I chase after the fallen angel. Close on his heels I push harder following his every twist and turn.

"You need backup, Jade," Abby says over the com.

"Not until you take out the pack. You need Dean and Ash to track the girl and they're the only ones fast enough to keep up with the fallen beside me. Hurry and take out the pack. You can track me down when you're done." I breathe deeply in then out trying to keep at a constant speed. The fallen runs into an abandoned building that's pitch black inside except for slices of moonlight falling through cracks in the ceiling. He stops abruptly and turns to face me with a grin on his face. I pull my two short swords out of their holders. The bound handles in my hand as familiar as the back of my hands.

"You've been trained well. My master will be pleased." His voice is deep and husky. Strands of his long dark hair fall in front of his light brown eyes. He looks calm. Not like he just ran a mile.

"How about we make this easier for the both of us. You come with me willingly so I don't have to waste my time knocking you out."

"Confident, beautiful, powerful. No wonder why he wants you."

"Are you going to keep running your mouth about shit I obviously don't know about or come with me?" His dark chuckle fills the empty space around us.

"My master sent me here in hopes I'd run into you. Usually, he doesn't ask people to do what he wants. He forces them. But for some reason, you are special to him and it's not just because of your power."

"What are you talking about?" I ask to drag this psycho on. I need to buy time for the others to get here.

"Whether you realize it or not, war is coming. And whoever has you on their side wins." The vision I had earlier flashes across my vision. The girl in the red gown. Thousands of demons waiting to be commanded. "But it seems like you already know about it. What have your visions shown you, little one?"

"How did you know I have visions?" No one knows that except my team and Cyndi.

"Because I know what you really are."

"I know what I am. I'm Nephilim." I say confidently.

"We are on our way." Abby's voice says in my ear. I only have to stall for a little while longer.

"That's what the Valkyrie told you but she lies. She knows what you truly are too. Why you have the visions, why you're stronger, faster, better. The reason you heal almost instantly and don't need food. Why you act the way you do. Always having to fight the darkness floating around inside your head. If you agree to join us and win the war to make the world a better place we can help you. Help you learn how to use your powers and control them. You only need to embrace who you are."

"Why is he giving me a choice?" I ask glaring at him through slitted eyes. What the hell is going on? Why am I being dragged into the middle of this?

"He isn't. He'd much rather you come willingly but if you don't he'll just force you. Like he does with everyone else who tells him no."

"Let your master know I will never help him. You talk about making this world a better place but from what I see all you plan on doing is burning it down and murdering everyone who doesn't agree with you." I spit out.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that and give you some time to think this through. Your friends will be here momentarily. This conversation is over. You have a week to decide. I will see you soon, little one." He smiles at me showing off his perfect teeth. If I were some helpless human girl I'd have fallen to my knees because of his beauty but I know what he really is. Underneath his gorgeous exterior is darkness capable of killing without mercy. "I'm not the only one full of darkness." He says as if reading my mind and then he's gone.

"Shit," I mumble. From behind me, I can hear the sound of running feet smacking against the pavement. "Did you take them all out?" The footsteps come to a halt behind me.

"Of course. Where's the fallen?" Asher asks.

"He was transported out of here. Someone was watching over him, another powerful being. Not a lot of demons are capable of that. We need to get back to the school. Now." I take the smooth round globe from its pocket and throw it to the ground. A portal the size of a door opens in front of me. Inside is a wall of black. Everyone except Zach steps through the portal in the same pristine shape as before they took out the pack of nosferatu. Not a single hair out of place or a tear in their clothing. "Picture the front of the school and walk through. Hurry before the portal closes." I tell Zach. He gives me a curt nod and hesitantly walls through.

"What happened?" Asher asks immediately after I immerge from the portal. Behind me, the portal becomes smaller and smaller until it's completely gone.

"I need to talk to Cyndi. " I ignore the rest of their questions and worried expressions. The others follow behind me closely as I quickly make my way to her office. I barge through the doors causing her head to shoot up from her desk.

"I hope you have a good reason for so rudely coming in here."

"It's about the war. It's closer than the council thinks."

"This is a conversation we need to have in private." She says calmly as she rises from her desk.

"You know they won't speak a word of what they hear but if you want them gone then tell them to leave. I've told you about my vision. The one about the war. They are planning on making their move, soon. You must get in contact with the council and tell them to start preparing. Who knows how little time we have?" The words flood out of my mouth one after another. Feelings of confusion, panic and fear course through me and I feel the walls in my head slipping. I slam them back immediately. I have to keep it under control.

"Jade are you certain?" Her expression is serious and I can see the panic she's trying to hide.

"Of course I am. I wouldn't say anything if I weren't. The pack you sent us to track were contacting a fallen who said he was hoping to run into me. He and whoever he's working for want me to join them. I've seen what they plan to do and I would never help them but he said whoever had me on their side wins because they know what I am. How can they know what I am? They even know who you are. Do you know what this means?"

"Someone close to us in giving them intel."

"That doesn't explain how they'd know what I am. I thought you never told anyone."

"You know who I've told and they would never speak a word. I don't know how they could have found out. It's not possible."

"Well someone around here cannot be trusted and we need to find out who. It has to be someone in the school. I try to hide it but things slip occasionally. It's hard keeping everything contained and under control."

"I know but you've done an exceptional job. Even with the few slips you've had its nothing that would give you away." Cyndi walks over to me and gives me a comforting hug. "Don't worry. I'll figure it out, sweetheart."

"Thank you." I give her a gentle squeeze. If it wasn't for Cyndi who knows what would have come of me. She raised and loved me like her own daughter. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes, there is." She walks over to her desk and jots something onto a piece of paper. "This is the address of a witch named Norae. I go to her for readings sometimes. See if she can see anything regarding the fallen you encountered or who might be betraying us." She hands the paper to me. "It can wait until morning." I give her a short nod.

"Get some food and rest. What you just heard does not leave this room. I know I can trust you guys. Don't prove me wrong." I say eyeing Zach pointedly.

"You should get some sleep too," Zach says.

"I don't need sleep."

"Even though you didn't have to fight any vampires, you did run after a fallen and that's no easy feat. You should rest." He insists making Abigail chuckle softly.

"How sweet. He's concerned about Jade even though he was calling her a bitch earlier." Cyndi clears her throat and gives Abby a look. "Sorry about the language."

"I told you he was nice." Asher points out.

"I like it. It's cute."

"I know what you're thinking. Get that grin off your face." Abigail says pointing an elegant index finger at me. "He can't handle you. You'd break him in a heartbeat. No offense." She adds hurriedly.

"Offense taken." Zach grumbles.

"Come on Abby. Let me have some fun. He's actually a decent kisser."

"More offense taken. My kissing is way better than decent. If there was a kissing award I'd win it every time." Even though his comment is ridiculous I can't help the laugh that escapes me. Everyone turns their heads to look at me as if I were crazy.

"What the fuck was that?" Asher asks.

"Asher, language," Cyndi says switching to her mom tone.

"Sorry, mom but did you just hear that? Jade laughed. She laughed at something completely ridiculous and stupid instead of punching Zach in the jaw."

"Be quiet before I punch you in the jaw," I say glaring at him. "You all need to stop staring at me like I'm some exotic animal. You've heard me laugh before. In fact, I laughed earlier today."

"But never like that," Abby says looking at me as if I'm a puzzle to be put together.

"Back to the original topic. Go eat and get some rest. All of you. Thank you for your concern Zach but I don't need sleep."

"You don't need sleep?" Zach asks confused.

"Yes, that is what I just said. Why are you asking me a question I just answered? That's annoying."

"And theirs the Jade we all know and love," Asher says jokingly.

"You're five seconds away from that punch in the jaw. All of you go except Dean. I need to talk to you briefly." Finally listening to me they leave the office. "How did taking out the pack go?"

"Easy. They weren't trained well. That's why they worked together. We tried to question the girl who met with the fallen but she said he organized the meet. He wanted them to join him and his group. I'm assuming he was trying to recruit them."

"How did Zach do?"

"Very well but I expected nothing less because you let him come with us."

"I didn't want him to come with us. It was an order. I don't trust him. Keep close tabs on him from now on will you?"

"Roger that. I'm going to go grab a bite. I'll see you in the morning." I nod and let him leave.

"I think we should erase his memory of the conversation we just had," I tell Cyndi once we are alone.

"That seems unnecessary Jade. There's no reason to do that."

"For all we know he could be the spy. I told you about that feeling I got from him today. Something is off about him."

"Maybe it's that fact that you like him." She says with an all-knowing smile.

"That is ridiculous. I don't trust him which means I definitely don't like him. I know guys that are way hotter and he isn't my type. I have a thing for the bad boys. He's too, fluffy."

"You'll see, in time." She says mysteriously. "I'd know if he were up to anything and because of what happened to him I could say with certainty he'd never side with a demon."

"If you are certain then I'll drop it, mére, but just to be safe I'll have Dean continue to keep an eye on him."

"Always cautious." She says and takes a seat back at her desk. "I have more letters for you." I groan. When will they realize I'm ignoring them?

"Keep them. I'm not interested."

"Jade, you don't have a choice. If the Academy wants you back you have to go."

"I'm not going back there. They can try and force me but we both know who will win."

"Well is there a reason for ignoring Deyvon? You'll lose this battle too. If he wants to talk to you he'll find a way."

"Let him try. His parents would chain him to his bedpost if he even had the thought of coming to see me."

"At least take them, please. That way I can tell the council I delivered them."

"Alright, we'll go see Norae in the morning and report back as soon as we're done."

"I'll talk to you then. Good job with the hunt."

"Try to get some sleep, mére. You spend too much time working." I take the letters from Cyndi and leave the office. "What the hell are you standing out here for?" I ask Zach.

"I thought I'd keep you company because you don't sleep." He pushes himself from the wall and starts following me down the hall to the bedroom I rarely use.

"Thanks but I've done just fine for almost all eighteen years of my life."

"You don't get bored or lonely?"

"Sometimes. Usually, when I do I go find Derek. If you want to do something for me go ahead and burn these." I hand him the letters and reach for the doorknob. I need my training clothes.

"Aren't you going to read them?" I let out an exasperated breath and let my forehead bang against the door.

"If I wanted to read them I wouldn't ask you to burn them."

"Did you even read who these are from? Ones from the academy and the others from a council member."

"I know very well who they are from. These aren't the first letters they've sent me and I hope soon they realize that I'm not going to respond and stop sending them." I growl. Turning to him I snatch the letters from him. "I'll dispose of them myself."

"You must be in a very powerful position to be able to ignore them." I glare at him.

"If you knew anything about me. Even the slightest thing. You'd know my reasons are completely valid. Especially the ones regarding the Academy." Then I open the door and slam it in his face.