"You know," I said when we were halfway back, "The Torch has some of the weirdest allies."

"They're only allies to the right people. Most of them hate hunters, hate Klarke. That group I sent you to would have killed you on the spot for what you are."

"Yeah, thanks for that one." I grumbled. 

"I knew you could handle yourself. I've seen you fight. I've seen you not fight." He gave me a sideways glance, reminding me of how I threw the initial exams. 

"So what, these are friends of the Underground Torch?"

"You could say that."

"Why have you opened up and told me these things. I could be a liability. I could go and tell Klarke everything you've said."

"You could," Isaac nodded. "But you won't."

"And how do you know that?"

"I'm a sensitive. And I've seen how you behave. You have a werewolf boyfriend, you ran away from your home because of it. You broke down when you had to torture that wolf. You're not going to tell Klarke anything. You have too much to lose."

It was like he knew me better than I knew myself. I wasn't going to tell Klarke anything, it could reveal me just as easily, and Isaac had a loaded gun with my name on it even if I did. 

The car pulled into the tunnel and Isaac parked close to the entrance. 

"Now go be a good little soldier. You need it more than I did, and that witch fucked with your head to get it."

"Like I need reminded," I grumbled as I got out of the car. 

The security took one look and let me pass without going through the hassle of screening. They knew me by now, almost everyone did. I felt like I was slowly working my way up to teacher's pet and I hated it. All this yes sir, of course sir, how high sir, was bugging the crap out of me, but I couldn't stop. I had to stay on Klarke's good side. At least until I had a way to get back to Jared and out of here, or a way to take him down. 

I rounded the corner, making a few more turns before I was standing outside of Klarke's office. 

"Well do it better!" A phone slammed down and I froze. 

Did I really want to go in there? Oh just do it you coward. How bad could it be?

I knocked on the door frame, peeking through the crack of the opening. 

"What is it?" Klarke yelled.

Okay, really bad. It could be really bad. 

"I-uh-we found the pack, sir," I stuttered. I smoothed my hands over my shirt, swallowing the bit of fear. "They're organizing another attack. They'll be ready in three days."

Klarke pulled the door open. His eyes glared down at me, but there was something else, excitement? No. I'd seen that in my father's eyes. Anytime he was proud of something I'd done or said but just wouldn't say it out loud. I'd gotten good at discerning those looks from him. It was the only time I knew I'd done something well. 

"Then we'll need to act fast. First thing in the morning. It's late and most everyone has left. You said three days?"

"Yes, sir." 

"Then yes, first thing in the morning." Klarke shut the door, dismissing me. Just that easy. 

I couldn't believe he wanted to wait until the morning. He had been ready to pounce on them earlier, he'd wanted the information within the week, and now he wants to wait until morning when we know exactly where they are. 

Muffled angry words came from the other side of the closed door. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I wish I'd been able to. I shrugged and went back out to the car. 

"He wants to wait until morning."

"You've got to be kidding me. I was certain he'd call everyone in."

"I think he has more pressing matters with a phone call." I rolled my eyes. 

"A phone call? Really?"

So it wasn't just me. I wasn't crazy. 

"Can you take me home?" The word felt empty. After everything that happened today, that place didn't feel like a home. 

"You can stay with me tonight if you want."

I knew he was offering out of kindness. He knew what was going on with me. His abilities were back up ten fold apparently. 

"I just want to be alone."

Isaac didn't have anything to say to that. He only had two other options, call me out on my lie, or pretend like he didn't know it was one. He obviously wasn't up for doing either of those. 

I couldn't help but like this long lost cousin. It was like we were close (thanks to his abilities) but he knew when and when not to push something. 

The car pulled up to my home. "You don't need to wait until I get to the door." He nodded and I waved him off after I closed the door. 

As soon as his car disappeared, I pulled out my phone and called a cab. The thing I had hated most since getting to London. 

It didn't take too long, and when I hopped in I told the cabbie to take me to any bar near the edge of town. He looked in the rear mirror and shrugged, pulling out. 

I didn't care where I went, I just knew I wanted to get out, have a drink, and try to clear my head. 

I reached into my pocket and thumbed through bills to pay the driver when he stopped. I hopped out and went to the first bar I saw, not bothering to look at the name, making my way straight to the bar. 

"Can I help ya?" The bartender asked. 

"If you have a favorite drink, I'll have one of them. If not, give me whatever."

"You're not from around her are ya?" He asked with a dazzling smile as he grabbed a glass and started working on the drink. 

The Electra in me wanted to give him a smartass remark. Naw, what gave it away? Was it by chance the American accent? Instead I shook my head. "California." 

"A coast lass. What brings ya all the way here? Business?" He looked me up and down, or at least what he could see above the table. He knew I looked young to be here on business. 

"A guy. Foolish, right?"

He slid the glass toward me and I took it, pulling out another bill to pay. 

"I don't know. 'tis only foolish if you let it be."

"Yeah, well he left and now I'm on my own." Shut up Electra. Don't tell your whole life story. This guy now knows a young woman is in a foreign country all alone. I could have smacked myself. 

"Seems only foolish for the lad then. Leavin' a beautiful creature like you on your own." 

"Well, you could say I deserve it."

The man's head tipped back and he laughed. "What'd a lass like you do to deserve something like that?"

"Killed a man." I took a sip and looked over the top of the glass. 

The man's laugh stopped and his eyes grew wide. 

"Kidding!" I said laughing at him. If only he knew.

He laughed again and I could only lift my brows to keep from shaking my head. 

I ordered another and kept up the small talk with the man. It was nice to talk to someone who didn't know anything about me. I could choose to keep whatever parts of my identity I wanted. I didn't have to worry about being found out. And he was just so easy to talk to. t downed drink after drink, but I didn't even feel fuzzy. Was I growing a tolerance? If so, that was probably a sign I should stop. 

I looked at the time and it was after midnight. I needed to head back home. Good thing too, I had just enough to pay for a cab back. 

"Thanks for the company," I said I stood from the bar. 

"Come back whenever ya like." He flashed a grin at me. 

Not likely. I didn't even know which edge of town the cabbie had brought me to. I was going to have a fun time getting one to pick me up. Maybe I should have thought it through better. 

As I was going through the door, I had to turn to make room for the person coming in. My hand brushed theirs and I sucked in a shallow breath. It was like the wind had been knocked right out of me, and a second later, it actually was. 

My back hit the wall just around the corner in the alley, and the reflection flashed off his eyes. My breathing came in shallow, shaky drags. My limbs were as heavy as bricks, and I wanted nothing more than to lift my hand to his face, to run my fingers through that hair, to press my lips to his. 

I leaned forward to do just that, but he held firm, his arms stretched out, elbows locked. Keeping me at a distance. 

"What are you doing here?" His voice was low. 

"I could ask you the same thing," I whispered. 

Jared sighed. 

I realized his hands were on my covered arms. He'd felt the heat when our hands brushed. I know he did because I did. I would have walked right past him if that hadn't happened. But it looked like he had no problems not touching me, that it didn't pull at him to make that contact again. 

"Jared, please." My voice was a quivering mess. 

He sighed again and shook his head. 

"Why?"

"Because, Electra. I just can't."

"Because of Thomas," I said, my eyes going to the ground. 

I couldn't look at his face anymore. It hurt too much. If I'd have known how much this would hurt when I first met him, I would have stayed far away. I'd been content in my life before Jared came into the picture. He'd been just another person I had to worry about, one I just had to care about, and one who hurt me more than anything, because just like my mother, he'd left. 

This was different though. His leaving was his own choice. He'd made the decision to walk out the door, and here he was in front of me again, about to make that decision again. It hurt more because I knew he was still around somewhere, but he choose to not be with me. 

"It's not just Thomas."

The picture that witch had planted in my head came to mind again, and I felt like my heart was either going to stop dead, or explode out of my chest. What if it had been real?

"Electra, I have a lot I need to sort out, things I need to decide for myself. What you did is hard for me to get over, but it's not the only thing on my mind."

Well you've been the only thing on mine, I wanted to say. 

I wanted to take back every word I'd said, ever action I had made, everything that led us right to this point. I wanted to take back my mother's death, or the decision I made to hunt after the creatures that roamed in the night. I wanted to take back that stupid Alpha that had bitten Jared. I wanted us to be two regular people. People with flaws that were easy to get over. 

I wanted our only problems to be that he chewed with his mouth open or snored, and that I left clothes lying around the floor, or that I didn't put the cap back on the toothpaste. Why could't those be our problems?

I wanted to kiss those lips. I wanted to taste them again. I wanted to do more than that...

For a second, when I looked into his eyes, I saw those same desires in him. They quickly hid away again and Jared's grip loosened. 

"I'm not ready to come back yet, Electra. I don't know when I'll be ready."

I think I found my dagger again, and Jared just put it straight into my heart. 

"I should...get going then," I said. 

Jared let me go and pulled a phone out of his pocket and dialed a set of numbers. He gave the name of the bar and the address giving the description of me. 

"A cab will be here in a few minutes."

I pressed my lips together and nodded, not trusting my voice. 

"Electra I-"

I pulled down on my jacket to straighten it. "It's Eliza," I said completely devoid of any emotion. I pulled my hair out from under the collar of the jacket and let it fall as I walked away. If he wanted to play that game, then I would let him. If he wanted it to be easy, I would make it easy. 

I was reminded of the time I'd tried to make it easy for him, to have him make the choice for me. He'd refused. Maybe I should have as well, but I was hurt. I couldn't do it anymore, I just couldn't. 

One tear made its way down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away, waiting for the cab that would take me back to the cold, empty home. 

**********

So there it is, another chapter, and we've seen Jared again. Looks like he's having a hard time accepting it all. And it looks like our little Electra is wishing she never would have let anyone past her guards. 

Thank you all for sticking with me. Remember to vote and comment. The star is right below, or in the top right corner. Whichever one you feel like pressing!

Yours truly,

Red Assassin