Assigned Protector

The knock on the door pulled them apart from each other quickly. Dimitri headed towards the door and opened it to see Jared standing there, "Sir?"

"We have to talk right now, it's urgent."

Dimitri looked back at Kat.

"Not by ourselves." Jared looked at Kat too, he was a little shocked that she was lying on the bed with only a towel on.

"Kat I'll be back." Dimitri closed the door quickly as he stepped out of the bedroom. He followed Jared to his study. "Sir what's going on?"

"Jayce is coming after you, Vanessa overheard him talking to Larson," Jared began to pace back in forth frantically. "I think we need to call it quits with you and Kat."

Dimitri tensed and glared at his leader, "I'm sorry what?"

"Distance yourself from her, go back on Jayce's side."

"Sir, I can't do that." Dimitri clenched his fists together, trying to keep his anger at bay.

"We don't have a choice, Dimitri." Jared sounded exasperated and at a loss of what to really do.

"I'm not turning my back on her, I can't let them try to come after me, I can handle it and I'm stronger than all of them," Dimitri said through clenched teeth, he'd die before he'd let anything happen to Kat or turn away from her.

"No, no more fighting."

"And Jayce asking me to kill you and her will be okay? You know that's the exact thing he will ask of me the minute I go crawling back to him. And he won't stop there and you know it, once you're gone he will kill every single one of those defenseless people who just needed a home, he's sick Jared and someone needs to take care of him." Dimitri glared harder at Jared, "How do you expect me to turn my back on her when just last night you were telling my care deeply for her, I just got her to forgive me for what happened in the training room today if I turn away from her now then she'll never forgive me and I can't let that happen!"

"Don't you dare forget who you are talking to Dimitri, I am in charge and if I tell you this needs to happen then it needs to happen, don't you dare yell at me ever again!" Jared's voice boomed as he stormed up to Dimitri. "You can't tell her, she'll give you away, now go to Jayce, plan and go from there, that's an order." Jared turned his back on Dimitri trying not to let him see how weak he was getting and how much effort this argument took from him.

Dimitri stormed out of the study. He couldn't believe what Jared was asking him, for ten damn years he had protected Kat, and now he was expected to drop everything and turn away from her. He may have gone too far in the courtyard, but there was no way he could have let Jayce kill her and he had been so close to it. He headed to the training room and began to attack a punching bag. It was all bullshit. He gritted his teeth hard the violence not reliving anything, he knew what could relive it and he wasn't allowed near it right now, for God knew how long. Why couldn't he just kill Jayce and Larson, he could do it with so much ease.

He kept the assault up for an hour before he finally went crawling to Jayce.

"What happened to you'd tear me apart if I came near her again?" Jayce snickered as his black gaze glared at his so-called best friend.

"You know I had to say that with him there, honestly, I'm quite tired of the damn game, let's just get rid of them before it's too late." Dimitri's voice was hard and emotionless. Kay would never forgive him, he wouldn't blame her either she deserved more than he could ever give her anyways.

Jayce's sick grin played on his lips, "About time you've come to your senses."

Chp six

Today was the day, no turning back, no mistakes could be made. Jayce had been switching the serum in the injection his father had been taking. The man was a complete idiot. Everything would be going right from now on, first, his father then her.

Jared was shocked when he heard about the onslaught that was happening between his people. The ones who were loyal followers to him and ones who were loyal to Jayce. It was complete madness and he had to end it, "Whatever you do Dimitri keep Kat inside, don't let her see anything or know what is going on."

Dimitri scoffed and shook his head as Jared rushed out of the castle. This was going to be a long night and he had no clue how to keep Kat inside once she found out what was going on and that Jared threw himself into the middle of it. For months now he had avoided her, actually been mean to her on occasion. He was so used to it now that it came naturally and he hated it.

Dimitri managed to keep Kat at bay, mainly because she didn't know Jared was out there.

The next events unraveled quickly and knew he would become unsuccessful at keeping her from knowing anything. Everything seemed to happen so fast but moved so slow at the same time.

The fighting had ended, Jared was rushed to his bedroom. Dimitri could do nothing but watch as the blood gushed from the un-mendable blow to his beloved leader's head. He didn't understand it was impossible. Nothing should have hurt him like this, he'd been taking the serum every day since Kat showed up at the castle all those years ago. What was happening?

Dimitri glared at the people who brought Jared in, "What the hell happened?"

"He had just come out to break up the fight when the grenade was launched at him, they were aiming for him Dimitri, it all happened so fast, he's not going to make it." One of the loyals explained.

Dimitri knelt beside the bed, he grabbed Jared's hand lying his forehead against it. All this fighting, just to keep Kat alive when he could have finished himself months ago by taking out the main cause of the fighting. All the death just to keep her safe. He wasn't sure if he understood anymore. He sighed when he heard the unmistakable voice he hadn't heard in months. It still sent shivers down his spine.

"Jared, Jared!" The voice yelled from the hallway. "I want to see him, you can't stop me, I have every right to be with him!"

Dimitri turned towards the door, he didn't want to leave Jared for a minute. But he knew he had to get Kat under control before she hurt someone or herself.

Jared's eyes fluttered open, his gaze blurry, "Dimitri," his voice rasped. "Dimitri."

Dimitri turned towards Jared fast, "You need to rest Sir."

Jared grasped Dimitri's hand tightly, "I don't want her to see me like this, please Dimitri, don't let her in here," he choked out. He let out a hoarse cough, words were getting too difficult to get out but he had to so much to say. "You have to promise me to protect her, don't let anything happen to her," he paused trying to catch his breath. "I want you guys to belong to each other, she'll forgive you over time, win her back and keep her safe, I'm afraid she's this world's only hope now." He took one last shallow breath before he slipped into oblivion.

Dimitri's body tensed, his beloved leader was gone, he had to get Kat's trust back, but how? Why when Dimitri had obviously cared about Kat months ago Jared made him stop? Now he had to pick up the broken pieces he had left Kat in, start over. He clenched his fists and stood up from the bed and turned towards the door, he opened it just in time. Kat had the two guards flipped on their backs and her hand was heading for the knob.

He grabbed her hand hard and fast throwing her over his shoulder with ease. He stalked down the hall to go to her room.

Kat was so angry, no matter how hard she punched, kicked, or how loud she screamed, it didn't affect Dimitri, "Let me go, you can't stop me from seeing him!"

When he finally got to her room he threw open the door with so much force it hit the wall with a loud thud and slammed back shut. He threw her down on the bed roughly, "You can't see him right now, I won't let you."

She got off the bed and glared at the man who shattered her world, "Why, you were in there."

Dimitri shook his head. They had taught her too well. She never backed down when she was supposed to. It was what got her in trouble the most anymore.

"This isn't fair!" She went to go around him but before she could go any further he shot out his arm grabbing her around the waist, hauling her up against him hard.

He clenched his jaw at the feel of her soft, young, shapely body against him. God how he missed her. His icy glare caught her wide innocent soft one. "Kat, he's gone, he's a mess right now, your last memory of him will not be the gory mess." He didn't want to be so brutally honest with her but sometimes that was the only way she understood.

Kat frozen when he pulled her up against him. Just like the last night, he'd talked to her and then walked out of her life. The way she had dreamed about the last few months since the first time. Her head began to cloud with the same want as before, but how could that happen when she was just told that Jared was gone. Gone. The word echoed throughout her head. She didn't understand, she knew what they were, she knew how it all worked but here she was being told he gone. "How?" she asked completely dumbstruck. "Fix it, Dimitri, you can fix it."

"No I can't, it was too late by the time he got here and I don't know how it's possible either." He loosened his hold on her which much have snapped her out of her dumbstruck state.

She wiggled out of his arms and shoved him back from her into the door of her bedroom, "Of course you wouldn't know, you left us, betrayed us, to go to that dirtbag friend of yours, that's the plan, isn't it? You got rid of Jared and now you're here with me alone, I'm next, aren't I? Well, go for it already, what are you waiting for?" she demanded glaring at the man she once trusted.

He straightened himself from the door, "Kat don't do this, please don't, I'm not going to hurt you." He walked toward her but she backed away from him.

"Get away from me, you're the enemy." Kat backed away more, did she have what it would take to fight him off if she had to? She was taught to trust this man for ten years then out of the blue everything changed, she had just let him take her to her bedroom, what else would she let him do to her?

"Angel, listen to me," he begged but was hit with a kick to the gut. He groaned a little but caught her leg in one of his hands. He kept a hold of her leg and caught her flying fists in his other hand. He spun them around against the door pinning her hands above her head. "Katrina, stop it, I'm in no mood to fight with you, Jared needs tending to, arrangements need to be made, now shut the hell up and listen to me damn you."

Kat looked up at him wide-eyed, confused, but tightened her mouth shut.

"I'm not going to hurt you, when I turned my back it was Jared's idea, plan, everything. Jayce and Larson were coming after me, I tried hard to let him just have me end both of them, none of this would have happened, now I need your trust in me again, I am still your protector and I'll never be anything different, open your heart Kat, you know I'm telling you the truth." He moved closer to her perfectly shaped, gentle body, so much strength in a fragile little thing. "You have to trust me and I need you to stay in here while I get Jared cleaned up, once that is done I promise I'll take you to see him."

Her gaze hardened instantly, trust this man? He had to be joking, open her heart, yeah right, she did that before and he turned his back on her. "Fine, I'll wait," She clenched her jaw, that was all she was going to do. She'd never let this man in again. She was on her own or she was certain her death would be soon. "I want to see him."

Dimitri pulled Kat closer and hugged her gently, "Soon Angel, I promise." He knew exactly how she felt.

"I just don't understand." She looked up into those icy blue eyes. She pushed the tears away quickly.

Dimitri sighed, his kind didn't have hearts anymore, but when it came to this mortal he had compassion, needs, wants, and he cared about her a lot, "I just didn't have enough time to help him and I don't know how he was injured by the blow from the grenade, trust me I know exactly how you're feeling." He pulled her against him tighter forgetting he could actually hurt her from such an embrace.

Kat felt the pain rip through her back and ribs, "Dimitri," she gasped out placing her hands against his chest. "Let go you're hurting me."

He let go letting her fall to the ground, "I'm so sorry, are you okay?"

She slowly stood back up, "Fine I want to know who killed him."

"Trust me so do I, I will do my best to find out who did this, they won't get away with killing him." He had his suspicions but wasn't one hundred percent sure, because that man shared everything with him and this plan had not been exposed to his knowledge. If he found out Jayce did this then Jayce would be dead by morning and everything could just fall into place and there would hopefully be peace.

"Dimitri?" Kat's scared, gentle voice broke through his thoughts. "How long before I can see him?"

He smiled gently as he brushed his knuckles against her cheek slowly, "Just give me half an hour, I'll have everything cleaned up then I'll come back to get you." He headed out the door and locked it knowing he couldn't trust her to wait. He knew he had to keep her safe no matter what it took.

Dimitri was finally able to get the horrible mess cleaned up. He headed back to get Kat. She'd get as much time as she wanted with Jared. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Alright, come on we should go say our goodbyes now, we won't be having a ceremony, he won't be buried outside either, we'll have to put him in a crypt down in the basement, it's too dangerous outside."

Kat looked at Dimitri from her bed and slowly stood up and made her way over to him. How did she even know he was really going to take her to see Jared? She finally relaxed when they walked up to Jared's bedroom door. Well, at least she knew he wasn't going to kill her right then.

"Kat are you sure you're ready for this?" he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly as he heard her take a deep breath.

She nodded as she laid her hand on the knob, turned it, and went in. She had to say goodbye to the last father figure she would ever know or have. She slowly walked in her eyes fell on Jared right away. She couldn't believe how lifeless he looked. She rushed up to him quickly.

She knelt beside him, the tears falling like a flood, death all over again. First her home, then her real parents, and now the man she had grown to love as much as her real father. She let those tears fall, she felt so weak but couldn't stop them.

Dimitri didn't leave Kat alone but he let her cry. She never had the chance to mourn her real parents, he wouldn't strip her of mourning Jared, he would let her be here as long as she wanted to be. He stood silently in the corner never taking his hard gaze off of her.

Kat jumped and Dimitri became very alert when the door was thrown open hitting the wall. Kat turned fast her gaze locked on Dimitri for a minute then it swung to the man who terrified her standing in the doorway.

Jayce glared when he saw Kat, he rushed over to her and grabbed her hard, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Let her go," Dimitri said gruffly, he hated that Jayce always treated her so roughly.

Jayce turned to Dimitri, "You're defending her again already? He's gone for like five minutes and you jump back on her bandwagon. You have the nerve to protect her."

"Jayce just stop it, don't start, not now. It was your father's last wish for me to keep her safe and protected." Dimitri glanced at Kat knowing she was terrified. "Besides who knows, maybe she will be of service to us yet." He hoped Kat understood he said all this to protect her and make Jayce let her go for now.

Jayce let out a low intimidating growl losing his patience and threw Kat.

Dimitri reacted fast as Jayce threw Kat. He reached out and grabbed her fast before she hit the wall. He pulled her into his protective embrace and kept a hold of her, "If you're going to be like this Jayce then I'm going to have to make you leave, you can come to say goodbye to your father after we are done." He glared at Jayce daring him to make a move.

Jayce was flabbergasted and took off out of the bedroom. He had been betrayed by the man he called father and now by a man he called brother. His father had paid and so would Dimitri.

Dimitri rubbed Kat's back gently, "You are not to go anywhere without me around you understood? I'm not letting anything happen to you. If you don't have me with you then you need to have Vanessa with you, one of us is to be with you at all times understood?"

Kat looked up at Dimitri, "But if you're all of a sudden around me all the time, aren't people going to talk?"

"Oh well then they talk, and if they want something to talk about we most certainly can give them something to talk about." He smiled, it had a dangerous edge to it. He pulled Kat back into an embrace that was gentle this time. He rubbed her back reassuringly as he laid his cheek on top of her head.

Cchp 7

Everything had gotten so out of hand on Felonius. Jared's death five years ago did nothing to settle the violence or deaths. So many more deaths, so many voices were running through her head. Between Jayce hounding her all the time about becoming immortal, Dimitri constantly telling her it was her choice and trying to get inside her head and him pushing her with more training. So many thoughts of what she should do and what Jared would want her to do, and her father would want. All she really wanted was to block out the horrible screams she heard every night from the mortals being slaughtered continuously.

Jayce was demented and Kat had no idea what to do or who to trust anymore. She felt like she could trust Dimitri but she wasn't too sure. He kept following Jayce around like a lost puppy but when Jayce interfered with her Dimitri was right there to protect her. She just wanted everything to stop.

It was three am and Kat knew she should be asleep but her mind just wouldn't shut down long enough. She was staring out her window from the tower she was kept in unless Dimitri let her out. She jumped at the long knock on her door. She sighed not sure who would knock on her door this late. She turned from the window slowly and went to the door. She opened it just a crack.

There stood the breathtaking handsome immortal, Jayce, she hated him. He was more chiseled then Dimitri but he couldn't spike her interest. She went to shut the door a little more, "What do you want Jayce?"

"This is your last chance Katrina, take the injection, become mine and we can rule together." Jayce had become fascinated with Kat ever since she had turned eighteen.

It had only gotten worse since she was now twenty-one. He wouldn't give it a rest no matter how many times she told him no or how many times Dimitri interfered with him, "I'm not taking it Jayce, I want absolutely nothing to do with you." She would never be with Jayce, he was murdering more and more of her people everyday and she would not be apart of it. It helped some that Dimitri was who she foolishly still wanted. He didn't push her the way Jayce did. Dimitri also was the only one who understood how she felt and how she still missed Jared after five years. "You need to leave me alone Jayce before I-"

"Get Dimitri? Go for it, one of these days he's going to get tired of fighting your battles." He shoved Kat back against the wall wrapping his hand around her small throat.

Thanks to Jared and Dimitri's training she was stronger than most mortals. She refused to give Jayce the satisfaction she had given him the day in the courtyard. She didn't let the pain show on her face. She felt his fingers tighten around her neck more.

Dimitri just came around the corner as Jayce shoved Kat up against the wall. He was surprised she didn't flinch from the force Jayce had shoved her with. He cleared his throat, "I think you need to leave her alone Jayce, how many times does she have to tell you she's not interested in you?"

Kat threw a glance at Dimitri, that was all she could handle to look at him anymore when he was in such close proximity to her. If she looked any longer then that his eyes would hold her captured. She managed to shove Jayce off of her while he was distracted by Dimitri. She rubbed her neck slowly, "No Dimitri he's right, you can't keep fighting my battles, I-"

"No Kat." Dimitri interrupted Kat fast hating the hoarse sound of it from the pressure Jayce had held her with. He didn't know what kind of idea she was coming up with but could see her mind working and it wasn't good. She seemed to get herself in more trouble than anything else when it came to Jayce.

Kat refused to listen like she should have, "I will fight Ana, if she wins I'll take the stupid serum injection and become yours. But if I win you have to let me go. I don't want to be here anymore."

Dimitri's stomach bottomed out on him, "Kat no, I forbid it." He grabbed her hand and shoved her into her room slamming the door shut. He turned back to Jayce, "I won't let her do this, and you won't either. All of this is stupidity."

"So you forbid this huh? The last time I checked I'm in charge. I'm the one who took over for my father, not you. She's already made her choice and she will regret it." Jayce turned his back to Dimitri and started to walk away.

Dimitri grabbed Jayce by the arm hard, "And the last time I checked I'm the closest thing you have to a brother and you let her do this then you can consider that done."

Jayce shoved Dimitri off of him pushing him into the door hard, "I don't know what has gotten into you but you are acting worse than when my father was alive and it's disgusting, it's unheard of and you shouldn't be so concerned about a worthless mortal like her." Jayce stormed away.

Dimitri shook his head as he threw open Kat's door, "What the hell is wrong with you?" he grabbed Kat roughly by her arms, "You've lost your mind, you can't fight Ana, she'll destroy you, Kat."

"Then you all will get what you want, I'm tired of being the pitiful mortal Jared took in, I have none of your respect unless I become like you and I can't do that." Kat pulled away from Dimitri surprised she was so bold right now.

"Katrina, you have always had my respect and I understand that you don't want to become like me, this isn't that great of a life, to live one hundred years, and nothing changes except for you." Dimitri searched her still innocent beautiful blue-green eyes, "You change every day, but you have to understand I don't want you to get hurt, I can't let you get hurt." He rubbed his thumb against her rosy cheek gently. He was falling for her hard, so much more than before. He finally understood what Jared's plan was for her and himself.

Kat searched Dimitri's ice-blue eyes and for once she wasn't scared, she didn't feel speechless or frozen either, "You've been even more different towards me lately, why?"

"Because I've come to care for you all over again, it's deeper now, you've touched me in a way I didn't even know was possible for me or my kind." He moved closer to her and laced his fingers in her hair. He leaned down and captured her lips beneath his, this was so much better than the first time he had done it. He was surprised when she didn't pull away and punch him. Her lips felt so good beneath his, soft like rose petals.

Kat wasn't sure how to react to Dimitri's kiss at first. It felt so good, better than the last time. She moved closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her mind was screaming for her to stop kissing this forbidden man. She could never fit into his life because of the fact she was mortal. She would never become like him. She just couldn't do it.

Dimitri slowly and gently picked Kat up and laid her down against her queen size bed. He had no idea how he'd fought these feelings for so long and couldn't go the rest of her mortal life. She had shut him out for so long and now he was trying to get back into her life.

Kat laid her hands against Dimitri's chest and pushed back against him. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen from the passionate kiss, "We can't do this, why put ourselves through this when we know nothing can change. I can't be like you, you have to let me fight Ana, I can't keep living here. If it means I fight and possibly die then that's what has to happen."

Dimitri didn't budge from Kat, he searched her eyes slowly. How could she plan on leaving? Either she'd leave the castle or she'd leave by dying. There had to be another way, he didn't want her to leave, "And what happens if you get seriously hurt?" his eyes bore into hers trying to figure out what she was thinking.

Kat's gaze didn't falter one bit when she asked, "Do you have enough of the injection?"

Dimitri froze for a minute, "I don't know, I might if you don't get hurt too bad but are you sure you want to do that though?"

"I have to do something to get away from here I'd only need enough to heal me. If I'd only take that much it wouldn't do a whole lot of changing me right?"

"I'm not sure how much you could stand before it would. But what if I don't want you to leave Angel?"

She closed her eyes as he whispered his nickname to her. She laid her hand against his flawless, smooth cheek, "How is it fair that I stay here? Be protected while so many of my people are out there dying every day all because Jayce is a pig-headed jerk?"

"Then I'm coming with you."

"You can't you have to stay here."

The knock that fell on the door made them both jump.

Dimitri looked at Kat and gently pressed his lips against hers. He slowly sat up and opened the door reluctantly.

There stood Jayce's right-hand man, Larson, his beady little eyes a hard blue, "Everything is all set, you're supposed to lead Katrina to the arena." Larson glared at Dimitri and Kat then walked away.

Dimitri turned back to Kat as he shut the door quietly. He wished he could get her to rethink everything. He didn't want her to leave, at least if he had her here he knew she was safe. "We could get you out of here without risking any harm towards you I can't help but feel I shouldn't be letting you do this."

"Jayce would take his wrath out on you if he found out you helped me, you have to trust me, I know I can take Ana with no problems." She moved around the man who had captured her heart from the minute she was the little child who needed someone and he had told her the childish bunny story. She headed towards the door when she was pulled to an abrupt halt.

Dimitri grabbed Kat by the arm and pulled her back towards him wrapping his arms around her. "Just promise me you'll be careful." He searched her beautiful eyes. He didn't know when he'd see those eyes look at him like that again, like she saw deep into his soul. He leaned down and caught her soft luscious lips under his firm ones.

They both savored the passionate kiss since they were sure it would be their last one for a very long time. Maybe forever.

Dimitri was mentally kicking himself for waiting so long to make another move on her. He finally acted on an impulse with her again and she was wanting to leave. It was even possible she might get seriously hurt or even die. He hated himself too much for breaking the promise he had made Jared all of them years ago. He brushed his hand against her soft reddened cheek and sighed as he turned towards the door and led her to the arena. He glanced at her hoping she knew what she was getting herself into and would be okay when it was over. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she walked away. All she had to do was remember everything he and Jared had taught her.

Kat closed her eyes tightly when Dimitri squeezed her shoulder. She walked through the doors the new dome-like arena Jayce had added onto the castle when he took over after Jared. Kat had never been inside it before and wasn't sure what to expect.

She slowly pushed the heavy oak door open and took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves as she walked into the octagon-shaped arena. She scanned it slowly and couldn't believe how many immortals were there. It didn't take Jayce long to gather them. But who wouldn't want to see the pitiful mortal finally get put in her place? She scanned the crowd when something caught her eye, a cloaked figure stood out like a sore thumb. If they were going for inconspicuous it was the complete opposite they were causing.

Kat didn't understand why they would be dressed the way they were. She averted her gaze and saw Ana start walking over to her.

Ana glared at Kat as she walked over to Kat. She had wanted this moment for so long, "So you think you have the strength and guts to beat me? The strength I have will kill you in five seconds flat but I will surely enjoy this."

Kat glared back, there was a reason she had chosen Ana, she was so arrogant but Kat would prove her wrong, "Bring it."

Ana let out a yell as she rushed Kat. She had never had any speed and this worked to Kat's advantage.

Kat dodged Ana easily and swung around kicking her hard and she fell to the cement ground. Kat wrapped her fingers around Ana's neck tightly, "I'm sorry you were saying?"

Ana shoved Kat off of her and lunged at Kat but Kat moved fast spinning landing her foot in Ana's stomach hard. Ana went flying across the arena into the wall.

Kat was glad Jared had put her through so much training being so hard and persistent was paying off. Kat could tell she was pissing Ana off so much. She watched as Ana rushed at her again, she thought she should at least give Ana a little bit of a chance.

Ana made contact with Kat and shoved her to the ground hard, Kat's head smacked against the concrete floor. She winced at the pain as the whole room began to spin. She could do this, was just a little bump, push yourself.

💙💙

Dimitri was getting upset up in the crowd, he stood up out of his seat fast. Jayce stood up beside him and grabbed him by the shoulder, Dimitri turned to look at Jayce, "You need to stop this, now." He demanded.

"No I don't think so." Jayce shoved Dimitri down in his chair as Kat flipped Ana off of her.

Kat got back up and lunged at Ana, they rolled across the floor. Kat wrapped her hands around Ana's neck getting ready to rip her head off.

Jayce stood up and shouted, "Enough Katrina, stop!" he couldn't risk the loss of a follower, even if they were as un-valuable as Ana. He motioned for the guards to seize Kat.

The guards rushed into the arena to haul Kat off of Ana, they pulled her out of the arena.

Dimitri stood up and grabbed Jayce by the front of his shirt, "You're supposed to let her go, what the hell are you doing Jayce? She won fair and square."

"All the more reason I can't let her go, she'll be a valuable asset to our army once I turn her." Jayce had an evil smile pasted on his face. This was what he had been waiting for for too long now, she would be finally his.

"Jayce, you can't do that, this isn't what she wants and you can't force her." Dimitri shook of Jayce's hand and took off towards the exit of the arena resisting the urge to punch Jayce.

💜💜

As soon as Kat was pulled out of the arena she began to fight her captures off, "You can't do this, this wasn't what I and Jayce agreed to, let me go, he's supposed to let me go." She struggled against them as their hold on her tightened. She fought them hard, she managed to break their grips on her arms and she flipped them on their backs and ran down the hallway. She couldn't waste any time telling Dimitri goodbye, she had to go while she had the chance. She made it to the exit of her prison. She took one last look before shoving the heavy oak door open and ran for it.

This world was so strange to her now. So many places were destroyed. They were a crumbling mess. She kept running, she didn't hear anyone coming after her but she didn't want to take a chance. Her lungs started to burn as she leaped over all the rubble. She kept running until she came to an abandoned house that wasn't destroyed. She leaped up on to the porch and hid in the shadow as she caught her breath. She leaned over her hands on her knees.

💙💙

Dimitri could do nothing but watch Kat run. He laid his hand against the wall as he felt some pain rip through him. He would find her soon, he had to. He didn't want to be apart from her and yet he couldn't explain what the hell was happening him. He watched Kat disappear into the night. He ran his hand over his face trying to push the pain away. He didn't understand how someone like him could feel like his heart was being ripped from his chest when he didn't even have one. He pulled his hand from the wall balling his hand into a fist and punched the wall shattering the rocks and window the rocks surrounded. His mind was made up, he had to be with Kat, he'd do whatever he could to be with her and help her and her people.

Chp 8

Kat gasped for air as she leaned against the house. Her breathing was becoming normal again. She glanced around the destroyed neighborhood. The sight was almost unbearable seeing the destruction Jayce had caused. She shook her head slowly as she ran her fingers through her hair. She had so much planning to do and didn't know where to begin.

She slowly walked over to the porch railing and sighed as she looked up at the dark star dotted sky. She started to think about Jared. She wished he was there with her, he'd be so much help for her.

All of a sudden a hand flew over Kat's mouth, she began to struggle and fight. She managed to twist away from the person and flipped them through the porch railing. The shatter was so loud and echoed through the deserted neighborhood. Kat glared at the girl that was laying on the ground now. She had never seen her before, this could be anyone though, she hadn't seen any mortals most of her life and same for immortals, but she didn't look like an immortal, "Who are you, what do you want?" she demanded not letting her guard down for a minute.

The girl gasped and coughed as she stood up brushing the dirt and splinters of wood off of herself, "You're Katrina Hale, you fought that immortal at the castle didn't you?"

Kat was unsure as she looked the girl up and down slowly, her gaze narrowed a little when she recognized the cloak, "Yeah and who are you?" since Kat could obviously tell she was a mortal she couldn't be too much of a threat.

"I'm Janell Carson, we want you to join us, me and the other mortals, I've banded together. We want to overthrow Jayce because we are sick of his ways. We've heard so much about you and when Jayce began to get all the immortals rounded up for the fight, you against Ana, I knew I had to see for myself. I just had to see if the stories were true."

Kat looked at this Janell like she was crazy. What stories could she possibly be talking about? She was very confused, "I don't understand any of this. Why would you want me? It's not like I'm special or anything."

"Oh but you are Katrina, I saw you fight plus with Jayce training you, I'm sure you know all his secrets. That would give us the advantage we would need."

Kat looked at the ground trying to push the pain away that hit her, "No Jayce never trained me. He couldn't stand me, it was Jared, he was good friends with my parents so he took me in, he trained me, pushed me every day up until his death, but we shouldn't be talking out here, I'm sure that Jayce'll have every one of his soldiers out here looking for me if they aren't already." Kat scanned the area slowly when the uneasy feeling washed over her.

Janell jumped to attention when Kat mentioned it, she'd never given it a thought, "Oh yes, of course, come on let's go." Janell led Kat to the one place that was safe to talk. She led her through more destroyed houses and buildings.

Kat hated seeing so much destruction, she should have thought of a way to get out a long time ago to stop all of this from happening. She sighed as she saw so many kids out on the street also, "If I had known this was as bad as it is I would have done something sooner, this isn't fair at all. These poor kids, I could have been like them so many years ago, this is so heartbreaking." She almost didn't see Janell stop in front of the abandoned house but she stopped just in time, "Where are we?"

"This is where we've been hiding out at, the goons have already searched this area for people like us, trying to resist and fight." Janell opened the door and walked inside then led Kat down into the basement.

Kat threw a glance over her shoulder before she walked into the house and shut the door. The uneasy feeling became worse as she was led down the steep steps to the basement. She froze on the second to last step when her gaze fell on the people in the basement. This was ridiculous this uprising Janell wanted to create was sure as hell going to have to take more than the six people she was staring at with herself and Janell that'd be eight. This was nowhere near enough.

Everyone grew silent when their eyes fell on Kat, she watched their faces pale at the sight of her. She thought if a pen had been dropped it could be heard throughout the room.

One of the guys stood up slowly, "Janell how'd you get her out of the castle and get her here?"

"She got out on her own and to get her here wasn't too hard. The hard part was finding her when she took off once she left the castle." Janell turned towards Kat she had too much excitement on her face, "Your turn to explain somethings, I had always been told you were trained by Jayce and you said you weren't."

Kat sighed she felt in the spotlight and hated the feeling, "Guess we should start with what all you want to know exactly." She crossed her arms over her chest feeling so vulnerable right now.

"You're the only mortal they left alive for so long but why? You get involved with one of them or what?"

Kat sighed, she wasn't ready for any of this as her mind flew to Dimitri, everything was so painful anymore. Any memories she had of her parents, Jared and Dimitri, "My parents were brutally murdered when I was seven." She closed her eyes tightly. "I saw the life leave my father's eyes, all I could do was run at that age, but like I told Janell my parents were good friends with Jared, they told me to go to him if something happened to them, so I just ran, somehow just as the ones who attacked my parents were going to close in on me, Jared came out of nowhere and stopped them, after that he kept me safe, made me train every day for apparently this day when I escaped."

She took another deep breath and opened her eyes, "He protected me like his own daughter and the one man he trusted was in charge of me as well and he kept me pretty safe, months before Jared's death he turned cold towards me but I think it was more a diversion to keep Jayce at bay for a little bit and so Jared could know what Jayce's plans were, after his death he made that man turn on Jayce again and to become my protector, they both gave everything for me and I am very grateful to both of them.

"At three this morning Jayce was trying to push me to become like him and to rule Felonious with him, I just couldn't do I, although it would have gotten me closer to him and I could have killed him now that I think about it but I was just so focused on getting out of there and getting away, I want nothing to do with his lifestyle I am better than that and I am supposed to take place of my parents. It is my birthright." Kat shivered from the memories, she slowly opened her eyes and knew she couldn't tell anyone about how she felt about the one particular immortal, none of them would trust her nor understand how she felt.

Then again she didn't expect them to if she didn't fully understand herself. She wished he was there with her though and these eight people would be no match for Jayce and his followers. She glanced at everyone in the room slowly waiting for the silence to be broken.

Janell was the first one to break the awkward silence, "You were offered immortality and instead you took on one of them to get away, are you crazy?"

Kat shrugged her shoulders, "I saw Jayce kill my dad and he killed my mom, no way could I become like him, I couldn't just sit there anymore while he was killing so many of my people that I am supposed to be in charge of, I will fight with you or die trying to defeat him, I am one of you and have been my whole life and nothing is going to change that. How long have you been in this house?"

"A couple of weeks." A guy named Nate answered.

"We have to move, we can't stay in one place for too long, it's risking the chance of Jayce finding us easier. They'll be looking for me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute," one of the girls, Carter, stood up. "When did this become we?" Carter glared at Kat. "Why do we all of a sudden need you, why should we trust you? For all, we know you could be working for Jayce and helping find people like us."

Kat scoffed, "You really think I'd have gotten all of these if I was helping Jayce?" she showed off all her new bruises from the fight with Ana and the guards. Kat started for the stairs, "If you don't want my help then I'm gone, you can all fend for yourselves." She turned a little bit, "And trust me if I was working for Jayce this whole place would have been surrounded by now."

Janell caught Kat by the arm, "Carter shut up, we discussed all of this already we were all on board for having her help if we could get it."

Kat pulled out of Janell's grasp easily and turned towards the small group, "Then you better be prepared to listen to everything I say and don't ask questions, we need to move now. If you want to sit here and wait like sitting ducks then by my guest." Kat headed back up the stairs if they followed her fine if they didn't then they were on their own.

Everyone began to grab their things, Janell watched them start to go after Kat when Carter stopped by her, "I hope you know what you're getting us into if we get caught I blame you."

"We won't get caught, she'll help us defeat Jayce, I know it." Janell glared at Carter there was just something about Carter she didn't like. For whatever reason, she had a burr up her ass, if there was anyone they shouldn't trust it would be her. Janell headed up the stairs after the last person began to climb them.

Kat wasn't sure if this group of people were ready to take her in and truly listen to her but she would give it a try. She wasn't sure what to expect but knew they had to get more people involved.

Once everyone got into a different house that was far enough away from the castle and settled in Kat pulled Janell aside from the group.

"What's up?" Janell asked when they were out of earshot from everyone else.

"To beat Jayce it's not going to be easy, the hard part is going to be to kill him and not just because he's immortal but because we'll probably have to get back inside the castle. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it but I'll try my best."

"You were close to him weren't you, since you were raised together?"

"No we were never close, he hated me, I mentioned the one I was protected by, him and I was sort of close to but I don't know any more about him, he's had to flip sides so much I don't know what's real and not real with him anymore." She blushed at the thought of the kiss before she left to fight Ana.

Janell walked up to her and touched her arm gently, "I'm sorry Katrina, all of this must not be easy on you, but it's like the prophecy that every immortal has been afraid of since Jared died."

"Prophecy? What prophecy?"

"Wow, you really don't know much do you?"

"I'm afraid I don't, Jared never told me much, he just made me train and train, but I must warn you I wouldn't be too impressed with my fight with Ana if I were you, she's one of the weaker ones." Kat sat down on one of the steps that led upstairs.

"But you got strong enough to fight that fight like the prophecy says." Janell sat on the floor opposite her and tilted her head up.

"You're going to have to explain this to me because I really do not know what you are talking about." She was so confused and was getting angry that Jared had kept something like this from her.

"Oh, where to begin," Janell started and crossed her legs in front of her in apparently deep thought.

Kat took a deep breath, "How about you think about it some and you tell me more about it later." She stood up from the steps and began to walk up them to go outside.

"Where are you going? You're not leaving us are you?" Janell stood up fast and caught her arm.

"No, I just need a moment, I have to prepare myself for a lot of change, I feel like that's all I have ever done in my life but please just give me some space right now." She turned back and her blue-green eyes collided with her brown.

"Okay, sure no problem I'll try to come up with an easier explanation."

"Thank you." Kat continued up the steps and carefully peeked outside before she walked out and leaned against the porch railing. She looked around at all the destruction around her and began to tear up. Why was this all on her now? What would have happened if Jared hadn't saved her in time and the people who killed her parents had killed her too? This was her birthright to be the leader of the mortals, Jared had said so that day.

Was she ready to do that? She hadn't thought everything out before breaking out of the prison she had been in for way too long. What if she had left sooner? Would this have been done and over with by now.

'Jared, Dad, Mom, I am so lost! I don't know what to do or what is expected from me anymore, I wish you were here to help me, I can't do this alone but it looks like I am going to have to, these people can't take on Jayce and his loyalist, we will all be destroyed before sun up if we ever attacked them.' She glanced around again then up at the sky. 'Always be with me, always love me, always be there for me. Lies.' The stars twinkled back at her as she stared, no moons tonight, it was so dark and creepy just like the night she ran from her home where her world had been shattered.

But she was the daughter of Julius Hale, the adopted daughter of Jared, both great leaders, and Julius' blood ran through her veins, and Jared's training and care ran deep too. She let out a breath she could do this. With or without help, she would kill Jayce even if she died in the process, anything would be better than the idea of that sick bastard of perfect.

Chp 9

"How the hell did you let her get away, it's not that hard to keep a hold of a pitiful mortal!" Jayce yelled at his guards, he was livid at the stupidity of his men and glared hard at all of them.

Larson was the one to step forward, "I'm sorry Sir, but she was trained by your father, she is one hell of a mortal, for all we know Jared gave her the serum and she already is an immortal."

Jayce stood up and rushed over to Larson then slammed his fist into his face hard, "If I wanted excuses I'd have all those useless mortals here instead," his black gaze hardened even more. "I guess if I want something done right I must do it myself, or if you can't handle one stupid girl I'm sure Dimitri would love to handle it and have way more success then any of you."

Larson staggered to his feet holding the spot Jayce's fist connected with, "You know she's not just one stupid girl Jayce, and if Dimitri is so great then where is he?" Larson gestured with his arm around the room. "I don't see him here, it seems to me he's let that one stupid girl stick her claws into him just like Jared did."

Jayce glanced around the room and sure enough, as usual, Dimitri was nowhere to be found, he looked back to Larson, maybe he was right. Dimitri always reassured him that it was only due to a promise made to Jared. But lately, it seemed to be more than that, "I want them both found now! If they are together I want them brought back to me unharmed, I want to deal with them, go!" Jayce waved his hand dismissively as he shouted.

He had to stop this from happening, he didn't want things to change. He couldn't let Kat and Dimitri be together if that was what was going on it would ruin everything he had done in this world and what he had made it be would collapse and crumble before his eyes.

~

Dimitri hadn't been able to stand it any longer, he left the castle shortly after Kat left to find her, he had to make sure she got away and that she was safe and sound.

He was feeling so empty without her and he didn't understand why. He had started to care for her a long time ago, he had been devastated when Jayce had attacked her after that he knew he wanted her in his life but this emptiness was crazy.

But over the years after switching sides, no one really trusted him and he didn't blame them. That first kiss the day Jayce attacked had always been so fresh in his mind and so many times he had wanted to hug her, kiss her, and other forbidden things he shouldn't do with someone like her always invaded his thoughts, awake or asleep.

He was going through the wreckage after wreckage trying to find her. He glanced back at the castle that was now a prison instead of a home. How long could he look for Kat before Jayce found out he was missing. If Jayce found out he was gone there would be hell to pay.

Dimitri was so close to giving up, he couldn't be gone too much longer now. He turned to head back but stopped short when he saw Kat walk out of one of the abandoned houses. The heart he knew he shouldn't have soared at the sight of her. He was glad she seemed to be okay.

He began to turn away until he watched her first look up at the moonless sky then she seemed to just fall on the steps and hung her head in her hands. Then the rocking back and forth began.

He moved closer to her but tried to stay hidden and quiet, he didn't want her to see him but then the sob escaped her and he knew she was crying. He moved even closer as he ached for her and the more he watched the more he wanted to go to her and wrap his protective embrace around her.

~

Kat looked up fast when she felt like she was being watched, she scanned the yard. Her gaze landed on a shadowy figure that seemed to be someone watching her. She was afraid it was Jayce, she couldn't handle herself so soon after the fight with Ana, it had actually taken quite a bit out of her she just wasn't showing it. She got up quickly and moved back towards the door. She turned quickly laying her hand on the knob just getting ready to open the door. This was the stupidest thing she had done since the day in the garden.

Before she could turn the knob she was spun around fast, she let out a little bit of a scream as she lost her footing.

~

Dimitri's cold heart broke when he saw her so upset, he thought it would have been enough just to see that she was safe, he had been wrong. He rushed over to Kat as she spun around to open the door. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him before she could go.

He hadn't expected that when he pulled her back around she'd lose her balance, he wrapped his muscular arms around Kat steadying her.

~

Kat tried to get away from the person who had a hold of her, she pushed her hands against their chest, "Let go of me!" she yelled as she looked up and looked straight into a pair of ice-blue eyes. She knew those eyes, she froze in the iron embrace, no one else had those eyes. She couldn't believe Dimitri was here.

"Dimitri?" she whispered searching his eyes.

"Kat, what are you doing out here, you need to be more careful, Jayce wants you dead, you shouldn't be out here, he won't stop until he finds you." Dimitri laid his hands against her cheeks gently.

"Dimitri, what are you doing here? Jayce will want your head if he finds you with me, you need to go." Kat couldn't believe he was standing in front of her, let alone got out of the castle to get to her.

"You know I don't agree with what Jayce is doing, I hate what he's turned this world into," Dimitri grabbed her hand and took her to the side of the house where he hoped no one would see them. "I want to help Kat, it might take me a little bit to get away from Jayce but I am going to help you."

Kat couldn't believe her ears, she didn't even know what to say or do except stare at Dimitri, "But, how am I going to trust you, I can't make others' trust you if I don't trust you myself." She tried to step away from him, she wanted nothing more than for him to stay with her but she couldn't let him cloud her judgment, "I can't bear it if anything happened to you either." She let her guard down too much when she told him she didn't want anything to happen to him.

"Kat you know I don't agree with Jayce, that all wasn't fake, me following Jayce was fake, in some crazy unexplainable way over the years you have touched me in a very special way if you had been anyone else I wouldn't be risking myself like this."

"Dimitri, have you forgotten you're an immortal, I am a mortal, if they catch you with me then they will either kill you with me or you can tell them you captured me and save yourself." She laid her hands against his powerful chest. There was nothing more in this screwed up world she wanted to do more than trust him.

Dimitri pulled Kat against him hard and captured her lips beneath his, he slid his hands around her loosely.

Kat couldn't help herself she wrapped her arms around Dimitri's neck pulling him even closer. She should have had more sense then to let him kiss her the first couple of times and she didn't why would this time be any different? She had longed for him for way too long, every day of him training her, every time he touched her body until he switched on her and Jared but even then she knew if he came to her she would accept him without hesitation. She couldn't do that this time could she?

She winced in pain when Dimitri tightened his arms around her, she pushed back against him, pulling her mouth away from his, as soon as she broke the kiss she wanted him back, she had to be strong and firm, "We can't do this, it hurt when you grabbed me like that, I know you can't control it but I don't know why we ever thought any of this could work between us."

Dimitri automatically loosened his grip around her, "I'm sorry Kat, I'm not trying to hurt you, I'll learn and get better at controlling myself."

She couldn't help herself once she looked into his eyes, they drew her towards him every time more than his embrace had. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stepped on her tiptoes then pressed her lips against his gently. Maybe after all this time her dream to finally be with him was coming true. Maybe she could trust him.

She pulled back slowly and locked her green-blue eyes with his ice blue ones, "Okay Dimitri, I trust you but for right now I think we need someone who is on the inside, I had a plan but doubt you will go for it, I'll try to figure something else out, you better go before someone finds you here with me."

~

Dimitri kissed her one more time before he left making his way back to the castle. He hated leaving her but he knew she was right. Who knew how long it would be before he'd see her again, "I'll be back though, I promise."

"Be careful." She whispered as he left her arms and headed back to the castle.

~

It felt like her heart was being ripped from her as she watched him leave. She didn't know how long she would be okay for until he was back with her. He always gave her more strength than herself, but this time she had more to fight for, freedom, she wanted it for herself and her people and she would make it come true. She stood there and watched until his body became just a memory.

She headed back into the house and slowly went downstairs to the basement where everyone else was surprisingly still at. She took a deep breath right before she sat down on the last step again. She wondered if she could talk Dimitri into killing Jayce, they were so much like brothers and just because Dimitri didn't agree with what he was doing didn't mean he was ready to take the plunge of killing Jayce.

She ran her hands through her hair as she tried to come up with another plan.

"Katrina, hey you okay, Katrina?" Janell was waving her hand in front of her face.

Kat jumped a little bit, "Yeah I'm fine, but call me Kat please?"

"Okay no problem, I do know that we all are no match for Jayce and his loyalists. I didn't know how many people actually agreed with Jayce until today in that arena, I do have one question though."

"Okay, shoot." Kat prompted unsure of how much more she could take in or explain, she was so exhausted from the fight with Ana.

"When you were fighting Ana and she shoved you onto the ground hard and I didn't think you were going to get back up, there was one man who stood up but Jayce shoved him back in his seat but it seemed their argument was heated, then when the guards pulled you out of the arena they seemed to exchange more heated words, what was that all about?"

Kat was grateful she could keep a straight face, "That was Dimitri, he's the other guy I grew up with but when Jared was on his death bed the only thing he told Dimitri was to promise to protect me and to not let anything happen to me, so of course he promised Jared he would, it's been so nuts in the castle, I really don't know if I can trust him or not, he was probably only doing his duty to protect me while I was in the arena."

"You don't think he would help us?"

"I don't know Janell, I just don't know, I'm lucky that I am trusting you right now, so tell me more about this prophecy you mentioned earlier." She needed to know what Janell was talking about and anything to get Janell and her own mind off of Dimitri would help for now. He was a distraction she could not deal with at the moment.

Chp 10

Dimitri headed back into the castle slowly glancing around to make sure the coast was clear, he wondered what Kat's idea had been, he hoped it wasn't as crazy as the one she had about Ana. He knew the mortals wouldn't be much help to her against Jayce. He was too powerful.

"Dimitri, where have you been?" a voice asked behind him, and that voice was laced with whininess and suspicion.

"I went out," Dimitri practically growled out, he turned towards the voice, it was of course Larson. "I don't see why it is any of your business Larson, you don't have the right to ask me where I've been, you still answer to me also." Dimitri crossed his arms across his broad chest as he towered over Larson's puny five-four height.

"I think it is my business when you're meeting up with Katrina, I saw you with her, I already have guards on their way right now, you'll pay dearly for treason, both of you." Larson struck Dimitri hard. "Seize him!"

Dimitri was surrounded by five guards and grabbed roughly, he didn't try to fight, not wanting to give Larson any satisfaction, "You'll regret this Larson, this is your biggest mistake yet."

~

"We'll see about that." Larson walked away and headed to get Kat. He wouldn't be the one with any regret, Dimitri and Kat would. He'd get rid of them both, it would be slow, painful deaths, he snickered to himself as he went out the door.

~

Kat froze for a moment just as Janell was about to explain more to her, she heard someone coming, she felt them coming. Loyalists. She didn't know how she felt them right away, "Janell, you've got to get out of here now."

Janell looked at her with a confused look on her dark face, "What's going on Kat?"

"Look, you just have to trust me, I'll find you I promise, all of you go now." Kat headed up the basement steps. "Go out the back door." She warned before she headed towards the front door as Janell began to usher everyone out the back. Hopefully, no one was out there and they were all coming from the front.

~

Janell finished getting everyone out of the house then ran after Kat, there was no way she'd leave Kat alone. She couldn't handle a huge group by herself.

~

Kat walked out the front door, she stopped when she saw Ana, Mason, Jackson, and Jane. She scanned their faces quickly, she was shocked not to see Larson there since he was Jayce's, right-hand man.

She wasn't sure if she was grateful or worried that none of the four standing in front of her were Dimitri. What if they knew he came there, what if they had him for treason? She let her mind wander to so many different dark scenarios for what could have stopped Dimitri from coming in one of their places. Jayce would have sent him because of the protection order Jared had given him and she knew she could trust him for that protection. At least she thought she could anyways.

"Hello Katrina, I think it's time you came with us and face your fate, you're not getting away this time." Larson's whiny voice called from behind the other four immortals. She watched as he came out of the darkened shadows. "Get her!" he demanded.

The four immortals rushed Kat at the same time, Mason and Jackson got to her first.

Kat began to fight the two guys, landing kicks and punches into their bodies when a fast streak ran past her going for Ana and Jane. Kat had to do a double-take when she thought she saw Janell. Janell was indeed fighting Ana and Jane with about as much ease as Kat was fighting Mason and Jackson.

Kat let herself get distracted and Mason and Jackson kicked Kat hard in the stomach, she was surprised she didn't hear the sound of something breaking inside of her as she flew back against the porch. She struggled to get up from the impact of the boots and wood that splintered beneath her luckily not striking her body.

She went to get up but fell back down when a voice broke throughout the silent night. "Who told you all to attack, I believe my words were to capture her and bring her back, I didn't want her back damaged, and you Larson," Jayce came out of the darkness with another form behind him walking slowly and calmly. "Who told you to put Dimitri in the dungeon? I told you if they were together to bring them both to me." Jayce moved aside a little as Dimitri came up right beside him glaring at Larson.

Kat tried to stand back up but the pain in her stomach had her doubling back over and falling to the ground if she hadn't been distracted she would have never let Mason or Jackson get a hit in. Her hand wrapped around her stomach as she looked up at Dimitri.

He was beaten up pretty bad as well. All she wanted to do was run over to Dimitri, Larson was such a prick to mess up Dimitri the way he had. But it didn't make sense, how had the second strongest immortal become captured and injured?

~

Dimitri looked across the yard to Kat, she was struggling to stand and it was ripping him apart. He wanted to gather her up into his arms and get her somewhere safe but knew he couldn't do that. Not anymore. His eyes locked with hers.

~

Kat managed to get up and staggered a little bit, she was so weak after both fights she barely had the strength to stand. Kat made a step towards him. She searched his eyes to try to find a yes in them, there wasn't one hint of one. They were cold and distant just like she had seen after he switched on her the day they had their first make-out session. Not again. Please her eyes begged him.

Jayce cackled when he saw the step Kat made over towards Dimitri, "Well Dimitri, it looks like she still hasn't gotten over you, she'll pine for you until she died which is coming soon."

~

Dimitri glared at Jayce, "You can't do this Jayce." He glanced back at Kat, he couldn't let Jayce find out how he really felt about her. He had to try to talk some sense into the far gone man.

Jayce walked over to Larson, he towered over his now ex right-hand man by at least six inches, "I would like to know the meaning of all of this, you had no right to do any of this to Dimitri," he gestured to all scrapes and bruises. "You're supposed to show him as much respect as you do to me, I know his actions are debatable but he is my brother still and I was supposed to deal with him, not you." Jayce grabbed Larson around the throat tightly lifting him off of the ground with ease. "You weren't supposed to lay a hand on either one of them, that was going to be my pleasure if it came down to it but you took matters into your own hands."

Jayce squeezed his throat harder, "Maybe I should just let Dimitri take your place."

Larson reached out and grabbed a hold of his master's arm, "No, please let me explain, he was meeting with Katrina, I followed him here when no one found him in the castle I looked outside of it and managed to catch a glimpse of him walking along the rubble, please don't Sir, that's how I knew she was here." He gasped out.

Jayce turned towards Dimitri as he slammed Larson against the ground, "Is this true?"

Dimitri's gaze flicked to Kat who was now having the other girl help her up and was pulling on her arm to get her to leave. He wished she would listen to the other girl, "I was trying to talk some sense into her," he lied looking straight into Jayce's face not flinching an inch. "I almost had her coming back home until she felt like someone was watching us when I got back to the castle Larson didn't give me a chance to explain what was going on." Dimitri glanced at Larson, there was no way he knew he had left the castle. If there was a chance that Larson followed him he hoped he hadn't seen Kat and himself kissing. "If he did follow me then he shouldn't have because he blew my cover with Kat, and I would have had her back by now to you Jayce." He heard the gasp of air taking in quickly by Kat.

Yeah, he hurt her again, this time where it really counted and it broke him to do it but he had to. He was glad he was so good at lying thanks to Jared's training.

He glanced at Kat and watched the girl finally able to pull Kat away amongst the chaos that was happening. He saw that last painful look she gave him as Jayce looked at him.

"Put Larson in the dungeon, Dimitri you will be taking his place until you give me a reason to distrust you like he has, you may be of some use to me yet."

Dimitri glared at Jayce, "It won't be to help you get Kat back because now I know you fully intend to kill her and I am not going back on the promise I made to your father."

Jayce glared back, "He'd dead, your loyalty should be to me and me alone, we will see how you change your tone in the next few days, you'll love being in charge so much you won't want anything to ruin that chance of being in charge." He looked back towards where Kat and the other mortal had been. Dimitri saw anger flash in his black gaze and took off back to the castle.

~

Dimitri couldn't help but stand there in shock, he didn't want Larson's job, never wanted the job, all this lying was getting the best of him now. He felt so much hatred towards Jayce, he was making him choose between Kat or him and Kat was the no brainer, what he felt for her was stronger than anything else in this screwed up world. He wished everything could just go back to normal, where they lived and died and none of this would have happened but then he never would have met Kat.

He sighed, there was no way of telling what Jayce would do to Kat but it wouldn't be good. He slowly headed back to the castle, he sighed again as he shoved the heavy door open. He didn't want to walk into this castle again, he wanted to be with Kat.

~

Janell and Kat made it to the house the others had been instructed to go to. They sat down on the steps gasping for air, Kat didn't know how she had run so far with the pain in her stomach but she had had so much worse. This was survivable compared to the day in the garden. Janell sat there just staring at Kat.

"What?" Kat slowly gained her breath back, she didn't like the way Janell looked at her.

"I'm just curious how did you know they were coming and there has to be more between you and that immortal, I saw the way you were looking at each other, you wanted to go to him, why?"

Kat sighed running her hands over her face, no one was ready to know that she was in love with Dimitri had been since she was a little girl probably, "Look it may sound dumb but I got this tingly feeling when they were getting close, I've never had that happen to me before though, and also even dumber I care about that one, if he got hurt like that because of me I could never forgive myself, he's whose supposed to protect me, but I don't think Jared meant for him to die if it came down to it." She was prepared to beg Janell. "Please don't tell anyone about what happened tonight please?"

Her heart was breaking, Dimitri was now Jayce's right-hand man, Larson was put away but if it came down to it would Dimitri choose her or Jayce? She wanted to think it would be her after tonight but she still wasn't too sure. But him being in that position and being that trusted by the enemy may come in handy.

Janell scanned Kat for a minute, "God I'm glad you are on our side, if you were immortal you would be exceptional, we wouldn't stand a chance, but you have to promise me if that guy is the reason we were found tonight I never want him near again."

"I'm not sure he was the reason, Dimitri is usually very careful, I don't know how they found us unless Larson was telling the truth, but I really couldn't see him letting someone follow him, he may come in handy if he is Jayce's right hand, he can get to him easier."

"Either way I can't and won't let this happen again."

"I understand that Janell, but he's my only inside source if he stays on my side and is just playing Jayce, he might be able to just off him and then everything will change like that." She snapped her fingers.

~

Janell sighed, she didn't like the idea of having an immortal know where they were. If Kat talked to him then it would have to keep it away from her friends, "Fine but you'll have to meet somewhere else away from here, I can't let everyone else be put at risk like they were tonight, we've worked too hard to keep safe and that's not about to change."

"Okay Janell, I can do that, just trust me when it comes to him he fought beside Jared, he'll fight beside me too, I don't know when I will be able to talk to him again anyway, but until then we need to find as many people as possible, ones willing to take Jayce on and his loyalists. If we die at least it will be because we are standing against what Jayce is doing to us not because we just lie down and take it." Kat laid her hand against Janell's arm giving the courage the other woman needed. "I know it's hard to believe me so soon but please do."

"Strangely I do and I promise I won't say anything."

"Thank you, now back to our discussion before, about this prophecy thing and also where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I've had a lot of practice when my parents were alive they made sure I knew how to take care of myself the best I could, as for the others though not so much, not all of them can fight that way if at all, I have been working them daily though." She paused after answering the hardest question first. "As for this prophecy, I've heard other immortals talk about it, some are still loyal to Jared but they are very few because they are so afraid of Jayce, one day I heard a group of maybe five talking about it."

"Go on." Kat leaned her elbows on her knees as she looked at the ground ready to take everything in.

"It's their belief, not ours, but when Jared took that serum that makes them immortal they were cursed, to suffer from so much if they stopped taking the serum."

"Sickness, fast aging, lack of energy, and very, very tired." Kat interrupted a little.

"How'd you know?"

A weak smile touched her lips, "Signs Jared started to show when he stopped taking the serum, that's how he died so easily, he stopped taking it at least I assumed he stopped taking it unless someone switched out the real stuff for fake stuff, but at the end, he could barely keep his eyes open right before the attack, he was already dying."

"Oh, Kat, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, I'm sorry please continue."

"Anyways this curse the gods put on them after they took it could only be broken if an immortal and a mortal princess fell for one another and loved each other, they had to create a life together, a baby. They will begin to age from the time they froze themselves, no one knew about the curse at first until some began to get tired of living so long you know, and they stopped the serum they became so deathly ill and died maybe a week after taking it, but all of that goes away and the banishment is also lifted and if they wish they can return home." Janell looked at Kat when she finished telling her about it.

"A mortal princess? Where are we going to find an immortal princess and for that princess to fall for one of the many monsters that are here." Kat stared down at the ground frowning.

"Kat, don't you see, you were the princess of Avalind before it was destroyed and we had to leave. You could be that princess who makes the prophecy come true Kat."

She froze her breath caught in her lungs, technically she was a princess and was supposed to take over for her parents. Could that have been part of the reason Jared had always been so interested in her? She'd never know and what immortal could she fall for and truly make happy enough for them to have a baby and break the curse? This was crazy. "Do you know if they just have to conceive or the baby actually has to be born before the curse is broken?"

"I don't know." Janell laid her hand on Kat's arm. "Maybe ask your immortal about it I'm sure he knows about it, I'm surprised Jared didn't tell you anything about it."

"He made me strong but also tried to shelter me from so much at the same time, confusing I know." She sighed and looked back up at the stars. 'What were you keeping me alive for Jared? Was this your plan to end this curse on you and your people? And you didn't even get to witness it for yourself.' She let out a shaky sigh as she looked at Janell, "Well, let's try to get some sleep tonight, we are going to have some busy times ahead of us now."

"We have a lot to learn I know that, but Kat I don't think we can pick up and just leave the way you want us to especially if our group gets bigger."

"Well we don't have a choice, it's between life and death and honestly I'd rather take the life part right now."

"So would I, I just don't know, I guess we can try." Janell sighed and stood up and led the way inside. "Be prepared for a lot of questions."

Kat nodded her head as they walked in but for tonight the questions would not be happening, everyone was already asleep. She glanced around again and decided she had no clue what she had gotten herself into and that this was crazier than when she decided to fight Ana.