Author's Notes:

This lovely image is of Jeremy Sumpter who plays Zach.

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After I change slowly, to make sure Zach got the message to leave me alone, I rip up the letters when I'm unable to find a lighter. When I'm sure he's gone I head to the room I took over years ago where the other students sleep. It was nice of Cyndi to give me such a gorgeous bedroom because I don't sleep but I don't want to be treated differently. While everyone sleeps I train. I don't need that bedroom. It's wasted on me.

Once I finish the remaining homework I have I head down to the training room. With a training plan in mind, I set to work. Putting in my headphones the rest of the world disappears. It's just me and my weapon of choice. When I notice the sun is close to setting I decide it's time to take a shower. I wipe my forehead off with the shirt I took off and head to the girls' locker room. With everyone still asleep I head to my room in my towel.

Shortly after entering someone knocks on the door. It's probably Abby, I think absentmindedly.

"Come in." I continue looking through the closet of clothes I brought up here. Taking a quick glance at the door I see Zach standing in my room instead of Abby. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep so I went walking around and when I came back up I saw you go into your room." He looks me up and down. The towel I'm wrapped in barely covers my ass and my long dark hair tickles the back of my thighs. Maybe I should get a haircut. I shrug at the thought and sweep my hair up into a loose ponytail. Over the years I've learned to get over guys checking me out. The only reason for my beauty is because of the angel blood running through my veins. Without it who knows what I'd look like, a toad or a horse's ass? Not being self-conscious I drop the towel and start getting dressed.

"What are you doing?" Zach practically squeaks.

"Getting dressed. What are you doing?" I glance over my shoulder and notice Zach has turned around to face the door. What a gentleman. He clears his throat and scratches the back of his head.

"Nice tattoo." A grin spreads across my face. The full-back tattoo of a dragon clutching a snake and biting into its neck hurt like hell but it was worth it.

"You should see if you can get some more sleep before breakfast. We head out when everyone is finished eating."

"I'm definitely not going to be able to sleep now." I tug a clean black shirt over my head then pull a pair of black combat boots over my jean covered legs.

"You can turn around now." I sit on my bed leaning against the wall. He turns around slowly until he faces me. "Why are you here? Seeing as how I'm the queen B of the school, and you agree, I would think you wouldn't want to spend time with me." I ask blatantly.

"Your bitchiness is refreshing and nothing I can't handle plus everyone else is asleep."

"Uh huh, I would say you were trying to get laid but since you turned around when I was naked you obviously aren't and for the record, I'm not normal. I pride myself on being different and not like anyone else here."

"I figured that out on my own, you not being normal. Their's something about you. I don't know what it is but I'm interested in finding out."

"Well right now people are saying they think I'm such a bitch because I was abandoned as a child. Does that help with figuring it out?" Zach lets out a curt laugh.

"Whoever started spreading that is an idiot and an asshole. I know you said you try to hide it but it's hard to hide something that naturally radiates off of you. It's very subtle but it's there. The good thing is you can't tell whatever it is you're hiding. I'm not sure how a spy could have found out."

"Neither do I and that's the problem. It's not possible." I eye him suspiciously. Zach walks over to where I sit on the bed. He leans over placing his hands on either side of my hips. His face is only inches away from mine and his green eyes bore into my blue ones.

"What is it that you're hiding?" He whispers.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I ask rhetorically. "You think I would tell you. A stranger. Someone I don't trust and who I wanted to mind swipe. I don't know you and if you speak a word of anything you heard last night I'll make sure you can never say anything again." I say coldly. A soft knock comes from the door. "What!" I snap not breaking eye contact with Zach.

"Am I interrupting something?" Abby asks.

"I was going to pop Zach's cherry because he came in here begging to get laid but since you interrupted I guess it'll have to wait for tonight."

"Is she serious?" Abby asks looking back and forth between me and Zach and seeing how close we are.

"No," Zach says.

"Yes," I say at the same exact time. I grin at Zach and give him a wink. He stands up straight and puts distance between us.

"I'm not sure who to believe." I shrug at Abby.

"You should go get dressed and ready for our assignment." Zach presses his lips together in a thin line and leaves without a word.

"What did you do to that poor boy?" Abby asks placing her hands on her hips as if she were scolding a small child.

"Warning him. Trust me it was nothing he couldn't handle. Let's go meet the others in the dining hall." As we leave the room I grab my weapons belt that holds my two short blades. We enter the busy dining hall. Students shuffle around each other getting food and finding their table of friends.

"I'm going to go get some food," Abby says and heads to the food line. I set off to our usual table.

"You seem grumpier than usual this morning." Asher points out before stuffing a strip of pancake into his mouth.

"Zach made a surprise visit to my room this morning and he manages to piss me off more than anyone else I've ever met."

"Surprise visit, hmmmm?" Asher says wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Apparently he asked her to pop his cherry," Abby says taking the empty seat next to me. Derek chokes on his orange juice and looks at me curiously.

"He sure did," I say grinning wickedly.

"No, I didn't. She's lying because the truth would be embarrassing to admit." Zach says sitting across from me with a challenging look on his face.

"Oh, I have got to know what could be so embarrassing that I would keep it a secret. I have no shame."

"You confided in me about how lonely you are and that you want to be a better person because you're falling for me. She thinks I deserve better so she wants to stop being such a bitch and get her anger issues together." He shoves a bite of food into his mouth as if what he just said is normal conversation. Red hot rage courses through me and the salt shaker I was fiddling with shatters in my grip. Asher stares open-mouthed at Zach.

"I'm surprised that she killed the salt shaker instead of you," Abby says staring wide-eyed at Zach. I push away from the table and stand abruptly.

"Abby, Ash, when you guys are done find Dean and meet me at the front of the school. Zach, you stay here." Derek lets out a low whistle as I head out of the dining hall.

"If you can't take the heat then get out of the kitchen," Zach shouts across the room. In response, I lift my arm up flipping him the bird as I continue to walk away. If I had stayed at that table, it would not have ended well for Zach and I cannot afford to have a slip right now. I take deep breathes in and out to control the power pulsing through me. Lately, it's become more and more difficult to control. In the last few months, my powers have grown exponentially and it's not helping that I don't use them. They don't like being locked away. Cyndi said it would get harder the closer I got to transcending. I pace back and forth in front of the entrance to the school. A few minutes later I hear the sound of footsteps approaching.

"What's he doing here?" A scowl spreads across my face at the sight of Zach.

"Cyndi told him to come," Abby tells me. Everyone is dressed in all black with their weapons strapped on.

"Why? He's heard too much, he pisses me off, and he isn't even that well trained. Dragging him along is a waste of my time."

"Cyndi's orders. She said you need more practice with following those. If he hears anything at Norae's that he shouldn't have we can always take care of it but Cyndi says we can trust him." Abby recites. I clench and unclench my fists willing myself to calm down.

"Jade?" Asher says looking at me concerned. I ignore him and continue concentrating on keeping control. "Jade," Asher repeats in a sharper tone.

"I'm fine." I snap at him. "I'm just saying it's not a good idea. Let's go." We all head to the border of the school. Everyone walks through except Zach and I. "Go. The portal is set to take us close to where Norae lives." He looks back at me and begins to talk then snaps his mouth shut. After he walks through I follow.

We appear in a backyard surrounded by a tall brown fence. Rose bushes of all colors climb along the fences and a table is set up with chairs. As we approach the back door a short woman with brown hair and brown eyes opens it.

"You must be Jade." She says kindly with an outreached hand. "Cyndi told me you'd be arriving soon. Come on in." I release her hand and follow her inside. From Norae's accent, I'd guess we are somewhere in the south. She leads us through a large kitchen into an even larger living room.

"We have come here in hopes that you can answer some questions for us."

"Straight to the point. I like that. What can I help you with?" She seats herself in a chair effortlessly and crosses her legs. "Please, have a seat. All of you." Everyone takes a seat except for me. I stay standing next to the now full couch.

"Cyndi has reason to believe there may be a spy in place at school. This spy would be answering to a fallen or the man he works for. We would like to know if you've seen anything about these three suspects or if you could try to find something. There has been talk of war and if possible we'd like to stop it before it starts."

"Aren't you guys a little young to be involved in this. Seems like a big burden to put on all of you."

"If we couldn't handle it we wouldn't have been assigned to come out here. Do you have any answers for us?"

"I haven't seen anything but that's because I haven't been looking. I'll take a peek and see if I can find anything to help."

"Thank you." The witch places both hands on either side of the armchair. A couple seconds later her eyes roll into her head making them look like white marbles.

"What is she doing?" Zach whispers.

"Looking through time, past, present, and future, to find anything related to what we asked. It may take a while. What we gave her was vague." Norae sits reclined in her seat with a blank expression on her face. There must be tons of events to cycle through.

"We have a problem," Norae says as her eyes go back to their light brown color. "Cyndi brought it to my attention that they have an interest in you. I thought to look at events in your future would help but I can't. You are being guarded."

"Cyndi puts a spell on her to help keep her guarded and suppress some of her powers. That might be why." Asher offers.

"While your valkyrie is powerful she is not at this level. My best guess would be a guardian angel. If I am correct that means that you're very important. No wonder these men are looking for you. They want what you possess." Norae looks me up and down. "Your friends seem surprised but you do not. You know you are being guarded."

"I do, I've known for a while. I can feel his presence when he's near. Like he is now."

"He?" She asks curiously.

"I have seen him before. He is very powerful. I could feel it rolling off of him." Norae's eyes widen in surprise.

"You are much more powerful than you know. It is no easy deed to feel the presence of a guardian angel. Let alone see one when they don't want to be seen. Have a seat next to me honey and let me have your hands." I remove my hand from its resting position on my sword and move to the chair. I settle into the chair and give her my hands. Having physical contact with the person helps to look into them. "Let's see if I can get a glimpse of your future." As Norae begins her search I get sucked into a vision of my own.

I sit in an empty battlefield surrounded by a sheen of fog. I walk forward and smell the scent of blood in the air.

"Jade." Someone chokes out. "Jade." The voice repeats. I run to the choked voice ignoring the lifeless bodies at my feet.

"Asher!" I cry out at the sight of his torn and battered body. Half of his face has been torn to shreds along with his body. Blood flows like water from his ribbon-like flesh. I crouch beside him and pull his body into my lap. Looking around I see Abby and Deans still bodies. Eyes wide open with blood pouring from their mouths. "No," I whisper as silent tears stream down my face.

"I'm sorry." Asher coughs out as he chokes on his blood.

"Sh, don't say that. I'm going to get you out of here. You're going to be fine just stay awake." He gives me a pained smile as his eyes slide shut. "No, Ash, stay awake. Don't close your eyes, Ash." I cry. I gently shake him willing him to open his eyes.

"You have to kill him." That voice. I recognize it before I turn around.

"Kill who, Zach?" His hand covers a gaping hole in his side and the other he uses to drag himself toward me. Each time he drags himself forward more blood pools from his body. "Don't do that. You're going to kill yourself." I reluctantly place Asher's now lifeless body on the ground and crawl to Zach.

"You have to kill him and stop him from destroying humanity." He says gripping my arm with his now free hand.

"No, I need to get you help. I won't let you die."

"It's already too late for me. You need to go kill him. Before he leaves. It's okay." He says when he sees me about to argue. He places his bloodied hand on my cheek and pulls me down to give me a kissed filled with all the things he doesn't have the time to say. "I love you." He whispers.

"I love you too." I give him one last kiss and place my forehead on his.

"Go. Make him pay for what he's done." I rise from his body letting the rage and despair fill me. This time when I feel the power coursing through me and the walls I constantly keep up in my head falling I don't try to control it. I don't hold it back. Black markings appear all over my skin. The ground trembles beneath my feet and flames erupt from my hands that travel up my arms.

"That's it, Jade. Let the darkness consume you. Come to me. There is nothing left for you here." The voice comes from a man hidden behind the fog. When I get close enough I recognize him as the man from my last vision.

"You took everything from me. You don't deserve to live." I pull my blades from their sheaths. The ground begins to crack and fall away around us.

"None of this would have happened if you just accepted my offer. All of this is because you said no. Let the darkness consume you and I will give you what you want. Your friends, alive and well." I look across the battlefield at the lifeless bodies of those I loved. Abby, Dean, Asher, Cyndi, and now Zach. I recognize other people from school and their parents. This is all my fault. They are all dead because of me. None of them deserved this.

"How do I know I have your word?"

"A demon always keeps his promise." He says with a devilish grin his pitch black eyes gleaming.

"I want everyone on this battlefield alive and well and to be unharmed."

"You have my word." He extends his hand out to me and I shake it sealing the deal. A second later all the bodies that were once lifeless stand behind him alive and well. They look around confused. I see my group of family and friends together looking around until their eyes land on me and the demon. Realization dawns on them. They shake their heads or cover their mouths eyes wide with shock.

"Jade, no!" Cyndi yells.

"I'm sorry but I had to. All this is my fault. You didn't deserve death. None of you. Not for one person."

"Your turn." The demon says his grin growing even wider. I look at Zach and see the heartache in his expression.

"I love you," I say to him. "I love all of you." I look at the faces of each and every one of them. "Never forget that." Then I let the fire consume me. I let out a cry of pain as my soul is ripped from my body. The flames dissipate and I stand at the ready. The black markings cover my entire body except for my face and my eyes are pitch black like the demon standing before me. I feel a grin split across my face. "How can I serve you, master?"

I rip my hands away from Norae's and shoot out of the chair.

"Jade, Jade." I hadn't noticed Asher and Abby standing right in front of me. Trying to make the images go away I shake my head back and forth over and over. No, no, no I repeat to myself.

"No what? Jade, Jade, look at me. What did you see?" I move my hand to my face when I feel something on it. When I swipe at it my hands become wet. I hadn't realized I was crying. "No what, Jade?" Asher says shaking me. I must have spoken out loud on accident.

"Did you see it?" I ask Norae.

"I was able to see pieces. It was your vision, not mine and your guardian is quite strong." When I look at her I notice a sheen of sweat glistening on her face. "From what I did see, everyone you love will die and you can either save the world or join the man who wants to destroy it to bring them back."