She shouldn't have done it. She shouldn't have touched that damn necklace, but the rock was so pretty she couldn't help it. The ruby dangling from the chain had called to her, lightly emitting a pulsing light, and whispering for her to grab it. She had done more, though. She had put it around her neck and then her heart had done the rest.

Her mom had taught her that rubies amplify energy, action, and hope, so it made sense the necklace had been enchanted with a teleportation spell.

But magic or magic items had never work for Camille Brambilla before.

Why was I transported here? She looked around with growing dread. Where am I?

Neon purple lights partially illuminated the otherwise darkened street where the necklace took her to. All the other surrounding businesses were close, even when it was way too early for bars and all those sort of night establishments to be closed to the public. And the only one open, the one in front of her, stood lonely, with only a bored bouncer guarding its doors.

Camille swept her cinnamon gaze around the solitary street uneasily before it landed on the open nightclub. The neon lights adorned the whole brick building, outlining it and giving it a purple glow around the doors and its three rows of vintage windows. Above the door and framed by four amethyst giant lightbulbs, hanged its name, The Succubus, encased by little horns on the upper right side and a devil's tail on the lower left side.

Sounds came from the darkness of the street, startling her. Nightmarish sounds.

Her skin pebbled and cold descended her back, making her shiver. She was about to take a step towards The Succubus and its safety when the darkness appeared to come alive. Six black figures began attacking the bouncer who howled and morphed into a humanoid wolf.

Camille's eyes widened as she backed away. The creatures who stepped out of the darkness appeared human but didn't move like one, and the bouncer was obviously a werewolf.

Her feet kept taking her away from the fight as another wolfman came out from the club and began helping the bouncer. The adrenaline spiked within her and her heart beat wildly inside her chest. Camille knew about the existence of the supernatural, she had been forced to study all the creatures which the rest of humanity thought were mere myths, but she had never seen them. She hadn't experienced the bone-chilling fright they induced. Her father had supposedly even summoned demons into their house, but he never allowed her to take part in those dark rituals her family performed every full moon.

Suddenly, her back hit something hard and a growl sounded by her ear.

"Are you one of their whores?" The creature's breath hit the back of her neck as it spoke in a guttural voice.

Turning around slowly, the girl lifted her gaze, and her body shook from head to toe. The attackers of the nightclub weren't human. Their skin had a sickly paleness, black veins could be seen through the skin, and pitch-black eyeballs-with no irises nor sclera visible-watched her, showing nothing but malice.

Camille paled under the creature's stare as the Asian American's features twisted with a grin. The jagged, sharp teeth reminded her of a shark.

"Since the cat caught your tongue, I'll kill you for good measure."

She swallowed hard, unable to move as her body trembled harder. The monster before her lifted his right hand, fingers growing and curving to become sharp talons. Camille tried to move once again, to no avail.

From the corner of her eyes, she noticed another creature coming out of a nearby alley. "Don't kill her yet, let's play with her for a bit while the others are busy with the mutts."

He watched her pop into the street from the rooftop of a dilapidated five-story brick building. His heart sped up and a tingly sensation ran down his back in an instant.

It couldn't be. She couldn't be the reason of his venture into New York. The pull in his heart was compelling him even before she arrived. What are you planning? That girl down there is human!

Stretching his black wings, the Fallen zoomed in on the mortal, eying her like a hawk. She was young, too young for his liking. Maybe sixteen or seventeen years old. Well, by the time I was entombed beneath the earth that was the proper marital age.

Registering his thoughts, he fisted his hands and the wind picked up speed as he lifted his white gaze at the night sky, an impotent scream tearing through his throat.

This couldn't be happening to him! Did He truly wished him to fall for a human again? Yes, he had escaped his penance for his first transgression, but could his father be that cruel?

Be as it may, he couldn't rage for long. His senses picked up killing intent coming from every dark corner surrounding the human girl.

The damn pull in his heart intensified.

He knew what his father wished him to do, and even when he was still angry at Him for murdering his wife and children, he would save the girl. Keeping his father happy was the only way to return to Heaven.

Stepping to the ledge of the rooftop, his black wings lifted, tips pointing to the starless sky, ready to swoop down. However, he stopped himself at the last moment. The chilly night wind caressed his feathers as he watched mutated humans sprang from the shadows and attack the only open establishment of the street.

Maybe the girl wasn't the target? Mmm, let's see what happens.

As another werewolf joined the fray, most of the mutated humans kept their attentions on the shifters, except for one. The creature waited for her to face it, frightened her, and then lifted its hand.

The Fallen Angel's heart accelerated; his white gaze locked on the girl as another mutated human stopped the first. This second creature reached for the mortal and grabbed her by the chin. The Fallen's eyes narrowed, and his jaw tensed in response before his feet moved of their own accord, propelling him from the ledge. His wings glided the air currents in seconds, and he landed behind the enemy without a sound.

Summoning an emerald glowing flanged mace to his right hand, the ex-celestial put all his strength into one mighty blow to his enemy's head. As the first creature fell to the ground, the second turned in confusion only to meet the mace with its face. The sickening crunch of bones breaking filled the Fallen Angel's ears before the mutated human landed in a heap three meters away.

Watching as some of the twisted creatures turned their attention to him, the Fallen grabbed the girl by the wrist and pulled her into his arms. She lifted her face, gazing at him with wide cinnamon-colored eyes. His heart stopped and then restarted, beating frantically inside of his chest.

This cannot be.

"Kezia?"

"You must have mistaken me for someone else, sir." Her voice shook as she lowered her eyes to gaze intently at a loose button in his shirt. "My name is Camille."

Camille? You aren't my Kezia?

The growling and howling from the fight intensified, shaking the Fallen out of his thoughts. The creatures not engaging the shifters headed toward them, showing sharp teeth and claws. Even if he could take on the six pair of eyes trained on them, he wouldn't be able to protect the human from all of them. And it only takes one of them to kill her.