I laughed when Uncle Carter turned in his sleep and laid his arm across Dante chest and Dante groaned. Since Dante was short on money we had to share a room and there's only two beds.

                "Get him off me." Dante hissed and I shook my head. Uncle Carter was snoring, since him dying and coming back has made him a deep sleeper.

                Uncle Carter mumbled in his sleep and my eyebrows furrowed together at the name 'Mia Perry'. Who's Mia Perry? I have never heard of that name before, he never brought up a Mia.

                Uncle Carter groaned and he started throwing his arms around. Dante looked at him like he was crazy until Uncle Carter punched Dante across the face.

                "Ah shit!" Dante yelled as he fell off the bed and I brought my hand up to my mouth, bursting out in laughter. Hadrian jerked as he woke up and he lift his head up from his pillow as Dante got up, holding his cheek. "What the fuck, Carter?" he coldly asked but Uncle Carter stayed asleep. Dante grabbed the other pillow and took Uncle Carter, "I'm sleeping in the car."

                "Don't let the door hit on the way out." Hadrian said and Dante flipped him the bird before he slammed the door behind him. Hadrian called Dante something in Italian before wrapping his arm around my waist and placed his head in my chest. "Fucking prick." he muttered.

                "I knew it would be to much to ask you three to get along." I said. "I know it's awkward right now, Hadrian, but after this is all over it'll be me, you, and Uncle Carter again."

                When Hadrian fell asleep, I moved him off me and he groaned but turned to his side and fell asleep.

                I got up and slid my flip flops on. I went over to my bag and grabbed an extra blanket I had brought from home. It wasn't big, surely not big enough for Dante of his size but enough to wrap his shoulders around. It can get chilly at night. I walked out the room and over to the Dante car. The hood was down and he was staring up the sky from the passenger side, the seat laying down.

                "Come to tell me goodnight?" he asked.

                I threw the blanket down at him, "Here." I said and he picked it up.

                "It has Barbie on it." he said. "How'd you know she was my favorite?" he sarcastically asked and I snorted at him. He sat up, "Can't sleep either, huh?"

                "I try to avoid as much as possible." I said.

                "Well I would to if a ancient Demon was crushing over me to." he said and I scoffed.

                "You do have a Demon after you." I said. "Remember?"

                "I try to forget." he said. He crossed his arms over the door and leaned against it, "You know what I can't stop thinking about?"

                "I have a feeling I don't wanna know." I said.

                "Oh come on, let me share my deepest secret." he chucked. "I mean, we're both two misunderstood children in this wicked world." he sarcastically said and I glared at him.

                "Just talk, my toes are freezing." I said.

                "I have kissed so many girls before." he said.

                "Oh boy." I groaned as I turned my head away. I can't believe he was bringing this up! That's in the past, it should stay in the past where it belongs. Something my stomach turned and I bright my hand up to my throat when I felt this pressure.

                "None of them had perfect lips like you." he said.

                I swallowed this lump feeling in my throat. 

                "I can understand why Hadrian. . .loves you in his own weird way." he said.

                "Dante, stop talking." I said. "Don't bring that up, do you like causing drama?"

                "Yes, it's one of my favorite talent, number six actually." he said and I rolled my eyes. "But I'm being serious, I can't stopping thinking of it. . . And you."

                "Well you need to." I said as I turned but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

                Bad idea.

                "Nevaeh, I know I can seem--oh wow." he said when I bent over and puked my four pieces of steak I had for dinner. Chunk came back up and it was totally disgusting. I haven't thrown up since I was six. I'm always healthy girl, thanks to being a Nephilim so I always had a hard time getting out of school.

                When I stopped puking, I was leaning against the car on my knees and it was not a pretty sight. My knees wobbled as I stood up but big mistake because I threw up again.

                "Wow, I have never seen that much throw up." Dante said in disgust.

                "Oh man, that was horrible." I said. "I shouldn't have ate so much half done meat."

+

                "Uncle Carter, who's Mia Perry?" I asked.

                He chuckled, "Huh?" he asked as he looked away from the road. "How do you know that name?"

                "You said it in your sleep last night." I said.

                His smile dropped and he cleared his throat as he shifted in his seat, "No one, an old friend."

                "You know I'll need a little more than that." I said. “Did you date her?”

                His hands tighten around the wheel and he face looked hard as he stared out the window. I knew I should probably just leave it alone but she must have been someone important for him to be fighting in his dream. “She’s an old girlfriend, yes.”

                “I never heard of her before.” I said

                “I dated her a long time ago. The first real relationship I had, but I ended it.”, he said.

                “Why?” I asked.

                “It was around the time your father passed. She was living in Texas and I would always visit her, made me even question about being a Hunter any long. Like I was in love.”, he chuckled and I smiled. “But when your father passed, I promised him I would take care of Courtney, you, and your mother. I couldn’t see her anymore and I could only do one thing I knew best to support you three. I never told her the truth anyways and it was best to let her have a normal life.”

                “Well I’m not a child anymore and my mother hasn’t needed support for a long time now.” I said. “Courtney going onto high school next year, I can take care of them both now. You should go see her again, she sounds amazing if she could make my uncle fall in love.”

                He chuckled, “That sounds like a nice dream, but it’s been eleven years and she’s probably married. I can’t drag her back into this life, it would be wrong. She deserves better than me.”

                “Well Uncle Carter, seeing her isn’t going to hurt at least.” I said. “And why do you think she deserves better? You’re a great guy, you should really start thinking about maybe settling down. You know, have a wife and pop a few adorable kids.”

                “Kids?” he asked, laughing. “Oh no, I had enough with just your and Courtney. Even, I’m forty years old, I’m to old to become a dad.”

                “Lots of people have kids in their forties.” I said. “Have a normal job, come home to the kids, and they’ll attack your legs screaming how much their miss you.” I chuckled.

                “Sounds like a nice thought, but I’m not daddy material. Your father and I parents died when I was in middle school and your father mostly took care of me, it’s why he was ready to have his own.” He said. “But me—I don’t know. I can’t see myself strolling around a stroller.”

                “Well I can.” I said. “You did a job with me and Courtney.”

                He just smiled.

                “And one more thing.” I said. “Stop at this McDonalds, I have to pee like heck.”

                +

                My eyebrows furrowed together when Uncle Carter drove up to the Dia house and saw the door wide opened like it had been kicked in. I didn’t even wait for the car to fully stop as I opened the car door and I ran over to the house. I ran up the porch and inside the house. I make a disgust sound when I smelled this horrible smell of rotten meat that turned my stomach around. I saw dark blood splattered on the yellow wallpaper and it was a mess.

                The others ran inside and Gavin told Junior and Dante to go upstairs to go look for anything. I looked around scared before I walked forwards towards the kitchen. I brought my hand up to my mouth when I saw where the horrible smell came from. A died Demon laid on his chest with a pool of black blood around him. The kitchen was worse.

                I heard a whimpering sound and like a dog, my ears perked at the sound. I looked at the closet in the kitchen, seeing a red hand print on the door. I was breathing hard as I walked towards it, “Nellie?” I questioned.

                I touched the knob handle and I opened the door. Inside the closet was Nellie crying, blood covering her, and Ricky laying in her arms. My hand flew up to my mouth, “Oh, my God.” I said since. . .he looked dead. His throat looked slashed and Nellie had her forehead in his shoulder, crying.

                I gaged my breakfast came up and I ran over to the stink, puking because the horrible smell of rotten meat made me. I felt Hadrian hands go on my waist as I puked. Nellie screamed when Uncle Carter was probably trying to pull her away so he let her go apologizing.

                When I stopped, I leaned against the sink breathing heavily.

                Oh no, oh no, this is all my fault, I thought. I knew blaming myself wasn’t going to help, but I had gotten here so late.

                I washed my mouth out quickly with water before I turned and went over to the closet. I pushed Gavin out my way and bent down next to Nellie who was cradling Ricky head.

                “What happened?” I asked and she sobbed. I placed my hand on her arm and she jerked, but didn’t attack for me to pull away. “Nellie?”

                “These. . .th-these two guys broke in.” she said as she sobbed. “They were after me and Ricky fought one of them off. The other one slashed Ricky throat.” She sobbed harder. “I had the gun and. . .and. . .and I shot him. I dragged us in here and been here all night.”

                “I’m so sorry, Nellie.” I said.

                “Just go away.” She whispered and I bit my bottom lip.

                “Nellie, we have to—“

                She pushed me away and my back slammed against the wall, “Just go away!” she yelled at me. Hadrian ran in, but I held my hand up and shook my head. Tears rushed down Nellie face as she looked down at Ricky face and cupped his cheek.

                I moved back over next to her, “Nellie, I’m so sorry. I should have came faster, I’m so sorry. But listen to me,” I said as I grabbed her arm and pulled her to face me. “I have to take you away.”

                “Huh?” she questioned. “No! I’m not going anywhere.”

                “You have to.” I said and she scoffed, glaring at me.

                “I’m not leaving him! You’re insane if you think I will. Leave me house now!” she yelled. She looked back at Ricky and so much guilty I have never felt before rushed threw me. Tears stung my eyes and I wiped across my face as a few feel. I couldn’t cry, not right now so I pushed them back.

                “Nellie—Nellie look at me!” I yelled when I had to pull her away from Ricky body. I hated being pushy, I knew this was a very serious thing and really hard on her, but I have to get her out of here. “What happened was horrible, he fought protecting you. He wants you to live, Nellie. Come with me, I need to get you somewhere safe now. Staying here is a bad idea, please don’t make us drag you out of here kicking in screaming. Trust me.”

                “I can’t though.” She said. “He’s dead because of me.”

                “No, it’s not your fault. It’s no one fault.” I said as I lifted her up which she fought but gave up. “We’ll call the cops when we’ll leave, okay? Right now, we need to leave before more of them come.” I said as I pulled her heavy cold body out of the closet.

+

                I walked into the motel room where Nellie was. She was sitting on the bed, looking down at her hands, and she looked so lost. No emotion in her eyes, nothing. I set the clothes I had brought over for her. I not sure what her size was, but she looks around my height and weight. I set them down on the bed and went into the bathroom. I wet a wash cloth and went back into the room. I sat next to her and started cleaning the blood off her face.

                “He isn’t exactly gone.” I said and she looked up at me confused. “If Ricky was a good man, he went somewhere good.”

                “Like heaven?” she scoffed. “God will let all of this happen?”

                “I think God lets us make our own story, rather than show our way. Our decision and Ricky decision was to make sure you’re were safe.” I said and she snorted as she looked away. “He’s watching down on you.”

                “You don’t really believe that whole bullshit, right?” she asked. “That he turned into an Angel and looking down on me.”

                “He didn’t turn into an Angel, but he is watching down on you.” I said. “I know he is, my father watches down on me. There’s a way for us to go on a visit in a way and I saw my dad in heaven. He showed me that he really was watching down on us all these years.”

                She looked up at me again, “Don’t lie to me.”

                “I’m not.” I said quickly. “Nellie, after everything you think I would be lying about this?”

                “Nevaeh, just tell me the truth. What is going on? My husband is dead, I think I can take the truth.” She said and I bit my bottom lip, but told her everything about how Senka is after Nephilims and how I was coming to take her back to my mom where she and Ricky would be safe. “Oh, my God.” She said as she got up, looking sick.

"It's why I was coming back." I said.

"All because you didn't kill this--werewolf you said you did!" she yelled.

"I said she's gone and I was on the verge of dying." I said as I got up. "My friend was over powered by her and it's not like we expect her to go find this guy."

"Take me home." she said, walking over to the door but I ran over and blocked it. "Nevaeh, I'm not staying!"

"He'll only send more after you." I said. "I don't know what he'll do with you, I don't want to think what he'll do to you. I want our kind to be protected and safe, we're all we got Nellie."

She scoffed, "My kind is my family back home. We're completely different in many ways."

"Like?" I asked. "Our parents are pretty much siblings, we're cousins."

She laughed but lacked humor, "Me and you? Pretty little white girl, your parents kept you so safe from the world huh?"

"I was pulled out of that bubble when I was 16, trained my ass off to protect the world." I said. "My decision and my decision is to make sure you're safe. God apparently wants you safe to if he gave us your name."

"God?" she asked, snorted. "God took my husband."

"A Demon took his life." I said. "I know it seems unfair and it is, Ricky was a good man. But Nellie, he would want you safe don't you think?"

"I've been fine all my life without you." she said. "Move."

I shook my head, "No, I can't. You are going to Charleston and staying safe there until it's over."

"And when's that?" she asked.

"I. . . I don't know." I said and she rolled her eyes, turning away and went over to the bathroom. Thank God I looked to see the was no window in there.