, loser," I yelled. "I've got way bigger problems than your nonsense."

Drakkus seemed rather affronted that I'd rudely told him to go away. I would have thought after being shot twice, he would have learned that I was not the average woman.

Renuge continued down the stairs, dragging Anzide behind him. Fury filled me because Renuge wasn't listening to me and that other idiot decided to turn up.

White hot rage crawled up my spine like a thousand spiders rushing to my brain. I screamed as it consumed me, flowing out in one fast ripple that boomed and leveled everything. My head was pounding as the wrath slowly subsided. It was then that I realized that I felt different. There was something wrong.

My hands were flaming blue again. I looked across the charred lawn, the broken bits of wood, and the dead plants, seeing nothing but destruction. Drakkus was on his ass, bewildered as he looked around at the debris. Brad was sitting at the table, staring at me completely stunned because nothing else survived my anger. The rest of the house, it was blown across the yard, the neighbor's yard, and the forest. So much for keeping Niko's house in one piece. I'd just flattened it.

Anzide was still alright, only just sitting up. Renuge, however, he was out cold. Stalking over to him, I picked him up by the lapel of his jacket and slapped his face until he came around.

"Hey," I snapped. "You see what happens when you go against me?"

He struggled with coherence. Dragging him up, I tossed him onto the burned grass.

"Do you see what happens?" I yelled.

Cautiously, he nodded.

"You can go back to wherever the hell it was that you came from, and you can tell whoever the hell it is that thinks they can rule my life and tell them to mind their own damned business. If they come for me, my uncle, Anzide, or anyone else I care about, I am going to hunt them down, and they will not survive. I do not care if you or any of them are Eternal. I will make it my life mission to find a way to kill you and them. Is that clear?"

He nodded, silently stunned. I was not a quiet girl when I was angry. Also, the flames were getting larger. It probably meant that I was getting angrier.

"Good. Remove the cuffs, go home and tell them to leave us alone."

Metal chinked, and Renuge faded from sight. I turned to see Anzide getting off the ground, unsteady at first but getting there. The other issue was getting to his feet. With a sigh, I crossed the dead grass.

"Now is a good time, right?"

Drakkus looked down at my flaming hands, casually gesturing to them.

"Do you wish to put the fire out first?"

"No, I may need to use it again. I told you to leave this town."

"You did, but you do not have the authority to do that, despite who you are related to. We have no official documentation stating that Niko passed the rule onto you, so therefore your claim for the rule is null and void."

He pouted, like mocking me was the thing to do when he'd just witnessed what making me angry does.

"So sad. Now that you've got no home, I expect that it is you who will be leaving this town. It was so nice to know you."

With a mocking laugh, Drakkus turned and walked away. There were a group of vampires waiting at the end of the driveway.

"What right do you have to tell me what to do or where I can live? You are not the ruler of the vampires in this town."

Drakkus stopped, turning to face me.

"We could go back and forth like this for days, my dear Evelyn. What you really need to know is that you've broken one of our biggest rules."

With a flick of his finger, the crowd parted, and Kannon stepped forward. He was dressed in a fine suit, hair neatly styled. His gaze was squarely on me.

When he stopped, Drakkus moved behind him, firmly placing his hands on his shoulders.

"I'd like for you to meet my newest second in charge. After you so callously murdered Andross, I was left in desperate need of a replacement. I found that in this fine creature."

His finger curved over Kannon's jaw, dragging it up to look at him when he reached the chin.

"He offered me something that I could not get elsewhere."

Drakkus smiled at me as he took that final swing. The blow that was a desperate attempt to wound me.

"He gave me answers."