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You've gotta be fucking kidding me! Even my luck couldn't be this bad, could it?

I stared at Katarina dumbfounded.

"Hi!" Said Grace. "My name is Grace. What's your name?" Bella, the girl who approached us initially smiled down at her.

"My name's Bella, adorable."

The initial shock was fading and I knew I had to do something. As such, I spun on my heels and tried for the door. Grace stopped me.

"Where you goin'?!" She accused in that high-pitched, adorable voice of hers.

"Grace, honey, sweetie. Your big brother has work to do. I am sure you can survive one lousy afternoon without one of us, right?" She shook her head emphatically.

"Alright then, I guess you're not staying either. C'mon We're going home." I told her, taking her hand in mine.

"You can't do that." Scowled Bella. "You need her father to sign her out."

"Fine." I sighed, taking my link out of my pockets and dialled Darling.

"What's it?!" He grumbled. "I ain't free ya know!" I snorted.

"Yeah, right? And what are you doing, exactly darling? You busy with those damned girls of yours? Have they dumped you yet?" He hissed at me.

"What do ya want?!" He growled.

"Sign Grace out of Kindergarten, father." Even through the link, I could feel the intensity of his glare.

" I won't." He said evilly, a tedious smirk on his face.

"Why not?" I groused, the atmosphere already dropping in temperatures rapidly.

"'Cause payback's a bitch." He hung up. I slid the link in my pocket, fighting the urge to smash it against something: more specifically Darling's head.

And revenge is a dish best served cold.

"Grace," I told her ruffling her hair as I started for the door. "see ya home, sweets." She clutched at my leg, wrapping her arms and legs around it, refusing to let go.

"But, but..." She started to sob. "I love you,"

Don't look down. Do not look at her. I told myself, but it was futile.

"I love you, big brother," She said, sniffing. "And-and I don't want you to leave." I did look down at her big moist eyes and she won. I stayed, because what kind of monster would leave after that?

"Ahh...!" Bella swooned. "So cute!"

Katarina was being awfully silent as she stooped down to Grace's height and gave her a tender, warm smile. The gesture seemed contradictory to the sassy girl I had come to know. The light of her eyes was calm and warm, like the sun in the evening. Grace pursed her lips before she hesitantly smiled back.

"Hi, sweetie. My name is Katarina. Would you like to play a game with me?" Katarina inquired and so I spent the next seven hours tortured by the two of them as they soon became best friends. As I watched her play with Grace the thought of harming her suddenly stung like a scabbed burn and my heart pounded in my chest.

What had she done to make it so impossible to save her? But then I knew. She had knocked on the door of the devils and they had answered.

The final bell rang as Katarina and I stared at each other.

"So, we still having lunch at your place." I nodded. Silence. I took a deep breath and spoke rigidly, though I tried to make it seem normal.

"I... You can come with us. I brought my car..." For some reason, her cheeks brightened and the glow of her eyes blazed.

"Th-That won't be necessary." She bristled. She looked down at her clothes. "Also, I think I'd like to change." I didn't answer.

"Alright then." I inclined my head to her and spun around to take Grace by the arm leading her away from the room. I stopped at the door and glance at her from over my shoulders.

"Katarina," What do I want to tell her? "Curiosity killed the cat." I walked out and I never looked back. Little did I know that Katarina was not going to make it to lunch after all.

Once more, my presence was required, but this time I was to attend the base nearest to the third district an hour or so, less if I go in full throttle. Dragonfly, Grace and Darling are riding ahead of me in Bullet, while I rode solo in Ace.

I was also informed that the mission was completed. Poseidon, the general of the third district had supposedly captured my target- Katarina and was holding her in. I met with him in his office trying to restrain myself from craving his head off, on a platter, or at least off his shoulders. He led me through the hallways, to the prisoner's "cells". In truth, it was more of an animal's cage unfit to even exist and I should know. Been there done that. I wasn't looking forward to repeating that wonderful experience. Our footsteps – well, at least his – echoed back to us multiple times with a shivering clarity.

The sound abruptly died, and I glanced to my right. In the tiny "cell" – which was barely fit for a child let alone a grown human being – was her. She was bloody and bruised: her breathing ragged.

"Your newest recruit. Her initiation ceremony is in two weeks. Good luck, Commander." He sneered my title as if it was the lowest rank there was. I stared up at him and swiftly swept him off his feet, mine on top of his chest whilst my dagger pricked his neck. A single trail of blood ran down and he gulped: hazel eyes open wide.

"You seem to have forgotten who I was, general. Don't you dare interfere with my missions again." I said coolly, my voice obtaining a nonchalance I really didn't feel. I pressed the dagger a little more. "I could kill you at any moment." I continued. "Don't you ever forget that," I pulled away from him and turned to the cell. I unlocked the door and she fell out. The injuries were ones someone would often obtain by fighting off their assailant.

A fighter? Good.

I kneeled over and picked her up in my arms: her head lulling against my chest. I turned to face Zeus. "Why is she in a cell?" He let out an awkward laugh.

"A feisty little one is that. She fought with the best of them. Any other would've been killed on the spot, but his highness wanted her trained as an assassin. He said that she may be of use to us and as such ordered me to hand her over to you." I didn't answer. I just spun about to the exit, where I've left my car. She might've been better off heading to an execution that stuck with me.

"Alexia, open door." My digital companion did as was ordered of her and let me in. I carefully placed her on the passenger seat and hopped in on the other side. "Instrumental music. Preferably depressing." I heard Alexia tsk at me before she obeyed, except it was "uplifting". I manually changed it. "Not in the mood, Alexia," I said.

"You're never in the mood!" She retorted appearing as a hologram on the steering wheel: barely larger than a small ornament. Her white hair was long and her honey-eyes searing. "Honestly! All you do is frown. I'd kill to see you smile for once."

"And all you do is argue with every order I give you. One of these days I've oughta re-program you." I sighed wearily. She flicked me off and disappeared, only to reappear again in front of Katarina.

"Who's she?" I shrugged.

"Newbie."

"She's bleeding out." I gave a disgusted sigh as I looked down on my blood-stained clothes.

"I know." She gave an arch stare.

"Aren't you going to do something about it?"

"There is nothing to do." She sat down on top of the dashboard.

"Just who are you convincing? Me or you?" She vanished. I cursed under my breath and looked sideways to Kat.

Don't. Sunshine will take care of her. It's not your place.

I turned to the forest and into the trees: stopping when I came face to face with a boulder. I touched my glove compartment and out came a first aid kit.

I am hopeless.

I took off my long coat and laid it on the soft, cold grass as a makeshift bed and then laid her on top of it. The cold air was biting, but it would only take a few minutes. I cleaned her face up first, bandaged the bruises there and slowly inspected the rest of her. Her arm wasn't broken but badly bruised. The worst of all though was the blade wound in her side. I inspected it and grimaced.

It would need stitches... Immediately.

Should I do it?

I sighed in supreme aggravation as I lifted the hem of her shirt higher exposing her wound, but no higher than that.

Darling would probably be tsking at me. Whatever.

I cleaned the wound and started stitching it: careful as not to hurt her or wake her. That would end with me bitch-slapped for the effort if anything.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Just as I was finishing, Kat's eyes flew open and I cursed. She panicked, and I threw my arms out to keep her still.

"Lie still!" I barked. She fought harder. I grabbed a paralyzer and injected it to her. Her body was still, but her eyes and their unearthly intensity scorched me: calling me every insult and more.

"You should've listened," I mumbled, though I knew that had I been in her place I wouldn't have. "You were badly wounded, and I was trying to stitch you back together. Had I not stopped you all of the stitches would've come undone and then you would've bled out anew." Her golden eyes accused me of being a liar and as I glared back into them.

"Katarina. Just, listen to me. You're hurt. Let me stitch you back and then you can come at me whenever you want, but for now, lie still." She was still trying to fight me, but the paralyzer held.

Poseidon was right! She's a feisty one.

I continued stitching the wounds: her golden eyes on me the entire time. Her wound was too large for any of the bandages I had. It was too raw for me to leave it open and thanks to my idiocy, I can't instruct her to hold a cloth to it. I looked down my t-shirt.

Could work and I would still have my coat... maybe.

I took off my shirt and the girl's eyes widened. I ignored her and folded the shirt to fit her wound. I then tied it up and sat back evaluating the time I have. Her blood was already soaking through the dark material.

Twenty minutes. I have twenty minutes.

I quickly scooped Kat up in my arms and placed her in the passenger's seat. Alexia had re-appeared sitting on the steering wheel.

"Fastest route home, Alexia." She scanned Kat and frowned.

"How long do I have?" She said as an air-screen appeared in front of her. She plotted the way.

"Twenty minutes tops."

"Ohhhh." She ridiculed. I hissed at her. She disregarded me and faced Kat. "You better hold on to your seat if you can, honey. We're in for a bumpy ride." She wasn't exaggerating, at all.

We reached my house in fifteen minutes and I carried Kat into the living room. Grace was in the doorway and I almost tripped over her.

"Black!" She said. "Where you been? You said you're going to take me out! You didn't! You lied to me! You were late! Where were you?" She demanded.

"Grace! Grace! Where is Sunshine?" I said. She pouted, her auburn hair falling over her face as she crossed her arms.

"Who's she?" She frowned trying to stand up on her tiptoes to see the girl.

"Our newbie," I said. Kat was staring at me in a way that told me that I was in for it when she regained control again. Grace's whole attitude turned upside down. And she let out a screech so loud, I jumped.

"A girl? We have a newbie girl?!" She ran ahead to tell the others.

"Sunshine! Hawk! Dragon! Darling! We have a newbie!" I rolled my eyes and out came Sunshine wearing a pink apron of all things. As he wiped his hands on a towel, he turned to me with a worried scowl.

"Newbie?"

"Bleeding out," I added. He came and took her out of my arms, then laid her on the couch. Sunshine smiled warmly at her and somehow that seemed to make Katarina relax a little. Well, that was until Nighthawk penetrated the room, a scowling 6-foot 8 beast. Katarina blanched and fought harder. It only got worse from there.

"Newb! Show yourself!" He barked the order, managing to appear even more frightening. Sunshine let out a disgusted sigh as he carried the girl and entered the closest room, shutting the rest of us "nosy unmannered boys", as he called us, out.

It was rather comical the way the four of us: me, Hawk, Dragon, and Darling, sat in the room looking back and forth between us. It was because we never had a newbie girl before and Grace doesn't count, being that she was a baby. The last girl to ever come close was...

It didn't matter. It was new, and we didn't like it, not even Darling did.

"What are we going to do about her?" Dragon was the one who broke the silence. They all stared at me. I shrugged.

"Train her?" They scowled.

"Why?" Nighthawk sounded disgusted by the mere suggestion.

"Orders," I answered simply. They all looked at one another, a silent conversation made with their eyes. Dragon grimaced. None of them answered for a while until Hawk reached for the can of cookies.

"Yeah, right! And since when do you follow orders?" He scoffed.

"I don't," I answered simply. He gave me a peeved stare and Dragon shoved me.

"Will you tell us what you're thinking!? Or are you gonna pretend you don't have a plan." Hawk growled, and I stared at him. A knife escaped my hand and flew past his head to the portrait at the other end of the room. Dragon scowled at me. I was breathing deeply.

Why had I done that?

They were all looking at me funny like I was wrong in the head: insane, even. I was – still am. Disgusted I stalked towards my room and locked the door after me, sinking to the ground. My shades abandoned. Why had I done that? Why? I looked out the window, to the cloudy sky of November. It was that time of the year.

Don't think about it.

How could I not?

I looked down to my blood-stained clothes, but it wasn't Katarina's blood I'd seen, it wasn't my teenage body that was covered in it. I saw the body of a kid, bruised and broken. The blood wasn't Katarina's, but... I clenched my jaw and stormed to the bathroom shoving my head under water until my lungs burned. I needed the pain. I needed an anchor: a reminder. I was alive. Was I?

The voices returned to torment me.

I dumped my red-stained clothes and stood under the ice-cold shower. I felt numb. I always was. I looked down my right wrist where the tattoo was: the tattoo of a blood-stained white rose. My throat tightened and stung. I flipped my other wrist where the tattoo of a broken dagger was encircled by a hissing serpent.

"I am the predator: not the prey: not the pawn."

Later that night when all was (supposedly) asleep. I changed into my all-black running gear for my midnight or early morning daily runs. The first rays of sunlight were yet to fully appear, thus giving the cold November sky a dark, twilight dress.

Stardust, my faithful bird companion sat on the windowsill outside. I opened it to admit her in.

"What is it, girl?" I pushed back my curtains. She simply stared outside and held out a strand of long dark hair. The newb. "She ran away, didn't she?" I sighed wearily.

The bird shook its head in a way that resembled a nod as I grabbed a hooded-shirt and shrugged it on while leaving through the window of my room and into the tree across.

"Let's get her back, but next time I am tying her to the bed at night or at least locking her in." I jumped out as the bird flew up ahead, leading the way.

The first few kilometres were clear as it took me almost an entire 15 minutes until I've finally located our new friend. There you are! I made my entire way climbing and hopping from tree to tree silently. I guess in a weird, twisted sense, it was more interesting and challenging that way. I watched her silently. She stopped dead in her tracks and surveyed the perimeter and the close by trees. I did the same, not a single shadow out of place and not a single sound. She didn't notice me. I took a position sitting up high on one of the branches behind her.

"Didn't anyone tell you that it is highly rude to leave without a single goodbye, greenie? Now, there's the easy way and then there's the fun way." I said evilly as I jumped down to land gracefully next to her while grasping her wrist: stopping her punch. "I seriously hope you won't be doing this much, because otherwise I'll be rather tempted to tie you back to the bed and while I don't mind it, I am sure you'd rather be free, or as much as possible anyway, correct?" I continued, all the while shrugging off her attempts to escape as if toying with a kid. Not bad. I wonder what her story is. "Honestly I've expected better from you. Next time, if you want to run away, watch out for Stardust."

"It's hard to watch out for someone you never met." She fired back accusingly, still trying to strike me. She did have a point, but wasn't it obvious...?

"Come on. Didn't you figure it out yet?" I prompted escaping yet another fierce punch and sweeping her off her feet so she landed stretched out on her back. She didn't like it. I walked towards her as she glared up at me and then a spark of recognition lit her eyes as she noticed Stardust in the trees up above.

She locked gazes with me.

"Stardust is that bird, isn't it?" she asked, letting out a strangled breath, which caused her raven hair to fall off her face. I reached out to help her up, but she slapped my hand away. I retreated as she got up to her feet. She dusted herself off as Stardust landed on my shoulder.

"Bingo." I was rather amused as I clutched her wrist anyway and started walking: hauling her along with me. I know that wasn't a way to treat a greenie, especially a girl, but as I stated before I lack both social skills and house training. I kept my grip firm, yet gentle enough not to hurt her. She was cold to the touch. I shrugged off my hooded-shirt and tossed it to her. She seemed surprised by the gesture.

"What about you?" She asked, noting that I was wearing a sleeveless t-shirt underneath: my tattoos visible. I shrugged.

"What about me?" I fired back. She didn't argue. The wind howled, biting and slashing through the trees, but I was accustomed to it.

"So how long are you going to keep me?" She asked, breaking the awkward silence between us. I didn't answer, in fact, I ignored her completely. That set her temper on fire. "Let me go. Now. Don't you get it? I am not like you. I have a purpose, a reason to live. I need to fulfil a promise. I have to leave. I have to go, now. I promised her. I promised, and I never break my promises. I have to find Thanatos." She sounded desperate as she kept on trying to shake my grip off while whining like a child about having to leave far away. But how the hell did she know Thanatos? He was inactive for three years: most believed him to be dead. There was that one thing that set my temper boiling though. "Don't you get it?! Are you really just that heartless? I have to go, or she died for nothing!! I can't let that happen, ever! Do you have any idea what it's like to have the one person in this entire world that you love above all else bleed out in your arms while you sat there holding them and weeping not able to do a damned thing about it?!" That struck home because as soon as that last statement escaped her mouth I pushed her into the pool outside of my house, but right before falling face first in the water she grabbed my shirt and hauled me in as well. It outta be said though, if I was dumb to fall, I probably deserved it. "What was that for?!" She snapped as she shoved her hair out of her face and glared at me with those burning golden eyes of hers. When I spoke, I could feel my cheeks burning with the anger and hostility I felt.

"You think I don't know pain? Do you honestly think that you're the only one who had to watch someone you care about die? Well, news flash, while you only had to suffer through it once, I have had it far more times. So, to answer your questions, yes, I do know about pain and yes I do care about the others. And if you think that for one minute I would hesitate to kill you should I even suspect for a nanosecond that you're a threat to them I will pull the trigger, conscience and morals be damned. So, if I were you I'd wake up before I got myself killed." I said as I got out of the pool and dragged her inside. I left her downstairs too stunned to speak, but now that I look back at it, I realize just how cruel that was.