(Hey everyone, and Happy Easter to you all! I hope you've had a good day, whether you celebrate or not. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I REALLY like this chapter, so please let me know your thoughts on it. New chapter will be posted next Sunday, as always. I love you all, and I hope you enjoy!)

The remainder of the day was uneventful. Jasmine asked me to help her plan outfits for Hawaii, and I agreed, even offering to let her borrow a few of my sundresses. We chatted away like we used to, before life had become so complicated and full of demons and death threats.

There were so many thoughts rushing through my head that I wanted to talk to Sebastian about, but I couldn't get a moment alone. Everyone wanted to spend as much time with me as they could before they left for a month, probably because none of us were sure if they'd see me again.

By the time I finally made it to bed, I was beyond exhausted. I lay down on my bed and immediately fell asleep, only to wish that I hadn't.

*

The manor was ablaze with bright orange flames. The sounds of crackling fire and screams filled the night air. The breeze was tainted with the putrid scent of blood and smoke. I gagged on it, falling to the hard ground.

I glanced up from coughing in time to see a pair of bright red eyes staring back into mine, and a sadistic smile on the demon's lips. I screamed, only for it to fade away as I found that I couldn't look away, or even move. And I was beginning to feel as if I didn't want to.

A moment later, the demon was knocked away from me by a flying kick from Sebastian, and I was finally able to avert my gaze as I felt myself take control again. He then stood in front of me, guarding me from the hundreds of other demons that were advancing on us.

The screams multiplied, and I looked around Sebastian and saw Sarah, covered in blood, falling to the ground.

I gasped in horror, then glanced around. My friends, all of them, were down on the ground, soaked in what I could only assume was their own blood. All but one.

Jasmine was staring at them, wide-eyed.

"Jasmine!" I screamed. "RUN!"

She turned and stared at me, but didn't move. She was petrified.

"Se-" I started, but was interrupted and instead screamed as a demon rammed his arm through Jasmine's stomach. My tears overflowed as I watched the demon pull his blood covered arm away and my best friend fall to the ground.

"JASMINE!! NOOO!!!" I screamed.

I lifted my swords from beside me and stood, but I wasn't able to run at the demon like I'd wanted. Sebastian turned and lifted me up, running the opposite direction.

I screamed and cried and kicked, trying to break free. Eventually, I gave up and just cried. Why? Why did they have to show up tonight? Everyone was leaving for the airport in the morning. They would have been safe. Now they were all dead. I hadn't been able to help them. I was never able to protect anyone...

The next time I looked up, we were still being pursued. Sebastian wasn't any faster than the other demons. In fact, some of them were gaining on us. One toward the front then suddenly lurched forward, aiming a hand of sharp claws at my face.

*

I woke up screaming, fighting the blanket that was wrapped tightly around me. As soon as it was removed and thrown on the floor, I held my face in my hands and cried harder than I ever had before.

A moment later, the door opened and Sebastian entered. He sidestepped the blanket on the floor and made his way to me. He didn't say anything as he wrapped his arms around me.

"They killed them..." I cried. "They killed all of them, then one of them tried to kill me..."

Sebastian was gently rocking me back and forth, trying to calm me. I was crying so hard I could barely breathe. I felt sick from the sight of blood from my dream.

I tried to speak again, but became choked on the large lump in my throat. I coughed violently, trembling in Sebastian's arms.

"Breathe, Chrystal," Sebastian ordered. I got my coughing under control and took deep, shaking breaths. He was right, I needed to calm down.

After several failed attempts, I finally succeeded in remembering how to breathe, but it did nothing to calm me. I continued to cry into my hands.

"You need to calm down, Chrystal. It was just a nightmare."

I felt myself nod, and began taking deep breaths again. After ages of deep breathing, I finally calmed enough to stop sobbing.

Sebastian smiled. "There you go."

I wiped my tears away and looked up at him. "Why was one of them trying to kill me? I thought all of them understood they need me. Sure, we were resisting, but..."

"There are plenty of demons that will stop at nothing to make sure the prophecy does not come to pass," he answered. He opened his mouth to continue, but closed it instead.

"What? What were you going to say? If it has to do with any of what's going on, I deserve to know."

He gazed at me solemnly, then reluctantly said, "I'd say one of them is who killed your parents."

I stared at him, confused. "Why would they do that? The ones who had been trying to kill me were sent by the demon from last night. They weren't supposed to hurt me. They disobeyed their orders."

Sebastian nodded. "Perhaps they disobeyed because they were convinced by another demon who wanted you dead."

I was shocked. "So the car crash..."

"Most likely a demon caused it, and you were supposed to be the casualty."

"My parents died because a demon didn't want some prophecy to come true?" I stared at the wall as fresh tears pooled in my eyes. I looked back up at Sebastian, thinking back to what the nurses had told me in the hospital when they found no sign of me hitting the ground. "So is it possible that someone really did catch me?"

"I'd say so. Someone who knew about their plan and wanted you to survive." He smiled suddenly. "Chrystal, so many people are counting on you, but believe me, I am not going to force this fate on you. It is a heavy burden you will bear."

I looked back down at my hands. "Is that why you haven't tried to turn me yet? You want me to choose?"

"That's part of it," he said with a small smile. "You are supposed to overcome your trials as a human. It is how we will all know that you are too powerful to remain as you are."

"Powerful? But I don't have any power... All I have is my swords."

"Which, if I may add, you are extremely skilled with. More so than any human I've ever seen."

I looked down at my hands again. "Am I really supposed to be so powerful that people are scared of me?"

"Many of the demons who are scared of you won't even face you now. Only a handful are daring enough to be trying to track you down. I'm sure news has gotten around of our contract by now. They should all be aware of what happens if they attempt to lay a finger on you."

I felt myself relax at that. Sebastian was under a promise to protect me no matter what. Any demons who tried to come near me would have to first go through him. The weaker ones at least seemed to know their place, and that helped to lower their numbers significantly.

Sebastian then suddenly pulled back from holding me, a slight frown on his face. I glanced up at him, his gaze directed somewhere else. "You should try to get back to sleep. I have something I need to take care of, and you need your rest."

"'Something to take care of'?" I asked, staring at his distracted face. "What is it? What's going on?"

He stared down at me, his expression softening as he saw my fear building again. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Rest."

I felt myself nod, and he lay me back down against my pillows. He picked up the blanket from the floor and tucked me in, then smiled at me before leaving the room.

I'd wanted to call out to him again, but lost the will as I became aware of my exhaustion and fell into a dreamless sleep.