1 PROLOGUE

I sat at my desk writing. Which seemed like the only thing I did these days. Aside from watching netflix and playing video games when I was off from work. I dreamed of being someone in the future but anytime I try, I seem to fail at doing so. I loved being who I was and sometimes being myself caused people to get jealous. I saw everything in a different light when it came to stuff and people. I guess a lot of people do that just to make their lives more interesting compared to most. I mean, I grew surrounded by men who thought their ego was bigger than their brains and sometimes I felt like they didn't respect me so when I was eighteen I decided to book the hell out of my home to start a fresh beginning but even then I found that more difficult. I needed a job, which I found, working as a server full time. Every amount of money that I earned I put toward a savings account that I secretly hid from my egotistical family and waited for the right moment to leave.  Of course my father didn't like it and decided to rob me of every penny that I earned. I was torn from anger and sadness but that was all that I needed to leave. Finally fed up with what they were doing to me. I always felt trapped in the confines of the those walls and I feel free at last. Willing to accept that my destiny lies elsewhere, however the destination is unknown, I was ready. Ready to spread my wings and soar above those that were bashing me over and over until I felt like I was nothing. I can tell you, I was finished with those that were tearing me down.

 I am Lily Swanson and I am ready to soar.

****

Ten years later…

"Where are we going?" I asked Emma as she dragged me down a narrow alleyway that leads to a dead end. She didn't respond to my question and I tugged my wrist out of her hand, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. She turned her head to look at me, her glossed lips glittered beneath the soft glow of a nearby street light but half of her face was concealed in the shadows, unable to read her expression. "Em," I said in hopes to draw her attention to me instead of her drawing back from reality. "Are you okay?" I asked.

Emma shook her head as if she were in a trance. "Yea," she instantly responded but I could tell that something was wrong. She normally doesn't act like this unless she was hypnotised or drawn to something unusual. My heart leaped in my throat and a tiny scream was about to come out when I heard a sound close by but Emma didn't say anything. "They are here."  Her voice wasn't hers either. I could tell because Emma was normally outgoing and cheerful and sometimes attempting to have guys hit on me when she and I go out but tonight was different. It was like talking to an inanimate doll who only spoke unless you made it too. I tried to yank my hand out of her grip but Emma's only tightened to the point where she cut off circulation which made me whimper softly in pain. 

"Let go of me," I demanded. "Em your not yourself." I tried to convince her to snap out of her trance but she didn't budge. Out of instinct, with the martial arts that I took two years ago, I did an under kick to knock Emma to the ground, releasing me from her hold. I shook my hand to regain feeling and began to scan my surroundings. The alley was dark but there was enough street light pooling on the ground to see everything that was around me. Emma was close by. Struggling to get to her feet. A menacing laugh came from her throat. 

"What makes you so sure you can defend off all of them at once?" Emma asked. Her voice still not her own. She was definitely not herself and I had to get her out of here before shit went south. The noise came again and I whirled in that direction, a bang this time.  My fists came into a ball, turning my knuckles white and I heard shuffling of feet then a group of shadowed men. It was difficult to see their faces because they were darkened with shadows from the alley. Their eyes glowed green and I had the sense that they weren't human. When they mouth their mouths I saw sharp teeth and my suspicion was right they weren't human. A small sliver of fear panged at my chest but I didn't show it, instead I quickly reached for the nearest object that was close by. A lousy broken broom that someone had thrown away and held it in front of me to fight of these monsters that stood before me.

I had forgotten about Emma who had dragged me here in the first place. She came from behind me and put me in an armlock that subdued me for a short five seconds before I elbowed her in the gut, releasing me for the second time tonight. "For god's sake Emma snap out of it!" I yelled at her. Then a brief moment of realization came over me, before I left home tonight, I stashed a couple of tranqs on the inside of my pockets and quickly reached for one, ignoring the green eyed men, I quickly rushed over to her while she was down and punctured her neck with the needle, making her fall asleep until this ordeal was over. Then after I was finished with Emma, I turned my attention back to the other threat. The green eyed men with sharp teeth. "Play time." I twirled the tacky broomstick before charging at them.

One of the men side stepped, making me miss the shot to his head, the second one grabbed the broomstick and threw it aside and hit me in the face, causing me to fall on my back. I rubbed my cheek and quickly got to my feet and grabbed another object that wasn't a pathetic broom. A metal rod that was sharp at the end. "This will do." I said nearly out of breath. "What do you want?" After awhile of sparing with these guys. 

There wasn't an answer from any of them, only silence, with Emma behind me knocked out cold. A voice was all but heard in my mind. Veronica Whitmore sent us. We didn't come here to fight. I wiped my brow and glared at them. His voice was heavy and calm, given that we had just fought. 

"So all of you came here to fight?" One of the shadowy men only nodded and I had the urge to kick myself for making the first move but I couldn't help but think that I was about ready to die so the only option was to defend myself and Emma who was clearly hypnotized. I glanced at Emma who was laying on a heap of trash bags that leaned against the brick wall. "You didn't hypnotize my friend by any chance did you?" I asked them as I pointed at Emma. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were all rumbled from the situation at hand.  The second shadowed man shook his head and he blinked his green eyes. "So it must of been someone else that was controlling her." The statement was soft beneath my breath but I was sure that the men could hear it considering that their abilities might of went beyond the creepy vibe that they sent out. I didn't know who they were and what they wanted but I am sure that this Veronica Whitmore knew me from the possibility of spies watching me and my everyday life. About five years after I had left my brutal egotistical family I was introduced to something beyond my control. The Supernatural World where everything that you could name existed. This even included Heaven and Hell combined. So who knew what or whom I was dealing with. Regardless, I promised myself that I would be prepared for the worst. 

The mutes who still before me, waiting for my answer and yet I felt like I should bring Emma home safely so that way she was out of danger, and that I could go with them without any worry of her getting hurt.Veronica is waiting. The first shadowed man said. I sighed and I quickly asked "Who is she and what about you? Got a name?"

Hans Romaro. Second in command to Our Lady. I nearly laughed because the way he made it sound was that she was more important than the rest of us but I kept myself in check.

I cleared throat and calmly collected myself. "Help me take her home first," I said pointing to Emma, The traq lasted a while so I had some time to kill to get her sleepy ass home. "Then you can bring me to this almighty woman you serve." The last comment was meant to be a joke and I flapped my hands in the air for emphasis but neither mute seemed to catch on to what I was saying. I finally gave up and huffed a sigh. "Come on." I turned my attention to Emma as I brought one of her arms over my shoulder and the other under her back to wrap securely around her waist. I looked up at the mutes who only stood there in complete silence which really fueled my anger. I glared at all of them and sighed heavily. Lazy retards. I don't think they can hear me either. Such gentleman. If they expected me to corporate then they should help in return for putting me in the predicament. 

I'd watch what you think. It's easy to one slap you and knock you on your ass. It'd be a lot more fun to shackle and drag you by your knees and watch them get scraped off your bones. Hans sounded angry but in my own mind I could care less. They showed up causing trouble and now this? Screw them. Whatever this Veronica chick wanted, it better be good. I hated when people read my mind because then they'd know my every move so just in case when I headed out for a night on the town I safely threw a safeguard up just as a precaution for any peeping toms on the hunt. In this case, I had forgotten because Emma was persistent on hanging out tonight which literally made me forget about safeguarding my head before I pulled on something I'd normally wear. A fresh pleated red polo and some faded jeans that blended in with the darkness. It made my night more astounding, the feeling of cover made me seem like a ninja undercover.

The mutes, on the other hand, seemed more dangerous than anyone would realize. I wasn't prepared for the night ahead. Once I met with Veronica Whitmore to see what she wanted, I'd be more than happy to head home myself and enjoy some down time until tomorrow. "Let's go before it gets any later. Then we can get this over with." I muttered as I carried Emma home