 
### The Black Rose

### By

### K.L. Hopkins

The Black Rose

By K.L. Hopkins

Copyright 2012 Kimberly Hopkins

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

I would like to thank my children; Kellie and Colt, for supporting me throughout the entire process.

I would also like to thank my mother, Flora, as well as Michele (you know who you are), my niece Taylor, and my nephew Gregory.

I couldn't have done it without any of you!

### Chapter One

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to enjoy the sun's warmth against my face. It helped to remove this cold dread that has been a constant shadow on me in the last few weeks. I knew if I didn't get away from where I was, I would have snapped. That was what brought me here.

I sit on the rock facing the mountains. Flag Rock was my favorite place to go. Most people went about their daily lives; working, spending time with their kids in another state at the lakes, or going camping. Very few ventured up that long steep winding road that brought you to this wonderful place.

High in the mountains; forest all around until you reach the overlook. When you got there you could see the tops of the trees, the haze over the surrounding mountains, and the city coming alive below.

The beauty of this place would take you away to another world. It is so easy to get lost in this peace as the birds sing their lullaby. You could hear the breeze fluttering through the trees below, the stream trickling its way down the mountain. But even with that I couldn't get absolute peace.

The months since I heard from my father were wearing on me. He had never gone longer than two days without calling when he was away on business. Here I sit, wondering why two months had passed. Because of the silence, I had an anchor tied to my chest, weighing me down. My father was the only family I really had, around here anyway. Oh I had a cousin and aunt and we had friends we considered family. I was staying with them until his return, but it wasn't the same.

Then there was Braydon Thompson. There were few people I was close to, Braydon, being one of them. I hadn't heard from him in almost two weeks. Again that was something that never happened. I was beginning to think I had become a leper. I was more alone now than I had ever been in my entire life.

I sit up and looked at the mountains. A sad sigh escaped me. "Where are you two?" I whispered into the wind. I knew they would never hear those words, not from here. The wind is not magic like I thought it was as a child. No, it couldn't carry my words to their ears, or lift the burden weighing on me. It could do no more for me than cool the sweat as it trickled down the back of my neck.

The sound of a blaring siren brought me back to my senses. I shuffled around trying to find my phone. I knew that ring-tone by heart and there was no way I would miss the voice on the other end.

"Hello," I said struggling to breathe normal after wrestling with the phone in my pocket.

"I've missed you," Braydon's voice crooned through my speakers. "Come home."

Home meant Dean's house. He's Dad's best friend as well as his boss. I had to put it out of my head that I wanted to be back at my house laughing with my dad.

"I'm on my way. And I've missed you too."

I run the trail back to my bike, switched my phone over to the headset in my helmet and cranked my bike. I loved the rumbled beneath me almost as much I loved Braydon beside me.

We talked as I made my way down the freakishly winding road. He told me about his latest adventure in Kentucky. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. The way he put things was hilarious.

I yelped as a car sped past, causing me to swerve to avoid being hit. I managed to get it up on the side of the hill without injuring myself or the bike.

"I wish these freaks would watch what they're doing!" I screamed into the headset.

"Oh like you are not one of the freaks? What happened?"

"Someone just tried to run me off the road."

And I knew before Braydon tried to convince me otherwise, that it was done on purpose. They didn't blow their horn or slam their breaks. They hit the freaking gas. I didn't tell him that. I just mumbled into the microphone how he would feel different about it had I been smashed into the pavement.

I shook my head and descended from the hillside back to the road. I continued to listen to him ramble on and on about different things. I knew he was trying to calm me, it's what I do to him to calm him, but it was eating at me.

I rounded the next corner and came to a complete stop.

"Uh Braydon, I told you something wasn't right. Put it on video." I was in shock as I stared down the road at what was there to greet me.

I heard the click of the firing pin before the blast that sent the bullet straight toward my heart. The impact jarred me but didn't cause me to lose grip on my bike. I looked down at my chest and then back up at the gunman. He seemed shocked. He cocked the hammer back again. The thing that went through my mind in that split second was, why a revolver? I would have brought an automatic if I wanted to kill someone by shooting them.

I didn't hear Braydon at first but then the screaming seem to bring me back. I reached down to my side and pulled the long cylinder out of its holster. I reared my hand back and pressed the pressure plate in as I threw it toward him. It hit its target straight on; his heart.

"Get Dean on the phone, now!"

I heard the silence then the ringing as he three-way called him.

"And the next time you don't answer me, Marissa Stone, I swear to God I'll kill you myself!" Braydon was screaming into the phone as Dean answered his.

"And a fine day to you too," Dean replied.

"Dean, I just killed a man. We need clean-up." There was complete silence on the phone. I became worried the line had disconnected somehow.

I got off my bike and walked the distance to the vehicle, I looked in both the front and back to make sure there were no one else and then pulled my home-made retractable sword from his chest. One would think it was a redneck contraption had they heard. But anyone who knew me, asked me to make one for them.

It was my choice of weapons.

The delicately carved foot-long wooden cylinder cased a titanium cylinder. When the pressure plate was pressed in, the blade shot out the top and locked into place. It was my way of being able to carry it without being stopped by law enforcement.

I knew they were both watching the video because of Braydon growling into the phone about something. I made sure to scan the hand holding the gun in case they both missed the fact that he still held onto it. Or that I had a freaking hole in my brand new leather jacket.

After telling Dean everything I could about the guy, he informed me cleanup was on the way to get the heck out of dodge. Not a problem for me. I ran back to my bike, hopped on and gunned it. I run up a fallen tree to get around the blocked car. They had either turned the video off or were no longer paying attention because neither said a word to me about it. Normally I got my butt chewed out for those stunts.

After finally reaching the exit to the four-lane, I didn't bother stopping as I come off the exit onto the highway but I couldn't. Behind me was another car revving its motor and coming straight for me.

"Are you guys seeing this?"

"I'm on my way Rissa." Braydon was trying to be calm about it but I could hear him giving it gas. No one could miss the roar of his bike.

I felt the sting causing my shoulder to push forward almost causing me to lose control of my bike. "How many times do they have to freaking shoot me to realize it is not going to work?"

"I am a minute out." Yeah so much for calm, he sounded panicked. I tried to calm my breathing and think of something to say that would help ease him.

Even after racking my brain I couldn't think of anything. So I just begin singing. I never bragged that I could sing because I knew that I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, most people either laughed at me or cried from the pain it caused. Braydon, no he was weird, he liked it. Then again to him it meant I was alive.

I looked in my mirror to find the car so close to me that I knew I wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time. I didn't feel like eating the pavement or worse, going over the bridge in a two hundred foot drop. So I did the only thing I could do. I hit my front brakes causing the bike to stand on the front tire. When I felt the car under me I jammed it in reverse and backed up until I was on the roof of their car.

This wasn't an ideal place but I knew at least he couldn't run me off the road and if he tried shooting through it, he took a chance of it ricocheting and coming back at him.

Braydon spoke into the microphone letting me know he was behind me. He must have been flying to get here so fast. I put the bike back in reverse and began backing off the car. I jumped off the trunk of the car, got in the other lane beside Braydon and watched as the guy after me ended up hitting the concrete pillar on the side, flipping over and making the drop that I did not want to experience ever in my life time.

He had been paying more attention to me trying to get off his car from behind that he wasn't paying attention to where he was driving. At least I couldn't exactly be blamed for that one.

"Pull over," Braydon ordered.

I geared down and tried to hit the back brakes to stop the bike. Nothing was happening. The bike had slowed only because of the gears being shifted but it was not stopping.

"Uh Braydon, we have a problem." I glanced his way and then down to the side of my bike. I wanted to scream. I was angrier than I had been in a long time. "He hit my brake line!"

Braydon pulled up close to me and held out his hand. I shook my head. I could not lose my bike. Dad had bought it for me on my seventeenth birthday.

I couldn't help but wonder how many bad things could happen to me in one day when we come up on our exit.

"I love you guys remember that," I told them as I shot off the exit and turned to go toward Dean's house.

Big Stone Gap, Virginia, had two exits. The first was the one I was taking. The second would have gone toward my house as well as town. The last thing I needed; more traffic.

As I drove down the road, near the other exits in the area, that's when I saw it. A guy was blocking traffic with his car. He had the hood of his car up and standing outside of it waving something back and forth in front of the motor trying to cool it. I don't know how I could have gotten so lucky.

I came up on Dean's house to see the four boys standing in his garage. There was no way of trying to stop it without hurting one of them. So I veered off into another path.

"I apologize in advance Dean."

I reached up grabbing the scaffolding he had there to help build the fountain. I flipped up on the bars and almost cried as I watched my bike weave back and forth before dropping off into the pond beside his house.

"I love that bike," I whimpered as I stood up hoping to see part of it sticking out. Nope, it was gone. The bubbling had ceased and all I could hear was the roar of Braydon's bike coming up behind me.

"Marissa, what the heck are you doing?" Sage was screaming as he came running towards us. I took my helmet off and looked at him. He backed away.

Sage was one of my best friends. He was tall, lean, muscular, had short brown hair and brown eyes that screamed innocence. But Sage was not as innocent as he led people to believe. Only a few of us knew the truth.

I looked back at Braydon as he took his helmet off. I jumped down onto the front of his bike. "Get off my bike," he said through gritted teeth. Okay so he was beyond mad now.

I jumped landing in the seat in front of him. I ignored him as he ranted about dangerous stunts and how he wouldn't fish my bike out of the pond. I didn't care. I wanted to know that he was alright. I unzipped his jacket and almost laughed as he didn't try to stop me.

I lifted his shirt and begin feeling my way around to make sure there were no bullet holes in him. He had a bad habit of downplaying his injuries. When I was satisfied I looked up at him.

I could play it off as the adrenaline rush I had or the fact that someone, no two someone's, just tried killing me three different times but that wouldn't be the truth. The truth was I did that because I had wanted to from the moment I met him. I grabbed him around the neck and pulled him toward me, devouring his lips, cutting him off his next sentence. And he let me.

His lips were just as rough with me as mine were with him. But that didn't stop me from feeling the softness, the warmth, or even tasting the sweet taste I got when his tongue touched mine.

There weren't very many people that had made me feel the way Braydon did.

"Dear God you two, breathe will you?"

Sage was one of them. But they were like two different worlds. Braydon's pale blue eyes reminded me of a clear day. His face was chiseled to perfection, including the scar that ran along his jaw from his ear to his chin. I told him constantly that it proved he was carved from stone. To others they thought it was a joke. He knew what that scar meant to me.

I had never kissed Braydon, not on the lips anyway. I had always kissed his jaw whenever I saw him and always before he left. He had gotten it saving my life.

When Braydon pulled away, I could see the fire in his eyes, I wanted to melt right here.

I'm not a lovable person exactly. I mean if I'm close to you, you know how I feel about you. I don't usually hide things from people I know. Most people think of me as a hard core, die-hard woman. They knew not to mess with me. Only few got away with it.

Braydon began leaning down over me causing me to lean back on his bike. I watched as he raised his leg over to get off the bike and reach out a hand to me. I allowed it. We walked around back to the pool and he motioned for me to sit down on the chase lounge.

He sat down beside me and leaned in again. I leaned in to match him. I could feel everything when his lips touched mine again. He surprised me by doing this. This wasn't normal Braydon behavior, no he was just as hard core as me. I've heard he's the best at what he does next to my father.

As he laid me back I watched as the sun glinted off his brown curly hair as it hung in shag over his eyes. I would never complain if he blocked out my sun because his eyes were all I would ever want to see. He was everything I had ever wanted in a man; tough yet funny, hard yet caring, strong yet soft under my touch.

I didn't care that we were in the back yard as he began to unzip my jacket. I didn't care that I could hear the four boys running up the stairs so they could watch out Lorik's window. They were nothing like him.

Lorik and Gabe were brothers, Dean's sons. Sage and Zavier, were brothers, Gabe and Lorik's best friends. And none of them looked alike. Lorik had hair so pale it was almost white and eyes so gray they looked almost silver in the sunlight. Gabe looked more like his father, red hair and green eyes. The only thing that made them resemble each other was their build. They weren't as tall as Braydon but they were built tough like him. Both had broad shoulders and muscles to make every woman go crazy.

Zavier had long black curly hair that hung to his shoulders and eyes almost as black, I always felt like I got lost in them. I couldn't help but compare the two. When Braydon wrapped me in his arms, in so many ways it reminded me of Zavier. I loved spending my days there. Now I loved spending my nights with Braydon.

Sage and Zavier had the same shaped lips. Lips I had kissed many a time. It was nothing for me, Sage, and Zavier to kiss or torture one another flirting knowing nothing would ever come of it. No, we grew up together and knew too much about the other to ever take each other serious.

And I was right, they were watching with mouths open standing there at the window. I winked up at the boys and grabbed Braydon. The passion that sparked at the motorcycle rekindled quickly. I could feel his hands on my hips as he pulled me closer to him. They were slow as they made their way up my shirt, stopping short when touching the blood from the bullet wound.

"Rissa you're bleeding," he said pulling back.

"Just a scratch," I told him as I devoured his mouth again.

He moved his hands around to the back of my shirt, hitting another spot. He pulled his hand out and looked at the blood. I know it was sick and twisted of me to feel the way I did seeing my blood on his hands but it was the Assassin's curse they say. It could twist ones view of a lot of things.

When he looked back at me I bit my bottom lip. "Only a scratch," I told him as I looked from his eyes to his lips. I didn't think I could take much more. I grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head. He looked shocked for a split second before giving in to me. I wrapped my legs around him and did the one thing that scared me.

I'm not scared of many things. Losing my father, yes. Losing Braydon, yes. Having Braydon walk away because I opened my big mouth and uttered the words I'm in love with you, most definitely.

He pulled back and looked at me.

"What? What did you say?"

"I don't know." Yeah that wasn't going to cut it.

"Yes you do. Did you mean it?"

He stared into my eyes for a few minutes while I tried to come up with a way to say yes.

"I didn't think so." He unlocked my legs from around him and rose. I didn't know if he was giving me an out, a way to take it back so I didn't ruin our friendship or if he honestly thought I could lie to him like that just because things were getting heated.

"Yes. Yes I meant it." Open mouth insert foot.

### Chapter Two

I watched as he looked down at the ground for a few minutes. His face went from shock to one of pain. I couldn't stand seeing his eyebrows pinched together or the grimace on his lips.

"Braydon, I'm sorry. Please. I'm not trying to ruin our friendship."

He never answered me. He just stood up and walked back toward the front of the house. I couldn't do anything more than watch him go.

It felt like my heart was ripping out of my chest. Why did I have to ruin everything? I had only known him for a year and was still closer to him than I was the others that I've known all my life.

I laid my head back on the lounge and looked at the sky. Oh God, I'll never be able to look at the blue sky again without thinking of his beautiful eyes. Eyes that I may never see again. How could I be so stupid?

"Rissa?" Gabe spoke softly beside me.

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright? What happened?" He reached a hand out to touch my face, when he pulled it back there was moisture on it. "Why are you crying?"

I just shook my head. I got up from the chair, said something about a shower and made my way into the house passed the others.

"You're bleeding," Lorik commented as I walked by.

"Yeah I was shot, three times." I stopped and turn around to look at them. "Well shot at." I turned back, laid Braydon's shirt on the back of a chair and made my way upstairs to my room.

It wasn't really my room, but Dean had given it to me when I begin staying there so much. He had made sure it had everything a girl could want or need. I had a huge walk-in closet that I had filled so I wouldn't have to carry clothes back and forth from my house to here. There was a king size four poster canopy bed with sheer curtains hanging from it, a pale green comforter set to go with the pale purple walls. Sheer curtains hung from the windows that were almost as tall as me.

The carpet in this room was one you could take your shoes off and wiggle your feet in and it make you think of grass, thick and plush. I loved it. But the best thing of all was the bathroom. I had my own. It had not only a huge walk-in shower that had shower heads above you, beside you, and behind you. The tub was a huge garden tub that had a small waterfall built into the wall. Dean spoiled me.

I had just turned on the water and stepped in when I heard the door crack open. I knew it was Gabe. He was the only one that would ever do that. He knew it was the only time he would ever get me to talk. I hated talking to people, seeing the look of pity on their face. So as soon as the door closed I spilled the beans.

"So you are more upset over him walking away than over being shot at?"

"Gabe, look who you're talking to."

"Yeah, okay. Rissa you got to remember you're seventeen, he's nineteen. The age difference may bother him."

"Never bothered Zavier," I told him.

"Yeah but he knew you would never go any further than kissing. Maybe Braydon doesn't know that. Maybe the thought of love scares him."

"Or maybe it's just me."

I turned the water off and heard the door shut. I dried off and hurried to get dressed. I looked in the mirror. I looked like crap. My waist long black hair was tangled and the rims around my eyes were bright red. I hated wearing makeup but I hated people knowing I had been crying. So I opted for the first. I also had to make sure the makeup on my back was still covering me. I knew Gabe too well.

Gabe had my first aid kit sitting on the bed, waiting to bandage me up. I just shook my head at him. He raised an eyebrow and motioned for me to come over. Gabe didn't take anything from me. That was why he was one of my best friends. I couldn't stand someone that was scared of me. I was like five foot one. Then again, I did like to watch their faces when I did something to make them jump.

I sighed and pulled my shirt off. Gabe handed me some cream and gauze to work on the front wound while he taped up the one on my back and side. I felt a little tugging and looked around, he held up a piece of shrapnel. It was tiny, would not need stitching but the fact that it went through my jacket meant it was time to rethink my source of protection.

I had just put my shirt back on when I heard Zavier yelling that Braydon was at the front door for me.

"See, maybe you just overreacted."

I nodded and made my way down stairs. The moment I could see Braydon's face I knew something was off. If I had thought about it, I had known it the entire time. He took his jacket off and draped it over the couch. He took a step forward and I took a step back. I wasn't scared of him, just what he had to say.

"I need to talk to you," he whispered but I heard him loud and clear.

"About us?"

He shook his head.

"You?"

He shook his head again. I didn't want to hear this, I could feel it.

"Me?"

"Not exactly."

I could see his eyes begin to pool. There were very few things to make a man cry, even more so if that man was an assassin. Again he stepped forward.

"No. No Braydon," I said as I began backing up toward the sliding door. As I said there were very few things that scared me and I knew without a doubt he was about to drop the worst thing ever.

I turned and took off running out the door. I wanted to be as far from him as possible in this moment. I run across the deck and was heading toward the woods when I felt the impact. Water rushed up around me and I struggled to get free from the grip. When we surfaced he tried holding me tight against him.

"Rissa, listen to me baby please."

I was screaming at him to let me go, to let me get away. I didn't care if he drowned me, I couldn't face what he was about to tell me.

"Baby he's gone," He choked out the words. I knew it had nothing to do with the water we were in but the tears that began to pour down his face, the sob he was trying to hold back.

I managed to get turned around in his arms. I didn't want to see those tears. But if I thought I was getting anywhere I was dead wrong.

The muscles in my back and the back of my legs began to spasm and the screams that tore from me were a mix of pain and sorrow. I couldn't hear them though due to the blood rushing in my ears. It was pounding with every heartbeat. And with every beat, I felt a fissure surface, crack and bleed until it felt like there was nothing left.

I felt myself being lifted from the pool. I could hear someone saying something but nothing made sense. Normally when the pain in my back or legs started, Braydon could manage it by rubbing it and making the muscles relax. Not this time. This time felt as if my body were disfiguring itself, pulling me in ways not meant for me to bend.

I could feel the bubbling begin in my stomach as it rolled. He must have known the look on my face because he laid me on my side as he began barking orders to the others.

My mouth and nose burnt as the contents of my stomach came up along with streaks of blood. When I finished he was pulling me up the best he could without causing more pain to hand me a glass of water and two stomach pills.

I was beginning to make out some things that were being said around me as I felt the needle prick my arm.

"Oh real good Braydon. Come here make out with her, leave then come back and break news like that. What kind of person does that?" Lorik was fussing at him.

I had always thought of them as my guys. We were protective over each other but it still surprised me that Lorik spoke to Braydon that way.

"Back off of him Lorik. He was probably side tracked by someone trying to kill Rissa and then having her mauling him when he gets here." Thanks Sage, he always knows how to put words just right.

"What are you giving her?" Zavier asked.

"Don't worry about it," he responded.

"Don't worry about it? You're giving her pills and shooting crap into her arm. I want to know what you're doing. I swear Braydon if you've hurt her, you'll deal with me. You hear me?"

Braydon just ignored him as he picked me up and carried me into the house. I think he was amazed by him. Zavier was normally a quiet type person.

I could feel the muscles begin to relax as he carried me up the stairs to my room. When I looked back I could see all four of them following us. They weren't giving up.

He turned on them as he reached my door. "Stay out until I get her changed."

He took me in the room, slammed the door with his foot and stood me up. He stripped my clothes off, leaving me in nothing, never looking anywhere but in my eyes. He crossed the room, grabbing a tank top and boxers and helped me get dressed. He could have put me in a sack for all I cared. Nothing mattered.

I had lost the only person I had left in this world.

The door swung open and Gabe walked in carrying the first aid kit and my bottle of pills.

"Okay Braydon. Stomach pills I get. But what about," he turned and took the clear medicine bottle from Zavier's hand as he was looking at it. "This?"

"It's prescribed, don't worry."

I appreciated all that he was trying to do for me. There were things that I kept from even them. Things that now only Braydon and my doctor knew. That thought brought on another round of hysteria. How could I go on without my Dad?

I couldn't see who I was gripping a hold of as my knees hit the floor because of the tears blinding me but whoever it was held on to me just as tight. When my vision cleared enough for me to see, I was in the floor with Braydon smoothing the hair behind my ears, gripping Zavier and Gabe's hands.

I could hear someone begging for them not to leave, only to realize it was me.

"Braydon, what's wrong with her legs? They're doing something weird," Sage asked from behind me. I knew what they were doing. The muscles in the back of my thighs were jumping around erratically.

"That is another story for another day," he said as he picked me up off the floor and put me face down on the bed.

I could feel myself calm a little as he began massaging circles in my back until I looked up and could see a blur and black hair sitting beside me on the bed. Poor Zavier didn't know what to do but try to get up as I broke down again. I grabbed him and held him to me as I cried until I fell asleep.

My nightmares were plagued with guns and motorcycles. My Dad was trying to out run them but never quiet making it. Each time I would wake up screaming at the top of my lungs, drenched in sweat. I think after the third time, they gave up on changing me into something dry.

I woke the last time with Braydon on top of me, Gabe on one side and Zavier on the other. I was trying to make sense of what was going on but nothing did. I could see Sage and Lorik pacing back and forth in the room.

"What happened?" I asked him after I caught my breath.

"I was afraid you'd hurt yourself. You were thrashing around." I looked into his eyes and could see the pain there. I hadn't even thought about the pain he must be going through. He and Dad had gotten close within the year.

"Oh Braydon," I said as he let me sit up. I wrapped my arms around him and held him.

After a few minutes I asked someone to get me the phone. If the boys were in this bad of shape, Dean was worse.

"Where you able to stop her in time?" Dean sounded frantic.

"Stop me from what?" I turned and looked at the guys. I saw Braydon swallow hard.

"You were trying to kill yourself Rissa. That's why I was holding you down. You got my gun and," he couldn't finish it. He wiped his face with his hands then run them through his hair.

I was shocked. I didn't even know I had done it.

"How are you, Dean?" I whispered into the phone. I had to clear my throat to try to get the tightness to leave before I could ask loud enough for him to hear me.

"I'm more worried about you, princess. How are you doing?"

"From what they're telling me, not to good. I didn't know I had done that. I'm sorry."

What else does someone say to that? I had to apologize though; these guys didn't deserve to have a mental case on their hands on top of everything else. And Dean, poor Dean, he was like a brother to my dad. I know this had to hit him hard.

No one said anything for a little while. I was doing everything I could to hold it together, at least until I was off the phone. But I had to ask two very important questions.

"How did it happen?"

"We think it was natural causes, we won't know for sure for a few more days."

"Can I see him?" That question made everyone in the room tense up. I could even imagine Dean's jaw tightening up at the thought of it.

"No sweetheart. You need to just remember him like he was."

"Please. He's my dad, Dean. I'll never get the chance to say goodbye. Please."

He never answered. Gabe took the phone from me and walked out of the room. Braydon opened his arms to me and I fell into them and sobbed on his chest.

That's where I stayed for two days.

He had somehow managed to get me up long enough to shower and eat but otherwise, I didn't leave his arms. I needed someone to hold onto since my reality was slipping away.

When I woke up later on the third day, it was still night time. I moved my arm to find the bed empty. The shuffling across the room caught my attention but I couldn't blame him. He stayed in bed this whole time, he probably wanted to get up and stretch his legs.

"Why are you standing over there in the dark?"

I always slept with the light on. I had my reasons. Braydon knew these reasons and never turned the light out on me.

"Because, I'm here to kill you."

That statement sent a shock through my entire system. That wasn't Braydon. That wasn't any of the guys. I had no idea who it was and here I was in the bed in nothing but a t-shirt and underwear. My weapons were nowhere to be found.

### Chapter Three

I didn't even have enough time to let my eyes adjust to the dark when I heard him rack the chamber. An automatic; how ironic.

I grabbed the pillow Braydon used and pulled my legs up. I used it to shield myself the best I could, making sure to hold it at a distance. Four, five, six shots went off with a thwart sound. He was using a silencer.

I knew I didn't have long before he reloaded his weapon, so I threw the pillow aside, stood and dove off the bed toward him. I had managed to catch him off guard. It made me want to laugh; he must have thought he had killed me because he had put his gun away.

We struggled for a bit before he managed to knock me off of him. I hated how weak I became. I should have been able to kill him by now but the emotional stress was getting to me. I wanted to yell for help but fear of someone getting hurt stopped me. I had to end this, now.

I went back after him, catching him with a round house to the throat. He went to his knees. I used my knee cap to bust him in the face, but felt something hard at my side. I didn't have time to look. I flipped over the bed, praying Braydon had at least left me something to fight with.

I was lucky. Not only did he leave his gun sitting just under the bed, but his sunglasses too. I slipped them on, grabbed the gun and crawled my way over to the wall. I'm glad I knew this room as well as I did mine back home. The sunglasses were making me blind completely.

I felt the wall as I stood up and found the light switch. I turned with the gun in hand pointed at the last place the attacker was, and flipped the lights on. It was enough to momentarily blind him.

It was the only thing that saved my life. He had his gun drawn and pointed in my direction. I had just a split second to aim and fire.

I watched as the bullet impacted with his skull and his body fell back to the floor. It felt like everything in a one mile radius went quiet. There were no crickets chirping, no sounds of the television downstairs, no talking. I didn't even hear a vehicle nearby.

The silence was deafening.

The pain in my side became worse as my adrenaline wore off. When I looked down I could see blood soaking my shirt and leaving a trail as gravity made it travel toward the floor. It had become painful to even try to breathe. I used my hand and put pressure on it causing black spots to appear in my vision.

I leaned back against the wall and slowly slid down. Standing was too much for me. The weakness I had felt earlier came crashing back and I didn't think I could even hold my head up.

My shoulders slumped and my head lolled a bit as I heard running up the stairs. I guess the gunshot had stunned them and they had finally got the courage up to make their way upstairs.

"Oh God, Rissa no!"

"Did she?" Gabe asked.

"She's breathing at least, Gabe, help me!" Braydon sounded as if he were almost crying. Why he would cry for me? I wasn't sure but I didn't want him to. There were other things he needed to do first.

I raised my head and looked at him. "Check the other rooms."

"Uh guys, look." Sage must have found him.

Braydon stood and his eyes went wide as he took in the sight of the body across the room. I reached out, still holding his gun and he looked down at me. He reached down taking his sunglasses off of me and smiled.

"Take it and check the other rooms."

He nodded to me, took the gun, and crept out of the room. Twenty minutes went by without a sound. No one spoke, no one even moved as we waited for him to come back.

"Clear!" he yelled from somewhere not too far off.

Gabe made his way over to me and that's when the silence stopped.

"Braydon! Braydon, she's bleeding. Help me!"

Everyone seemed to freak out. I was doing everything I could to tell them to stop but they weren't listening. I took a deep breath and hoped I didn't pass out as I screamed for them to shut-up. Everyone stopped everything and just looked at me.

"Gabe, get my medical kit. Sage, grab the pillows- both of them. Zavier, get my phone. Lorik, get Dean on the land-line and try to tell him what's going on, calmly please. Braydon, you're going to have to carry me downstairs, I'm too weak to stand up. And before you say anything, it's not that bad. Yeah there seems like a lot of blood but it's nothing serious. I'm tired and weak from everything else."

I was amazed that everyone followed my orders without question. We all stayed together as we made our way down stairs. Braydon put me on the couch and moved aside so Gabe could get over to me. He lifted the side of my shirt up and cringed at what he saw.

"Rissa, this need stitches." Gabe whispered.

"I know. I need you to do it."

He shook his head and sat back on his heels. "I can't."

Zavier leaned over the couch handing me my phone. I dialed the only number I could think of.

"Kyle, I need your help," I told Dr. Winthrop.

"Marissa, so nice to hear from you, what seems to be the problem?"

"I'm staying at a friend's house and Braydon and I went downstairs to get something to eat. I went to make sure the front door was locked and tripped over the stupid coffee table. It's one of those glass ones. Anyway, I went through it. A piece of glass sort of stabbed me in the side. It's going to need stitches."

"Can you meet me at the emergency room?"

"Uh, no. Um, okay listen, Dad passed away a few days ago and my uh, my guardian isn't here. You know I'll pay you. Please Kyle?"

He was silent as he processed what I had told him.

He finally agreed and took down the directions to the house. I instructed Gabe on cleaning the wound, and numbing it after he managed to get the bleeding to stop. From what Gabe told me, I could expect at least twelve stitches. And I could only pray, Kyle would continue to buy the story I told him.

I heard him pulling into the driveway just as I told the boys to get the coffee table out of the living room. It wouldn't have helped me lie if it had sat there. Braydon showed Kyle in and over to where I was laying.

He looked as though I had gotten him out of bed. His hair was sticking up at the sides causing the top of his head to look even balder and the wrinkles on his face to make him seem older. His eyes were blood shot. He smelled of the hospital and coffee. It didn't surprise me, the hours this man worked, it was no wonder he came in his pajamas.

"Everything else is done, I just need you to stitch it," I told him as he poke around and looked at it closer. I knew that look. I had been around him long enough to know almost everything about the man.

I had talked Kyle into letting me shadow him when I was thirteen so I could decide if that's what I wanted to be when I grew up. I grinned internally. He never knew that he was teaching me to handle things like this on my own. I had learned how to do many things. And it wasn't until a few months ago that I quit going in and working with him.

"Marissa? Are you sure this is from glass?"

"Yeah, Gabe cleaned it out for you."

"Ah, Gabriel. You must be the one Marissa spoke so much about. I had expected the two of you to apprentice under me before Marissa quit," Kyle went silent. He thought he knew the reason I had quit, but Gabe didn't.

Gabe looked at me confused. I had never mentioned to him that I had made arrangements for him to join me. Nor had I told him that I had gone from shadowing Kyle to actually working with patients on a volunteer basis and always under Kyle's supervision. I was good at talking people in to things.

I smiled at him and told him to watch how Kyle stitched me up. I wanted to hit him as he got down on his knees beside the chair Kyle was in and made the comment that he thought it'd make Kyle feel more like it was me watching. But I couldn't, the smile on Gabe's face made me return the gesture.

"Maybe later the two of you will come to my office and work?" Kyle asked as he glanced over at Gabe. Gabe looked at me and I could see the hope in his eyes. Gabe loved doing anything medical. I couldn't break his heart so I smiled and nodded my head.

After taping gauze over the wound, he asked about my back and I hesitated. No one had seen my back but Dad, Kyle, and Braydon. I knew the makeup had worn off by now. I didn't know how Gabe would react. I didn't have to worry though because Braydon took that moment to ask Gabe a question that got him in the kitchen.

I was thankful that Zavier had grabbed some shorts when we left the room because I had to stand up and pull the back of my shirt up for Kyle to check it out. When I felt his hand leave my back, I turned to look at him. He was frowning.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Are you still adamant that it was a car wreck? Marissa the things that happen to you, the scars you have, are you sure you're not being abused?"

I looked at him and smiled real big. I sit down and faced him, taking his hand in mine. A trick I had learned from him.

"I promise you, no one I know is doing anything to hurt me."

He seemed pacified but I knew it was only until my next visit. I figured if I could change the subject that maybe he wouldn't think to put it down on his little notepad. My problem was trying to figure out what to change the subject too.

"I still haven't started my period," I blurted out right as Gabe walked back into the room.

I couldn't believe I said that. Of course Kyle went right along with it and didn't seem to care that Gabe was in the room.

"When was your last menstruation again?"

I tried to hide my horrified expression as I looked at Gabe. I didn't know if it worked but he played it off as if it were nothing and he were a doctor trying to help determine the cause.

"Almost a year ago," I whispered.

"Stress. I made sure everything was okay internally before you left the hospital."

I nodded to him.

"You must reduce your stress levels, Marissa. It's not healthy for your body to be under so much stress. You are too young to be having these problems. How has your stomach been?"

"Not good. I have enough medicine though so you don't have to worry about that."

No, my stomach was a mess. My head was a mess but as long as I didn't have to think of everything that was happening I could function. If I sit down and thought about my dad being gone, I would go insane. But I knew that would only last for so long. Eventually I would break.

I blinked back the tears trying to escape. I swallowed hard, cleared my throat and thanked Kyle for coming. I asked Sage to bring me the checkbook on the counter and was about to write him a check when he said he would mail me the bill. He never wrote anything down. It would be my luck he finally invested in a recorder and had recorded the exam.

I watched as he got up and left. I had Braydon walk him back to his car while I paced back and forth in the living room trying to figure out how someone could have gotten in with all the guys here. I knew they were in the living room so that meant they had to have come in from upstairs. I release my breath, closed my eyes and hung my head.

I knew how they had gotten in. They had used the tree that I had begged Dean not to have cut down. I had climbed it myself many times. I would climb the tree; shimmy out onto the big branch and jump the small distance to the roof. Even as short as I was it was nothing for me to cross the roof and lower myself to my balcony. Which also meant this guy somehow managed to get passed Dean's security system.

I heard another vehicle and looked out the window to see Dean's big black SUV pulling into the drive way. Dean always took things like this serious. I was also sure that he took it as an insult since this was his house and someone had managed to get in.

### Chapter Four

Dean looked at me with one eyebrow cocked as he walked in the door. He had his black suit on so I could assume he hadn't gone to bed yet. Although this was his house, he mainly stayed at the academy to be there in case he was needed. Didn't matter, he spent more time there even when he did stay home at least after we had gotten older.

I could see the tired look on his face. He had been taking things hard. His normally bright red hair, always trimmed to look military, looked a little less red and grayer than before. His sparkly green eyes weren't sparkly anymore. They had a dullness to them that told of his sadness. His posture, the straight back type man that let you know he was in charge, was hunched over looking defeated. Dean wasn't taking any of this well.

"Now will you please explain to me what happened? All I got was that someone was in your room, dead on the floor and that you were bleeding from your side but alright otherwise."

I put my head down to hide my smile. Poor Lorik, he was a smart guy but when he panicked he didn't think straight. I waited until I could compose myself enough to look up without laughing then told him everything that had happened from the time I woke up.

I watched as he reached over, took the pillow and flipped it over to examine the holes in it. I knew without a doubt one of them would ask the question, so I waited patiently.

"Wait, how did you keep from being shot by using a pillow?" Zavier asked me.

I got the other pillow and handed it to Dean. He gripped each side and held it out in front of him. I took Dean's gun off his side since it already had a silencer on it and walked across the room. Lorik jumped in front of Dean.

"You're not shooting at my Dad!"

Braydon gave me a crooked grin and walked over to get the pillow from Dean. He held it the same way as he stood apart from the others. I raised my arm so that the sights were right and pulled the trigger. A hush fell over the room until Braydon bent over and began moaning. I rolled my eyes. Gabe had jumped up and was trying to decide if he wanted to go to Braydon or if he thought I was going to shoot again.

"Not funny Braydon," I said as I scowled at him.

He peeked up over the top of the pillow and grinned at me. After winking he lowered the pillow and was met with glares and stares as they all figured out the bullet hadn't touched him.

"I found a material on the internet one day that is bullet proof to a certain degree. I've put it in all the pillows in the house as well as my jacket, and the vest I made. It's what protected me from getting shot several times now."

Zavier took the pillow from Braydon and poked his finger through the hole and dug out the bullet. He held it up to show the others but was studying how it impacted on the material at the same time. He loved ballistics. I knew this was something he would enjoy and was glad to see it peak his interest. It'd been far too long since I had done anything with any of the guys. When I stayed here after everything happened, I mostly stayed in my room.

I tried to get that train of thought out of my head. The last thing I needed was to begin thinking of that horrible day and have my back do its thing again.

"Well, I guess we have no choice but for you all to come to the academy and stay," Dean said as he looked around the room at everyone.

I dreaded this. There was one apartment, if you could call it that, in the academy that was available. Three total; one was for Dean, one for the computer tech that monitored gps systems for the assassin's, and then the one we were getting. This meant that all six of us were going to be crammed together in a one bedroom, one bath apartment.

Even that makes it sound bearable; it's not. The bedroom was in the same room as the living room. The only other rooms in the place were a kitchen and bathroom. It's not that I don't appreciate the place to stay; it's that all of us together would end up with someone cranky and snapping at everything. Mainly Lorik.

I watched as everyone went about getting things together. I walked over to talk to Dean.

"You have an idea of whose behind this, don't you?"

He nodded but never said anything else. I sighed and got up to pack up food since Braydon refused to let me pack my own clothes. I ended up with several bags that I was sure the boys would complain about since they would have to help carry them in.

"I need to get some more things from my house," I told Dean as I walked out of the kitchen.

"I don't think that is wise," he stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. I laughed to myself; he was expecting a fight on this.

"Well it's just that I need more protection and I'm almost out of stomach pills."

He turned his head to the side looking at me then closed his eyes and shook his head. Argument won. I tried to never argue with Dean. I just always pointed out the importance, nothing more.

We packed everything up and climbed in the SUV. I told Dean directions to get to the back road of my house so that no one would see us enter. I had a back way of getting in as well. Or more like an underground way of getting in.

I sit back and let him do his thing as he drove down the back road without a problem. My guess is that he already knew of this area or he wouldn't have found it so easy. It had been surrounded by trees and made to look like nothing was there.

I put my hand on the door and told Dean to keep the boys with him. Braydon was going with me. We jumped out of the vehicle and ran straight down the path. We ran through bushes and in between trees until I came to a small clearing. It was less than three feet in diameter. Braydon stopped and watched as I lifted what look like a root in the ground. It raised the hatch and showed only darkness below.

I jumped down and moved out of the way after telling him to shut it behind him. He dropped down beside me and I reached out for him. I hated darkness. It didn't help that we only had a couple more hours until daylight. Not only did it make the area darker but it also meant that we had to hurry and make it back so the vehicle wasn't spotted by anyone roaming around.

I run my hand up Braydon's chest and down his arm. I took his hand and put it against the wall and pushed on it. He applied more pressure and the lights at the other end began coming on, one by one, making their way towards us.

The tunnel looked exactly like what it was. I had worked on it for over a year, bracing the roof of it with pillars until I could put cement blocks along the walls. I had installed lighting along the entire length of it and fixed it so that if I turned the lights on on one end they came on first at the other end. It allowed me to make sure no one was there, and no one would see me in the darkness until the lights reached me.

We ran on tip toes so as not to make much sound. We got to the corner of the tunnel and Braydon put my back to the wall while he glanced around to make sure no one was around. He nodded and we shot around the corner. We stopped at the first ladder and I motioned for him to follow me. I opened the door to the security room beside it and pushed the lever up on the wall connecting the rest of the power.

The monitors lit up around us and I looked at each one trying to determine if anyone had been there. The first ladder led to my storage shed. I used it to store the stuff I use to make my weapons. I looked at the monitor to make sure the lock on the outside hadn't been tampered with.

I hit another button on the keyboard and used the camera to check inside the house as well as around it. There was nothing out of the ordinary. I activated the metal gates I had installed on the inside of the house. It would cover the windows and doors from the inside allowing us to move around the house freely and no one be the wiser.

I nodded to Braydon and we went up the first ladder. I opened the hatch and looked around to make sure there wasn't someone hiding and moved on up into the building allowing Braydon access. I grabbed a duffel bag and began filling it with cylinders and titanium blades. I grabbed the tools needed to make more swords then tossed it down the hatch to the tunnel below.

We quickly descended and went to the ladder that would take us to the house. Braydon went ahead of me. I step out of the hidden passageway in the pantry and almost fell to my knees. The house smelled like Dad. My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried to steady myself. I didn't want to do this. I wasn't ready to face this house without him.

"We're here to get some things Rissa, just like we do when he's on a mission."

I knew Braydon was trying to help me. I would rather pretend that he was still alive then face this. So that's what I did. I told myself I had talked to him earlier that day and he'd asked me to pick up some things and go stay with Dean at the academy because he was running late.

I took a deep breath and ran to the kitchen to get the remainder of the IV, antibiotics, and pain medicine that I stored in the fridge. I put it in a bag and grabbed bags of frozen veggies out of the freezer to help keep it cold before tying the bag up. I opened the coffee can, digging around until I found the little hook. I lifted the container with the coffee in it and dumped the syringes out onto the counter.

I grabbed the medical supplies and ran to my room, putting them on the bed. I ran back to Dad's room and over to his closet. I grabbed several of the outfits I made him, as well as several vests. I knew they would come in handy for the guys. I pulled a duffel bag out of the bottom of his closet and shoved everything in. I moved a panel on the wall and began turning the dial on the safe.

When the safe was open, I sat there trying to remember what it was he said I was to get if something were to ever happen to him. I grabbed the large brown envelope lying on the top shelf and looked at it. It had my name written on it and a reminder to get the box on the bottom shelf. I grabbed the box and looked at it.

To be opened as soon as possible Rissa!

That thought brought tears to my eyes. There was something in the box he felt important enough for me to open. Something I didn't think I was ready to see.

I shoved everything in the duffel bag and ran over to his bed taking his pillow as well. I held it to me and inhaled the musty smell of my dad. Tears stung my eyes. I couldn't do this. I couldn't pretend he wasn't gone from my life. I had to get a grip if I wanted to get us out of here.

I shoved the pillow in, grabbed the bag, and ran to my room. Braydon already had a bag with clothes, shoes, the medical supplies as well as all my other meds in a bag of its own. I walked over to the closet and slid the wall aside. Behind it held my important things.

I reached up and grabbed a suit and vest that I had made for Braydon and turned to see him watching me.

"Put this on and then put your clothes over it, the vest goes last."

I watched as he went to the bathroom, leaving the door open a crack. I grabbed my suit and did the same only I tossed the t-shirt in the trash can and put the boxers in my bag. I wasn't bothering putting anything over it. I grabbed a pair of boots out of the closet and slipped them on. I zipped the vest up over my outfit and left the hood down.

Braydon come out just as I began filling another bag with another suit, vest, and boots. He looked at me but never said a word. I grabbed my pillows off the bed and used them to transport my two laptops and tablet. I grabbed a few sets of contact lenses, and other things I used as disguises. I knew I was taking more than needed but I wasn't taking a chance.

The last thing I grabbed was a wooden box at the bottom of my closet.

"Nova's," I told Braydon.

He didn't respond. I knew he was trying to figure out how we would manage to get all of this stuff back to the vehicle. I grabbed a pump sitting on my dresser and went over to the bags that contained my disguises. I hooked the pump up and turned it on. It was quiet and if you didn't see it working, you wouldn't know it was. I watched as it began to pull the air out of the bag and shrinking it down. By the time it was done I was able to stuff it into my other bag.

I took my pillows and stuffed them in Dad's bag. That left three bags to carry and the box of Nova's. I had to figure out how to make this smaller. I looked at the bag that contained Dad's things. If I moved the box, the envelope, and my pillows with the computers, I may be able to shrink it down to put into another bag. But that would leave me putting my computers in the bag with my weapons.

I didn't have much of a choice. It was either that or leave the weapons behind.

"Where are my blades?" I asked Braydon since he was the one that had taken them from me.

"In the SUV."

Great. I hadn't even thought about them while we ran here and now we may be in danger on the way back. Then I remembered the two others I had built. I hadn't really gotten to try them out so I didn't know how well they'd work. It was either use them or slow us down.

I ran back to my closet, moved the large wall panel aside and moved the empty clothes hangers. I tapped the wall and a small compartment opened up revealing my two blades and the holster belt I made to go with them. I quickly put the belt on and slid the blades in place.

"We're leaving the other bag in the tunnel. We can't take it all and I think I have what I need. If we need it later, I'll order more," I told him from the closet.

"I can carry two. I'll put a strap across each shoulder."

I walked out of the closet to see him already putting one of the straps to the bag over his head and across his chest.

"I'm going to need help with this. I can't run and carry it."

I watched as he looked at the box. He was trying to figure out how to do this. I grabbed the other bag and tossed the strap over my head and across my chest like he did. We each grabbed a handle on the box and made our way to the hidden entry.

"We need to toss this stuff down."

I looked at him and smiled.

"I don't think you want to do that."

I watched him take the bag off and lower it to the tunnel floor. He did the same with mine making sure to be careful with it. He reached for the box and I shook my head. He looked at me a second and then jumped down into the tunnel. He reached up and I handed him the box so he could sit it down and help me down.

Before I could even take a step down I remembered something else I needed to get. "Wait," I told him as I ran back to Dad's room and grabbed the picture off the wall. I pulled the back off and gathered all the identification cards he had hidden there. I ran back to Braydon told him to shove those in his pocket and waited for him to help me down. I knew Dean would want those so no one could use them.

He refused to leave that bag behind. No matter what I said. I watched as he crossed the straps over his chest. I did the same with the one I had and we each grabbed a handle to the box. I stopped long enough to flipped the lever off and shut the power down to the monitors then we were running down the tunnel toward the woods.

### Chapter Five

Braydon stepped out first and I reached up laying my bag on the ground followed by the wooden box. When I jumped up grabbing a hold of the side, I saw why Braydon hadn't helped me. He was being held at gun point by another man. I rolled my eyes and continued to stand up. I shut the hatch with my foot and then twisted the latch off. There was no way I was allowing them to enter my house.

"We're only here for the girl. Back away and no one else has to get hurt," the man said in a deep voice.

"And why would you want me?" I asked him as I slowly put the hood of my vest on.

"I don't have to answer that question," he scowled.

"Oh but you should. I mean I'd like to know why someone keeps trying to kill me."

"Kill you? We are here to eliminate you. The things you've done have warranted it."

I watched him as best as I could. Braydon was trying to block me with his body and I didn't like that one bit.

"I haven't done anything. I think you have the wrong person," I told him as politely as possible.

"So you didn't kill Two-hundred fifty men?"

"They were criminals and had taken her by force. She wasn't the only one there. I was witness to it," Braydon told him. Was he trying to get himself killed?

"Criminals? She doesn't work with the Federation of Assassin's."

Okay so now I was confused. Dean was the head of the FOA in this region. There would be no way on God's green earth that he would order a hit on me.

"I think you may be mistaken, because I do."

The statement hung in the air. I could see the slight hesitation in his actions before his jaw tightened and he called us both liars. He aimed the gun and I motioned with my fingers on Braydon's back that when I hit three for him to drop to the ground. I counted out with my fingers and we both hit the ground as I turned over him using my blade to cut the trip wire beside me.

The man had paused long enough when he watched us drop down that when I cut the line he didn't see the battle ax swinging toward him until it was too late.

I hated the thought of killing an innocent person. It wasn't his fault that someone had given him false information. If he had just stopped long enough to listen this wouldn't have happened.

I knew he wasn't dead though but would die soon if he didn't get help. Just like I knew there were others in the woods with us somewhere. I could hear them running our way and watched as Braydon grabbed the gun off his side and pointed it just as another one found us. This gun didn't have a silencer on it. I couldn't tell if my ears were ringing from being so close to the shot or if it was still echoing through the woods.

"Hood up and keep running. Don't stop." I told him as Braydon took the duffel bag from me and grabbed both handles of the box. It left me free to defend myself, as well as him and I had every intention of doing just that.

When faced with a choice of life or death, I choose life. I don't like killing exactly or the thought of dying but at times it has to be done. So I had to do what it would take to get him back to the vehicle, safe and sound, even if it meant me dying in the process.

I gave him a head start-unknown to him. I watched as he ran full force and knew he would reach the vehicle sooner than I thought. I stayed only a few feet behind him because I could hear someone making their way toward me. The stinging in my back and shoulders let me know they were out for blood.

I stepped aside and hid behind a tree as Braydon cleared the last of the woods and went toward the SUV. I hit the last trip wire and watched as steel gates began to lower around the woods. I didn't have long to make it out.

"Stop!" I yelled as the man came up behind me.

"I don't want to do this. I haven't done anything wrong. Someone has told you lies. I work for Dean Sterling," I told him as he stepped out of the bush.

"Dean Sterling is dead. He has been for over a year."

My eyebrows shot up and my eyes widened at words this man was saying. How could they think Dean was dead?

"You're wrong. Dean isn't dead. He's the one that's been protecting me."

He didn't believe me. I could see it in his eyes as they stared at me with hatred. Then something dawned on me, if he thinks Dean isn't in charge then who is?

"Who do you work for?" I asked as he began to circle me.

"I was trained and employed by the man in charge of Federation of Assassin's in the US."

"The whole entire US huh? That's funny. And whoever it is, is lying to you. He knows I'll just end up killing you because Dean is still alive and still in charge. That's why the academy was established in this area, because he is here."

"Academy?"

"Yes. There's an academy that trains young assassins. I'm a student there. I was kidnapped and tortured for information about it as well as information on another assassin. I killed the men that did it." I lied. That wasn't the reason I was kidnapped but no one had to know the truth.

The gates were down and I could hear Braydon along with everyone else screaming for me. I knew it wouldn't be long before they tried climbing the fence and if they did, it would give them the shock of their life.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Dean's number.

"Marissa what are you doing? Get out of there now!"

"I need you to tell me who you are and what you do," I stated into the phone as I put it on speaker.

"Why?"

"Please?"

"My name is Dean Sterling. I am the head of the FOA in the eastern region. I run the academy for assassins, training them to become the best; which is what you are."

The man's faced paled. I could see his hands shaking. I could see the fear in his eyes. He believed me. I may actually have a standing chance.

"I'm sorry Marissa. I have to do this. I don't have a choice. He's already said he will kill us if we don't." His hands steadied and he raised the gun and aimed it straight at my head. There was no way I could react in time without causing him to go ahead and shoot.

"You don't want to do this. Don't become a cold blooded killer."

"I already am," his eyes were filled with sorrow. The sadness was overcoming him. I closed my eyes, I didn't want that to be the last thing I see.

The shot never came. I opened my eyes to him lying on the ground. Blood was pouring out the back of his head. My mouth fell opened as I gasped.

"Get out here, now!" Dean was pissed.

When I turned I could see Zavier just on the other side of the fence with Dean's gun in his hand and a deadly look on his face. His eyes were darting around checking for more.

He nodded to me and motioned for me to leave. I nodded back and took off running as fast as I could manage. I used a tree to propel myself toward another and continued until I was high enough to flip over the gates without touching them. I landed on the other side and didn't stop. I could see the trunk still open as Braydon and Zavier had abandoned everything in an attempt to get to me.

"In coming!" I yelled as they turned to see me. Sage's eyes went wide as he leaned down in the seat. I grabbed the back and dove forward landing in the middle row of the SUV. I lay down and tried to catch my breath as they finished what was needed to get us out of there.

After everyone was in the vehicle and we were on our way, Dean began to ask questions.

"Do you know who the he was the man referred too?"

I shook my head.

"But?"

"But I know part of the reason they're after me," I stated. I really didn't want to have to tell them here and now.

We were a good way off from the house when Dean stopped the car and stared at me through the rear-view mirror.

"It's safer if you tell me here."

I took a deep breath and released it. God I pray they forgive me for this.

"The man said that whoever it is; is the head of the FOA of the US. They said it was because I killed Two-hundred fifty men. These men don't know the facts, just what they are being told. But even when I proved it to him he still wanted to take my life in order to save his."

Everyone was quiet.

"But you haven't killed anyone, well at least not that many," Gabe said as he turned in the passenger seat to look at me. I looked at Dean in the mirror; he gave me a weak smile.

"Yeah Gabe, I have. I wasn't in a car wreck, I was kidnapped. But if you don't mind I'd rather tell you about it after we've unpacked and had breakfast, I don't want to lose my appetite."

"You lied to us?"

"No. I did," Dean informed him.

"Marissa hasn't ever talked about it. This will be the first time she's ever told anyone what really happened. The fact that she would tell it for you should say a lot," Braydon just stared at Gabe. I watched the reactions of each of the guys. Lorik was staring out the window. Gabe was looking at me but lost in thought. Sage gave me a sad smile but Zavier looked like I had really hurt him.

I guess in a way I did. It wasn't the fact that I had killed people, it was the fact that we had always promised to never lie to the other. And I broke that promise.

I couldn't stand looking at them. I turned my head and began looking out the side window. I had to grit my teeth to try to stop my lip from quivering.

"It's alright. It's going to be alright."

I knew Braydon was trying to be helpful but it just made me want to cry even more. I had to set my jaw and grit my teeth even harder. I balled both hands into fists and felt my nails dig into the palm of my hands.

Gabe must have still been watching. "Was it that bad?"

I couldn't look at him. I couldn't respond. I was afraid of moving an inch for fear of breaking down in front of all of them.

"We almost lost her. They didn't think she was going to pull through when we got her to the hospital," Dean whispered but I knew they had all heard.

I couldn't stop the lone tear from betraying me as it rolled down my cheek. I still wasn't ready to talk about this. I didn't care if I never gave Dean a full report. I didn't want to face it. I had lied to myself since I awoke days later but now I had to face the music and it scared me.

I felt a soft touch on my face and looked out of the corner of my eye to see Zavier pull back. He never said a word or even looked at me again. This was going to be the hardest thing I think I've done since the day it happened.

### Chapter Six

I watched out the window in hopes of thinking of nothing. I took in the dark scenery around us as we drove. Almost every house we went by had woods behind it. As we got closer to town the houses were closer together and the trees disappeared. The town was dead. There were only a few vehicles on the road and the lights were off in most businesses. Even the red lights in town were still flashing yellow in one direction red in the other.

I watched it all speed by and the closer we got the more my back tensed. It wasn't that I was afraid of what happened. Yes, I had become extremely paranoid. That had nothing to do with it. I didn't want them to learn what kind of monster I had become. I didn't want them to fear me. I loved these guys. It was why I had kept my distance. Only now I didn't know if I could anymore.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice where we were until Dean drove under the last overpass. Appalachia, Virginia came in to view. I was less than two minutes away from the academy.

I was trying not to hyperventilate as the only two gas stations they had passed by. I was fighting the scream building in my throat as the row of buildings in Main Street disappeared. I closed my eyes and prayed this would all go away when he went over the bridge and past the church. I thought I was literally dying on the inside when the old high school building came into view and he turned to go up to what was now the academy.

The sun was just coming up as we pulled in and parked. I use to love to sit and watch day break. I used to climb to the roof and watch as the dark blue turned to purple then give way to the light blue sky as that bright orange ball showed its face. But with everything weighing on me and knowing that at any time I could be attacked again, I didn't hesitate to grab things out of the vehicle and run inside.

We had managed to get everything in one trip and I was thankful. I went about putting up the groceries as everyone else decided who got what. I didn't want to have to deal with that. It was bad enough to think about what I had to speak aloud without looking at the dreary room they were in.

Braydon put mine and his things away and came to the kitchen to help me but I had almost gotten everything finished and was laying things out for breakfast. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Please don't ever sacrifice yourself for me again."

I wanted to turn in his arms and hold him but I couldn't. I was shaking so bad that keeping myself busy was the only thing that made me capable of even standing on my own. I didn't want anyone knowing just how bad I dreaded this. Just how weak it made me at the thought of losing everyone I love.

I hated feeling weak. This wasn't me but then I realized that since I was tortured this was what I had become. I understood now why Braydon did not want me. I could take care of myself most time, but not all time. Not anymore. I had become so dependent on him to get me through things that I didn't know if I could handle it all otherwise. I had to find a way to get that part of myself back.

Breakfast was made and I carried a plate to everyone. I never complained about it because I loved taking care of them. I always have. But when I handed Zavier his plate he looked down at the ground instead. He wouldn't forgive me and I didn't blame him.

"We didn't know where to put that," Sage said pointing to the wooden box. "What's in it anyway?"

I smiled and set my plate on the coffee table. I sit down in the floor and popped the latch on the box. I held up one of the round devices and showed it to everyone.

"Nova's."

"What's a nova?" Sage asked.

"An exploding star," I replied smiling.

"I know that. I mean, what is the nova you're holding?"

"An exploding star. It has a button on the top that when you press it, blades come out like a throwing star. It allows you to throw it at your target and then explodes, taking your target out."

Sage's eyes went wide and I saw Dean, out of the corner of my eye, lean forward. Even this had Zavier's attention.

"I have three types; a gas bomb, which is marked with a gray stripe around the center; a regular nova, which explodes taking out the immediate target and is marked with a yellow stripe and then the super nova. It has enough power to take out this entire room, walls and all. That's why it's marked with red. I have a prototype if anyone wants to see?"

"I would love to see it," Dean replied.

"It's just confetti so it won't do any damage."

I walked to the kitchen, getting napkins for everyone's plates. I covered my own and walked back to the box taking out one of the grenades I had built.

"Wait, how do you know that's the prototype?" Sage asked.

I laughed slightly and turned it around so he could see the words prototype written on it. His face flushed and I walked over and kissed his cheek.

I stood, pressed the button on the top, and grabbed onto the blades as they shot out. I tossed the nova across the room and it embedded itself into the wall. After six seconds a small explosion sounded and confetti filled the air. I stood there looking around at the little pieces of paper floating down. It was almost like snow.

I looked back at everyone.

"You built these?" Dean asked.

I nodded to him. "I wanted to show them to you last year but sort of got side tracked."

No one spoke after that. They all just uncovered their plates and began eating. I knew they were all curious and wanted the information that only I could supply.

It didn't matter how slow I ate, I could feel their eyes on me. They were waiting. I didn't have a choice anymore.

My hands began to shake as I brought the last bite of food to my mouth but I didn't look up to see if they noticed. I didn't want looks of pity. I jumped up, gathered the plates, and then came back to the living room. I walked over to the entertainment center and sit down. Later I would see the irony of that, but for now I couldn't do more than pull my legs up to my chest and wrap my arms around myself.

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. Just get it over with, I thought to myself. You can do this.

"I had known someone was following me for a couple of weeks. I had even told Dad about it. We made an agreement that I wouldn't go out alone unless I had my tracker on me and he was nearby. I didn't think anything would happen that day. I mean I used a disguise like always and I wasn't in the store for more than ten minutes.

I had no choice but to go out. Dad had left town because Uncle David needed him. He was supposed to be back later that day but I had run out of things that I needed. I had no choice, I couldn't wait," I don't know if I was trying to convince them of it or myself.

I put my chin on my knees and stared at the tile floor in front of me. I was trying to control my breathing. I didn't have to tell them everything, just the main things. That I could do.

"They came up behind me as I was putting the stuff in the trunk. I had a mirror attached to the back so I could always see what was behind me. I had just enough time to throw my purse and keys in the trunk and slam it down before they put a hood over my head blocking out everything." I shuttered at the memory.

"They took me to some place here in Appalachia, up in the woods. I had hoped I would have time to figure out what they wanted but that wasn't the case. From the moment they took me in the room, they beat me. They had tied me to a chair and left the dark hood over my head. They began asking me questions and when I wouldn't answer, they would hit me.

"They would ask me constantly; what's your name? Who's your dad? I wouldn't answer. The longer I didn't answer, the worse it got. I was okay for a while. I dealt with the face punches, the broken ribs. Shoot, I didn't even flinch when they broke my wrist. But when they used a metal pipe to break my jaw I passed out."

The tremors were raking my body as I sat there. I couldn't contain it any longer and I knew they could all see this. I lowered my legs and wrapped my arms around my stomach to try to lessen it but nothing was working. When I glanced at Braydon, he opened his arms to welcome me to sit on his lap. I shook my head. I had to do this on my own.

"When I woke up they had me tied to a table." The shaking became severe and I had to close my eyes so they wouldn't see the fear.

"They had pulled my shirt up and my pants down but had tied me down so that I was on my stomach. They began asking the questions again but this time they never even gave me a chance to answer before they would run a blade over my back or the back of my legs. I lost count how many times they did this after about forty times."

I stood up, grabbed a shirt and shorts from the drawer and went to the bathroom to change. Everyone was still sitting the exact same way, not making a sound.

I walked to the center of the room so that I wasn't very close and turned my back to them. I raised the back of my shirt so they could see what had been done to me. I raised the leg of my shorts to show them. I didn't know how bad they looked because even I hadn't seen it.

I went back over and sat down where I was and finished my part.

"I pretended to pass out. After a few minutes they stopped and left the room. I laid there for just a few minutes when I heard the door open again. I was afraid to move. I really didn't think my body could handle any more abuse. Whoever it was, just stood there. I thought I heard them whisper something that sounded like he was going to kill them so I turned my head. When I did they came running toward me.

"He told me his name was Braydon Thompson and he was from the FOA. He would get me out of there. I knew that name. I also knew that if he was telling me everything about him that uh, he was going to do a mercy kill. So I did the only thing I knew to. I raised my head up and said 'don't I at least get to see the face of the man that's about to take my life?' He never said anything."

"What could I say? You freaked me out. I had never had anyone say that. Not that I had that much experience with it. Oh God, when I took the hood off her head, I knew who it was but only because they had hit her so hard they knocked her contacts out. It was her blue eyes. They were John's eyes.

"Everyone knew John, you know. And here I was thinking I almost killed her. I almost took the life of John Stone's daughter," I could see the pain in his eyes as he said those words.

"What do you mean you knew who she was only because of her eyes?" Zavier asked.

"They had beaten Rissa pretty bad. Her face was nothing but bruises and it was so swollen I don't know how she could even see. Her back and her legs." He covered his face with his hands then slid them up through his hair making it go in every direction.

"I didn't know how I was going to get her out of there. Truthfully, I thought we'd both die there. She asked me to untie her and I did. I helped her get her pants pulled up because I was afraid if she bent over it would make the bleeding worse. I don't know how she dealt with that pain. But she grabbed a hold of me and was sliding her hands down my sides as she asked me if there were any more of us there.

"When I told her no, she took the daggers off my side and turned throwing them straight into the heart of two guys that had walked in the room. I hadn't even heard the door open. When she went to retrieve the blades, she turns to see that I had been attacked by a third man. He had gotten me across the face. He was going for my throat but I had moved just in time.

"I don't think I had ever seen anyone so mad in my life. She came across that room flying and got him away from me before she gutted him. Then she asked him whose scar he thought would look worse."

He looked at me and smiled.

"I heard stories of Rissa's fighting. I had even watched her train a few times but it was nothing like what I saw that day. She kept going. She would slide into a crowd of men and come out less than two minutes later covered in blood. Every one of them would be dead."

I didn't want to listen anymore. I knew what had happened that day and didn't need the reminder of how many lives I took. Most assassins build up to that many. To take out so many at once messes with a person.

I got up and walked into the kitchen to get something to drink. Zavier followed.

"There was more to it than that, wasn't there?"

I just nodded to him but didn't elaborate. I couldn't, not yet. He wrapped his arms around me and held me for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry Zavier. I didn't want to lie but I couldn't face it."

"You think that's why I was upset don't you? It's not Rissa. It's because if you remember, I was supposed to meet you at the store but was running late. I always blamed myself for the wreck but knowing it wasn't a wreck, well that made things even worse."

"Don't blame yourself for that. It wasn't your fault. You didn't tell them to take me. Plus I understood that your dad was making you help him."

Zavier still looked pained. He had wrinkles in between his eyebrows and had closed his eyes tight. His jaw was tense and his lips were pressed together in a tight line. I reached up and smoothed his hair out of his face then run my fingers down his jaw. He opened his eyes and looked at me. I leaned in and kissed him.

I know I shouldn't do that, especially after telling Braydon I loved him but at this moment I think we both needed some kind of comfort. He pulled back and looked at me. It was like a light had gone off above his head and his eyes went wide. He opened his mouth to say something then closed it.

"Maybe we should go back in there before they say something," I told him as I reached up and run a finger across his bottom lip. He nodded and we both walked back to the living room.

"My jaw had started bleeding again by the time we got to the door. I knew we had no choice but to wait inside on John to get there. I wasn't sure how long either of us could stay awake. I think it was the hardest thing I done but I wouldn't leave her alone, and I know she was doing the same for me," Braydon was saying. I nodded to him and sat down in the floor.

"I watched as she pulled some kind of bag off her shoulder and rummaged through it. She was telling me she had found medical supplies in one of the rooms. She took out some gauze and pressed it against my jaw and told me to hold it there. She asked me my blood type, and then I watched as she took an empty bag that had a needle attached and put it in her arm.

"At first I didn't know what she was doing. I guess I was so disoriented it didn't dawn on me that she was going to try to give me blood." Braydon scratched his head. "Okay so try wasn't the right word. She did give me blood. She had drawn out a pint of blood and then apologized for having to use the same needle when she stuck it in my arm."

The guys turned around and looked at me. I shrugged a shoulder and looked at the floor. "He had lost so much blood, I couldn't let him die."

"She hung the unit up on the wall with my dagger," he said laughing.

"Well it worked."

"Then she sits down and put my head in her lap and started telling me things about herself. She would tell me stories of these five guys she constantly hung out with and the goofy ways she tortured them. Before the transfusion was even done she stopped talking, looked up, and I watched as a tear rolled down her face.

I turned around to see what she was looking at. John and Dean stood there with I don't know how many men behind them. I heard Rissa clear her throat then heard her say 'I love you Daddy, I love you D.' that was all she got out. I saw John's eyes widen and turned in time to see Rissa's eyes roll back in her head as she started to fall back. Grabbing a hold of her shirt was the only thing that kept her from busting her skull. I was trying to get up as I held her but I was so weak I could barely move.

"John rushed to her and Dean pulled me off her lap. I was screaming but I don't remember what I was saying. I just remember Dean telling me that uh, she just passed out. I couldn't calm down though until I saw John pick her up to carry her out."

I looked up at Dean and could tell he was trying to hide the pain. "I was trying to tell you I love you but I couldn't get it out."

Dean nodded his head and his voice broke as he answered. "I know."

### Chapter Seven

The shaking in my body had lessened but it hadn't stopped all together. I wanted so badly for someone to hold me and tell me it was alright but that someone was no longer here. It was times like this that I missed my dad more than ever. I took a deep breath and tried to fight off the nauseating sobs trying to escape. When I raised my head back up Dean had a tear running down his cheek and he held out a hand to me.

I got up off the floor, holding onto the coffee table to make sure I didn't fall back to my knees, and made my way to Dean. He had always been like a second father to me. I think I spent as much time with him growing up as I did my real dad. He pulled me onto his lap and I wrapped my arms around his neck. The fight to not cry lost when I felt Dean take in a shaky breath. He was suffering as much as I was.

We sit there holding and comforting each other for a while before I sat up to look at him. I let out a breath of a laugh when we both reached up at the same time to wipe the others tears away.

"Dad would laugh at us if he could see us right now," I told him.

"Yeah, I can hear him now telling us how we've gotten soft. But he can laugh all he wants. We're entitled to mourn him."

"I can't help but feel like he's out there somewhere Dean. That this was all a mistake. Could it be? Could it be someone else?"

"No sweetheart, it's not a mistake," he said as he pushed my hair away from my face and behind my ear.

The pain was unbearable. How was I supposed to go on? I didn't really have anyone else. I mean I knew I had Shayden and Aunt Dawn but it wasn't the same. No one could replace him. No one would ever be able to fill the hole that was left in my heart. The worst part of it all was I never got to tell him I loved him before he left. He was gone before I had gotten up that morning.

"Rissa, can I ask you a question?" Sage asked.

I nodded to him.

"How long were you tortured?"

I really didn't mind the distraction I'm sure he was trying to create to get my mind off Dad but it would have been better if it were on another subject. I really didn't want to talk about this.

"I don't know for sure." I stared out the window passed Dean's shoulder. I wanted to get lost in the colors of the woods behind the building but as the darkness fell over my eyes, scenes replayed. I blinked bringing back the light and got up out of Dean's lap to sit beside him. I hadn't even realized I had taken his hand and was holding it until he gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

"I was taken on a Friday. I don't know what day it was when Braydon found me." Truthfully I didn't know what day it was for a few weeks after waking up. I kept thinking it would be one day only to find I was a few days off.

"I found her on Sunday," Braydon said in a whisper.

That was something I didn't know. I had no way of knowing because I wouldn't speak to anyone. I had been tortured for two days. Did it make a difference? Not really. I guess I would have been in better shape had he found me sooner but the things I went through the first day was almost as bad as what I went through there at the last.

"I don't understand, I thought you said you about lost her?" Gabe asked.

"Somewhere between the time they left with Marissa until they reached the hospital she began to vomit blood. Her stomach was bleeding profusely. The doctor didn't think they'd ever get it to stop in time."

My stomach turned as I remembered waking up once to see everyone around covered in blood. Dad, Dean, Sage and Zavier's dad along with the nurses and doctor all had blood on them somewhere and I was still projecting it out every time my stomach filled with it.

I jumped up from the couch and ran to the bathroom. I knew someone was behind me but all I could think of was making it to the toilet in time to lose what breakfast I had eaten.

"It will be alright. I'm here," Zavier said as he held my hair back. I had expected Gabe or Braydon but Zavier? I didn't know what to say.

"It was an allergic reaction to something," I told him as I rose up and took the towel from him to wipe my face.

He looked at me like he was lost.

"What about killed me; it was an allergic reaction to something that caused my stomach to bleed."

His eyes got real wide but he never spoke. He waited with me patiently until I finished washing my face and brushing my teeth. I went to walk out of the bathroom but stumbled just a little. Zavier picked me up like I weighed nothing and carried me back into the living room where everyone else sits.

I had expected him to put me back down on the couch but he sat down in the chair and held me in his lap. I knew he felt guilty over this but he had no reason to. There was nothing he could have done that would have changed how things went. I couldn't stand seeing these guys act so upset over this.

"On a funnier note, I scared the nurses half to death after I woke up," I told them. Braydon's head came up and I could see him fighting to hide the smile.

"What did you do?" Gabe asked hesitantly.

I grinned real big and laughed to myself. "Well I was a good girl at first. I promise," I laughed again. "They wouldn't tell me anything about Braydon. I asked everyone; Kyle, the nurses, Dad, no one would tell me anything so I was beginning to think the worst. Finally Dad agreed to call Dean. Bless his heart; Dean had only been gone from the hospital maybe three hours.

"Anyway, Dad had brought me some things from the house. One of them was a cell phone scrambler but he didn't know that. So I turned it on and started begging him to ask Dean. He looked down at his phone and told me he'd be back in a few minutes. I waited until I heard him walking away, unplugged my IV, and blood unit. Then I watched as he got in the elevator.

"I didn't think they would have him in ICU so I went door to door looking in each room. That is until I got to the nurses' station and one of the nurses said I needed to get back in bed. I gave her the saddest look I could give and told her that my boyfriend had been in a car wreck with me and no one would tell me if he was still alive.

"She asked me his name and I told her and watched from her glasses as she typed his information in. I can read backwards so I was able to get his room number. But as I began making my way toward his room a freaking amazon woman steps out points her finger at me and demands I go back to my room."

"Oh God," Lorik groans. Yeah he knows me well.

"What did you do?" Sage asked as he narrowed his eyes at me.

I gave them an innocent look and blinked my eyes. I looked down at Zavier's hands holding mine and bit my bottom lip before looking back up. I could see Sage's face soften as he looked at me. I was doing my best doe eyed impression possible until I looked at Braydon. I knew that look went from sweet and innocent to naughty real quick.

"I told her to look at me. I said I play deadly games for a living, would you like to be the next contestant on let me see where I can shove this cast?"

Zavier was laughing so hard I felt like I was on a horse galloping as his body shook. Lorik face palmed himself. Dean was trying to hide the smile behind his fist and a cough. Sage looked at me like he was dumbfounded that I would do it, and Gabe, poor Gabe, shook his head. They all know me well. They should have known I wouldn't sit by. When I looked over at Braydon he was grinning from ear to ear.

"What?"

"I could hear you. Braxton thought there was some psychopath loose in the hospital and was telling Dean he needed backup," Braydon was laughing before he could even finish what he was saying.

"Oh Gah, I bet when he saw me he almost messed himself," I said laughing.

Braydon kept laughing and nodding his head in agreement. It took him a few minutes to calm down. I watched as he wiped the tears away from his face. I loved the sound of his laughter.

"I knew it was Marissa. I knew the sound of her voice. I was trying my best to get out of the bed when she stepped up to the door of my room. Braxton's face paled, I swear I thought he'd pass out. Marissa pointed at me to make me set back in the bed, then walked around and climbed in beside me," Braydon was fighting so hard not to laugh again as the tears kept rolling.

"You'll never guess who Dean sent as backup to get rid of the psychopath," Braydon lost his fight and doubled over. "John!" he was almost in hysterics when he finally finished it.

There wasn't a dry eye in the room. The look on Braxton's face when Dad walked in and started laughing almost undone him. He had flopped down in the chair looking around like he didn't know where he was or what was going on. Dad finally told him who I was and then Braxton's face went from pale to flaming red right before he got up and walked out of the room.

As far as I know he still hadn't forgiven Braydon for that. I don't know why, it's not like he was expected to know who I was. Then again I guess he could have felt embarrassed that he called me a psychopath. He wouldn't be far off base though.

Braydon's phone went off and he pulled it off his belt. After reading the text message he began laughing again. I narrowed my eyes as I looked at him. I had a sinking feeling I knew what was going on.

I got up out of Zavier's lap and got my tablet sitting on the bedside table. I turned it on and watched it load. Within seconds the triple beep alarm let me know what I thought was right. They had a camera set up in this room.

I looked up and looked at each one before settling my gaze on Dean. I raised an eyebrow and he looked at me confused.

"Care to explain why you have your tech watching?"

"How did you?" I smiled at him cutting his sentence off.

"Are we forgetting who we're dealing with here?"

"Never. I just didn't think you'd bring your toys," Dean replied.

"Ah now Dean, I thought you knew me better than that," I said as I smiled at him. "I guess I'll just have to find a way to entertain him." I walked over and sat down in Zavier's lap. I leaned back and crossed my legs and placed my hands in my lap. It was trick I had picked up from Dad to get the information I wanted. "So, who is it?"

"Not going to work Princess. You're not as intimidating."

"Okay that's fine. Just answer this," I leaned forward and placed my elbow on the chair arm and my chin on my fist. "Think he'd like a good strip tease?"

Dean's eyes widened then narrowed as he looked at me. "You wouldn't."

"Oh wouldn't I?"

"You do realize there are other men in this room. Men that even if I'm not here, one of them will be at all times."

"I'm sure they would enjoy it."

"Fine have it your way," he said grinning as he stood up.

"I will. Braxton won't know what to do with himself by the time I'm done," I said as Dean's step falter slightly. I grinned as he turned to look at me. He rolled his eyes, shook his head, and walked out of the room.

### Chapter Eight

A year ago I would have done exactly what I told Dean. I wasn't a shy person by any means and messing with people I was starting to become friends with was hard to pass up. But now, no now I couldn't make myself do it. I was scarred and damaged and didn't want anyone to see any part of my body.

I missed dancing though. It was one of things that I used to do that always help me think straight. I could turn on the music and dance until I was exhausted. It would take away my worries, fears, and any self-loathing I had. I didn't have to think about anything but the beat of the music. But I hadn't done that in a year either.

Now that I think of it, since the kidnapping I didn't do anything that I normally did. No dancing, no training, no goofing off or finding ways to torment the boys I was always surrounded with. I hadn't even stepped foot in the academy. I had hid myself away from everyone and everything I had ever loved.

I looked around the room. I used to stay here with the guys a lot. We spent our time here during school hours and then Dean's home during summer. At least while my dad was gone that is. So being here didn't comfort me. I didn't want to think that this would be my life now. I wanted to go home.

The walls of this room were depressing. They were painted gray and all cinder block except for the one wall that was half cinder block half windows. The floor was an ugly speckled tile and the ceiling was that white foam tile. Most of the place looked like this. All the floors were the same. All the walls were the same except for the halls.

When you first enter the building it would remind you of any regular school. The walls from midway up were gray painted cinder block. From midway down, brick. There was a stairwell at the front door that faced the main hallway and two more at each end. If you went upstairs where most of the classrooms were as well as the labs, instead of brick, the halls were lined with old ugly, gray, metal lockers.

I had begged Dean I don't know how many times to do something about the color but he would always say that any other color draws attention to the eye and distracts the students. With some of the teachers here a distraction was called for.

I was sort of happy that I hadn't had to take any classes within the last year. Well at least not classes here. Dean still made sure I did my work so I wouldn't be behind a year. I didn't think I could take everyone asking questions.

When you went back down to the middle floor, if you looked straight ahead, you could see the doors that took you downstairs. It wasn't used for classrooms anymore so Dean kept the doors locked. Beside those doors was his office.

The top floor consisted of ten classrooms, two bathrooms and a lab. The middle floor held Dean's office, his apartment, panic room, the doctor's office, a library, two bathrooms, and two more apartments. I didn't know everything that was downstairs. I knew the morgue for one but the rest I wasn't sure. Not like it mattered. No one got passed Dean's techie to make it down the stairs to look.

I got up from where I was sitting and went to the windows. This room was on the back side of the school which meant my only view was of an empty parking lot and the woods. From where we were I couldn't see past the library that stuck out from the building to see the steps that led up to the woods. That was where they did outdoor training.

I glanced back at the boys. No one had told me to stay in the room so I walked across the room and opened the door. I walked to my right down the hall a little way and looked out the window. It faced the auditorium. They held one class over there; surveillance.

It consisted of watching films of other assassins when they would go out after a contract. They kept a wireless camera on them at all times. It could be in their tie, their earring, a necklace, anything, and it filmed the entire thing. It also showed us how to use the cameras, upload to the computer, and send it in as soon as we were done. Not like I didn't already know how to do that.

There were many times I would skip my class just to go over and watch though. That was when they would show Dad's contract killings. Some were brutal; others silent as he would slip them something to knock them out or use an injection to kill them. I was proud of my father.

I sighed as I leaned my head against the window staring out at the brick building. I missed Dad so much. I was almost tempted to leave out the side door and go to the auditorium in hopes of watching a film with him in it. But I knew there was no one there and the doors would be locked.

I turned, Braydon was leaning against the door frame of our room and tried to smile but I knew it didn't do any more than curl one side of my lips up.

I walked passed him and to the other end of the hall. I stared out the window at the steps going to the woods. There were so many places a person could hide here. I looked at the one vehicle in the parking lot, Dean's. He should probably hide it but I guess everyone knew he was always here so it wouldn't matter.

I let my eyes follow the concrete sidewalk to the training building. It was the old gymnasium to the former school. To us, it held dummies that we practiced on, structures that we climbed to reach other levels and more dummies. There was a room to the side that was for another classroom but I had never attended a class in it, I should have this year but being gone stopped that from happening.

There was also a girls and guys locker room. I laughed at that thought. I was the only girl in the academy. I was the only one that used them.

Below the training building and down the hill was the cafeteria. It would remind you a lot of high school except the tables with the attached seats I had seen on movies were replaced by round tables and real chairs. It had been so long since I had seen it I couldn't help but wonder if our table was occupied by others now.

I really didn't think the guys would replace me, although there were others vying for my spot. But the thought crept into my head anyway and made me want to ask them. If I only had the courage to do it. I don't think I could handle it if they were to tell me that someone had taken my place.

I leaned back against the window and looked down the hall. All the guys had walked out of the room and stood in the hallway watching me. Dean stood in his doorway but none of them said a word to me.

I took my time walking back and stop in front of the doors that led to the downstairs. Would my father be down there? Did Dean have him brought back here or taken somewhere else? Neither I nor Dad used the academy doctor. We had our own; Kyle. Would Kyle perform the autopsy? I didn't really trust anyone else to do it but I had to trust Dean's decisions.

I placed my hand on the glass of the window. My breath fogged up the glass and I could see the outline of my hand causing condensation as well. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I wouldn't cry, not when I was this close to my father. Although he never looked down on me if he ever saw tears in my eyes, I still felt it was a weakness.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I wish I had gone with him. I had asked him if he wanted me to go but he had refused saying he and his brother needed to discuss something private.

I opened my mouth again. I wanted to say something. To feel some kind of closure but what, I had no idea. I shut my mouth and stood there a few more seconds before leaning against the door and whispering to tell him I loved him.

I felt arms go around me and turned to hold onto to whoever had come to rescue me from this hell my mind had trapped me in. I took a deep breath and smelled Braydon. I put my ear against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. I needed to hear someone's beat because mine wasn't beating the way it should.

It felt as if it were sputtering. Beating twice then stopping. Was I dying and didn't know it? Or was it the stress of everything taking everything normal from me. My heartbeat, my breathing, my vision, nothing was as it should be. It wasn't until I felt Braydon touch my cheek that I realized I was hyperventilating. He was placing a bag in front of my face for me to breathe into.

He picked me up and carried me to Dean's office and set me down on the couch. I always hated that couch. It was brown leather and anytime I tried sitting on it with shorts my legs stuck to it.

I threw the bag aside and stood up. I walked behind Dean's desk and stared out the window. Below the high school were concrete bleachers, below that a football field. Although they never used it, it was still maintained. To the side was a small building that the boys used for weightlifting.

I never complained about not being allowed in that building. It was for the guys and they deserved to have a place to unwind just as I did. But my place was five miles away from here in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. It was the basement of my house.

I had nowhere now. Nowhere that I could go to take away the pain I was feeling. Nowhere that I could scream at the top of my lungs to release all that was building inside me. No, I had nothing now. And that nothing was weighing on me like a ton of bricks.

I turned to see everyone standing there. I moved over and sit down in Dean's leather desk chair. "I always wanted to do this," I said as I looked at Lorik. "Lorik go get me a coffee, Zavier, I need the morning paper." I was grinning at the guys and could see Dean smiling.

"If you're going to take my place then could you finish the paperwork as well?" he asked after he sits in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk.

"Gladly but I don't think you would like it," I gave him a goofy look and he laughed.

I sighed and looked down at his desk. That was when I saw something that made the blood drain from my face.

He was sending Braydon out on a mission.

"Bag," I whispered.

Braydon jumped to his feet and rushed to me. He handed me the bag but it was too late. I had already bent over and put my head between my legs. Nothing was working. The darkness was creeping up on me.

"Don't let me pass out, please. I can't take the darkness." I muttered trying to catch my breath at the same time.

I felt the cold water hit the back of my neck as it dripped from the cloth someone was putting there. The next one went to my forehead as I rose my head up. I scrunched the bag in my hands and put it over my mouth. I began taking deep breaths.

"Why? Are you scared of the dark?" Lorik asked. I could hear the cockiness in his voice but I knew he was trying to distract me. He was going to make fun of me like he always did when he found something that bothered me. He said it was his way of helping me defeat my demons.

"For two days I lived in total darkness while three monsters tortured me endlessly. So, yeah I'm scared of the dark." My voice was shaky as I spoke. It was then I realized my entire body was shaking.

"Please don't leave," I begged Braydon grabbing a hold of his shirt like a life preserver. I couldn't go through this without him.

I looked up to see him looking at the desk. I knew he was trying to find what had caused this. The look on his face relaxed some when he could see it was just orders. He must have thought that it was something else by the way he reacted to me.

That was when everything broke.

I realized something at that moment. He thought I had found a report on Dad. They had been lying to me. He didn't die a natural death.

I gulped and looked up at Braydon. His face paled and he glanced at Dean. I looked over at Dean who had jumped up from his seat and was making his way toward us.

"Marissa?"

"He was murdered wasn't he?"

I tried to stand from the chair but my legs gave out. The muscles in my back constricted and caused me to bend back. The muscles in my neck began pulling my head back as well. My arms had locked into place. I knew I looked like someone that had been chained up and pulled from different directions. That was one of the things they had done to me.

The scream was silent this time as my throat tightened. I could barely breathe and the darkness was coming from all sides quickly. My eyes were forced open and wide as I stared at the ceiling in Dean's office, watching the darkness cover the white tiles. Then images flashed in my head. I was reliving my worst nightmare.

I felt the needle prick my back and prayed it would hurry.

Braydon's face came into view as the ocean of black receded. "I've got you sweetheart. I've got you."

"They did this to me," I whispered as I felt my throat relax. I hadn't meant for that to come out. I hadn't meant to tell him anymore than I already did. It was too late. His eyes told me he knew what I was talking about. They teared up and I heard him tell me he was sorry for not being there sooner.

I leaned against him and once more begged him not to leave me. No one said anything.

"I can't handle losing you too. Please don't go. You have to stay here. Everyone I love is in danger."

I hated feeling slow mentally but that's what it felt like for me these last few days, so when it took a few minutes to realize that Shayden and Aunt Dawn were still out there, I wanted to die for not thinking of them.

"Shay?" I cried as I looked up at Dean.

### Chapter Nine

"He's fine Marissa. I sent a team to watch over him and your aunt. They've contacted me and let me know that everything was quiet."

Quiet didn't mean anything. Everything was quiet when they had broken into Dean's house and tried to kill me. Shay's house wasn't nearly as secure as Dean's was.

"I need to see him," I told Dean. He ran his fingers through his hair. I had never seen Dean like this. He was always well controlled. He shook his head to me.

"He's safe, I promise."

I had meant I needed to see Dad. Maybe he knew that and hoped that if he made it look like we were talking about Shayden I wouldn't say anything. It worked.

I looked over at the guys and could see worry on each of their faces except Zavier's. He had tears in his eyes and pain on his face. They had heard me. They had all heard me confess to another method used to torture me.

I had managed somehow to get up off the floor and back into Dean's chair. I was wringing my hands when I looked back at Dean. "Don't make Braydon leave me. Please?"

He closed his eyes a minute.

"I really need him to do this but I'll give you a week okay. That's the best I can do Princess."

I felt selfish for that request. I had no idea what Dean was sending Braydon out for. It could be to take out someone that was hurting innocent people. If it was, it made me just as much as a monster for asking.

I turned back to his desk to look for the paper but it was gone. There was one major rule when it came to this job. Tell no one but one person where you are going. It had to be someone you could trust. And it had to be someone that wouldn't tell no matter what. I knew better than to ask.

"Will others be killed if he doesn't go?" I asked.

He didn't answer. He just stood there staring at me. After a couple of minutes he said something that surprised me and put fear in me.

"You tell me everything that happened those two days and I'll tell you everything about his orders."

I stood and the chair went flying. I backed up and bumped into his bookcase knocking over pictures and trophies. I turned to straighten them out but Sage grabbed my hand and looked at me.

"It's alright. We only want to help you."

To everyone else my guys were jerks most of the time. It was hard to get in with them. But to me they were sweet and caring. Sage was my funny perverted sometimes corny carefree friend. Zavier was the shy type. He didn't talk much except to me and he would tell me everything. Gabe was the serious type, never wanting to goof off but always laughing at the stupidest things. Lorik was the smart-alack that gave you a hard time over everything but when it was just me and him, he let his defenses down.

I could trust them with the truth. That wasn't the problem. The problem was they would not only never trust me again, but probably never want to speak to me again.

"I can't," I whispered.

"Are you a coward?" Lorik asked.

"Yes. I'm a weak coward." The statement made everyone in the room give me a look of pure shock.

Braydon stood and addressed me. "There is nothing you can tell us that will make us think any less of you."

"You can't say that. You don't know."

"Then tell me!" he screamed. "Tell me what the precious princess could have done that would cause her flock to turn away from her?"

He had never spoken to me like that. At first it hurt but then the pain turned to anger.

"Is that what you really want Braydon? You want to hear what really happened?" He nodded his head and glared at me.

"Fine, don't say I didn't warn you."

Everyone moved away from me to give me room to breathe. I moved the chair out of my way and paced back and forth.

"As I said they tortured me from the moment they put me in the chair. But it was uh, after that they chained me to the floor in the same position you saw earlier. Again they beat me. They threatened to cut my tongue out. They used a dropper to drop blood in my eyes. They talked about raping me. Not by just one of them. They took pliers to my nails breaking them down the center so that if I tried to clinch my fists they bled and hurt."

I looked out the window and thought about everything that had happened. How could they make me relive this? "While I was chained they would talk about all the things they had done to other girls. They were trying to scare me. They would come up behind me and touch my arm or something to try to make me jerk.

They didn't like that I didn't. So they choked me until I passed out. When I woke again that was when I was on the table. Things got worse. The metal pipe they used to break my jaw was used on me again. They started at my feet and would hit me. I don't know if they were trying to break bones or just trying to make me scream. Either way they stopped before reaching my neck. That was when they started cutting me. I still didn't make a sound but I was biting my tongue so hard I thought I was going to bite it off.

After cutting me up they left the room for a little bit. I guess they were trying to come up with something else. Which they did. They had gotten my phone. I had forgotten and left it on my side. I heard them pressing buttons and then Sage talking. I thought they were on the phone with him. I didn't know they had hacked into my voice-mail. They started laughing because that was the only thing that made me react. They didn't break my wrist. I did trying to get lose."

"You broke your own wrist?" Zavier asked me.

I nodded to him. I watched as he came over to me. He stood in front of me and reached out a hand.

I was trying hard to stop the shaking but it wasn't working so I grabbed a hold of Zavier to continue standing.

"Sage was saying that he was at my car looking for me. Then I heard them saying that they didn't need any more than that. They were sending out men to get him." Now tears were pouring down my face and Zavier had to hold me up. They would hate me if they ever found out the truth.

"They left the room and came back around an hour later. He had pulled the hood up partially so I could see. They had made it look like they had Sage. There was a hood over his head and he was struggling. I couldn't stop him. I couldn't get loose. I was forced to watch as they smacked him around. I was screaming and begging them to stop."

I looked over at Braydon and could see the pained look on his face. My breathing picked up. I would rather them hate me for this lie than for them to know the truth. No matter what they didn't need to hear it.

"I broke." My voice squeaked as I said those two words.

For a few minutes that was all I could say. The sobs that took over wouldn't lessen. I hated lying, especially to them.

When I finally felt a little composed I looked up at the guys. "I'm so sorry. I betrayed you. I didn't know what else to do. He was..he was going to kill him in front of me. I mean, oh God, I can't get it out of my head. I couldn't let it happen. I broke. I told him my name. It was after that they left and Braydon showed up."

I looked at the floor I couldn't bring myself to look at any of them. I didn't want to see how much they hated me. As an assassin I wasn't supposed to break for any reason, not even death.

"Marissa, you didn't have a choice. I wouldn't imagine any of us allowing the other to be killed. It doesn't make you weak."

I looked at Zavier. He had tears running down his cheeks. The distant and painful look in his eyes let me know he didn't exactly believe me but he held onto me never saying anything to anyone.

"Marissa, why didn't you tell me?" Braydon asked.

"When you let me loose the only thing on my mind was getting to him and killing the guys that had done this. Only when I didn't find him, I realized I'd been tricked."

"And you think this makes you weak?" Dean asked me.

I nodded to him as he walked toward me.

He circled me before stopping and staring into my eyes. "Are. You. weak?" he asked through gritted teeth. I nodded my head.

He hovered over me causing me to lean back. He was furious. "I don't allow weakness in this academy. Again I ask are you weak?"

"I don't deserve to be here," I said but kept a straight face. I wouldn't cry at what he was doing because I deserved it. He spun me around and forced me to look at all the guys. They each had tear trails on their faces.

"Rissa tell him you're not," Sage was saying.

I refused and Dean grabbed my hand and started bending it backwards as he almost broke my elbow.

"Did you give your father's name?"

"No! I would never do that. I told them I was adopted and didn't know who my real parents were. I would never let anyone hurt my family."

"Then what makes you think you're weak? Have you not heard these men here telling me to stop? Or begging me not to hurt you?" Dean asked through gritted teeth.

I nodded my head.

"Even I would have done the same. That doesn't make you weak. It means you have a heart. And that is something I hope you never lose." Dean said as he let me go and pulled me into a hug.

Braydon stepped up to me. "You realize at the age of sixteen, none of us had ever been through even a small part of what you went through. I would probably have broken sooner than you did."

"So you guys don't hate me?"

"You may have broken but you didn't give them the complete truth. I'm sorry for being mean to you earlier. I'm sorry I didn't get to you in time. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Braydon had tears pouring down his face as he pulled me from Dean and into his arms. I looked around at the guys as I listened to Braydon's heart pound. It was hard to control the guilt I was feeling.

When I glanced up at Braydon he kissed my forehead. "It's alright," he told me. I went to each of the guys and held them to me for a few minutes. I listened as Sage begged me not to blame myself. The pain I was seeing in their eyes was hurting me more than anything. I wanted so bad to scream that I lied because I couldn't stand them all looking at me like that. The guilt they thought I held for not stopping his torture was guilt from the looks they gave me.

I got myself under control and turned to Dean. He was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. The room became still. I didn't know if everyone was holding their breath or if they were just making sure it didn't make a sound. We all waited.

"I was sending him to find out what happened to your father. I've tried reaching your uncle but I was unable to get in touch with him. He is the only one left to notify. As far as I know there shouldn't be a reason anyone else will be killed, so no there isn't any danger necessarily, but I need answers."

"Is that why you asked me if I gave his name? Do you think someone from the camp got out and started tracking us down?"

"It had crossed my mind, but no I don't think that's what is going on. I can offer you a few days with Braydon but after that I will require him to go."

I wanted to offer or beg for him to send me instead but I knew he would never go for it. He would say that I would be in too much danger trying to find out what happened.

I turned to Braydon. I really didn't want him to leave me. Living without him would be too hard. He was the only one that kept me even remotely calm. Without him here I wasn't sure how I would survive.

"Use a disguise and hurry home to me, please."

Two days past before Dean sent for Braydon. I watched from the window in our room as he climbed into Dean's SUV. Lorik had pulled it around after checking it to make sure it hadn't been tampered with.

Braydon slung his duffel bag into the passenger seat, looked over at me and motioned with his hand that he would call me. I blew him a kiss and watched him drive away, taking my heart with him.

I woke the next morning and looked around the room. I was alone. The boys had gone to Dean's office for some discussion that I wasn't privy to and didn't wake me before leaving.

Normally I like to be alone. Today however wasn't one of those days. Nor was it a day I wanted to be stuck inside.

I grabbed my headphones and walked to the kitchen so Braxton wouldn't see me. I opened one of the windows and stood on the ledge and shimmied out. I looked behind me to make sure no one was watching and then looked around outside.

I used one of the small trees that were planted between the window and bench as leverage. I jumped off it and hit the window with my foot making a loud bang. I didn't care. I knew it would be heard but I wanted to get out of that room.

I made it onto the metal canopy that covered the sidewalk. I ran across it and climbed the best I could to the roof of the library. I knew I shouldn't be out here but I needed air. I needed to think.

When I saw the ladder to the main roof of the school, I climbed it and walked across to look down upon the football field. I stood there staring down for a few minutes when I heard a voice.

"You really shouldn't be up here."

I turned to see Zavier standing there. He had his hands in his pockets. The look on his face said he understood but also knew the dangers.

"I needed air," was the only response I could give him.

I love Braydon with all my heart but there was something about Zavier. He was tall, had broad shoulders but was nothing but muscle. His hair came down to his shoulders with a slight curl. I loved how it got in his eyes. It made me want to move it out of the way just so I could run my fingers through it again.

I had been in love with Zavier at one point. I had never told him though. I had just made up excuses that I had kissed the others so that meant I got to kiss him too. He never refused me either. I looked at his plump lips and realized I was biting the corner of mine. When I glanced up he was looking at my lips.

His eyes met mine and I wanted to get lost in his. I had heard people say they had seen others with eyes that looked black but Zavier's really were. You couldn't tell where the pupil started or stopped. I loved them. I knew it was weird but to me as long as I saw myself in his eyes, it was like I was in his head. That he thought of nothing but me. He smiled like he knew what I was thinking.

"You need to go in," he stated but his smile never faltered.

"Why? You're here to protect me." Gah was I flirting with Zavier? I should be ashamed of myself but I couldn't stop. I imagined kissing those plump lips, feeling his strong arms around me. Yeah, he was hypnotic.

"That may be, but I don't want to take a chance," he responded and I didn't get any more out of him because at that moment, Dean appeared and was pissed.

"In the building now!"

My eyes widened and I took off across the roof, put my hands on the side of the ladder and slid down. I ran across the library roof, jumped and landed in a crouch on the canopy. I then attempted to jump to the ground but landed in Braxton's arms.

I gasped when I looked at him. I had forgotten how much him and Braydon looked alike except for some reason Braxton had shaved his head almost bald. Braydon may have been a little taller but being in Braxton's arms like this I couldn't really tell. He did however, have more muscle over on him. It was like landing on solid rock when he caught me.

"Do I need to call him and tell him you're flirting with danger?"

At first I thought he may have known I had flirted with Zavier but then I realized he meant being outside in general. I shook my head and tried to get down but he only threw me over his shoulder and carried me in the building.

Dean wasn't the only one pissed. From the looks of the guys I would be on their short list for a while.

### Chapter Ten

For a week straight no one would talk to me except when Gabe took out my stitches. Nor would they leave me alone for that matter. The phone calls from Braydon were the only chance I had to talk to anyone. Even they were strained. I had confessed about going outside and he blew his top at first. It took him ten minutes to calm down enough to let me talk.

I understood the dangers of being outside, I really did but they didn't have to react this way. I had put on my suit, had the vest on with the hood up, had a nine millimeter weapon and two blades with me. It's not like I was defenseless. But until I promised and offered to sign a contract in blood that I wouldn't do it again, no one would believe me.

After nine days, everyone left me and went about doing whatever is they were doing before all of this happened. Boredom kicked in real quick. I had already cleaned the entire apartment, had lunch prepared and in the fridge, worked on my latest suit, and watched as much television my mind would allow. I thought I would lose my mind had I not looked over, spotting the envelope Dad had wanted me to read.

I still couldn't bring myself to open it. No matter what I just couldn't do it. I didn't want to face the fact that he was gone. But sitting here staring at it gave me another idea; one that would make sure of someone's safety in the future.

I grabbed my regular laptop, my software laptop, notebook and paper. I set everything up on the coffee table so I could sit in the floor in the light of the sun and work. It was at that moment, I was glad that Braydon grabbed my notebook from Dean's, and I had managed to get the rest from the house.

As I was booting the computers up I went over to the box of nova's and opened the lid. I turned a red striped one and a gray striped one and listened for the click. I pulled open the small hidden drawer at the bottom of the wooden box and retrieved the four small containers.

"What are you doing?"

I hadn't heard his voice in a few weeks and him coming in on me this way made me jump and almost drop the glass containers.

"Oh my God, Shayden, what are you doing here?"

"Glad to see you too," he replied giving me a cheeky smile.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You nearly gave me a heart attack. But seriously what are you doing here? I'm glad to see you and all but it's not exactly safe."

I watched as he dropped his duffel bag beside the door. His shoulders slumped but he had this look of worry on his face.

I hated seeing my cousin upset. We were so much alike that if he was this upset on the outside then it was ten times worse on the inside. I looked at him. His blue eyes were the exact same color as mine. His hair black, but darker than mine, more like Dad's only he didn't keep it cut short like Dad's. It wasn't a long as Zavier's but it was enough to hang past his ears. In this instant he reminded me of Dean. Shay was tall but with his shoulders slumped he looked shorter. He didn't look as intimidating either. Shayden is a very muscular man, but he just seemed defeated right now.

"Yeah I know. I was attacked."

I put the containers on top of the box and ran over to him. I grabbed his arms and started doing a search. He grabbed my hands and tried to get me to stop but he knew better. It didn't matter that he was at least a foot taller than me; he gave in and let me make sure he was uninjured.

"Oh my God, Are you alright?"

"Yeah, they just showed up this morning. Mom thought they were from the academy and let them in. When I got up and went downstairs, one of them tried to get me from behind. Luckily they hadn't hurt Mom and she was able to make it to the secret tunnel in the fireplace. So she was able to get to safety while I dealt with them. They weren't very intelligent or challenging for that matter."

"Oh Shay, I'm so sorry. This is entirely my fault. They're after me."

"No Rissa, it's not your fault. Whoever these douchers are should have figured out by now that they've messed with the wrong crowd."

What he said made sense. Whoever this was just kept sending people after us. Out of all the ones I faced only one was a decent opponent but then again I was weak and hadn't trained in over a year. Why would they do that?

I was beginning to think that whoever it was had sent them on purpose. That they were trying to trick us into thinking they were amateurs. One would only do this when they were waiting to move in for the final kill. Usually, when they had everyone gathered they wanted dead.

My heart started pounding in my ears. This wasn't good. I don't know of anyone else they would want gathered besides the ones here now. This meant they wanted us all dead, including Dean. I needed to tell him. If Dean was taken out then all heck would break loose and the assassin's would go into hiding, leaving the people out there to defend themselves against those monsters.

"Hey, what are you working on?"

"Uh, it's a special type tracker." I was distracted to say the least, so when Shayden begin looking over my notes in the notebook I wasn't paying attention.

"Sounds complicated but also like it would work. I could use a distraction from all this Rissa. Can I help?"

I stood there thinking. I had to decide, did I want to talk to Dean now or finish this experiment and talk to him once I had it done. I knew that if I finished it now, I had a better chance of protecting everyone. But the nagging at the back of my mind wouldn't lessen.

"Come on. Let's get to work on this."

I let him pull me over to the table. I grabbed my phone and sent Dean a quick text telling him I needed to talk to him later but until I did the school needed to be under the most extreme lock down possible. That meant all security cameras' going, outside and inside, the motion sensors going in all rooms that didn't have someone in them, and special locks on the doors from the inside.

I heard the automated voice go over the loud speaker that the school was being put in complete lock down and relaxed as I looked back over at Shayden. He rolled his eyes at me and went back to the notebook.

"I need to program the microscopic microchips to go along with this. That means that after we build the program for them, we have to manage to get upstairs to the lab to use the equipment to actually put the program in the chips. After that, we need to come back and build the main program to track everything before we implement the microchips."

Shayden nodded to me and began writing things down on another sheet of paper. "So who are we going to try this out on?"

"Me, first. After we know it works, well then," I let the sentence hang in the air as I looked over at Shayden.

He gave me a look like I was crazy then I watched the twinkle appear in his eyes. A slow grin spread across his face.

"Okay, I'll do it. Under one condition."

I looked at him and waited for him to finish. I had an idea of what that one demand would be.

"I get to do Lorik's."

I busted out laughing. Shayden would go along with anything just to torture Lorik. I don't know what the two had against each other but it was always a contest.

Shayden is as good as I am when it comes to computers so it didn't take us but a couple of hours to build the program and put it in the computer and on a disc. Our only problem was going to be getting from here to the lab without getting caught. Dean had already warned me about leaving this room and I knew with Shay getting attacked, he wasn't allowed out either.

I leaned back against the couch and tried to think of a way to get us up there. When I lay my head back against the cushion the ceiling tiles came into view. I couldn't stop the grin from plastering my face. This would be fun.

"Give me a lift," I told Shay as I stood and looked at the tiles. He glanced up and his eyes widened. Yeah, put the two of us together and they should know it's bound to cause trouble.

Shay grinned and put his hands together to make a cup I could place my foot in. He lifted me enough that I could climb onto his shoulders and push aside one of the tiles. I looked around at the darkness between the floors. There was just enough room to crawl but we were hung up on another problem.

"The tiles won't hold us. We'll have to come up with something else."

Although I said this out loud I had done it because it was at that moment I remembered Braxton was watching. If he thought we were going to do it, Dean would be here in a matter of seconds to stop us.

"Come on." I grabbed Shayden's arm and pulled him toward the kitchen. I whispered my plan to him and went back in the living room for my newest suit and one of Dad's for Shayden to wear. I went back and was glad to see he had held onto the disc and microchips so at least I didn't have to make one more stop.

Shayden went to the bathroom to change and I slipped mine over the tank top and boxer shorts I already had on. I went into the hallway by the door and waited for him.

He stepped out and looked at me. He reminded me so much of Dad. Tears threatened to spill out as I looked at him. I took a deep breath, got control, and made sure he secured the disc into a part of his suit magnets wouldn't reach. The last thing I wanted was for it to erase everything we had just done.

"Get ready. You're in for a wild ride," I said grinning at him.

I held my palm out and slowly adjusted the dial and watched as his body began to lift off the floor. His eyes widened and I thought he would panic at first but then he laughed like it was the best thing he had ever done. I watched him lift the ceiling tile and then I grabbed two flashlights from the kitchen drawer before adjusting the other dial and levitating myself to join Shayden.

I had to admit this was pretty awesome, as long as I didn't accidentally hit the dial and send me or Shayden slamming into the concrete between the floors.

We used the concrete instead of the tiles to move us forward. I knew it was a slow journey but it wouldn't be as bad as getting into trouble. We made our way all the way to the end and over as far as we could. That was where the stairwell was located. At least this one was. The others would have put us too close to Dean's office or one of the guys.

I moved a tile and jumped down, trying to be quite. It had brought us out onto the third step. I slowly moved the dial so Shayden could lower himself to the step. We hurried up the stairs and stopped at the top when he heard Dean talking to someone. Braxton had alerted him already.

Shayden used the banister and launched himself up to the ceiling and through one of the tiles. I had to hurry. I knew he had a joist to hold onto, if he didn't over shoot it.

I didn't have time to fix the tile when I got up in the crawl space because Shayden was hanging upside down in what was supposed to be the woman's bathroom. It had been shut down and I didn't even want to imagine what would be crawling around in there.

I tried to hold back the laughter at seeing Shay's feet up in the air against the concrete. I knew if Dean heard me, he would figure out a way to get up here to us.

I helped him up and had to bite my lip and cover my mouth to keep from laughing at him. His face was blood red and his hair was standing on end. If I had a camera I would have gladly taken that shot and posted it all over the internet.

After finally calming down and dodging his attempt at swinging at me, we made our way to the lab. I pulled the tile off and glanced around the room. It was clear. I lowered Shayden first then myself. We rushed over to the computers to boot them up.

Dean had several computers made just for programming microchips. They were used to make weapons, trackers, and bomb detecting key fobs. It was the only way I had to program these. I couldn't afford to purchase the equipment and didn't need to as long as Dean had these.

We inserted the disc and placed one of the containers in the tray. After removing the lid, we started the program and watched as everything uploaded onto the nine microchips.

Each set had different features they were to do. As long as I kept them separate when using them, there shouldn't be a problem with how things go. And as long as there isn't any damage done to them while inserting them, I wouldn't have to worry about it stopping my heart once they were put into place.

We managed to program all four sets, each with nine in them, and put them away. I knew Braxton had told Dean where we were but he had made no attempt to check it out. If I knew Dean, he was downstairs waiting for us in the hall hoping to catch us in the act.

We hurried through the crawl space, fixing the tiles back as we went, and made it back to the room without a problem. We both dropped down from the kitchen ceiling, laughing and walked into the living room only to find Dean sitting on the couch.

His legs were crossed at the knees, his arms were crossed over his chest, and his lips were pursed. Yeah, we were in for it.

### Chapter Eleven

"Care to explain why you had me put the school on lock-down then decided to set off the alarm while breaking into my lab?"

"Uh testing it?" I said shrugging my shoulders.

I tried to give Dean an innocent look but he knew us too well to buy it.

"Talk."

I cringed and looked up at the ceiling.

"Okay. First the reason I wanted the school on lock down is because Shayden noticed the same thing I did. The attack on him was done by people that knew nothing of their job. They were way too easy to take out. So it left me to believe that we are being set up."

"Set up how?"

"Think about it. I would have used this technique myself. Send in people that know nothing of what's really going on only to have them cause the ones being attacked to group together."

I stared at Dean as he thought about this. I saw the moment the light went off and the anger flashed across his face.

"You believe they are trying to gather us together to eliminate us all?"

I nodded then gulped. I had never seen Dean so angry. I didn't know if it was because I had thought of it before him or because he knew that now put his only family member's lives at risk.

He got up from the couch and began pacing. "That was smart to think of that, I'm glad you did." He stopped and stared at the wall a minute. "But I don't think that's what they are trying for. I think there is something else at work here. I won't go into details right now but soon I will have to tell you. Until then please refrain from leaving the room."

I nodded to him and gave him a sincere look. I walked over to him and hugged him. "I swear I won't let anyone hurt you or the guys," I told him as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I think it's more along the lines they are hoping that we hurt you."

That sentence took me by surprise. Dean would never do anything to hurt me. I trusted him with my life, I always had and so did Dad. But it still bothered me. What had I done that would cause Dean to want to hurt me? I looked back at Shayden and could see he was just as upset as I was.

"Now care to tell me what you needed my lab for?" he asked as he pushed me back holding me at arm's length.

"Can it wait until I have it done and can show you?"

"Is it dangerous?"

I shook my head. I knew if I even tried to talk the lie would come out with a squeak. I could never lie to Dad or Dean. I could tell by the look on Dean's face he wasn't buying it. But he sighed, shook his head, and released me. That was my go ahead.

They always told me it was hard to argue with a genius.

"Oh before I forget, you may want to have someone put sensors up in the ceiling. You would have known exactly where I was had that been done."

He raised one eyebrow and thought for a moment. Sometimes I felt like an idiot for telling him how to do his job. I knew he was the best but he hadn't ever dealt with someone like me before.

"Not a bad idea. But I don't see how useful it would be since you are the only ones that had pulled that stunt."

"Just saying, I mean as long as there isn't a way to the roof from there then everything should be good. Then again Dean there is a reason you asked me to help your security team." I couldn't help but smile at him. The reason he had asked me was because I was able to sneak into almost any place. I could do a search of the place by getting in one way or another and then find the breach to allow me to get back in at a later time.

That was another thing I was good at. The other was killing the intended target. That's what happens when you're trained from an early age.

It also helps that my size can let me fit most places a man can't go. Before I had been kidnapped, Dean had me do a few practice drills. He had set up his home, the school, a store, and several cars.

He had placed dummies in each of the areas and would send me texts with the locations. I knew he had cameras placed everywhere so he could try to catch me. He only caught me once; at his house.

I had managed to take out his cameras with my tablet before climbing a tree to the roof. I had slipped down the chimney and killed the intended dummy but had forgotten the security system in place when I tried to go out his office window. The others, he had no way of knowing anything was going on until it was over.

He smiled at me before messing up the top of my hair and walking to the door. "You two behave and I'll be back shortly to see how things are going."

That meant I'll be back to check on you and make sure you haven't destroyed everything.

Shayden and I went to work making the main program. It had to consist of four different aspects, as well as an alarm and the tracker program. It could be done but it would take both of us to figure out how to do it without causing conflict with everything.

Three hours, a small lunch break, Dean interrupting four times, and a woohoo later, it was finished. Shay and I high fived each other, got up and began gathering everything needed to finish what we started.

"You know you have to do mine right?" I told him as I pulled the special made tattoo machine out of the duffel bag and set it up on the little table. Shayden nodded to me and concentrated on getting one of the microchips out of each tray. He set them aside in their own containers filled with black tattoo ink.

"What kind of design am I doing?"

I grabbed the notebook and flipped the pages back until I showed him a black rose. It was perfect. The petals would allow us to implement the chips without them touching one another.

"Smart, but why a rose?"

"The same reason you done my other rose, for the lives that were taken while we had to stay here and defend ourselves instead of protecting the innocent ones," I told him thinking of the black rose that I kept covered with makeup on my forearm. Shayden had given that tattoo to me after I had recovered, although he had no idea the real reason.

"Mind if I tell you a story while you do this?" I really didn't want to talk about it but then again I was a masochist. I could use the pain he was dishing out as I told him everything that happened. Well almost everything.

He nodded to me and I lay back on the coffee table so he would have plenty of room and plenty of light. I waited until he shaved the area and put the design on me, just below my bra line over my heart, to begin.

He listened carefully, never faltering in what he was doing and I continued giving more details to him than I did to the others. Knowing Braxton though, he had Dean on speaker phone or even went as far as to put it on video in Dean's office so Dean could hear it.

When I got to the part about my back being cut several times, he paused. Shayden laid the machine down and rolled me to the side so he could see the scars.

"Oh my God," he said as he touched them. He rolled me back over and I could see the look of confusion and fear. "How? Oh my God Rissa, how did you survive that?"

I went on to tell him how Braydon had saved me. Shayden hadn't exactly been nice to Braydon but he wasn't cruel to him either. He just didn't understand why I wanted him around. He was known for things he had done. But the side of Braydon I saw was completely opposite. He was sweet, funny, and caring.

Shayden finally finished the tattoo and cleaned up the kit. He wiped off any remaining ink that had splattered me, put ointment on the tattoo, and wrapped cellophane around my ribs to keep it clean. I kept my shirt tucked under my bra so it wouldn't mess with anything and walked over to the computers.

"Here goes." I looked into the camera on the wall. "You watching Dean? We're about to make history," I laughed as I pressed a button. It took a second and then I watched as a flat line began growing peaks.

"Woohoo!!" I screamed jumping up and down. Shayden grabbed me and we jumped together. It had worked.

One area showed my heart rate. I would have to adjust it as I went so that it would trigger an alarm if my heart rate got up to high, like when I am attacked. Another area, monitored my blood pressure, another monitored my oxygen levels, and the last monitored glucose levels. These things would come in handy if injured. If my heart rate didn't go up to send the alert out and allow me to be tracked then when my levels dropped to a certain point, that would.

It took a matter of five minutes before the room began to fill up. I sent a copy of the program over to Braxton so he could download it and see what we had done while I explained it to everyone else.

I got the same reaction from most of everyone. The only two that didn't seem excited and begging to get one of their own was Gabe and Dean. But Dean just seemed shocked that I had come up with it. Gabe on the other hand was pissed.

"You mean to tell me you implanted that in your system without knowing whether or not it worked? Do you know how careless, dangerous, and idiotic that was?"

"How do you propose I check it out? I didn't have enough to do for a trial run nor did I have a test subject besides myself willing to do it. If it makes you feel any better I compensated myself greatly," I told him as I looked up at him.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "How?"

"I ordered myself new parts for my bike."

He continued to shake his head but walked over to the couch to look at the screen. "We need to compare it with other tests to make sure it's accurate." I agreed and brought over the supplies.

He took my blood pressure and compared it. It was only a few numbers off but my guess would be the computer was more accurate. My sugar levels were dead on and my O2 stats were as well. He sat back a minute and then reached across to took my pulse. He was checking my heart rate.

"We have to find the trigger point though, on the heart rate," I told him. This meant running more tests.

It took two days to run the tests on everyone. Dean agreed to allow them to get the tattoo only if we had done the tests first and could determine that mine wasn't going to fail.

I had to leave it on and monitor my resting heart rate, when I ran on the treadmill, when I trained with Shayden, and goofed off with the guys. The only thing left was to see what scared me enough to raise my heart rate above those results and triggered the tracker.

It was on the second day that Dean sent me a text asking me to come to his office. I had expected the guys to do something between now and then but they were each busy running the tests on themselves to try to attack me and raise the rate.

I had just walked out of the room and shut the door behind me when I could see a blur in my peripheral. I turned quickly but no one was there. I could feel my heart starting to pick up speed as I turned back and walked on down the hall. Before I could get to the middle stairwell near Dean's office someone dressed in all black stepped out.

He raised his arm up and pointed a gun straight at me. My eyes widened and I dove to the floor just as the shot rang through the building. I jumped up and ran at him full force. I thought it was one of the guys but when I got closer I could see the eyes were older. Dean.

For a split second I wondered if he had finally decided to do what he said they wanted, kill me. I could only pray that he wouldn't.

Several more shots rang out as I made it to him. I could feel the sting of the impact and was glad I had my suit on. Right before I ran smack dab into him I slid to the floor like sliding into base and through his legs.

He spun around in time for me to knock the gun from his hand. I jumped to my feet and ducked as he swung at me. He wasn't holding back. He never did. I had to jump back several times to avoid being hit or kicked. My heart sped up even more as I saw the light glint off the dagger he pulled from behind his back.

He swiped it at my face and I yelped but got out of the way in time. My face was the only thing unprotected and it shocked me that he would go for it. I hit the dial to levitate myself so hard that I almost flew through the tile. I crawled as quickly as I could toward the door of his office but felt the sting in my leg. He had taken my advice.

I was almost cursing as I turned and headed back down the hall. I was almost tempted to go into Braxton's room and disable the sensors but I knew it wouldn't do any good. I dropped down midway between him and my room only to find myself surrounded.

### Chapter Twelve

None of the guys around me had suits on, even though I had made some for my guys. They wore masks instead. I was beginning to wonder at first if it was a real attack. I knew though once I counted how many there were around me that it was my guys. I also knew that meant that I couldn't use my blades, even if they did. Well at least I couldn't use them on them.

I put my right boot firm on the ground and twisted around once. I heard the click and gave them an evil grinned. They closed in on me and I lifted my left foot. I threw my arms out and tightened my fists so that as I spun around it hit each one. I had fixed my boot so that when clicked into place it would spin me around at a fast pace allowing me to do more damage in a shorter amount of time.

I stopped and fought off the urge to puke. That was something I was going to have to practice at. I heard a blade sing as it shot out of the cylinder. I hit the side of my thigh and watched as their eyes widened in surprise. I loved this.

I had outfitted the back of my suit with a metal shield only with a twist. When I hit the button the shield spread out and emerged from the back looking like wings. I was able to use them not only to shield my back but the front as well. Bringing my titanium blades with me came in handy after all. They froze in place. For a second anyway.

One of them lunged at me and I ducked bringing one of the wings around to take the blow. The metal against metal clang rang through my head but I was up and giving him a round house kick before he could think.

I listened as gasps sounded around me from the ones in front of me when my eyes changed colors and I opened my blade. Slinging it up through the tile I embedded it into the concrete. When I pulled on it, the cord attached to my wrist pulled me up out of their way causing the two that was behind me to fall to the floor.

I had found someone online that knew how to create certain contact lenses. The ones I had in, changed colors to allow me to do certain things without carrying equipment around with me. I could see body heat, live camera feeds, and the view behind me as long as I had my suit on.

I swung myself to the wall and yanked on the blade forcing it to come loose and retract back, allowing me to catch it in my hand. I was still crouched on the wall when they came after me. I heard the call from Dean to restrain me once I was caught. He knew that would send me into a panic.

I crawled up the wall as fast as I could and made it over to the ceiling. They weren't able to reach me. Once I got a little way past them I stood up and began running as fast as I could along the ceiling. I knew this would freak them out and I hoped it would give me enough of a chance to get away from them.

I could see Dean heading straight for me and knew that if he tried he could pull me down. I wasn't going down and I refused to be restrained again. We reached the doorway to the downstairs at the same time. I dove forward shoving myself through the ceiling tile and crawled until I knew I was past the locked doors.

I didn't need to go down there; I just needed to get behind the door so they couldn't get to me. Dean's office was on the other side of the wall in the stairwell, so if it came to it I could jump up and go through his office into the panic room. They wouldn't reach me there.

"Marissa, get out of there now!" I jumped to the floor and stood in front of the door. The smile was gone from my face and I could feel the blank stare that covered it now. How could he tell them to do that to me?

"Marissa, if you come out now your punishment won't be as grave," I couldn't tell anymore if he was serious or not. The tone in his voice said he was but I also knew this was planned. The moment he said it my facial features changed and I could see my reflection in the window of the door. It was scary.

They had always told me that when attacked or feeling threatened my looks changed. I no longer looked like the girl everyone knew but the killer no one wanted to meet up with. My features would relax as if I were calm. There wouldn't be a smile nor frown on my lips but the look in my eyes let you know the end was coming. I had never seen it. At least not until now and my eyes were focused straight on Dean.

My heart was pounding harder than it ever had. I thought it would beat out of my chest if it didn't stop. My body felt as if it was humming as the blood pulsated through it. I knew the others were nearby but was uncertain as to where. I hit another button and looked around me. I could tell that on the other side of the door someone was crouched down and trying to unlock it.

There were two on each side of the doors waiting for me. Above me were two more. Shayden must have told them what I had done to my suit. I hit another dial and held my palm out knocking them away from the door. I raised it to the ceiling and began pushing them back away from me. I was trapped.

I only had three options; fight my way out, give myself up, or go downstairs with the dead. I turned and looked down the stairs. I did not want to be down there. I had wanted very badly to see Dad but that wasn't a journey I was willing to make alone.

I turned back to see Dean pointing the gun at my head. He had unlocked the door while I had zoned out. I felt as if I were going to pass out. How could I have let myself get caught? Even more how could Dean do this to me? I hit the button on the other thigh and a blue glow surrounded me. Even if Dean shot it wouldn't get far.

I looked around him and could see the guys staring. Each had a deadly look to them. For some reason this felt like it went from play to a serious standoff. I hit the dial and shot up into the tiles again. The gunshot ricocheted and grazed my ear. I hollered out and when I went to grab my ear I hit the dial and fell straight into the arms of one of the guys.

He had known what I was going to do. He knew I was heading for the panic room. And he waited for me in Dean's office.

I struggled to get out of his arms. I could hear him yelling something and froze. It had done me no good. Handcuffs were snapped around my wrist and held my arms behind my back. This was it, they were going to punish me or kill me one.

The pounding in my chest accelerated and I heard a call come through telling them to stop before I passed out. Even that was too late. I could see the blackness edging my vision, crawling toward the center. My body felt heavy and my head lolled. One thought comforted me as the blackness engulfed me, at least I wouldn't feel it when they made the final shot.

I opened my eyes to total darkness. My breath caught in my throat and I tried to wipe my eyes to clear away the cobwebs. I was still handcuffed, only this time to the bed. My heart rate picked up. I hated darkness.

"She's awake. Go let her loose," Braydon told someone else. Braydon was back?

I was able to take a slow calming breath knowing that not only was I with the guys but I wasn't going to be restrained much longer. It had been part of the plan.

"You let her loose. I'm not getting killed," Lorik said in a slightly high pitched voice.

I relaxed my body against the bed and slowed my breathing farther. I had learned this trick from Dad. I was able to slow my heart rate a little at a time. I heard the little beep across the room.

"Guys, her heart rates slowing," Gabe said from somewhere in the room.

"Do you think she passed out again?" Shayden asked.

"No, her oxygen levels just dropped too!" Gabe said in a panic.

"Crap!" I could hear them scurrying across the room. I could see the lights switch on from behind closed lids. Then I felt the pressure beside me on the bed. Someone touched my arms and I felt the handcuffs come off.

I jumped and screamed at them causing Lorik to fall in the floor and the others to almost jump out of their skin. I couldn't help but laugh. Although I had never had a tracker like this one on me before the guys should have known I'd do something to get them back.

I got out of the bed and stretched. "Did you guys really have to tie me up?"

"We thought you were going to hurt Dean, Rissa," Sage told me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

I walked past the boys, to the door and down to Dean's office. I didn't even bother knocking. I opened the door and let it hit against the wall.

"Did you really think I was going to attack you?"

"No, the boys however weren't so trusting."

I turned on them. "How dare you think I would do anything to hurt one of you?" I spun back around on Dean, "And how dare you shoot me?"

"I figured with all the tattoos and body piercings you have that a slight graze wouldn't hurt you."

My mouth dropped open. I couldn't believe what he was saying. Nor could I believe that he knew of all my tattoos and piercings.

"You could have killed me!"

"No Marissa, I could see you plain as day. Even in the crawl space. You were lit up like a Christmas tree."

I knew my face was burning bright red. I can't believe I had forgotten to turn that off. It should have however redirected the bullet, so something had went wrong with it.

"And guys I was trying to get away from Dean not hurt him. If I had wanted to," I stopped I couldn't finish that sentence let alone think it.

"She's right. If she had wanted to kill me, I would be dead. I believe you are all forgetting that I personally trained Marissa."

I turned to look at Dean. He had stood from his seat and had his arms crossed.

"But it is my guess that is the reason she refused to fight me," he looked at me with his jaw set and a stern look in his eyes. "Do not ever hesitate to fight me. I do not tolerate my assassin's running from me. So for punishment you will have to train with me tomorrow for two hours."

I gulped. Two hours with Dean was torture.

"Would it make a difference if I said I didn't because I love you?"

"So are you telling me that if you loved someone you would refuse to defend yourself?" He walked around his desk and towered over me. Most of the time I'm not scared of Dean. When he's angry or when he's in the directors mood as I call it, he terrifies me.

"I don't really know how to answer that. Would I allow myself to be abused, no? But."

"But nothing. If you are attacked, no matter whether it is I or one of them, you will defend yourself. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Now go back to your room. I will be down shortly for dinner."

I nodded to him and backed up so I could turn around and leave. When I looked back from the doorway he smiled and winked at me. Dean was strict when it came to business but he was still like a Dad to me and didn't have the heart to make me fear him completely.

No one said a word as we made our way back to the room. I was glad because normally Lorik's cockiness would kick in right about now and get on my nerves.

"Do you need to go clean yourself up? I'm sure you pissed your pants when Dad scolded you."

Yeah, so much for the silence. I wanted to turn around and slap Lorik. When I heard the thud and ow right after that, I knew Shayden done it for me. I just smiled to myself and walked into the room to begin making dinner.

### Chapter Thirteen

After putting the pan in the oven I hurried to the bathroom to shower. I hurried to wash, dry and dress because I didn't want dinner to burn. In an attempt to calm Dean, I made his favorite.

I ran back to the kitchen and almost froze in my tracks. Dean was sitting at the kitchen table. I rushed over to the oven, checked the food and pulled it out. I put the bread in to toast it and began making coffee for him.

"In a hurry to get rid of me?" he asked.

"No, just making sure everything is done and nothing burns," I explained as I turned to him. He nodded to me.

"I'm a little upset with you Princess," Dean started but I could hear Lorik in the living room.

"Yeah we get in trouble and he calls us by our entire name, she gets in trouble and its princess."

I watched as Dean frowned but he continued as if Lorik hadn't said a word.

"At some point in the simulation you began to think it was real and I really wanted you harmed, did you not?" I nodded to him. "But yet you still refused to defend yourself? What if I had ordered you killed?"

"I know you're not going to like what I say Dean but I'm begging you to let me finish before you punish me." He nodded to me and I turned to get the bread out before it got even crispier.

"There is no way I could kill you or one of the guys." I paused and stared down at the floor. "They are like my brothers in so many ways, one I'm even in love with. I couldn't rip my own heart out. As for you, you're the only Daddy I have left," tears rolled down my face. I knew the guys were listening and probably wondering which one of them I was in love with. Only Gabe and Braydon knew the answer to that.

"Dean I would rather die at your hand than kill you. I hope you don't think me weak for that but it is how I feel."

"No I don't think you're weak," he said holding out a hand to me. I went over to him and he pulled me into his arms. He held me the way my Dad always did. The way only a Daddy could. "But Princess, you still have to train with me and as for an added punishment you're not going to like what I say this time."

I waited with baited breath. I knew it was going to be something that got to me more mentally than physically. The fact he was being so gentle with me let me on to that.

"I want you to watch the training videos I have of you and John." He was right. I didn't like it. I immediately broke down into sobs.

After finally getting myself together, I began dishing out the food and taking everyone's plate to them. Dean joined them in the living room and the looks I was getting from the guys had me looking at the floor to keep from meeting their gazes. I couldn't stand for anyone to feel sorry for me. I didn't want their pity.

After bringing them drinks I sat down in the floor leaning against the couch.

"Rissa, you need to eat. Your glucose levels are already down slightly."

I knew Gabe was concerned but there was no way I could bring myself to do it.

"I can't. It won't stay down if I do," I replied in a monotone voice even I didn't recognize.

I sit staring at the blank television. I didn't want to do this but I understood why he was making me do it. The puffiness in my face blocked my peripheral vision and I was glad for it. They were still staring. I tried to hold back the tears. We hadn't even started watching it but the memories were flashing in my head.

My breathing became ragged and I had to blink repeatedly. My body was shaking. I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder and I gasped before closing my eyes to calm myself. I knew it was Braydon and I would have climbed in his lap had it not been for the fact that he didn't even let me know he had returned. He also hadn't really spoken to me. I guess he would stay mad at me longer.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Shayden asked but there was no response.

I heard movement but kept my eyes closed. When I heard the whirring of the DVD player and then the music start my eyes shot open. As much as I didn't want to do it I needed to see his face.

I held my breath until he came into view. I could feel my lip quivering as I crawled toward the television. I put my hand on it to touch his face but could only feel the cold of the screen. "Daddy," I whispered. I sit down and wrapped my arms around my legs and watched as the tears continued to fall.

Dad never complained as I blasted my rock music while we trained. He would laugh and say I had a bad habit of timing my blows with the beat. With each song that played things got more intense in our training until we were really trying to hurt the other. We would have our suits on and never aimed for the face but never held back.

I couldn't help but smile as I watched the look of awe on Dad's face when I flipped over him, landed on my feet and took him down. I couldn't stop the laugh when it showed Dad goofing off and dancing. He had an air guitar moving his hips and head banging. The next scene showed me running toward the wall and grabbing a hold of a chain hanging from the ceiling.

I had to use every advantage I had, that meant getting up higher than the other guy. I swung from the chain toward Dad and as he ducked I flipped back landing on him. Another point for me. By the third song I had four points to his two. That was impressive considering who he was.

The music ended and it showed me and Dad goofing off. He had always been the one that made me want to fly. He would take me in his arms and spin me around then let me go. Of course when I was little he didn't let go but after we installed padding in the basement of our house and I got up around fourteen, he would.

It had started when I had slipped out of his hands. It was the most fun thing I think I had ever done. Because even after he let me go, I found I could spin in the air and land so I didn't hurt myself, roll and be back up on my feet without a single scratch.

"Holy crap, Rissa you didn't tell me that you and your dad tried to kill each other when you trained," Braydon sounded shocked.

"I guess I'm not as fragile as you thought huh?"

I remember how much I loved to train like that. Not having to hold anything back. I never let the boys see that, only Dad and Dean did. The feeling afterward was exhilarating.

"Do you still have your music?" Dean asked.

I nodded to him and smiled.

"Did you notice you time your hits to the beat?" Shayden asked.

I fell back in the floor laughing so hard. I could see the blurred look of confusion on his face as the tears filled my eyes again as I laughed. I saw Dean lean over and whisper something to Shayden who just smiled at me.

Although it was something I didn't want to do, I knew it was better to get it over with while I still held that warmth in my heart at seeing Dad's face and hearing his laugh. I grabbed the envelope Dad had wanted me to open. I stopped Lorik from turning off the video because it still had me and Dad doing stupid things on it. He had never edited anything out.

I pulled the prongs back and opened the seal. I carefully removed the papers and began to look through them.

"Shay, come here," I told him as I stopped at one of them.

I handed a title, key, and picture over to him as he sit in the floor beside me. Dad had bought him the exact same motorcycle he had bought me. I showed him all the paperwork. There were deeds to houses and titles to cars that I didn't know Dad had even owned. He had made sure to leave some to Shayden and his Mom.

We put the papers back and I reached for the small box. It was rectangle and wasn't much bigger than the box my photo printer paper came in. When I opened it up it held pictures.

I pulled a picture out and smiled, it showed me and my mom when I was a baby. Then the confusion set in. My mom had died in child birth. At least that was what I was always told. The picture however showed something different.

Me and my baby girl

I looked over at Shayden. He looked confused as well. I turned to look at Dean who just sat there with a blank look on his face. He knew something, and he knew I was about to find out. He wasn't trying to stop me.

"I thought my mom died when I was born." He never answered.

I looked back at Shay and picked up another picture. It was of me and Dad. I could see out of the corner of my eye as Shayden picked up the picture of me and Mom I had just sit down and turned it over. His eyes widened and he grabbed the box out of my lap and turned it up dumping the contents on the floor.

"Shayden what are you doing?"

He didn't respond. He scattered the pictures and picked up ones of me and Mom and looked at the back of them before grabbing another and doing the same. When he uncovered an envelope his hand stopped.

I grabbed the envelope before he had a chance to and tried to get up. I didn't want him ripping it open when it was something that was meant for me. He grabbed my hand and jerked me down into his lap.

His arms went around me. His legs draped over mine. The force he had used caused the air to leave my lungs.

"Shayden let me go. You're hurting me!"

"Open the envelope," he said in a nervous voice.

"No. Let me go!"

I could hear something and then Dean stopping them. I looked up to see him wave Braydon back down. Dean wasn't going to let him help me.

"Shayden you're hurting me," I said through gritted teeth.

"If I let you go will you open the envelope?"

"Yes," I lied. He let me go and I tried to scurry out of his lap but he grabbed hold of me again and turned me to face him. He tangled his hand in my hair and pulled it back a little.

"Open the envelope," he said with a manic look on his face.

I had never seen Shayden like this. He had never done or said anything to ever hurt me. I could feel the shaking in his body and my heart was pounding to match his. He was scared. I nodded slowly to him as I looked into his eyes.

I reached out and touched his cheek to wipe away a tear that fell.

"Do you want to open it?" I whispered.

"No. You open it. I can't," he whispered back.

He had released his hold on me but I stayed where I was. I didn't like seeing him like this. I didn't like feeling the pain that was coming off him in waves. He had figured out something that I hadn't caught onto yet.

With my hands shaking I placed my pinky finger under the flap and started pulling it up. Shayden grabbed me, spinning me around so he could look over my shoulder as I pulled the contents out.

As I pulled them out a small photograph fell. I picked it up and the confusion was worse.

"I have a brother?"

My hand was shaking so bad that Shayden reached up to steady it. I let him take the picture from me and then frantically tried finding the rest of the papers that I had pulled out. They were in Shayden's other hand that rested on the floor.

I pulled them out and slowly began to open them

.

Dear Marissa and Shayden,

I want to say how sorry I am that you two had to find out this way. I also want you both to know how much I love you. If you are reading this then it means something unfortunate has happened.

Shayden look out for Marissa. She is in danger. You both very well may be, so Marissa look out for Shayden too. I had hoped to have this all taken care of before you were grown but things don't always work the way we want them too.

I never wanted this kind of life for either of you, please know that. It is not fair that the two of you had to live that way nor was it fair to your mother and I. Shayden know that I love you son, I always have, just the same as I have always loved your sister.

Love your Dad,

John Stone

My hands were shaking so bad that even Shayden trying to hold them as we read this couldn't help. Shayden was my brother. My flesh and blood. That had explained why we had always felt so close to one another.

When I moved the letter from Dad, I saw the copy of the birth certificates. I gasped. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I turned to look at Shayden and he had the exact expression on his face. I looked up at Dean.

"We're twins?" Dean nodded once. What air I had left my lungs in a whoosh. Twins? I looked back at Shayden. He grabbed me hard and wrapped his arms around me holding me close to him. I threw my arms around him and cried like a baby.

"Shayden is your brother?" Lorik asked.

I hadn't thought to tell them that I was referring to Shayden. They must have figured it out when we grabbed onto each other for dear life. Then something else dawned on me. Shay had lost Dad as much as I did. Only I had more time with him then Shayden did.

I cried even harder for Shayden's loss. I could feel his shoulders jerking with his sobs. My brother was in more pain than I was. He had been cheated out of having his Dad only to find out the truth after he was gone.

After we had finally calmed some, I looked over at the screen. Someone had paused the video. It showed a close up of Dad smiling from ear to ear.

### Chapter Fourteen

I felt so betrayed as I lay in bed that night. I had been lied to my entire life. I had been raised thinking my mother was dead and Shayden was my cousin. They had told us that our Moms were sisters and our Dads brothers. It made sense though after thinking about it. We could feel each other's emotions most of the time. When he would become nervous or scared my heart rate would pick up slightly. We always seemed to know what the other was thinking.

"Shay, are you asleep?" I whispered through the room.

"No. What's up?" I watched as he propped himself up on his cot with his elbow.

"When I was kidnapped a year ago, what did you feel?"

He closed his eyes. He took a long breath holding it a second before releasing it.

"I was in bad pain. I felt scared and mad. I passed out a couple of times. Mom was going to take me to the hospital. Uh John, I mean Dad came by to check on me. He seemed really upset when he saw me. I think he knew I was feeling your pain. Uh, I thought I was dying Rissa. I just didn't know that it was you dying."

By the time he had finished what he was saying all the guys in the room were sitting up listening. A shiver ran over my body and Braydon pulled me closer to him.

"I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have felt that. If I'd known Shay, I would've tried to do something. I don't know, retain it better or something."

"It's not your fault. It was never your fault. And if me feeling even a small amount of what you went through helped somehow to lessen your pain than I'm glad I felt it. At least now I know what it was and I'll know in the future if something happens to you."

"Do you think Dean will tell us why they did this? He left the room before I could talk to him."

Dean left the room in a rush. He didn't bother telling anyone goodnight or even let us know he had left. There were things that needed explained and I couldn't help but think he didn't want to talk about it. Or he wasn't ready for us to know.

"I don't know Rissa. But I think that whatever was going on then, is what's causing this now. I won't let anyone hurt you I promise you that."

"I won't let anyone hurt you either."

I woke up the next morning, lying on Braydon's chest wrapped in his arms. This was where I wanted to be. Where I felt like I belonged at least until last night came crashing back. I took in a slow steady breath. I rose up and looked at Braydon. He smiled at me.

I was about to lean down and kiss him when I heard the knock on the door. As much as I would like to find out about Shay and I, I wanted to know if Braydon would pull away should I try to kiss him again.

"Coming!" I shouted after they knocked harder. Dean knew I was up no doubt. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have Braxton watching to let him know.

I walked over to the door. I turned the knob and paused. What would he say? I knew he knew more about this. He had to; he and Dad were best friends even growing up. I swallowed hard and tried to calm my nerves as I opened the door.

"I'm glad you're up. Archer will be here soon and I need you to be ready. You should probably wake the boys and tell them as well. It will require you all." He turned to leave.

"Wait, what about last night? Dean, I really need to know why they did this." I was watching his facial features to see if he was going to try to hide anything from me. Only he blanked his face from all emotions.

"You will find out when he arrives," was all he said before walking off.

Great. I couldn't stand Archer. He always looked at me like he couldn't quite figure out if I was something great or the world's worst evil. One minute he would smile and tell me how good I was doing on something, the next his face would scrunch up like he smelled something sour and he would leave.

I hated that it would be him to tell me what I needed to know.

I changed clothes, made breakfast, woke the boys and let them know everything going on. Of course there were choruses of responses to the Archer news. All of which mimicked mine. I watched as they huff and puffed, complained and tossed things around the room before I finally spoke back up.

"What are you guys complaining about? It's me and Shayden that have to deal with him mostly."

Gabe and Zavier spun around on me causing me to take a step back. I had never seen either of them give me that look. Was it anger? Were they angry at me?

"If it concerns the two of you it concerns the rest of us. I can't believe you would say that," Gabe fussed.

"You guys are one of us Rissa. I would protect each of you as I would my brother," Zavier stated as he calmed enough to relax his stance.

"Okay? So when did I grow a pair?"

Zavier looked at me confused then rolled his eyes when he figured out what I meant.

"You are like a little sister to all of us and you know it."

"Yeah you just ripped yours off when you were little is all," Sage replied.

### Chapter Fifteen

"What's wrong Rissa? Did I make you mad? Do you miss yours?" Sage asked getting in my face.

"Mess with me and you are going to miss yours too," I said smiling the most evil smile I could.

"I'd rather you just spank me," he said as he bent over and stuck his butt in the air. I rolled my eyes and kicked him causing him to fall over on Gabe's leg.

I almost fell over laughing when Gabe started screaming for Sage to get off. Of course Sage, being the perv he is, began humping Gabe's leg and moaning his name.

I was almost going to stop Lorik when he ran over to Gabe. I thought he was trying to pull him away from Sage only for Lorik to start humping the other leg. I don't think I had ever laughed so hard.

"Oh wow, I didn't know the three of you went that way," I said between laughing fits.

Suddenly they stopped and looked at me. I stiffened because I knew what that meant. They looked at each other and I heard Gabe, "Get her."

I screamed and shot across the room, jumping onto the bed to get away from them. Of course that made Sage grin even bigger. I faked a right and ran left, jumping onto the end table and running across the back of the couch only for Gabe to grab me and hand me over to them.

I would have screamed at every one of them if I could have done anything besides laugh at them. They both had a leg and were as bad as a naughty dog.

"Okay, okay. I get it." They didn't stop. "The next one that humps my leg, I'm going to hump myself."

Lorik stopped and looked at me. Sage kept on, telling me to bring it on. I watched as Lorik grabbed something off the entertainment center before I grabbed Sage, pulled the back of his shirt over his head and spun him around. I got in behind him and began humping him like he did me.

"Oh yeah. How's that feel huh? Who's ya momma?" But I started laughing too hard to try to keep it up as he started talking about how much he liked it. Finally I just back away kicked his butt and caused him to fall to the floor.

"Now get back in the kitchen and fix me something to eat." Every guy in that room started howling with laughter. And it only got worse when Lorik told how he recorded it and sent it to everyone on his list.

"No, please tell me you didn't," I begged only to hear the beeps of phones going off across the room and one outside the door.

I tried opening the door and telling Dean not to watch it but it was too late. I could hear myself and Sage coming across the speaker of his phone and I couldn't do anything but stand there mortified as Dean watched it confused.

After it was all over I bit my top lip and waited for Dean to say something. He looked up from his phone, looked around the room, and smiled.

"Well I came to tell you Archer is here. So Marissa if you and the boys will come to my office, I'd appreciate it. And don't forget to bring Princess with you," he said motioning to Sage. That brought on another round of laughter as we filed out of the room and walked to his office.

Dean opened the door to his office and Archer stood as we entered. The smile on his face looked genuine but he still made me edgy.

I walked over, shook his hand, thanked him for coming and had a seat across from Dean's desk. Shayden sat in the chair beside me. Dean sits down in his seat and waited quietly as the others shuffled around looking for a place to sit or stand. After a few minutes, Dean cleared his throat.

"The reason I asked Archer to be here is because he knows more about what we're getting ready to discuss. He was there when the information was given to your father."

I watched as he took a drink of water.

"Over seventeen years ago your father was approached by the director in New Zealand. She is a very superstitious woman one might say, but the things she told your father have so far become true, even though we have done everything in our power to stop it."

Dean motioned for Archer to continue. Shay and I turned to look at him.

"She told your father that the two of you would be born. Even though most men and their wives within the field would seek a specialist to insure that a son is born, there were few that didn't. Your mother and father were one of those.

See for years now there has been an old prophecy told that there would come a day when a child is born, a girl that would change things within the FOA. She would remove those from power that she felt wasn't worthy. She would turn sons against fathers, mothers against their own children and would kill hundreds of men in the process.

She would be known as the Black Rose. She would start an order among the assassins; building an army of brothers that would stand at her side and fight hand and hand to protect her. They would be the elite of them all and they too would wear the black rose, swearing their allegiance to her."

I tried swallowing but my throat had gone dry the more Archer spoke. Goosebumps had risen on my arms and were starting to trail down my back and legs. I didn't want to sit here and listen to them swear that I was the black rose. I refuse to turn people against each other, it wasn't in me to.

"The director of New Zealand's assassins approached John the day your mother found out she was pregnant. He didn't know it at that point in time. She told him that his wife would bear twins. Twins so strong and intelligent, they would make every one rethink how things can be done within the federation. The female would bear the black rose."

"Being the respectful man he was, he acknowledged what she was saying as he spoke to her. After she left however, he laughed about it. That is until your mother phoned him to tell him that she was pregnant. With twins."

I turned back to Dean as he spoke. "Your father came to me and told what had been said. He was thinking of moving away, quitting his job, he had considered putting the two of you up for adoption out of fear for your safety. There are some out there that would rather see the black rose dead than to do what is right. Those that would kill your brother in an attempt to stop you from whatever it is they think you're going to do.

"John had heard quite a few of them. He knew how some of them felt. We still hadn't figured out what to do by the time you were born. Your mother refused to give either of you up. Truthfully once John held you both in his arms, so did he. There is nothing like a father's love, the two of you need to remember that.

"So he did the only thing he knew to. He left. He took you and bought another house. At the time we lived in Florida. We were both apart of the southern regions. But as luck would have it, a position opened up in the eastern regions, and I was offered the job as director.

"I gladly accepted and contacted your father. I knew he had moved back to Virginia. Dawn had followed later so there wouldn't be suspicion. When I spoke with him, he accepted the offer. I helped him. We told everyone that he had moved here to be near his brother's widow to help with her son. We said your mother had passed at child birth and he had hoped she would be able to help.

"That would have worked until someone noticed how much the two of you looked alike. He had no choice but to insure you two weren't together as babies. So that was when I asked my wife to help. For a few years she did. I believe you were five when she passed away. But the boys and I had gotten so used to having you around that they would grieve even harder when you weren't there.

"When you were six, Sam; Zavier and Sage's father, saw you playing with Gabe and Lorik. Because you were John's daughter and you were all homeschooled, he thought it best he introduce his boys into the group as well." I heard Archer laugh. "Sam had hoped that you would marry one of his son's, that the two of you would produce the ultimate child.

"He was ecstatic when he saw that you took an interest in Zavier; even more so when he caught you and Sage kissing when you were fourteen. When Sage told him that he wanted to live with me so he could be around you all the time, he quickly agreed."

"He allowed Zavier to stay as well to help keep an eye on things. It worked out perfect. Sam was so busy planning your future with one of his sons he never even noticed how much you and Shayden were alike. Shayden could come and go from the house and no one thought any different.

"When you were all old enough to train at the academy some were upset about it. They didn't want a female in the midst but I assured them that you were not the only female in the entire FOA. Considering whom your father had become at this point, most was too scared to voice their opinions on the subject and accepted you freely."

I stood from the chair and paced back and forth. That had explained a lot of things from my past. I never understood why I always stayed at Dean's and never at Shay's. It explained why Sam was always looking at me like he was the proudest father ever. It also explained why Dad always made me wear disguises when I came to the academy.

He had tried telling me that it was best that no one knew what my real appearance was. That way no one could blame things on me that I didn't do. He just didn't want people to see I looked like Shayden. To this day, Dad, Dean, Kyle, and the guys were the only ones that knew what I really looked like. Braydon and Braxton only knew because of the hospital. Archer still didn't know. I was tempted to pull the wig off and take the contacts out.

It bothered me though. Why hadn't he at least told me and Shayden? Why did he make Shayden go without a father for so long? And how do they get that I'm the black rose? Then the tattoo crossed my mind. Everything they were talking about. Three things had come to pass already.

One, Shay and I had been born. Two, I had killed too many people. And three, I tattooed more than one black rose on my body.

I stopped and looked around the room, so had the guys. That made four. I didn't want this. The only ones that even had a mother living were me and Shay, and Sage and Zavier.

"I don't want to turn people against their own family. How could someone think I'd want that? Not only that, these guys haven't sworn their allegiance to me and I'm not asking them to do it either. We would protect each other, yes, but that is a little far-fetched. Don't you think?"

I took my shirt off and opened my suit up so I could take my arms out and let it hang to my waist. I had a tank top on underneath so I wasn't being improper when I did.

"You're telling me that this," I pointed to the black rose on my arm, "Makes me the black rose? I got this tattoo because of all the lives lost that day, all the people that suffered. People the FOA wasn't able to save because everyone was out looking for me."

"Let me ask you something first. Why did you kill all those men? Could you and Braydon have made it out alive had they lived?"

"Yes, we would have had to take a few down but we could have found a way out otherwise," Braydon spoke up.

I stood from my chair and spun around to look at him. He wasn't looking at me and he didn't seem upset by what he said. That wasn't what he told Dean earlier. Why was he lying?

"Then why? Why did you have to take the lives of all those men that day?" Archer continued.

They weren't going to give up until I told the truth. They had known all along that I had been lying. They each had gone along with it, letting me lie to their faces. My heart began to pound in my chest but I kept my breathing calm. Something flashed in my peripheral vision and I turned to see what it was but the television screen in the room was black.

I felt the needle prick my arm and turned my head to see that Gabe had administered some kind of medication. I wasn't sure if it was my muscle relaxant or not. Either way it wasn't enough to harm me, just enough to relax my mind. Meaning they were planning on getting the truth out of me one way or another.

"You can punish me if you like but I'm leaving," I told Dean and turn to go to the door only to find it blocked.

"Why? Why are you doing this to me?" I asked when I looked back at Dean.

"Why did you kill those men? Just talk to us. No one here is going to hurt you. I know you were lying to us Marissa. So sit down and tell me what really happened."

I didn't have much of a choice. The medicine was kicking in and soon I wouldn't be able to do much but sit. I could feel my eyes drooping a little. My arms felt heavy. Still I stood there. I wanted to move. I didn't want to be the center of attention like this.

Without me telling my body to do so, it walked over to the window. I stood there staring out over the ball field.

"I lied. I lied because I don't want to tell you the truth. I don't want to cause you and the boys more pain than you all have already suffered. I don't want them thinking I'm a monster. So I'm begging you not to force me to do this."

"How can you telling me what happened cause more pain?"

My breathing was deep and slow. My movements felt sluggish. I tried running my hands over my hair only to pull the wig off in the process. I drop the wig to the floor and licked my lips. I was parched. I hated that medicine.

I turned and spotted Dean's liquor bottle sitting on the cabinet beside me. I reached over and picked it up slowly. I just wanted a taste. I just wanted something to wet my mouth so it wouldn't be so dry. Someone took it out of my hand and replaced it with a soda. My hands wouldn't work though; I couldn't even bring it up to my mouth to take a sip. I don't know how I was even standing. I just stood there and stared at it.

Someone, I assume it was Dean, put a straw in the can from behind me and moved my hand to bring it to my lips. It was cold and refreshing but the can was moved away too soon. I could have drank all of it.

"I don't want you getting sick, princess. Just relax and tell us what happened," Dean whispered beside me as I watched him sit the can down on the window's ledge.

I lost it.

Adrenaline surged through my body and I released it with a swipe of my hand across the table Dean's glasses set on. The scream that had been building for days finally ripped from me as a roar. Everyone stood up. I knew they were waiting. Dean waved them off and wrapped his arms around me.

"Don't make me do this!"

"You have to. You need to get it out. You can't continue to live the way you have."

"They had me chained to the floor. They knew who I was. I didn't even have to tell them. They broke my nails in half then they would take glue and put it on my nails and press fake nails on. They kept saying, 'isn't this what you do to change how you look?' Then they'd rip them off.

"They took the bag off my head and before my eyes could adjust, they would drop blood into my eyes. "Let's change your eye color too,' they'd say. They stopped when another guy came in. He told me he was the leader. They listened to everything this guy said and followed his orders to a T. But then he sent them out of the room.

"'I know who you are, Marissa Stone. I know your daddy, John. I know your friends. How's Dean doing? Has he been lonely over the years? Oh no, don't struggle sweetheart. Now look what you did. Does it hurt?'" I looked down at my hand. I watched how long it took to even move my wrist around. When I blinked I realized that I wasn't facing the window. Dean had turned me around to look at the room.

"'I bet everyone is just going crazy looking for their little princess. I'll make sure they find you.' I don't know what you're talking about. My name's not Marissa, its Nicole. I don't know a Dean or John," my head jerked to the side as I remembered him hitting me.

I didn't know if I was scaring them as I told what was happening. My voice would deepen to mimic his, and then I would use a different tone to pretend I was someone else.

"'Don't lie to me! Here let me take that wig off for you. Oh do you like having it on? Let me ask, how do you keep it on so well? Oh I know I bet you use this don't you? Here let me staple that down for you. Oh I didn't get it right.'" My head shot back as I remembered him ripping it off.

"Why are you doing this to me? I haven't hurt anyone. 'No, no I'm sure you haven't Rissa. That is what they call you right? Rissa? Sweet, beautiful, Rissa. Isn't that what Sage calls you? Sage will be the next one. He will be easy to get. I'm told he's a real ladies man. Then we'll go with Zavier. He's shy, but I know enough about him. I know enough to get him right where I want him.

"'Then your cousin. What do you call him? Shay? He looks so much like your father. John will love seeing what I do to him. Then little Lorik, thinks he's so tough. I'm going to shut that mouth for him real quick. I think Gabe maybe the hardest. He doesn't trust many people. It doesn't matter. They'll all die. One by one I'll catch them. One by one they'll fall.

"'Isn't that cute, you think you can escape. Where should we leave you? In Dean's pool? Maybe on the front door?'" I mimicked his smile and laugh. "'I know. We'll leave you for a few days in his car. He won't know until the fragrance overcomes him.' You're wrong. I'm Nicole. Please just let me go. I won't tell. Please."

"'Oh no. We're not done with you yet. We have to make you beautiful. Just like I did for Maria.'"

I fell to my knees and slowly raised my head. The laugh was the evilest thing I had ever heard as it echoed across the room. My head snapped back from his fist connecting with my jaw.

"You think beating me will stop me from killing you? You think I won't get loose don't you?" I laughed again. I knew I had gone insane.

"I will kill you slowly, I promise. The things you do to me will be nothing compared to what I am capable of doing to you. You know there is a reason they kept me close by don't you?"

I could see his face as the fear in his eyes surfaced.

"'I'll kill you before you can get loose,'" he told me.

"Do you believe in ghosts? I do. Oh I see you do don't you? I believe you can feel her around you right now, just like I do." He was almost hyperventilating as I spoke slow and steady.

"There is a difference between me and Maria. She may just haunt you, I won't. I will torture you until the day of your death and then the day your ugly face dies, I'm going to be right there waiting for you."

I grinned at him. I had never felt more evil than I did at that moment. I was no longer in the office I was there. I could see him, smell his fear, and taste the blood in my mouth.

"I will be your biggest fear. You know how I know? Because your nothing. But. A. coward."

I held my arms out as if I were still in chains. I lunged for him and laughed as I watched him jump back. The fear must have drove him to extremes because he ran for me and knocked me back. He began choking me. I wouldn't give him satisfaction though. I kept the smile on my face as the black took over.

I came back to myself when I blinked. I was back in the office with everyone. Dean was hovering over me. I had fallen back as if he had actually been there.

"I woke up with him doing CPR. He had put me back on the table. He left after he saw I had come to. He put the bag back on my head. He let them have their fun with me. I was glad none of them were child molesters. They were just sadistic killers. When they left and Braydon came in, I thought it was him coming to kill me. I had never been happier in my life than to see that beautiful face.

"When he let me loose, I made sure we were the only ones in the building. I didn't know all the assassin's so I didn't want to take a chance. When Braydon got hurt, it pissed me off even more. I refused to let them take another life." I tried to swallow. My mouth was so dry I had to keep clearing it. I tried using my tongue to wet my lips but it felt more like sandpaper.

Dean got up to give me a drink of soda. I looked at him as he raised the can to me. "I had to kill them. I had to kill them all. I heard him order that even when he left for a few days, they were to finished out what he was doing."

He put the straw to my lips and I took a long sip. He moved it away and wiped the corner of my mouth off. I grabbed his shirt. "Please. You have to understand. I had to kill them. I couldn't let him get to you guys."

"How do we even know you're telling the truth now?" Gabe asked. I didn't blame him. I had lied to them so much.

"Because he carved your names in her back," Braydon said from the door. He was leaning against the door watching me.

I guess Gabe didn't even believe that because he rushed across the room spun me around as Braydon screamed at him to stop and raised the back of my shirt up. When he turned me back around, he moved slower trying to be more careful with me. The color had drained from his face as he looked into my eyes.

"I tortured him. I tortured him for you, for Lorik, for Dean, for her. I put him in as much pain as I could before I had to take his life."

Tears rolled down Gabe's face. Maria was his mother. The sweetest woman I had ever met in my life. I didn't remember everything about her but I remembered something special she had done for me.

### Chapter Sixteen

When I was little, I hated being away from my dad. I assume now it was because he had taken me from Mom. Maria had done everything she could for me to cheer me up. We played games, baked, and did so many things. The one thing that always stood out in my mind was how anytime I or one of the boys got upset, a penny would appear.

She would tell us the angels didn't like it when we were sad so they would send us pennies from heaven to make us smile. I was smart for a little kid and knew she was the one doing it but I never said a word to the boys. So what I saw that day made me think twice.

"Funny thing. After I killed him, I noticed something. Lying beside him on the floor, were two bright, shiny, pennies." I put my hand down in my bra and pulled them out. I had kept them. I handed one of the pennies over to Gabe and he just stared at it.

I watched as Lorik came across the room. I handed him the penny. He looked down at it and then pulled me into his arms. I felt his hand rub the skin on my back. I pulled back from him.

"I've always thought of you all as my guys. I don't mind to wear your names."

He broke down in tears and fell to his knees. He wrapped his arms around my waist and cried like I had never seen him. I run my fingers through his hair trying to soothe him as I closed my eyes.

"When Braydon came out of the office I saw how pale he looked. He had blood covering one side of his shirt. I knew he wouldn't make it much longer. He was staggering; his eyes didn't seem to be focusing. I couldn't let him die," I broke down in sobs. The thought of not seeing them again hurt. "I knew I was taking a chance on killing myself by saving him. I knew I had lost a lot of blood with the things they had done.

"What was I supposed to do? I grabbed the med kit from the office and started talking to him. I filled the blood bag and set it up so he would get the flow quickly. I told him stories of all of you. I wanted you all to know that if I didn't make it, you were the ones I was thinking about at the end."

This time it was me that fell to my knees. Lorik had moved away as I had been talking to sit on the edge of his Dad's desk to listen. He had tried to catch me but my body felt like it just crumbled. I was sobbing into the floor. I knew my back was showing and I didn't care.

Within seconds I was surrounded by the guys. One was holding me, one was wiping my face with his shirt, one was kissing my forehead, one was holding my hand and the other was moving my hair out of my face. But they were all telling me how much they loved me.

"Marissa, do you mind if I see those scars?" Archer asked. I looked over at Dean. He nodded.

I got up and stumbled my way to him. The meds must have finally started wearing off. I raised the back of my shirt and waited. I felt his hand touch one scar and then felt him pull the back of my shirt down. When I turned around he was looking at Dean.

"I don't understand how that child made it."

Dean rubbed his face in his hands then shook his head. "She shouldn't have. She had so many broken bones that she shouldn't have been able to even move."

"How?" Archer asked me.

"I wasn't going to let anyone hurt the people I love. I used the pain I was feeling to keep me going. It wasn't until I saw Dad and Dean that I gave in and passed out. The moment I felt safe, I was gone."

I know not many people would understand that. Most would say it was impossible but when you love someone that much, you'll do amazing things to save them.

"And you're still adamant that you are not the black rose?" Archer asked.

"Yes. I got this tattoo because I found out about some women being killed. There was nothing I could do to help them. It didn't matter to me that they were older than me. It still bothered me. They were someone's sister, someone's daughter, and girlfriend or wife. They didn't deserve what happened to them."

The alarm sounded throughout the building and I turned to the television on the wall. The screen lit up. Standing in the hall were three guys, all in black, and all with weapons drawn.

I grabbed my phone, calling Braxton and had him check all floors and other sensors as I put my suit back on. When the all clear came through I looked around at the boys. No one was armed but me and Dean.

"Take Dean's gun and sit in the corner facing the door. No one comes in, no one goes out."

I grabbed the big steel frame that held the dry erase board Dean used for planning and put it in front of the door as a shield.

Lorik grabbed my arm. "Marissa you are not going out there."

"I have to. Listen, none of you are armed or suited. I have no choice. They are after me anyway."

"You cannot keep risking your life for ours. Let us protect you like you protect us. Please. Rissa don't you understand any of us would die for you," Gabe said as he stood before me.

"I know. That's why I love you guys. But you are going to have to let me stop them. None of you can fit in my suit anyway." I smiled and winked at him.

"You're going to have to kill them Marissa," Dean stated. I just stared at him. These guys weren't bad just misinformed. "They're murders Marissa. Someone has broken inmates out of prisons from Mexico, Cuba, and other places. They have gotten the worst of the worst to come after you. Kill them and don't think twice."

I hadn't heard anything about it. It's not like I'd been watching the news lately but when something like that happens you usually hear people talking. Yeah. That is if you actually listen to what they say. I nodded to him.

Zavier grabbed me before I could move and shocked me. He pulled me to him, held me tight in his arms and kissed me. And I couldn't stop myself from kissing back.

When he let go, I run across the room where Archer was sitting and watched him jump up quickly as I jumped putting my foot on the wall to boost myself. I had to sling my blade at the same time to lodge it in the concrete past the tile to be able to finish pulling myself up at the angle I wanted.

I knew if I did it right, I could come out behind the guys and they would never be the wiser. I crawled through the tiles, past Dean's door, and activated the special contacts I had that would allow me to see body heat.

I was two foot behind them when I dropped down. I didn't even give them a chance to say anything before I stabbed two of them in the heart while wrapping my legs around the other and twisting my body, breaking his neck. I landed on my hands and flipped over letting his body fall to the floor.

I heard the alarm sound again and had the boys standing in front of me before I knew what was going on. When I turned around I had expected someone else. But standing there staring at me was my mother.

I released the blades so they shot back down in the cylinders and put them in the holsters they were in.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened. When I turned to look at Shayden I knew why they had come out of the office, they were keeping her from seeing the dead bodies. Shayden gave me this look like; I cannot believe you just said that. Then I figured out my mistake. She didn't know we knew.

"Oh uh." I looked back at Shay again for help. "We sort of found out last night. We, uh, found the birth certificates."

I watched Mom for a minute. Her shoulder length brown hair was put up in a ponytail. That was when I realized, we looked nothing alike. We were the same height but that was where it stopped. Her eyes were a dark brown and set apart more, her nose wider, and lips thinner. Her frame was just a little wider than mine. I guess I got my looks from my dad somehow.

She seemed to think about this for a minute before nodding her head. She leaned over looking past me, "What are you boys hiding?"

Okay so being smooth was not always my best forte.

"There are dead bodies behind them. We didn't want you to see them."

The color drained from her face right before she dropped to the floor. Smooth. Shayden gave me a hard look and I grimaced. I told them to put her in Dean's apartment for time being, making sure to leave the light on for her so she would know where she was. Then I watched Braydon and Zavier start carrying the bodies downstairs. I tried following but Gabe held me back.

I stood by the window looking out as Dean and Archer talked about the moves I had done and the suit I had built. When the boys came back in and sit down, everything seemed to pick up right where it left off.

"Did you wake up anytime on the way to the hospital?" Gabe asked.

I nodded but never said a word. Everything got quiet. I really didn't want to have this conversation. The meds wore off and the tension in my body was horrendous.

"I woke up to somebody forcing something down my throat. They were telling me to drink it. I remember vomiting blood all over the window of the car as we were pulling into the emergency room."

Dean's chair flew back and hit the wall behind his desk. Zavier started screaming he was going to kill him, while Sage grabbed a hold of me forcing me to look him in the eyes. He was searching for the truth. I guess what he saw there was enough because he reared back and punch the brick wall behind me, breaking his hand in the process.

I run to Dean's apartment, grabbing ice out of the freezer, putting it in a bag and wrapping a towel around it. I tried to put it on his hand but he kept refusing it saying he didn't deserve it.

"It wasn't your fault."

He didn't care. He wouldn't listen. Everyone in the room was going into a fit except me and Shayden. We had no idea what was going on. Gabe and Braydon were doing everything they could to hold Zavier back and keep him from running out the door. Dean was on the phone screaming at someone to do something.

"STOP!" I screamed.

Braydon let go of Zavier as I walked over to him. I forced him into a chair and sit down in his lap. I wrapped my arms around him and held him. At first he was stiff and wouldn't respond but after a few minutes he wrapped his arms around me and held so tight I thought my insides would rupture.

"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him for what he did to you," he kept repeating it.

"Shh. It's alright. Okay. I'm fine."

He stared at me for a second before speaking, "You don't know who it was do you?"

I shook my head. I didn't remember. Every time I tried remembering the face it was a blur.

"It was my dad." The statement hit me like a ton of bricks. One minute I was looking from Zavier to Sage, the next I was waking up on the couch in Dean's office.

I laid there listening to the conversation between Dean and the boys. They had been able to tell from my reaction that I knew nothing about who it was. They also couldn't figure out why he had done it. If I had known it was their dad, I wouldn't have said anything in front of them. I did not want to live everyday knowing that I had caused their pain. That I would be the reason they went after their own father.

"Could he have figured out that she and Shayden were twins?" Mom asked.

"We did everything to make sure no one knew," Dean answered.

"I don't understand, what did it matter if they found out we were twins or not?" Shayden asked. That had bugged me too. Why did they have to separate us, the prophecy never said anything about twins. The director of New Zealand did.

"Because it was said that it would be her twin to start the allegiance," Archer spoke.

I had figured he would have left. I couldn't understand why he was still here. He told us what he needed to. Unless being retired he was enjoying the action.

I sat up and looked around the room. Everyone remained quiet as I looked at each of them. It seemed there was no way for me to stop this. Except maybe one.

"I quit," I stated.

Everyone in the room just stared at me. No one spoke.

"You can't quit. Even if you did, we would still have to fight to protect you. So you have a choice. You can retire and allow us to do what needs to be done without your help, or you can continue the way things are and be there to make sure your men make it back alive," Dean stated as he stood up.

He knew he had me. He knew there would be no way on God's green earth that I would allow my guys to go out after them alone.

"Fine, have it your way. I won't quit. But I'm hungry and I'm going to fix dinner. You are all more than welcome to join me," I said as I walked to the door.

"We need to figure out why he did that to you," Shayden commented.

"We won't find answers staring at each other or these walls. Sam and whoever else he is working with are the only ones that know the real reason. So I refuse to sit here starving and worry about what stunt he will try next."

I knew they had all followed as I was walking down the hallway to our apartment. I could hear silent conversations between Dean and Archer, Sage and Zavier, and Mom and Shay. Theirs bothered me more than anyone's.

Mom was asking Shay if we hated her. She wanted to know if we blamed her for the way things had went. She asked him if he thought I would speak to her or if I would pull away. He answered her saying he didn't know. How could he not know? How could either of them think I could turn against her? I heard Dean, plain as day, say Mom had refused to give us up.

It hurt knowing I was raised thinking my mother was gone but I understood the logic behind it. Knowing Dad he did it this way because he knew that if I were with him, he would see me daily. He would have also figured out that Shayden would end up joining the academy, which meant he would see him as well.

It was actually pretty smart thinking. And if it weren't for the fact that we looked so much alike, it may have worked. I wished it had of. This would have never happened.

I had Mom come and talk to me while I made dinner. We talked about me and Shay, about her and Dad, and school. She asked me how I was doing with everything and I really didn't know how to answer that question.

What was I supposed to say? Well Mom, I hate it all. I don't want to be the black rose and have people constantly trying to kill me because they think I'm going to turn this all into a freak show. No I couldn't. There was really no one I could voice how I felt to. I was alone in this. If Dad were here I could have spoken to him about it. He would have understood.

After dinner was over and I watched Mom, Archer, and Dean walk back to his office, I gathered my things together for a shower. I needed one, bad. I let the boys do whatever it was they were planning on doing. Knowing them, plan a way to kill these guys.

I undressed, set everything needed in the shower, got in, turned the water on, and was blasted with a fragrance I knew too well.

Chocolate.

I was severely allergic to cocoa and I just ended up with a mouthful. It was as toxic to me as poison.

I tried spitting it out but I knew the moment it hit my throat and slid down to my stomach. It burn the entire way. I had less than a minute to wrap a towel around me before the pain caused me to double over and begin vomiting blood. After three minutes my airway would begin closing off and I would lay here in this bathroom and die.

Lucky for me I had two things going for me. My twin could feel my pain and my tracker would set off the alarm. And both happened.

As I was double over the toilet, with blood spewing from my mouth, I could hear the running. They were all coming. I underestimated my time.

I could feel my throat closing up as the blood tried to make its way up my throat. I would drown on my own blood. They had to use something stronger this time.

"Epi," was all I managed to get out before I couldn't speak at all.

### Chapter Seventeen

Chaos reigned supreme at that given moment. I don't think I had heard them freak out so much. Everyone was shouting something different, or running around like they didn't know what to do. My throat was closing up to the point I could no longer breathe and the alarms were screaming in my ears.

My eyes were beginning to bulge as I felt someone lift me up and push through the others. They started running through the apartment and out the door. He begin barking orders telling Gabe to find the doctor, for Sage and Zavier to find out what happened, for Braydon to get Mom and Dean, and for Shayden to stay by his side. Lorik. I had never been more surprised in my life for it to be Lorik. He was being so level headed that it made my head spin.

He laid me down on the hospital bed in the doctor's office and began rummaging around the cabinets.

"Help me find an Epipen and bags of blood. I don't know how much she has lost or how much more she will lose once I open her airway back up."

I didn't have much longer. I could feel the blackness creeping up on me and my heart pounding to get oxygen. It would stutter. Tears run down my face. I knew I was dying. I wouldn't make it.

A gunshot rang out and then I heard the rustling of plastic. Within seconds the jabbing of the Epipen in my thigh was like someone shining a ray of light down on me from heaven. He had done it. He had found what was needed to save my life.

As my airway opened up blood spewed like a fountain from my mouth. Shayden handed me a bottle of water and I tried to get it down so I could rinse my stomach. I knew it would come back up but I hoped it would at least get some of that chocolate out.

I had gone five minutes without vomiting when I noticed Shayden grab Lorik's hand. He had a unit of blood in his hand about to administer it to me. Lorik looked at him confused and then pulled it forward a little to sniff it. He was almost cursing as he tossed it back in the fridge.

"Bitter almonds," he growled as he looked across the room. I looked over to see Mom, Dean, Gabe, and Braydon standing there. I could see the worry on all their faces.

"Stomach pills?" Shayden asked. I nodded but didn't know if it would do any good. If I couldn't keep it down then I would be screwed anyway.

Shayden rifled around the metal cabinet that Lorik had shot the lock off of. He pulled several bottles off the shelf and turned to me. "Why are your medicines down here?"

They shouldn't have been. My medicine was in my med kit back in the room. This meant it had been tampered with.

"Well that explains why the doctor hung himself," Gabe said.

"Is that what the seal looks like on one that hasn't been opened?" Shayden asked me. I nodded.

He punched his knuckle through the seal and got out two pills to hand to me. I took them with as little water as possible hoping it wouldn't come back up. I looked over at Lorik to see his hands shaking.

"I don't know what to do Rissa."

He looked so helpless. He was holding an empty blood bag that was still sealed in the plastic. He knew our blood types weren't the same. I couldn't use his blood. I looked to Shay. He glanced over to Lorik's hand and ripped the bag out of it. He rolled his sleeve up and tied the tourniquet around his upper arm.

Gabe's training began to kick in as he ran over to Shayden to help him do what he needed. I could feel someone cleaning my face off as I stared at Lorik. He was watching me.

"Thank you. You saved my life," I told him.

He shook his head. He knew I wasn't in the clear yet. I needed him to know that what he done meant more to me than anything else. Lorik had gotten me this far without panicking. That was a feat all in itself.

"Lorik, you saved me," I repeated. He frowned and looked away.

"Okay if you want to do something else to help me, call Kyle." He nodded his head and grabbed the phone on the wall. Dean took it from him and shook his head. I watched as he slammed the phone against the counter, breaking it open. It had been wired. Why he didn't just remove the device I didn't know but I wasn't going to argue.

Dean reached out smashed the listening device with what was left of the phone. He was making sure no one would hear anything. He reached in his pocket and handed Lorik his cell phone. It was the one phone that no one had access to, including Braxton. Dean used this phone for important calls; calls from the President's, both the FOA's and the United States.

I croaked out the number for Kyle's personal cell phone and listened as he relayed what he could. He was still doing well but I could see the panic forming in his eyes as he stared at me. He was telling Kyle that he couldn't take me to the hospital, he needed to come here. He held the phone out and I took it. I expected Kyle to say something like he was calling the police but he surprised me.

"Do you need supplies? If so what kind and how much? I also expect to hear the truth from you Marissa Stone. I want to know exactly what's going on. I've done a little research of my own, and I have quite a few questions," his voice was firm and on edge. I knew when he got like this to not lie to him. Most time I gave only half truths but that wouldn't work this time.

"Okay. No recorders, no notebooks, and you have to listen completely," I tried swallowing but my throat was still raw. I cough a little and blood sprayed into my hand. I looked at it confused. I was hoping it was because of what was left in my mouth and not that some had gotten into my lungs.

I gave him a list of things I thought I could use. Things such as more antibiotics, pain medicine, IVs, and blood units for three different blood types. He didn't question me. He reminded me of the same deal we had before, I paid cash, no receipts. We both knew he could get in trouble. I had no choice but to replenish my kit. I was going to have to throw everything away just in case.

I gave him instructions on which door to come to, where to park, and what to do if he were stopped by someone on his way here. The last one he never replied on. I don't know if he was worried but he kept his mouth shut, just hanging the phone up. I asked for a wipe and wiped Dean's phone off as a safety precaution, of course he rolled his eyes at me and reminded me of when I was in the hospital.

I felt the pinch in my skin as Gabe inserted the needle. The unit had filled up and they weren't waiting for blood tests to see how much I needed. I glanced around the room to see Zavier whispering to Braydon. Dean joined in on the conversation and I watched as Zavier held his shaking hand out and showed them an empty vile. It had small holes in it so that when the water came on, it would fill up and pour out into the shower.

I watched Braydon grab a glove and lift it from Zavier's hand. He walked out of the room. I knew what he was going to do. He was going to try to print it. The doctor either hung himself because he realized they would try to print it, or he was forced into cooperation. Those were the only two things I could think of. It didn't however, mean I was right. When it came to assassin's I learn a long time ago not to assume. Things are usually never how you think they are.

Dean's phone beeped and he turned to Sage and Zavier. They nodded and left the room. A few minutes later they returned with Kyle. He went to work, checking my blood pressure, my throat, nose, listening to my lungs, and drawing blood. He hooked up an IV and in the end I only needed one more pint of blood.

When Dean showed him the blood units in the fridge something happened I had never seen. Kyle's face contorted with fury and he began ranting that he would like to meet the doctor that did this. He said more things and at one point I could swear he even threatened to kill him. That is until Dean took him to the doctor.

Minutes later he was back. He was still furious but not nearly as much. The redness was slowly leaving his face but his nostrils were still flared as he took in deep breaths of air. He watched me and I calmed my breathing and watched as he copied me.

When he was completely calm, I went on to tell him everything. He paid close attention, never looking from my face. He was searching for the truth and I knew it. When I finished he sat down on the edge of my bed and thanked me for trusting him. He then turned to Dean and told him that he had received a phone call from a doctor asking for my records.

"Start pulling files. I want all of ours," I told Lorik.

He run out of the room and I heard the gun go off again as he blew the lock off the door. Lorik was getting trigger happy. I wasn't going to say anything, if it help calm his nerves then I was all for it.

"He shouldn't have ours," Gabe said. Yeah but assuming never worked for me.

Lorik came back in the room a few minutes later with files under his arm and one in his hand. He handed the files to me. I went through them one by one. It listed each of the guys, including Dad and Dean's. I closed my eyes to calm myself and handed the files to Kyle.

"If you can keep this secret than I want you as their doctor. It would be easier."

Kyle nodded his head and took the files. I looked at Lorik and watched him taking in deep breaths. His body was rigid and his knuckles were turning white. I touched his arm and he opened his eyes slowly to look at me.

"It will never happen. I promise you that," he stated through gritted teeth before he finally let me take the file from him.

It was mine. Even though Kyle said he hadn't sent my file over to the doctor, he still had a file on hand. It was thick. Everything else it could have said meant nothing to me. It was the paper in the front that I stared at instead. My death certificate. It was dated today, and the cause of death was listed as an allergic reaction.

I slammed it shut and almost slung it across the room to Dean. He caught it but the paper fell to the floor and everyone around him stood there staring at it. Mom broke down in tears. Dean's fist slammed into the cabinet leaving a dent and possibly breaking some bones. Everyone else looked stunned.

Kyle walked over, picked the death certificate up and asked Dean if he needed to make copies as proof for anything. Dean nodded and Kyle went to the copier in the next room, making the copies needed and then came back. He looked at me as he held the paper over the sink.

"I'll never let that happen either." I watched as he took a lighter out of his pocket and lit the original paper.

It smoked as ashes began falling from it. He dropped it down into the sink and I watched as the flames licked up the side for a second before dying down and it was gone.

It took three days before Kyle would even let me out of the bed they had put me in. I was so sick of that room I thought if I saw one more solid white wall I would scream. Each of the boys had taken turns staying with me and keeping me company but it didn't help except when Zavier was there.

Even Braydon didn't hold me like Zavier did.

For hours Zavier would lie in bed beside me holding me in his arms. He would caress my face every time he moved my hair out of my eyes. I could feel him playing with strands of my hair. At first I was thinking he was only doing it to comfort me. That is until I woke up once to find him resting his lips against my neck. Even that didn't really surprise me. It was when he kissed me on the lips after I rolled over to face him.

It was the day Kyle released me that I finally opened up to Zavier.

"I don't think I can do this. Everyone keeps expecting something great from me or something horrendous. What if they are right? What if I do something so bad that even you guys turn against me?"

"Love, it's not within you to do something bad. I've known you for many years. At no point have I ever known you to do something to turn us against you. You care too much for people. If anything, it'll be you to straighten things out."

"How? How am I supposed to do this?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that I will be there to stand beside you every step of the way. If you ever need me, I'll be there."

Zavier leaned in and kissed me again when I heard someone clear their throat. It was Kyle. Dean was insisting we go over to the training room to watch the boys practice. I dressed quickly and almost ran out of the building. I raised my face to the sun shining on me and smiled. Warmth. I mean real honest to goodness warmth. That room had almost frozen me.

Even though it was just the training room, I was so happy to be somewhere else. I was hardly able to contain my excitement. I watched with my knees bouncing as they fought each other. Braydon was facing Shay and the nervousness was palpable.

"It's a shame you can't practice. I was going to let you have your way with the dummies. I've been looking for an excuse to replace them but until these are used up there really isn't a need to," Dean whispered in my ear.

My feet stopped mid-bounce, my jaw dropped and shoulders slumped. I turned slowly looking at Dean and whimpered. He kept a straight face and continued to look out to the boys. I watched as his lips tightened. He was fighting a smile. He knew what he was doing to me.

I looked away from Dean and slowly looked at Kyle.

"The bleeding has been stopped for two days," I said.

He nodded.

"My stomach doesn't hurt," I whispered.

He nodded again.

"I feel good. I mean really good," I sighed as I turned to look back at the boys.

I heard a snicker come from Dean.

"Alright fine but if you feel dizzy, sick or start hurting you stop immediately and let me know," Kyle stated.

I jumped up and screamed. I hugged him and then Dean. I jumped from bleacher seat to bleacher seat all the way to the bottom then froze.

The setup of the dummies was just like the camp I had been held hostage in. The music started, it wasn't mine. Someone had picked out music to go along with what I was about to do. I didn't want to do this. Images flashed in my head and I took off. With each song I cleared a level of dummies, gutting them, decapitating them, breaking their necks, shoving my blade through their skulls. I did everything the same as I had that day.

When I reached the top of the structure and killed off the dummies I had no choice but to go back down. This was the only thing different. At the camp the top floor was also where the doors where located. Here they were located at the bottom. I took a run and go. The moment my feet touched the edge I launched myself off the structure, flipping in the air once, landing with one leg bent, and down on one knee.

I twisted and killed two dummies at once. I looked over and could see the door to the girls locker room, only in my head it was the door to the office where I found the leader cowering. He had watched me kill every one of his men. He knew he didn't have a chance.

I walked slowly to the door. I walked in, used the end of my blade to hit the dummy in the temple and began dragging him out like I did the leader. I took his hands placing one over the other above his head and raised my blade. I sent it through both of his hands, holding them to the floor. I ripped open his shirt and began carving the words into his chest. I paused once and hit him in the temple again, looking into the office to where Braydon was that day.

I finished carving on him and kept looking to the door. I had no choice but to finish it. I took my blade and jammed it into his throat. I began wiggling it back and forth until his entire throat was laid open cutting both arteries. There would be no way to survive that. I grabbed my other blade from his hands and stood up facing the office waiting on Braydon to come out.

When he didn't, I turned to look at the carnage I had left behind me. Two hundred fifty dummies dead in less than thirty minutes. I turned around and slowly raised my hands to look. There was no blood. When my eyes focused and I saw Dean standing there I realized I was safe, it was over. They had set me up so they could see exactly what I had done that day.

I couldn't help but wonder though if after seeing this if he wouldn't press charges for murder.

### Chapter Eighteen

I looked over when movement caught my eye. Mom and Kyle looked a little faint. The boys were walking toward me. I walked up two bleachers and waited with my blades out to hand over to them. I didn't want them scared that I would hurt one of them.

Sage took the blades and placed them back in my holsters. They all surrounded me talking except for Shayden. After a couple of minutes he spoke up telling the guys to look at the dummy. I was nervous about them seeing it. They didn't know how I had tortured the guy. They didn't know what I had done to any of them.

I needed to move. I needed distance from me and them in case they were to tell me how disappointed they were in me for being so violent. I got maybe five more bleacher seats up before Shayden stopped me.

"Rissa! Did you really carve that into his chest?"

I turned to look at him. I tried to swallow but my mouth felt dry. I nodded. I had carved in huge letters 'not my guys' into the chest of the dummy as well as the chest of the leader that wanted to kill them. My mouth dropped open when I saw him get down on one knee. He placed his hand over his heart and bowed his head.

"I pledge my allegiance to you. To protect you the way you protected us. I promise to stand by your side and defend you in big or small things and to uphold the order of the black rose."

Tears flowed down my face. I turned to Dean to try to make him stop but couldn't get a word out when I heard Lorik saying the exact same things. I turned and looked. Each and every one of the guys was walking up to where Shayden stayed bowed down. One by one they bowed down and began repeating his words.

I fell to my knees and covered my mouth with my hand. I tried to hold back the sobs. They didn't understand what they were doing. If they did this the chances of them having to kill someone in their own family was higher. That was something I did not want to see come to pass.

I felt someone at my side and looked over. Dean was kneeling beside me. He pulled me into his arms and held me there. He whispered into my ear that he understood my trepidation but there was nothing anyone of us could have done to stop the prophesy. It was meant to come to pass.

I didn't know what to say to the guys. What could one say after they made that proclamation? I got up and went to each one in the order they came to me and hugged them. Their hugs in return were strong and tight. They each tried to relay to me what I meant to them.

After the hugging and crying on my part, we left the training room to head back over to the main building. Everyone was busy talking to each other when I stopped suddenly. One of the guys bumped into me and went to ask something but I held up a hand. Dean came to stand beside me and noticed where I was staring. The door to the bottom floor was being held open by what appeared to be a small rock.

If I thought it was quiet the day I shot that man in Dean's house, it was even worse now. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Braxton. I used code to let him know that if he couldn't find a way to track down how many there were to get to a safe place. He was in more danger than anyone at the moment.

I motioned for everyone to stay back and ran on my tip toes over to the main building. I used the infrared on my contacts to try to detect body heat but there was nothing near. I chanced a glance. Nothing. I was glad I had my suit on as I crawled up the wall and took a small device off my side. I placed it on the overhang and turned the light on to direct where it would go. I crawled over and did the same to the other side. I had both lasers pointed at the concrete in front of the door.

I turned the lasers off and crawled back down. I took a wallet out of my back pocket and pulled a strip of paper out. I pulled the back off so it would stick to the door and placed it along the inseam. I kicked the rock out of the way and shut the door being as quiet as possible.

If they opened the door the tape on it would cause a spark, shocking whomever giving the devices above them time to begin wrapping a strong string around them. It was fast and it wasn't painless. It would slowly choke the life out of them.

I looked around trying to find something that would reflect the sun up into the window of the middle floor. For the moment the overhang going from the main building to the training room protected us from being located but we needed to get inside the building, fast.

I ran back over to the building and inside. There were mirrors in the girl's locker room. I told the guys to keep everyone inside until I got this done but of course they began complaining. I knew they wouldn't let me do this alone. No if I knew them, we would all end up over in the building. I knew also that included Mom, Kyle, Archer, and Dean. As much as I hated to say it, they were probably better off with us anyway.

I wrapped my hand and punched the mirror. I pulled a chunk off the wall big enough to do exactly what I wanted and took off again. I used my shield as I stepped out into the sun. When I looked there was no one watching from the window. These guys really didn't know what they were doing. I leaned the mirror against the railing and adjusted it. It was perfect. If someone tried to look out the window now, they'd get blinded and we would have enough time to get inside.

I motioned for the guys to come out, and watched as each came out with shields in place protecting those unarmed. They stayed against the chain-link fence out of view of the windows just in case. When they got to me, we placed Mom, Archer, Dean, and Kyle between every other assassin. This would allow our shields to protect them as we made our way into the building.

I still held a small sliver of a piece of the mirror so that I could see around the building to the steps. I ducked down and used the mirror as close to the ground as possible so I could slide it around and check. Behind me on the other side of the brick wall stood someone and he was armed to the teeth. I knew if I didn't kill him, he would hurt someone or worse.

I slowly moved back in place so he wouldn't see me and nodded once to let them know. I motioned for Shayden to cover Mom's eyes. I used the blade I had in my hand, whipping it around the side of the building to decapitate the man standing there. I was glad I had gotten used to the new blades. I had built them so that when I needed to throw them they would retract back to me. Almost like a yo-yo.

I knocked his head out of the way before Mom could see it and motioned for everyone to wait. I checked quickly to see no one else around and grabbed the arms of the man to hide him in the bushes. I was glad when Sage helped. This man was huge. I began taking his weapons and handing them to everyone else. At least now they had a chance.

I used my contacts again to check for body heat. When I found none, I opened the door to allow us to enter. I hid everyone under the stairwell until I could check the stairs above us as well as the hallway to this floor. When I was sure there was no one upstairs watching, I stayed against the wall and crept to the end to glance down the hall.

There was one man. He was walking down the hall, coming my way. Not for long, not if I could help it. I shot across the narrow hallway and hid behind the trophy case that was no longer in use. I heard his footsteps pick up as he ran my way. I grinned to myself. I crouched down so that when he looked I would have the advantage. He would be expecting me still standing. I was right. Before he could aim his gun at me I had my blade slid perfect between his ribs in his heart.

I leaned him up against the trophy case, holding him there so he wouldn't slide down and give away my location. When I heard someone calling the man's name, I turned and put my finger to my lips as if I were telling him to shush. I grinned and turned to see Sage grinning but shaking his head.

I had to detach myself from what I was doing. I knew it made me seem cruel to be like that but if I thought about what I was doing I would curl up in a ball and cry. I had to keep telling myself these were murderers.

Sage stepped out in the hallway, seeming unarmed but I knew he tucked his gun in his waistline. The man searching for this guy stopped just a few feet from Sage.

"Where's the girl?"

"Right here," I said as I run out, grabbing Sage in the process. I swung around, wrapped my legs around the guy's neck and twisted. When I let go, he dropped to the floor dead.

"That was fun," I told Sage as I kissed him on the cheek and started dragging the other guy over.

I leaned him up against the other.

"Don't go anywhere you two."

I turned to see Archer looking at me as if I were crazy. Truthfully, I think I had lost my mind during those two days held at the camp.

We had managed to make it to Dean's office without any more men nearby. When I checked the main door, there was no one there. The only thing I can think of is that we had killed the ones that were supposed to be posted at those doors.

I went to Dean's desk and logged into his computer. I began pulling up the cameras and trying to find the source as to why Braxton hadn't seen them coming in. Someone had hacked it. They were good too. I was having a hard time tracing it down. When I heard a small explosion and looked at the camera for our floor, smoke was coming out of Braxton's room, I assigned the detail to Lorik and Shay.

I began barking orders. I knew Braydon would try to go but that was the last thing I wanted. I chose Zavier. Braydon's post was to watch out in the hallway in case anyone was coming our way. Sage's job was to keep the others safe. Gabe's was to get medical supplies ready. I didn't know what I would be dealing with when I got there.

I ran down the hallway and used my suit to levitate myself. Zavier was to stand outside the door for when I opened it. I used my contacts to try to find Braxton through the ceiling tiles as I crawled. The smoke was starting to choke me and I knew if I held my breath much longer I would pass out and not be any use to anyone.

I saw Braxton huddled in a corner and dropped down. I crawled close to the floor and made my way to him. I had just reached him when I felt the kick in my ribs. I slid across the floor and brought out my blade. This guy was a little better than the others. He had more skill and it was easy to tell since I was having a hard time fighting him off.

I had to drop down a couple times to try to get fresh air. It wouldn't do me much good because every time I stood, he knocked it right back out of me. I'd had enough. I took a couple steps back, twisted my boot and put my arms out. When I began spinning I let my blade go out a little from my body. I knew the moment it hit him. He screamed in pain.

I took that chance and brought the blade around as hard as I could. I felt the blood spray me before I heard part of him hit the floor. I had done to him what I had done to a few others. I cut him in half from right shoulder to left hip.

I scanned the area to make sure no one else was there and ran back to Braxton coughing my head off. My lungs were burning and I knew I didn't have long before smoke inhalation overcame both of us. We crawled to the door, as soon as I turned the knob Zavier was there pushing the door open and grabbing Braxton.

I crawled out into the floor, laid down and cough up smoke. By the time I was through my throat was raw and my lungs felt like they were on fire. I knew I had to get up. The entire building needed checked. Not only that, I knew the gas they used to do this with. It was mine. From my nova's.

### Chapter Nineteen

When I first started making nova's, I had ended up gassing my entire out building. It made me thankful that I had the underground passageway because if I had not had it I would not have been able to see to get out. I had used a special formula for the gas. It has the distinct smell. That's how I knew it was my nova they used.

I stumbled over to the door of my apartment. I could see Braydon making his way toward Zavier and Braxton. Once Zavier handed Braxton over to Braydon, he came back for me.

"We need to get my nova's. They're using them against us," I croaked out.

Zavier nodded his head and put his arm around me to help keep me stable. He opened the door, checked up and down the hallway before leaving me there and went in to check things out. I kept as close eye on him as I could, when they weren't watering from the gas, and watched as he grabbed the box and came back to me.

I ran back with him, staggering the entire way, to Dean's office. When I got there I could see Kyle working on Braxton. I stumbled but landed beside him and apologized profusely about being stupid enough to leave them in there for someone to get. He shook his head and tried to remove the oxygen mask but I wouldn't let him.

After a few minutes he got aggravated with me, grabbed my wrist to stop me and shoved the mask in my face to give me oxygen. I took a couple breaths, coughed a few times and made him put it back on.

I sat back holding Braxton's hand while I watched Dean take charge of everything. Shay and Lorik were still working on finding the hijacker while Gabe helped Kyle. When he turned around and noticed me, he went into a fit. He grabbed the other oxygen tank, picked me up with one arm, shoved me in a chair and put the mask on my face. I knew it was childish but I rolled my eyes and stuck out my tongue.

Zavier walked over picked me up as I looked at him confused and sat me down in his lap. He took a wipe and cleaned off my face and neck. It wasn't past my notice that he had started staying closer to me. It also wasn't past my notice that he started kissing on my neck more and more. I was beginning to think maybe I had chosen the wrong guy.

Braydon seemed oblivious to everything Zavier done. It didn't make him jealous. He never said anything about it. Not even to Zavier. He would just look at me and smile. If it hadn't been for the fact I had to clear my head to check out the building I would have turned around and put a lip lock on Zavier to see if Braydon reacted in any way.

I had to get that thought far from my head. It wasn't me to try to make someone jealous, nor was it me to use people I cared about. I needed to focus. But it was me to lean into Zavier the next time he kissed my neck causing him to smile into my neck. Gah what was wrong with me?

I turned slightly, took the mask off, kissed Zavier under his ear and got up. I grabbed the box he had brought in and opened it. It had only one nova missing. These guys were stupid. Or maybe blowing up the academy wasn't their intention. Maybe getting me into that room was what he had planned all along.

I took out two novas and listened to the click as the very bottom opened up. I began taking out nine millimeter glocks. I checked the clips of each, slammed them back in place and racked each of the guns before handing them off to each of the boys.

"Shay, Lorik, here. Fix it so it can run on its own, we need to get the building secure then we can figure everything else out," I told them as I handed Lorik a gun.

The gun I handed to Shay was different and he noticed. When I told him it was Dad's and I wanted him to have it, he nodded and turned away but I still caught his eyes tearing up. I began barking out assigned sections. I gave Gabe and Zavier the middle floor. It was selfish of me but I knew there were fewer guys on it and I didn't want either of them near any of the gunfire.

It wasn't that I thought they couldn't handle themselves; it was that Gabe was my doctor in a sense and Zavier, well I was still trying to figure out what he was but I loved him. I always had.

I tried not to look at Zavier after giving them that order, I knew without a doubt he would be upset. I assigned Sage, Lorik, and Shayden the top floor. There were more rooms up there and the three together could take down anyone in their path. That left Braydon and me to check the bottom floor.

I watched as each left the room. I made sure Dean and Archer were armed and followed Braydon out to what was supposed to be locked middle doors. They weren't. The only way that was possible was if someone was either good at picking locks or had a key. That last thought bothered me.

We went quickly but quietly down the steps. I ducked under the railing of the steps on the way down to make sure there wasn't anyone underneath the stairs. We stood back and listened. From the left I could hear someone going through something but they seemed to be three rooms down.

We started with the right. We wanted to clear out every room on our way and make sure we wouldn't get surprised when we went after the other guy. We took turns checking the rooms. There were only three rooms to the right and four to our left. It worked out that I would be the one checking the morgue.

My skin was crawling by the time we got down there. I knew I had done it on purpose but it didn't make me feel any better. I went around the room, checking cabinets, closets, and then the body storage units last.

I tried to be quiet about it. I knew the noise we heard was coming from the room next door. So I would have to open each unit slowly and close it the same way so it didn't bang.

When I opened the very last one, my blood froze in my veins. I stood there staring at the only body that had a sheet on it. Meaning it was my father. The others were ones I had killed.

I gulped and tried to take slow even breaths as I pulled out the metal table. Braydon must have heard me because he grabbed my hand as I tried to pull the cloth off. He shook his head and at first gave me a sorrowful look. I motioned for him to keep an eye on the door and his look change to fury.

I wasn't going to let him stop me. I needed to see my father. I needed to know what they done to him. Did they honestly think Dad wouldn't be down here if it was me? No had that been me lying on that cold metal bed he would have beat anyone that stopped him.

When Braydon had had enough, he jerked my hand away causing me to pull the sheet off with it. I watched as it began to slide off and fall onto the floor. I looked back at Braydon and turned my eyes towards Dad. I had to close them.

His poor body was bruised from his head to his chest except for two spots. My eyes flew opened as I realized what I had seen. Two spots. There was no bruising at those two spots. Then I noticed a wrinkle in his eye. I leaned in and touched his eye only to have a film move. I pinched the film and pulled away a blue contact lens.

I was pissed. I looked at Braydon, mouthed for him to watch the hallway even though I would still hear the guy rummaging around next door, and found the chemicals needed. I knew before I even wiped the makeup off those areas what I would find.

This wasn't my dad.

I took a picture of everything I was seeing, kissed his cheek, and put the sheet back on him. I slid him back into his frozen tomb and nodded to Braydon.

We made our way next door. By now I was so pissed I didn't even try to sneak in the room. I grabbed the handle and threw open the door with my gun in my other hand. The man was shocked. He dropped his weapon, held up his hands and began begging me not to kill him.

I stayed back watching the hallway as Braydon went to check him. He was patting him down when I heard the noise. I turned just in time to see the man slowly pulling his other gun across the desk he stood beside. As he moved to aim it at Braydon, I pulled the trigger.

"Idiot shouldn't have done that," I said as the man fell to the floor.

Braydon stood up looking a little shaken but otherwise okay. I let him know I wasn't referring to him when I said that. He nodded and held up something small. It was several something's. I narrowed my eyes as I realized that joker had stolen several of my pictures. He had been in my room.

We cleared the last room and took off up the stairs. When we got back I could see that everyone had returned except Shay, Lorik, and Sage. I didn't even have time to tell Dean what I had found when the monitor flickered over showing Lorik and Sage outside a room, leaning in to listen.

"Shay." It had only come out as a whisper but was enough for everyone to turn around and see what I had seen.

I didn't bother waiting on anyone. I took the steps two at a time and was running as fast as I could by the time I reached the room where they were at. Lorik put his finger to his mouth and I kicked off the wall not bothering to listen.

I shot through the tile, hit my back on the beam but continued to crawl forward. I turned the contacts on and checked body heat. At that moment I had wished I had invented something that could be placed under the skin that would allow knowing which guy was mine.

I stopped just long enough to hear the voices. Shay was cornered. I slid the tile over and peeked. I was hovering right over the bad guy.

"Oh I know that as long as I have you, she will come to me. When she does, I have the beauty of putting a bullet in both of your skulls."

His voice was deep. I had never heard it before. It also had a certain accent to it. This was one of those guys Dean was telling me about.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah," I said as I watched him swing around, aim his gun, and fire. I ducked out of the way, fell through the tile when I hit my hand on the beam, and landed right on top of the guys legs.

When I looked up his face was slack and blood was starting to spread around the back of his head. Shayden had killed him.

Shayden ran over to me as we heard the guys outside screaming for us. He helped me up and we both raced to the door.

"I have something to tell you," I said after making sure every room had been cleared. We all ran back to Dean's office.

Dean was standing there waiting for us. I doubled over putting my hands on my knees to catch my breath.

"That's not my Dad in the morgue, that's David, Dad's brother."

### Chapter Twenty

"Princess."

I looked up at Dean. He had a sad look on his face. I held up a hand. I knew what he was going to say and I wouldn't hear it. I knew what I had seen and had pictures to prove it.

I stood, took my phone off my belt, opened the pictures and tossed it to him. He seemed confused when he looked at the color of the eyes and the tattoos that had been covered by makeup.

I could see the mixed emotions running across his face. He was happy that his best friend was alive but saddened just the same knowing it was Dad's brother. I watched until he finally settled with anger. David wasn't an assassin, he was dying with cancer. They had stolen what was left of his life.

"I want them dead," I stated. Every head in the room turned to me shocked.

"As well as I," Dean replied with a livid look on his face.

When he explained to everyone the situation I don't think anyone was calm.

"That also means we have to find Dad."

Braydon pulled out the pictures he had gathered from the guy I shot and handed them to me. I looked at each one carefully.

One picture was of me and Shayden playing in the yard in front of a white house. The picture showed how the yard was level but on a hill. There was no gate or fencing in front of it. There were three steps to the porch and the porch was only on the front side of the house.

The next picture showed me and Mom in front of the same house, only from a different view. From this angle I could see hedges on one side of the yard, blooming beautiful purple flowers.

The next showed Dad and Shay. This was from another angle. It showed the house was on a corner. What caught my attention though was the street sign. It was the corner of Boggs Avenue and Church Street. I knew that description. I knew that house. I just had to figure out how I knew it.

I began pacing in the room. Everyone had set down and watched with confusion on their faces. When I looked over at Shayden next to Mom, I knew exactly where this house was. Down the street from the school was another road called Henry Street, it went across a small mountain and led to Boggs Avenue. My Dad was less than a quarter mile away from me. I knew that's what this meant.

When I told Dean what I thought, Mom spoke up saying Dad had sold the house when we were little. I knew better. I had seen a title in the papers. And I could find out if it was true as long as no one had stolen my papers.

I turned without saying a word and opened the door. I walked out and was going to my room when Sage stepped up beside me. I looked at him and he gave me a sad smile. These guys stood by me no matter what. When I made the declaration of death to some of their families they never complained or argued. They accepted what I said.

I could only hope I was right in this.

We were almost to the apartment when I heard a noise in Braxton's room. Braxton was still in the office so that meant that whoever it was, wasn't supposed to be there.

Sage looked at the door the same time as I did. He had heard it. I put my finger to my lips and he nodded. We walked closer to the door and paused.

I was trying to figure out how to go about getting in unseen when I glanced up and watched Sage waving someone away. When I turned around, it was Braydon. He had undone the top part of his suit leaving himself unprotected and was running our way. I began motioning him back and mouthing no but he wouldn't stop. If anything he ran faster.

I muttered a few swear words under my breath before turning back to Sage.

"I love you and I love them. Remember that."

With nothing more than that I opened the door. I knew I shouldn't have. I knew I should have waited to find a better way. I knew the sound of the hammer being cocked on the gun I was now staring down. A forty-four magnum.

My eyes trailed down the barrel to the hand holding it. It never wavered. It was steady. The arm attached to it was muscular as well as the broad shoulders. The head on top of those shoulders had me gasping for air, right as I heard the loud bang.

Braydon's father had just shot me.

### Chapter Twenty-One

The hit knocked me to the floor. I think I was more in shock over who had done it than that it was actually done. Even more surprised when Braydon stepped up to the door holding a gun on his Dad.

I felt myself being moved. I was still gasping for air when I was leaned up against the door to our room. I tried to calm my heart rate as I heard alarms echo through the building. Or maybe it was my ears ringing. I finally caught my breath and stood up as I heard something I don't think I ever wanted to hear.

"I knew you were involved. I don't understand why you would do this to her. She's just a kid."

"Just a danger to all of us," his dad replied.

"I didn't believe Braxton when he told me he thought you had set her up to get kidnapped. I paid attention though. I had done my research. All those trips you went on, you never left town. That's why I stayed with her. I figured you would make a move eventually. And when you did, I would be the one to stop you."

Braydon's face was red and strained. I could see him taking slow breaths to try to calm down. If he would just make it out of this I would worry about the fact that he was just protecting me and really didn't have an interest in me later.

"You don't have the guts," his father laughed. That laugh was cut off by the sound of Braydon's gun firing.

I heard the body fall and saw Braydon fall to his knees. I began screaming for Dean. I wasn't looking at anyone but Braydon but that view was blocked as Dean and Gabe ran into the room and shut the door.

I couldn't manage to pull my eyes away from the door until someone was shaking me. Braxton was asking what was going on but I couldn't tell him anymore than not to go in there. Of course, he didn't listen. I watched him open the door, look over, walk in and close it behind him.

It was wrong of me to begin to feel this way. I shouldn't feel like this right now. I should not be telling myself that I was nothing to Braydon. I should be glad he's alive and sad his father had chosen the path he did but I wasn't. The only thing that could go through my mind was that I was never anything to him.

I used the pain I was feeling in my heart to break me from my stupor. I turned around and looked at Sage. In his hand was the manila envelope that held everything my Dad had left us.

I opened the contents and poured it out on the bed. I scattered each of them until I found what I was looking for. When I compared the pictures of the one of the house now to one of the house before, it was the same. I was right. If I was correct on the rest of this, Dad was holed up in that house waiting. Whether it was to be rescued or what I didn't know. I could just pray he was still alive.

I grabbed the paper and ran back to Dean's office. The others were still with Braydon so I didn't bother waiting. I shoved the paper in Mom's hand, opened the box of novas, taking out two, and ran back out the door.

Zavier and Shayden followed me. I went to the library where Gabe and Lorik sometimes stored their motorcycles and tried to open the door. When it wouldn't give I used my gun and blew the lock off. I didn't have time for anything more.

I kicked the door open and went in search of what I knew would be there. Hidden behind a shelving of books, sitting side by side where two black bikes; Helmets were on the back, keys were in the ignition. Yeah, they made this too easy.

I grabbed one of the helmets, tossing the other on a stack of books. I put it on and was getting on the bike when a hand went around my arm to stop me.

"I'm going with you," Zavier said.

"So am I," Shayden chimed in.

I nodded once and scooted back on the bike. I would let Zavier drive. Sage stopped us as we came out of the library. I watched as Lorik fiddled with something on the computer and then heard the beep. He was connecting our helmets to the voice-com. Sage begged us to be careful and I nodded and put my hand over my chest telling him I loved him.

I watched him walking to the door. He had almost removed the inner lock when I heard screaming from down the hall. Braydon was running our way screaming for us to stop. I wasn't going to. When I told Zavier and Shayden to keep going, they did. Within seconds we were flying down the road and I was looking back making sure Sage was locking the door back.

We had already made it to Henry Street when I heard Dean's voice booming over the voice-com demanding we turn around. I politely declined, letting him know that it wasn't possible at the moment.

"Uh you see we would except for that car there behind us. They have guns hanging out their windows and I'm sure that stinging pain in my shoulder means they are actually shooting them at us."

I knew I shouldn't have been antagonizing Dean but I was past the point of caring. My heart was aching so bad I didn't think I'd pull through it.

"However, you do get the chance to see one of my novas in action."

I stood carefully on the back of the bike and turned around. I sat back down, held on to the bar behind me and gripped a nova. I pushed the button, gripped a hold of one of the blades and aimed. I threw the nova and it landed perfect in the center of their windshield.

"Speed up boys," I told them as the car tried to get closer. I turned my head when they aimed at me but turned around just in time for Dean to see the front end of the car explode. Within seconds the gas tank joined in.

"Going downhill, hang on," Zavier told me.

He was taking the shortcut. It was a gravel road off to the side that went between the road and a couple of houses. It kept us from having to drive all the way down the road and around.

"Well, glad I didn't see that one coming," I said as Zavier swerved and I watched a car go up the road.

He tapped my leg for me to turn around and I did. Just in time too.

"Don't stop, go through the door. Shayden give us a five second head start."

I put my legs up on the seat and held onto the bar the boys had welded onto the front of the bike. They had done it just for me. It was so I could pull off stupid stunts such as this.

He took the concrete beside the steps to get on the porch, then through the door. As he went through, I jumped and used my blades to hold me in place on the ceiling until Shayden was in, then dropped down and shut the door behind us. They cut the motor on the bikes and parked them.

We were all quiet, looking around the vacant room. There were no pictures and no furniture. When Dean began telling us he wasn't there, to come back, I belayed that order. One perk of being the black rose.

We separated, each checking a room. When I got back to the living room I activated the camera feed detector on my contact lenses and took my time looking around. When I found what I was looking for, I gave a finger wave. The camera feed cut out.

I made my way through the house. We were now near the bedrooms. Each of us took one to check. When I walked in, a dizzy spell threatened to take me under.

"Get out of there now, you're hurt," Braydon was screaming into the com.

"Oh really? Do you think it's from the gunshot or the heartbreak?"

That was wrong, I shouldn't have said it. I knew I shouldn't have. So why did I?

I leaned back against the wall and tried to calm my pounding heart. I could feel the sweat dewing on my face and knew what they were seeing wasn't good. If Braydon knew I was hurt, they were watching. I had to get it together.

I finished checking the room and walked out. The boys were discussing how to get us out of here when I noticed the wall. I couldn't stop staring at it. I looked back and forth between the doors of the bedrooms. There was too much space left between each for there not to be something there. Then it clicked. A panic room.

I used the back of my cylinder to knock. I did it three times and waited.

When I heard the mechanism begin I grabbed my gun and aimed it at the door.

"I'm your friendly neighborhood saleslady. Would you be interested in looking at my assortment of weapons?" I asked the man standing there behind the door.

A slow grin spread across his face. I still didn't lower my weapon. He put his hands up in the air as in surrender but also to show me the tattoo he had on the underside of his arm, three roses; one black, one shaded, one purple and two wedding rings resting one on top the other on a leaf of each stem, joining them together.

"No I believe I may have enough weapons. However, I prefer to fight with my hands," he responded.

That was my Dad. I knew it without a doubt, just like I knew that tattoo. No one had ever seen that tattoo but me and the guy that did it. He kept it covered. When I finally took my eyes off of him, I noticed that Shay was as tall as Dad now. It had been too long since they had stood side by side. Now I'd say they would look identical except Dad was older and his hair was cut short because he hated it when it curled up.

"I would like to see the face of the person that's going to take my life," he finished. That was what I had said to Braydon.

I laughed a breath and took my helmet off amid protest from Dean. I put my gun in its holster and stood there.

"Why wouldn't you have contacted me? Why did you make me go all these months, as well as the past few weeks thinking you were dead? I'm not going to speak to you for a month now, you know that right?" I said as a tear leaked from my eye.

He opened his arms to me and I ran to him hugging him close.

"I couldn't. They thought I was dead. I was doing everything I could to find out who was behind it. Plus every time I even thought about trying to get to you, someone would show up and I'd have to hide again."

I knew what that meant for him. He was out of ammo and had no way of protecting himself. He and I were definitely going to talk later about stocking his panic rooms.

When I pulled back from Dad I noticed the blood that had soaked his shirt. I didn't have time to think about who was hurt though as the noise on the porch alerted us to someone around the house. I grabbed Shayden and shoved him in the room. I pushed Dad back demanded he keep my brother safe and to lock themselves in there.

I could see Shayden getting ready to bolt for the door as it slid shut. I put the helmet back on and motioned for Zavier to follow. When I used the infrared I could see two men at the back and two in front.

"Did the rest of my men stay put?" I whispered to Dean in the microphone.

"Yes."

I held up two fingers to Zavier and pointed to the back then did the same for the front. He took the back as I made my way back to the living room. I used my suit to levitate to the ceiling and laid flat against it. When the two men came into the room they didn't think to look up, at least not until a few drops of blood landed on ones face.

I took a deep breath and pulled my gun. I was getting too weak to try to fight them. I pulled the trigger and watched them both drop to the floor.

"She's using her gun," Braydon murmured.

"Marissa Rose, you better get back here and now."

Dean wasn't playing around.

I watched with my contacts as Zavier fought the men off. Then I heard Shayden ask Dad if he was hurt. When they both realized the blood was coming from me, they were both freaking out. I knew everyone back at the academy was listening to. I could hear Mom crying in the background.

Zavier ran to me and I grabbed his arms.

"I need you to listen to me okay?" He nodded. "I might not be able to make it back. If something should happen, I want you to get Dad and Shay back to mom. I also want you to get back to your brother okay? Can you promise me that? If something happens don't stop, just keep going."

He raised the visor on his helmet. I copied him.

"Rissa? What's going on?"

I pulled the glove off my left hand and watched as blood ran down my fingers. I had felt it traveling down my arm when I had hung myself upside down to try to get down from the ceiling. I looked at him and tried to swallow. He yanked his helmet off and then mine. I could hear Shayden through the microphone screaming for me to answer. Zavier ripped open my suit almost pulling the Velcro off and looked.

The bullet had gone through my suit, through my tank top, my bra, and into my breast. I didn't know how close to my heart it was. I did know that I was getting weaker and weaker by the moment.

I watched as Zavier pulled open his suit and pulled off his shirt. He wadded it up and put it against the wound to try to stench the flow of blood. When he looked at me I put my hand on his cheek and got up on my tip toes to kiss him. At least I would know some love before I was gone.

When I pulled away, he had my blood smeared across his face. He pulled my suit together, letting the tightness hold the shirt in place and put my helmet back on before taking over.

He let Shayden know to come out after he rechecked everything. When they came out they both ran to me. When they saw where I had been shot they both paled.

Dad got on the bike behind Shayden and Zavier stopped me and made me get in front. He pulled out a pair of handcuffs and handcuffed one of my hands to the bar in the front. He was making sure I didn't fall off on the way back. I knew it wouldn't take but five minutes but those minutes felt like days to me at the moment.

We had made it back to Henry street before we met up with anyone else. They had pulled over; guns drawn, and waited for us to come to them. I was barely conscious but there was no way I would let anyone do anything to my men and that included my dad.

I pulled the last nova off my side, press the button, grabbed a blade, and as we passed I shoved it in the chest of the man on the passenger side. Both Shayden and Zavier sped up after I told them that this was the big one. I was barely aware of Dad turning to watch.

I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open. The blackness was starting to creep in. I knew it wouldn't be long. I had very little time to say what I needed to say.

"Mom, I want you to know that even though I have not said it, I do love you. As an aunt you were great. As a mom to Shayden you were great. These last few days have been amazing having you in my life. You have to know that. I don't think I could have asked for a better mom. Take care of Dad for me.

"Dad, I love you more than you will ever know. After the pain I felt of losing you, I'm glad I'm going first because I don't think I could take that pain again. I'll always love you daddy.

"Dean, you've always been like a second father to me. I've always loved you and always will. Take care of my men for me. Keep them safe. Keep yourself safe too.

"Shayden, even before I found out you were my twin, I loved you like my brother. Never doubt how much you mean to me. You completed me.

"Braydon, I'm so sorry for what you had to go through. I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me, to know that I never wanted you to have to do that. I do love you and I don't blame you. And I also want to thank you for being there for me and taking care of me.

"Braxton, keep your brother safe. Don't let him do stupid stuff. And even if he doesn't admit it, you're his hero. And mine to. I love you Braxton.

"Zavier, I never told you because I was too scared, I've been in love with you since I was ten. Sage, I love you. Thank you for always making me laugh. Lorik, I love you too. Thanks for all the fighting. It always kept me busy. Gabe, you're my best friend. I love you. Please don't forget me," I said as my voice broke.

By the time I finish talking, we were back at the Academy. We were just coming to the door when I felt blackness take over. It was over. I'd gotten to say what I needed to say, I could go now. They would know I love them.

### Chapter Twenty-Two

Images flashed in my head, like me kissing Lorik when we were seven and him telling me I tasted funny. Images of Gabe holding me when I cried. Images of Zavier holding me when I would read his poetry. Images of me and Sage hiding and kissing in the closets. I was surprised by how many times that had happened.

I saw images of me and Shay playing together as kids, as toddlers; always near each other, always there for the other, always fighting each other's battles. I saw images of me and Dad or me and Dean sparring with each other, laughing and goofing off with each other. I had forgotten how fun Dean was to be around when I was younger. Then I would see images of someone standing behind the bleachers. I could see their crystal sky blue eyes watching me as I would train. Braydon.

The images kept swirling in my head, one after another, making it feel as if my head were swimming. I strained to open my eyes to stop it. I shut my eyes tight then would raise my eyebrows in an attempt to make them come open. It took several times of this to finally get them to crack open. When they did, I found tape had been holding them shut.

Was I dead? Was I trapped in my body? What was going on?

When I reached up and ripped the tape off I grimaced feeling some of my eyelashes coming with it. When I could finally focus my eyes and look around, I didn't recognize where I was. I looked around at the room. It wasn't a hospital room.

I was lying in a hospital bed but the room gave off a different feel. There were cabinets lining the walls, one holding a television. There was a couch pushed up against another. There was a keypad on the wall next to what I assume was the door. I was in Dean's panic room.

"Hello?" I tried to yell out. My voice was raspy and I had to clear it a few times to get enough volume to get it out.

The door slid open and Shayden walked in. The look on his face was mixed with relief and fury.

"Did you know you were bleeding?" was his first question.

I shook my head.

"When did you find out?"

"After I hugged Dad I assumed the blood was mine. I was positive when blood dripped down on one of the men I shot," I whispered.

I continuously tried to clear my throat. I was parched. I licked my lips but my tongue felt like sand paper against them. Shayden reached over and held a cup that had a straw in it. I took a small sip since the nausea was still threatening to make me sick everywhere.

"At what point where you going to tell me?" he demanded. His nostrils were flaring. How could he be mad at me at a time like this?

"I wasn't. I told Zavier." I gulped but continued. "I didn't want you to worry. I wanted you to focus and get you and Dad back. That was what mattered."

He looked away from me. His lips were pulled tight and I could see he was gritting his teeth. He glanced back at me before turning to leave. He stopped at the door and hung his head.

"You complete me too you know; so how do you think I would feel if you were to die?" then he was gone.

I laid there thinking about that. He was right. I had been selfish in so many ways. I didn't want him to worry but I had kept it from him knowing it may have been dire. It made me wonder if I was unconsciously suicidal.

I looked down at my chest. The pain was starting to surface. The numbing was leaving my body. I pulled the gown up so I could see but it was covered by gauze. A large amount of gauze at that. I looked up to make sure no one was in the room and pulled one side of the gauze up. I tried to gasp but the movement sent a stabbing pain to my chest.

There was a long line of stitches between my breasts. I was assuming it was the only way Kyle could get to the bullet. I counted thirty stitches. That didn't include the five closing the actual bullet wound. Exactly how bad had it been?

I got that answer when Kyle walked in and fussed at me for pulling off the bandage. It seems the bullet had lodged itself in one of my ribs. It was hovering just above my heart. After he bandaged the wound again I grabbed his hand. I told him I hadn't meant to leave him out but didn't think I could say a lot more. He nodded and was going to walk out of the room until I stopped him.

"You're a great man. You're a great doctor. And well I guess I sort of got attached to you Kyle, because I think of you like a grandfather. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love you."

I watched his eyes tear up, he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He smiled, nodded, and walked out. I would have thought he was used to his patients letting him know how much he meant to them.

I had one visitor after another after that. Dad and Mom came to see me, well and fuss. I don't think I had been fussed at by so many people in one day. I was beginning to develop a complex I think.

When Zavier walked in he lay down on the bed beside me and wrapped an arm around my stomach. We talked about the surgery, the things I had seen but never about what I had said to him on the way here. I wasn't afraid he would say something about it. I was afraid if I did mention it he would leave. He was after all older than me. That was one of the things Gabe had pointed out to me. The guys didn't mind kissing me because they knew nothing would come of it. Except, for me, it did.

After Zavier left, I knew there was only one person left to visit. I didn't know if he would or not and I couldn't blame him if he didn't. To my surprise, he poked his head in the door.

"Can I come in?" he asked hesitantly.

I nodded.

He come over and sat down, taking my hand in his. I could see him struggling with something and I feared it was that he hated me for what he had to do. I couldn't handle that. I may have been in love with Zavier too but it didn't mean I wouldn't be hurt.

"Do you hold it against me? I mean, what my father did? You know the shooting, the kidnapping? I wouldn't blame you if you did."

He wouldn't look at me. He sits there staring at my hand in his. I watched as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"No. Why would I hold it against you? You saved me. Braydon, you're nothing like your father. You're a good man and a good assassin."

He looked at me. His eyes were searching my eyes, my face. I don't know what he found there but he gave me a sad smile. He closed his eyes and sighed. There was more and I knew it. I watched him sit there with his eyes closed for a few minutes before he opened them and looked at me.

"I know this isn't the right time to do this. I hope you forgive me for it. But Marissa, I'm not in love with you. Do I care for you? Yes. I always will and I meant it when I pledged my allegiance to you. But." Yeah there is always that but. "But I can't be that to you. I've never thought of you that way. I'm sorry."

I was dazed. I didn't know what to feel. The pain in my chest flared up but it was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. He was waiting for me to reply to him but I couldn't. I couldn't do anything. I was having a hard time even breathing. There was no way I could get words out, but somehow I managed, "I'd like to be alone if you don't mind." The words were no more than a breath, he heard though.

He nodded, got up, and walked out of the room without even looking back. My breathing was ragged and the pain would cause it to hitch in my chest every few seconds. Tears burned my eyes as they begged to be released. When they finally did, I could feel them blaze a trail down my cheeks but the coolness of the room would soon make the trail go cold.

I didn't believe it was possible but this was worse than dying. When Kyle came in because of the alarm letting him know my blood pressure was sky high he held a finger over the button on the machine. I nodded vehemently wanting the numbness for once. Even with it, it took too long to knock me out. I had to lay there and feel the pain of him ripping me apart. I honestly believed in that moment that he could have ripped open my stitches, pulled my beating heart out of my chest, and it still wouldn't have hurt this bad.

When I woke up later the door to the panic room was shut. There was no sound coming from the other side of the wall. I couldn't hear the others. When my nose began to itch I tried raising my hand only to find it handcuffed to the railing. That wasn't a good sign.

I almost screamed as the pain threatened to take me under again when I sat up in the bed. I began unhooking the IV and pulling off the oxygen canal. I scooted forward until my feet were dangling off the bed. I took my time to stand but I needed to get to the door.

The wheels on the bed were locked in place. I had to drag the entire bed with me as I made it over to the door. I entered the key in but nothing happened. They had locked me in. I looked over to see a computer sitting on the cabinet. I made my way over to it.

I flipped through the camera views. One by one I could see the building clear. My guys were nowhere around. The last view was of Dean's office. Sitting behind his desk was Dean, looking exhausted. Mom was sitting in one chair, Archer in another and Kyle was leaning against the window seal. On the couch laid Braxton. He was awake but staring at the ceiling.

I started banging on the door. I watched, no one could hear me. Tears began again. I can't believe they were gone. I knew what they were doing. They had gone after the ones trying to kill me.

Screams ripped from my body as I pulled over and over trying to get the handcuff off. I beat on the door with my good hand until I knew it would be bruised. I pushed the bed over almost bringing myself with it and tried finding a way out. I was on the other side of the room when the door slid open.

Braxton walked in and freaked when he found the shape I was in. Blood was starting to run down my hand from the handcuff, warmth had spread down my chest so I knew it had started bleeding again. As soon as the door slid shut, Sage's alarm went off.

"No!"

I was screaming and begging Braxton to let me loose. I needed to get to them. I couldn't let something happen to them. When Zavier's alarm went off I fell to my knees in sobs and started thinking of killing myself. I couldn't contain the anguish I was feeling. The thought of losing them was more than I could handle.

Braxton was trying to hold me down to stop me from pulling more on the handcuffs. When I felt something warm hit my face I opened my eyes.

"Rissa, I'm scared please," it was tears. His tears were coming as fast as mine.

"What?" At his confession I stopped moving completely.

"I'm scared. What if I lose my brother? He's all I have." He paused and looked at me. "You're scaring me too. Don't you think they're going to make it?"

I felt like a crazed maniac. My eyes were darting everywhere to keep from looking at him. I finally took a breath and looked at him. I nodded my head.

"If I let you loose, will you?"

"Will I what?" I was grasping for anything. Anything that would put a stop to the shaking, that would take away the thoughts of Zavier dying on me.

"Will you hold me?"

I nodded fervently. "If you'll hold me," I replied in gasps.

He took the handcuff off and pulled me into his arms. Zavier's alarm wouldn't stop. I knew as long as it didn't chirp on me he was alive. But the constant screaming of it was driving me mad. I needed to feel Zavier's arms around me. I needed to see him.

That was when I realized I was deeper in love with Zavier than I had ever thought. It's not that I didn't love Sage or the others, I did. I do. If I were to lose any of them it would rip my heart out. I couldn't live with myself. If I were to lose Zavier though, it would rip my soul apart.

Somehow Braxton had managed to get the bed up right and me in it, holding me to him as I cried for Zavier and Sage. When Shayden's alarm went off my heart stopped. Braxton shook me hard and it stuttered. After a couple of minutes, Shayden's alarm stopped. It never chirped just stopped which meant he had past the danger and was alright. But Zavier and Sage's still blared.

It wasn't until I felt the prick in my arm that I saw that Kyle had come in while Braxton held me down. He injected something into my arm that took effect quickly. I could feel the grogginess sweeping in.

"Braxton, promise me that if they don't make it back that you'll kill me. Please promise me that," I said as I was going under.

"As long as you promise to take me with you," he replied.

I think I nodded into his chest. I wasn't quite sure what I did. All I knew was that in my dream I was crouched in a corner with sirens blaring as war broke out around me.

At some point my dream changed. The war ended and I could hear an angels' voice telling me everything was alright. I hadn't seen her in so long. She was still as beautiful as ever. Her long silvery hair hung down to her waist in waves. I tried to get to her. I tried to speak to tell her I needed her help but I couldn't do anything, I was paralyzed.

She must have known what I was trying to do because she shook her head and pointed. I looked to where she was pointing but there was nothing there. When I turned back she was gone.

When I turned back around it was like a veil. I could see through it but just barely. On the other side lying in the floor around the room was my guys. I breathed. It hurt.

My eyes flew open and I tried to sit up to look around. Something was holding me down. When I turned both ways it tightened. It was Braxton. He was sound asleep beside me in the bed, holding me to him.

I strained my neck as I rose what I could to see my guys. They were lying just as I had seen in my dream. I couldn't see an injury on any of them. Sage was curled up in a ball with a blanket thrown over him. Braydon was lying on his back, asleep. Zavier was closer to my bed, turned toward me. Shayden was leaned up against one of the counters as if he had fallen asleep watching me. Gabe was lying on his back with his hands behind his head and one knee bent as if he were talking to someone. And Lorik was snoring away facing the wall.

I looked down at Zavier. I always thought those movies were stupid when you would see the woman crying because she was happy. I was wrong. I stared at him laughing and crying.

"Braxton. Braxton, wake up. They're back. They're okay."

He opened his eyes and smiled up at me. He kissed my forehead before getting up. I couldn't figure out what he was doing until a hand touched my shoulder. I turned to see Zavier standing there. I didn't even bother trying to get up. I grabbed Zavier's shirt and pulled him toward me so I could wrap my arms around him.

I kissed his cheek, his eyes, and his mouth repeatedly. He never smiled though. The sadness was overwhelming.

"I need to talk to you. Okay?" he paused and looked over at Sage. He sits down on the side of the bed and helped me up. He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me.

He went on to explain that his Dad wasn't very welcoming when he showed up there. He made sure to let Zavier know that he no longer considered him his son before he tried killing him. I couldn't understand how that man could treat those boys like that. I had thought he loved them. When Zavier explained that it was because they had chosen me over their family, he had realized I was the black rose.

He told me that it wasn't as hard as he thought it would be to pull the trigger on him. He said that he knew his father was a murderer. In the struggle he had found out that his Dad had been the one to kill his little sister years ago. He had done it out of fear she would tell what he had been planning.

I closed my eyes and took small breaths to keep myself calm. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Rissa," he waited until I was looking at him. "Mom was there. That's why Sage's alarm went off. She tried to kill him." Tears poured down my face.

I had loved their mom; she was always nice to me. How could someone's own mother turn against them like that? These two boys were good hearted and loved without shame. How could she want to kill her own son?

"Your dad had to do it. I was trying to get to Sage but someone tried to stop me."

I wrapped my arms tighter around Zavier. It hurt to think their own flesh and blood would do that. I guess not as bad as it hurt Zavier to know his mother would.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that but I'm glad you all came home to me," I muttered into his chest. "I love you."

Once the dam had broken I couldn't stop myself. I didn't care if he felt the same or not. I love Zavier Mathews. In a way I think he needed to hear it as much as I needed to say it because he moved around and laid us down on the bed and kissed my neck before we both fell asleep in each other's arms.

### Chapter Twenty-Three

I woke to the feeling of warmth against my face. I didn't have to open my eyes to know what it was, or I should say who it was. At some point in our sleep we gravitated to each other more. I had turned toward him wrapping my arms around him and putting my head in the crook of his neck. In turn, he had wrapped his arms around me and held me to him. This felt right.

If I were being honest with myself I would admit that I was never in love with Braydon. He had reminded me of Zavier in so many ways. I was attracted to him, yes. I wasn't in love with him as I had told him.

I guess I knew it all along. I mean, I was able to kiss Zavier with Braydon in the next room. I didn't feel guilty when he kissed me in front of Braydon, when I really should have. And if I wanted to be brutally honest with myself, I had known all along Braydon wasn't interested in me either. He had never acted it. What happened at Dean's was nothing more than emotions running wild.

I opened my eyes and could see the guys sitting across the room huddled together talking. For some reason I knew Braxton was telling what had happened. I didn't want to deal with it just yet. I didn't want to think of how much they would hate me. Me going into a fit like that was an insult to them. It was the same as saying I didn't think they could protect themselves.

A wave of dizziness hit me and my stomach turned. I sit up in case I were to get sick and lost my breath. Images flashed in my head. I could see Dean standing next to the bed telling me how disappointed he was in me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. How was this possible?

By the time everything stopped I was breathing ragged and Zavier was holding me against him asking questions. It sounded like he was underwater trying to talk to me. No, it was more like I was underwater. Deep, deep under the water. That's how it felt. Not like I was drowning but the pressure and the way everything around me seemed distorted.

"Rissa, talk to me."

Gabe was standing in front of me with a flashlight shining it in my eyes.

"Do I have a concussion?"

That would explain everything, right? I had never had one. I really didn't know. Studying things and having them happen to you were two different things. I knew I had never hit my head hard enough, at least until I was shot. When that bullet impacted with me it knocked me down. I knew I had hit my head. Could I have hit it hard enough for a concussion?

"I don't know. What's wrong? Talk to me. Tell me what you're feeling."

At that moment he sounded more like a psychiatrist. Maybe I needed one. Maybe I was finally losing it. I shouldn't have called myself crazy and psychopathic all those times. It was happening.

I told Gabe everything but the images I saw. He got his phone out and called someone. Kyle must have left. I could hear him relaying everything I said I had felt. A shiver ran down my spine. I couldn't stop my body from trembling from it. Something bad was coming this way. I could feel it.

"He said it was probably more likely the effects from the shot he had given you earlier."

I nodded and tried to smile. He didn't buy it. He stood there staring at me so I turned around. I didn't want to have to talk to him.

Zavier pulled me onto his lap. He was whispering things in my ear trying to calm me. I moved and whispered in his ear asking if Dean had been here, his response was no. Yeah, I was losing it. Hallucinations so many hours after a drug already wearing off was unusual. Not unheard of but this felt so real.

When the door slid open and Dean walked in I froze. My breath caught in my throat. When the dark started creeping up on me and my alarm went off I gasped. I was doing everything I could to calm down. Everyone was standing there staring at me.

Dean walked over to the hospital bed and placed a hand on the railing. He looked at me with concern in his eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"Adverse reactions to the medication Dr. Winthrop gave her. She's fine."

Gabe sounded so sure of himself. I on the other knew he was wrong. Dean, of course, believed Gabe after he explained that he had called Kyle to confirm it.

"I wanted to speak with you princess. Are you up to it?"

I nodded my head with jerky movements. I opened my mouth to speak but even after clearing my throat several times nothing but air would come out. Zavier handed me a cup of water. I choked on it as I tried to get it down. My throat was tightening from the tension. He grabbed something I couldn't see and began wiping off my face and gown.

"Maybe we should wait," Dean said as he looked at me. He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

I had always heard it was better to get things over with than to keep putting it off. I shook my head at Dean and motioned for him to continue. He pursed his lips and nodded a slow nod to me.

"I never thought I'd ever have to say this but you disobeyed me Marissa. You went against a direct order from your director and did what you wanted to do. You even encouraged two others to do the same. I'm very disappointed in you."

Tears sprang to my eyes. I couldn't figure out if I was more scared over what I had seen or upset over being a disappointment to the man that helped raise me. I knew I had to deal with both things but there was nothing I could do for my mental health at the moment, so I tried to focus all my attention on the problem at hand.

I coughed into my fist and then wiped my mouth off. I took a calm breath and raised my head to look Dean in the eyes.

"You're right. What I did was wrong. I should have waited. I wasn't thinking. I put both them and myself in great danger. I know you don't believe that I learn my lesson from it but I did. I had to sit here while they were gone. I had to listen to their alarms screaming at me and could do nothing about it knowing the entire time it was my fault."

"I also owe every one of you an apology. I overreacted." I closed my eyes to calm my raging heart. "I've done everything I could to protect each of you. Going as far as to get myself almost killed to protect you. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad I was able to do it but what I mean is I know I have to realize you are all capable of doing it yourselves.

"You are no longer the boys I played with growing up. You're men. Grown, strong, intelligent, and more than capable of taking care of yourselves. I'm proud of each of you. You are the elite. The best out of them all. You're no longer just my guys, you're my men and it scares me. Terrifies me. I know one day each of you are going to realize that you don't have to be around me all the time. You are going to want to start families and move on. You're each going to want to leave me behind and I don't know how to deal with that.

"As for me disobeying you, I shouldn't have. I didn't even stop to check if I had been injured. Then after getting there, after finding out I had been injured, I didn't tell anyone until it was over. On top of that, Dad was safer in the panic room than he would have been here. I had put four lives at stake. I will accept any punishment you give me willingly and without complaint. That goes for all of you. If you all feel you want to punish me for the pain, suffering, and insult to your manhood, then I will accept that punishment as well."

I sat there and waited but no one said a word. What was I supposed to do now? They just stared off into space lost in thought.

I struggled to get out of the bed. I could feel the stitches pulling with certain movements. I was determined however. I reached over and grabbed the other gown that was draped over a chair and put it on so that it covered my backside. I looked up to see each of them watching me.

I walked around the room to the center and turned toward them. I got down on one knee and put my right hand over my heart.

"I pledge my allegiance to you. To my Director, I pledge to obey you, honor you and never fail you if at all possible. I will defend you in all things. And perform the duties of the black rose as you see fit. To my men, I pledge to treat you as such. To honor you and stand by your sides not as your leader but as an equal.

"I will defend you in all things but accept that you can perform your duties without my assistance should the need arise. To you all, I pledge to assure the safety of others as well as myself before performing my job. I will not keep it from you should I be injured and I will get help as soon as possible.

"I also pledge to never give up. It was selfish of me to even think it. And I want to apologize to you, Shayden, Sage, and Zavier, that I would have even tempted to end my life. If something would have happened to you then it would have been an insult to what you had done for me. I want you three to know I am ashamed of how I reacted and beg for your forgiveness."

Images began flashing in my head again. My breathing became ragged, my vision began to spin and my body felt as if it were convulsing.

"Marissa, what are you seeing?" Zavier's voice whispered in my ear.

"Marissa?"

Gabe was knelt down in front of me and Dean was hovering close by. I guess it was time to face the truth. They shouldn't have to deal with a nutcase. They needed to know that the person they trusted with their life was not mentally stable any longer.

"I'm having hallucinations. I could see you come in here before you came. I knew what you were going to say. I'm losing my mind and I think I need help."

Gabe rocked back on his heels. His eyes were wide as he slowly looked away from me to look at his dad.

"What did you see this time?" Zavier asked again.

"A gun pointed at my head." I swallowed hard.

Gabe relaxed and looked at me. "Marissa you are not losing your mind. The medication is causing this. Think for a moment. You knew Dad would come in here and say something to you about what you did. It was only a matter of time. As for the gun, I'd say it was because of what you went through. Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome."

"Was it Daniel you saw?"

"No I didn't really get a look at their face. I saw two letters on their last two fingers. T-E. Then he hit me with his gun across my jaw. I fell to the floor. I heard the gun go off and when I looked over there was a bullet hole in the floor less than an inch beside my head."

"Did you see his face then?"

I shook my head.

"Well that was not how it happened," Sage said.

"It doesn't matter her brain is making it go the way she thinks it should have went.

"Why didn't you see his face?"

"It was gone. He fell to the floor. Shayden was standing behind him with a gun. The man had a dark red shirt on and blue jeans. There was no wedding band. The gun was a .32 caliber pistol. He hurts me. He knocks two of my teeth out when he hits me. My back teeth."

Everyone was sitting there staring at me. Except Zavier. He takes my hand and put the other under my other arm and helps me up.

"I'm hungry. Can I eat?"

All of the guys look at me as if I had two heads before turning to look at Dean.

"He said you could but you need to take it slow so that it doesn't make you sick. He also said he would let you go down to your room so you can stay with the men. You aren't allowed to train until he feels you are ready. You also have to promise to take it easy, if you don't, Gabe is instructed to medicate you and keep you that way until he can return."

Dean's use of the word men didn't escape me. Normally he was like me, we called them guys. This meant he took what I said to heart. I just hope they did too.

### Chapter Twenty-Four

I took my time walking down the halls of the academy with Zavier on one side and Shayden on my other. I appreciated them standing by me, not judging me as I thought the others were doing. I didn't blame them though. How could I? I didn't believe myself to be sane.

It was that reason, for the first time in my life, I actually hated this place. I wanted away from it. To never walk through its doors again. I had no one to blame for things that had happened to me. I couldn't even blame those that plotted to kill me. They were only doing what they thought was best.

Would I have done the same to them, if the roles were reversed? No, I know I wouldn't. But I am young. I can do other things with my life. Choose if I want to be something else. They weren't. Not that they were that old, but assassin's especially, were set in their ways.

Did it hurt me that they felt that way toward me? More than anything else I think. If they had listened to me, they would have known the only thing I wanted was for everyone to do their jobs. I only wanted to help. Even if I never stepped foot out of the academy to do the jobs they did, I would have done it another way.

Creating, that was what I loved doing. Creating things that would help others do their jobs better or faster. They never gave me a chance, though. All their judgment was for no reason. It was wrong. I didn't want to take over the F.O.A. I don't know how anyone would want that job. It took someone a lot stronger than me.

I was so lost in thought I didn't stop at the door of our room until Shayden grabbed my arm.

"You alright?"

I could see the worry etched on his face. His eyebrows furrowed, the frown his lips wore, but it was what I could see in his eyes that let me know how much he cared.

"Yeah. Just thinking. That's all."

I gave him a small smile and walked into the apartment. I walked over to the window and peeked out. It was dark out. I glanced at the clock. It was morning. The sun hadn't even risen yet. It was a time that most still rested, but not us. No, I was the reason for everyone's restlessness.

I didn't even bother to change or shower before going to the kitchen to make something to eat for everyone. I didn't know how long it had been since they had something to eat.

"What day is it?" I asked when I poked my head into the living room to find them all sitting there deep in discussion.

I could see the anger on Zavier's face. He had been arguing with them. Shayden didn't look that happy either. Dean just sit there.

"Saturday."

Zavier stood up to come to me. I shook my head and smiled. He sits back down and looked at everyone. I didn't want to see anymore.

I went back to work thinking about how it had been a week since I had had anything to eat. I hadn't been allowed solid food because of the stomach bleed and then had been unconscious for I was guessing three days. Then I spent the last one screaming and being knocked out while they were gone.

I knew they were arguing over my mental health. I hated that it would cause problems between them. Gabe was a no nonsense person. He didn't believe in ghost or anything paranormal. It's not that I did either exactly. I did believe in ghosts. I always had. That was why I would talk to Maria at night when I was alone. It didn't mean I believed in what I was seeing though.

It had to be the head injury. I didn't even tell them how hard I had hit. The pain in my head was more bearable than the pain I had felt in my chest. Maybe in time it would go away and I would be normal again. I turned and looked around the kitchen. If I had my laptop in here I could find out.

I took everyone their breakfast and drinks before grabbing my laptop and sitting it at the kitchen table. I had turned it on and was letting it load as I fixed my plate. When I turned around to go to the table I was shocked to see Shayden, Zavier, Dean, and Sage sitting there. So much for research.

"So you are the ones on my side?"

"We are all on your side. We just have different opinions as to what's going on," Dean answered. "What's your opinion on it?"

Okay, if I were to believe that I could see the future and predict when something was going to happen, then I would have to believe that Dean could read minds. I took a bite of food and looked at him. I shrugged my shoulders.

I looked back down at my plate and jerked when a pain shot through my jaw.

"Marissa what was that? Even I felt that." Shayden was starting to look nervous.

"Did you see something?" Sage asked.

"Pain. That's all it was. A sharp pain went through my jaw." I rubbed my jaw to try to take the memory away.

No one said anything else about it after that. Instead they hovered. Every day. If it wasn't one of them it was the other. If I even sneezed they were nearby to ask if something was wrong. And the more they hovered, the more Gabe and Lorik shot me weird looks.

Dean had informed me that he thought this wasn't over. He wouldn't say why. I agreed but didn't tell anyone else that. It was far from over.

For two weeks after waking with hallucinations, I had nightmares. Not just any nightmare either. It was dreams of people I didn't know, people I had never seen, coming after me. But there was one thing constant in all of them. Dad was in the middle of it.

I tried to convince myself that it was because I hadn't gotten to talk to him about everything. I had only seen him once since I woke up. Dean assured me that he had talked to him and everything was fine. This feeling wouldn't leave though. Something wasn't right.

With every day that passed, my apprehension grew. My nerves felt frayed. I jumped at any little noise. I was terrified to even shower without someone in there with me. Of course, being the only girl, I was alone. Gabe had quit coming in and talking to me.

I woke this morning in a cold sweat. I looked over and apologized to Zavier for getting him wet. He shook his head and kissed me. I reached over and picked my phone up off the table and waited. Seconds later it dinged letting me know of the text message I had just gotten.

I smiled and showed Zavier. He gave me a tight smile. I knew he was feeling the shaking coming off my body. I couldn't contain the tremors anymore.

"I get my stitches out today," I announced after getting out of the bed.

"Oh really? How did you find that out?" Gabe asked me. His voice let me know he thought I was saying it because I had seen it.

"Kyle texted me."

I knew I was a little meaner than needed when I said it. I just couldn't stand how he was treating me anymore. I dropped my phone in his lap and walked off to shower.

Before I had even got through the doorway to the kitchen I was on my knees, holding my jaw. Images again swam in my mind. It was more vivid this time. If I could make myself look up I could see his face. But I couldn't. I couldn't look out of fear that it was someone I had loved.

Zavier was at my side in an instant. I felt the warmth from his body as he held me to him but it didn't stop the convulsions raking my body. I looked up to see Gabe just sitting there.

"He's going to kill me."

"Who is? Gabe?" Zavier was beginning to panic.

"No. I don't know who it is. Gabe help me."

Gabe looked confused. I had never told them that the visions were clearer. That I had actually started believing in what I was seeing. I had no choice. Everything I was seeing had started coming true.

I grabbed my head and screamed as the pain shot through it again. I wanted to pull my hair out to try to stop it.

"Where's Shayden?"

Without Shayden I was dead. I could feel it. Whoever said you wouldn't feel any pain if you were shot in the head was wrong. I felt it.

I began panting trying to stop the pain but I couldn't stop the screams every time it reverberated through me. Zavier was screaming at Gabe to do something but he just sat there looking frightened. There was no one else there.

"Find Shayden. Please hurry." But he didn't have to. The door burst open and Shayden was on his knees in front of me. He put his hands on my face and pulled me forward. He laid his head on top of mine. The pain vanished.

I took in as many deep breaths as I could. My brain no longer felt as if were being shredded inside my head. The one thing that I noticed as I started calming, no alarm had gone off. As terrified as I was, I heard no screaming from the alarm of my locator.

"Did me being shot mess with my locator?"

I watched a dark look come over Shayden's face. Slowly he turned and looked at Gabe.

"It was going off every night. You knew that Shayden. We had no choice but to turn it off."

Shayden stood up and punched the wall in front of him.

"If something happens to my sister because of that, every one of you will answer to me."

I had never heard him sound so sinister. But it was Zavier that I had to grab onto to stop him from actually doing something.

"How many times do I have to tell you the things she's seeing are happening?" His voice echoed through the room. I'm sure the others had heard him too.

He grabbed me and held me against him tight. "I thought she was your best friend? I thought we both were. But you turned your back on both of us. Instead of trying to help figure out the cause or if something was wrong or even just listening to her, you turned your back on her."

He stared at Gabe for a few minutes before looking down at me. He took a deep breath and leaned his head down putting his forehead against mine. After a few seconds he pressed his lips to mine and held them there. He kissed me once before pulling away.

"Come on. Let's go. You wanted a shower. I'll talk to you while you're in there," he run his fingers through my damp hair. "I won't leave you."

I didn't know if he meant it as in leaving the bathroom or that he wouldn't turn against me like he thought Gabe did. I really didn't think Gabe had turned against me per say, I just thought he didn't know how to deal with this.

### Chapter Twenty-Five

Showered, Dressed, fed and calmer, I sit down in the living room and stared out the window. I could see Gabe through the reflection of the glass. He had a guilty expression on his face. As much as I couldn't stand how he was treating me, I loved him like a brother. I would be there for him, even if he did fear me.

"You alright, Gabe?"

I watched as his eyes widened then he nodded his head.

"What it's like?"

The door opened and everyone else walked in. Great timing if I do say so myself. Maybe he should have been the psycho instead of me. I laughed to myself. That reminded me of something Lorik would say.

I looked up at the sky. The bright blue sky was giving up reluctantly to the dark gray clouds that were rolling in. "There's a storm coming. Can you feel it? We all have that in us. Just a little bit. That anxious feeling that won't go away. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about." I turned toward him. He just sat there like the rest of them, listening. "How you don't know what it is, but it won't stop. It feels like it's eating at you. You get restless.

"That's how I used to be but not anymore. No now, things have changed. When the images begin, I can hear the sounds that surround me. I can see the colors brightly. It's not in black and white like the movies we use to watch." I laughed a breath. "No, it's real. I feel it. And the pain, I feel it too. Doesn't matter whether it's mine or someone else's, I feel it."

I looked back to the window and up at the dark clouds churning. "It won't be much longer." Within seconds lightening shot across the sky and thunder clapped somewhere nearby. I could see in the reflection as they all jumped. "I've noticed that lately, you guys do the same thing. You probably don't pay it any mind once whatever is going to happen, happens. It's over with by then, you know? But what if it was telling us that there was something more out there.

"I mean, what if what I'm seeing is real? What if I'm not insane? What if hitting my head triggered something in a way? It's all over the internet how head injuries can cause these things. But you guys, you sense it. I can see it in the way you look at me at times. You can shake your head all you want to Lorik, but you sense it. You get antsy. I see it especially in Shayden and Zavier. It's stronger in them.

"But even Gabe knows when I've seen something." My voice was barely audible. "Don't you Gabe?"

He didn't answer.

I told him everything I had seen since then. I even told him about the dream I had of his mother while they were gone. But I knew he wouldn't believe me. I wasn't the kind to prove what I was saying was true. You either believed me or you didn't.

I looked down at the coffee table, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. I had maybe a few minutes left. The feeling was stronger. It was like every second that passed, every tick of the clock, let me know that my time was running short.

I smiled and put my hand out for my phone. Gabe looked at me confused until my phone went off. His hand was shaking as he handed it to me. I bit my lower lip and fought back the tears threatening to spill out. Dean wanted me to come to his office. Seems my dad had come here while I was busy, like I didn't know, and wanted to speak with me.

I was already dressed in my suit. I noticed when I put it on someone had not only patched it but secured it further. It was a little tighter but as long as it didn't restrict my movements I didn't care.

I walked over to the entertainment center and got my blades and holsters to put on. There was no way I would go out of this room without them. Not sure they would do me any good, but I wasn't taking chances.

I turned and looked at the guys. I smiled but couldn't stop from gulping at the thought. I reached for the door handle and stopped. I walked back over to Zavier and kissed him. I whispered in his ear that I loved him and walked off.

I was wondering if my alarm had been reactivated as I heard the click. I stiffened for a moment before turning around to see someone standing there. I had made it almost completely to Dean's office. He was hiding on the stairs. No one had any idea he was even here.

"You." The word came out in a huff of air. I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

I had dreaded this moment for two weeks now. Knowing that any day I would once again be looking down the barrel of a gun. I couldn't calm my heart. I was terrified.

No alarm sounded as the beating increased and my blood thrummed through my veins.

"Yeah. Me. I've been waiting for a long time to do this you know. If you had died like you were supposed to when you were five, we wouldn't have this problem."

He was waving the gun around. Mocking me. He knew he had me. I was still too sore to try to go for my blades. I was hindered, unable to move fast enough. And I knew it.

"What do you mean, when I was five?"

I had to keep him talking long enough for Shayden to feel me.

"Oh don't you remember. I was told you were there. That somehow you managed to get away." I watched the slow grin spread across his face. The face of my mother. "It was supposed to be a two for one deal. You dead, Dean so upset over Maria's death that he gave up and retired. Doesn't matter though, I get the joy of killing you now. It's going to be nice to put that bullet in your skull."

Images of Maria flashed in my head. I was five again and stuck in the oven. I had torn it up the day before playing hide and seek with Lorik and broke the element in it. Maria had called the repair man to fix it and asked me to open the door when someone rang the bell. Only somehow I knew it wasn't a nice person.

The man had a scar on his face that was diagonal all the way down. One eye was drooping, his nose looked as though it had been stitched back on, and his lips were distorted. But it wasn't the scar that let me know. No, it was the fact that he didn't have a tool box with him.

I had shut the door and locked it, run to Maria and told her that a bad man was at the door. When I told her what he looked like, the blood drained from her face. She opened the oven door, told me to get and not make a sound. She had just enough time to shut it, click something on top and open the back door when I heard the front door burst open.

"Why? Why would you do this? You're my uncle."

The pain almost caused me to lose consciousness when he hit me and I fell to the floor. I spit blood and teeth out. I tried to get back up but the dizziness was too much.

His face was blood red and I don't know how everyone didn't hear him because it sounded as if he were an echo through my head as he screamed at me.

"Don't insult me! I am not your uncle. She's not even your mother. She was nothing more than a vessel. Your mother died the day you were supposed to little girl."

He laughed and it resounded in the halls.

"Tell her hi for me," he said as he aimed the gun at my head. That was when I saw the letters H-A-T-E, tattooed across his knuckles.

The shot rang out. I turned my head away. When I opened my eyes, I was looking at the tile on the floor. Beside my head, less than an inch deep in the concrete was a bullet. I turned back around to see Mom's brother on his knees with the entire front of his face gone. I watched as he fell over.

If I hadn't still been dizzy and numb I would have scurried away from his body. I didn't want to be anywhere near him. When I looked up, my mind blanked.

Standing there was both Zavier and Shayden. It was no wonder his face was gone. They had both taken a shot.

As they began helping me up, Dean and Dad rushed out into the hallway. I could hear Dad telling someone to stay in the room. I knew it was Mom.

When the door shut to Dean's office I looked at them. "He tried to kill me."

"Who is it?" Dean asked.

"Marcus." That was all I could say. I knew Dean would know who I meant by that. That was the one thing I continued to tell Dean when he asked what the guy said as he killed Maria. His message was: Marcus sent me.

I watched as Dad rifled through Marcus' pants pocket and pull out a wallet. He opened it up and stood there. His eyes widened. I could see the anger starting to surface. His lips pursed, nostrils flared and jaw set as if he were gritting his teeth.

"Your mom's brother?"

I was unable to answer him because of the blood pooling in my mouth.

"I'll bring her back. I'm taking her to get cleaned up." Dean nodded to him and Zavier wrapped an arm around my waist to keep me steady.

When I looked at the guys every one of them looked shocked. Their eyes were open wide and jaws slack as they stared open mouthed. Gabe was the only one that had his mouth covered and from his pale features, I'd say he was also a little sick at his stomach.

I heard Dean have Lorik and Sage help Shayden remove the body from the hallway. I was glad they didn't freak but I could hear Shayden asking if they believed it yet. As we walked by, Zavier stopped, grabbing a hold of Braxton's arm. Braxton turned, looked at him, looked down at his arm like he was getting pissed, then back at Zavier. For some reason his features softened. I didn't know what look Zavier was giving him but I heard clearly what he said.

"Turn her locator back on."

Braxton nodded.

Zavier got me in the room and toward the kitchen. I staggered to the sink and began spitting out blood while he held my hair back. I felt a hand under my chin and looked over. He was touching me, with shaky hands, but touching me none the less. I looked up at him.

"Let me check your jaw and gums to make sure you're alright, okay?" Gabe still cared.

I stood before him and cried. I watched his eyes water. He knew I hated people seeing me cry but what he was doing meant a lot to me.

I winced when he pressed on my jaw. Then opened my mouth for him to check the gums.

"Two teeth. I need to do x-rays of your jaw to make sure it's not broken. You will have to see a dentist over your teeth."

I nodded to him. He stood there a minute before he reached out with one hand and pulled me to him. I didn't hesitate. I wrapped my arms around him. When I pulled away, Gabe and I both became sick and almost lost our breakfast. I had forgotten that I was in the zone of debris when Marcus was shot. Gabe shot off one way and I the other.

Zavier had helped me get my suit off and cleaned up the best he could. He had me sit down so he could slide my jeans on since bending over made me want to pass out. And of course every one of the guys decided now was as good as time as any to step through the door. While I stood there in jeans and a bandage wrapped around my chest.

Zavier tried to hurry to get my shirt over my head since Shayden walked in and immediately turned to look at the wall. Braydon had other things in mind. He walked over and stood in front of me.

"May I?"

I knew what he was asking. I nodded one small nod. He wanted to see the scar from surgery. I knew he wouldn't ask to see the other. Not that he could see it anyway. I kept gauze on it and as silly as it sounds, I did it to the other as well. I didn't want one padded and not the other. Plus I couldn't wear a bra and I wasn't running around with just a bandage covering them.

I pulled the bandage down just a little but Zavier's hands came around from behind me and hovered over my breasts like he was making sure Braydon didn't see them. I wanted to laugh. Zavier was a good man. He never tried touching me. Just like he wasn't touching me now. I loved him for it.

Braydon reached a hand out like he wanted to touch the scar but he stopped and dropped it. He closed his eyes and took a breath.

"I don't blame you for this. Even when it happened. You had nothing to do with it. And I don't blame your father either. We don't know everything that had been said over the years. I mean, they were reacting out of fear."

The soft look Braydon had been giving me changed to fury right before my eyes.

"Don't blame him? I don't care how scared he was or what he had been told, there was no reason to try to kill you. He could have talked to you to see what your intentions were!"

"That is a valid point but, I refuse to live the rest of my life angry at them for something they didn't cause."

My statement hung in the air. Everyone was looking at me by then. It made me glad that Zavier had finished pulling my shirt down because even Shayden had turned around and was going to rant about my comment until I said what I did.

"And neither should any of you." I walked passed Braydon and out the door of the room.

I heard the shuffling of feet behind me and was going to open the door to Dean's office until someone grabbed my hand, pulled it away and led me on down the hall to the medical center.

I laughed at him and then cried out in pain. Gabe was back. I was glad for it but laughing was not something I should be doing with my jaw killing me. I wish he knew how to numb it without knocking me out. That should be our next lesson. After I learned it from Kyle anyway.

Kyle showed up and was brought down to the room I was in. Gabe had just put the film up on the light board. I could see from here it had a small crack but wasn't broken. It would hurt for a few weeks but I was good to go.

Kyle checked it out and listened to Gabe explain what had happened. The color draining from Kyle's face let me know Gabe had been keeping in touch with him and letting him know about the hallucinations I was having. Or he thought I was having anyway.

"I have heard of things like this happening before from head injuries. Sometimes they fix themselves other times not. I guess we will wait and see."

He examined me, took my stitches out, told me to rinse my mouth, and see a dentist soon. I nodded. I knew from the way Kyle worded it, he would research what happened to me but wouldn't ask for tests. I think with everything else going on, he was afraid to hear the truth.

They finally let me go and I made my way back to Dean's office in time to hear Mom and Dad screaming. I opened the door to stop what was going on and was surprised when Mom lunged at me.

"Monster! You're a monster!"

I stepped back and felt Shayden step up behind me.

"I'm the one that killed him."

"It's your fault. You have always been nothing but trouble. You should have died that day and no one else would have had to suffer."

Even with the pain it caused, my jaw dropped. I closed it and grit my teeth sending more pain through my head. I stepped up and got in her face.

"Monster. He was the monster. He paid a man to come and kill a five year old child and a woman that had nothing to do with any of this. So don't stand there and call me a monster."

I could see her hand fly out and didn't even bother stopping it from making contact. But I didn't flinch. I stood there and looked deep into her eyes. When I took another step forward Dad's hand snaked out and stopped me.

"Or maybe we can tell everyone what kind of monster you are? I tried to pretend that you were a good person, but you are far from it. Let's share some of the things you done to me, shall we? Like how you burned my hand on the stove when I was five just because I wanted to help cook. What was your excuse? Oh yeah. 'Let me show you what happens to little girls that plays in the kitchen,' Wasn't that what you said?

"Or how about when you smacked me when I was seven because I asked if I could call you Mom. I thought it would bring us closer. No, you said that was an insult. Or even better. How about when I was ten? I bet you thought I forgot those things huh?"

"What happened when you were ten Rissa?" Shayden voice was strained. When I turned and look Zavier and Lorik were holding him back.

I turned and looked back at Dawn. "I was supposed to go on vacation with her. It was cold here and a couple weeks before Christmas. She was taking me to California so we could be warm. Only she was the only one that went. Weren't you Dawn? She dropped me off at the mall in Kingsport, Tennessee. For three days. I was smart for my age though. I knew you were up to something. I also knew you wouldn't let me take my bag or what little money I had in my purse, or even the cell phone that I had. No, but I had stuffed one of Dad's credit cards and a fake ID in my shoe.

See when I got there, I went straight to a store and bought new clothes. Then I went to a beauty salon and had them do some things to my hair and put makeup on me. By the time they were done, I looked like a new person. But I didn't stop there. I bought luggage, contacts from the eye doctor. I had to appear older." I grinned at her. "Then I left from there and walked down the road in a direction I didn't think you would think of and rented a hotel room. I didn't leave that room except to get food for three days.

"I walked back to the mall on that third day and waited patiently for you to show up. Don't think I didn't see you looking around for someone else when I got in the car. I saw how freaked you were. It was because of you that I took an interest in disguises. And don't worry I saved receipts. I still have them."

"You're lying!"

I was more than shocked when it was Dad screaming that at me and not her. When he stepped up in my face, Shayden got loose. He pulled my arm and got in between me and Dad. A vision slammed into me and I knew if I didn't get Shay away from him they would get in a huge fight.

I faked it. It was the only thing that stopped it all. I grabbed my chest and began moaning. Shayden turned around before he could say anything to Dad and grabbed me. He helped me over behind Dean's desk and sat me in his chair away from Dad. I caught the quick smile Zavier gave me before I hung my head.

"Don't either of you come near us again. I will not stand by and have you talk about your mother that way nor will I tolerate either of you behaving in a threatening manner to either of us." I watched as he looked over at Dean. "I handed in my resignation. I don't believe there is any more to say here. So we're leaving."

I watched him walk out the door. I had been betrayed by the one person I thought I could always depend on. Out of everything that had happened to me in my entire life that had hurt worse. I had thought all these years that my father loved me.

"We don't turn eighteen for another four months."

"I'll take care of it."

I knew Dean would do one of two things. He would either file for emancipation for us or take custody. It was then I realized he would have to do the same for Sage.

"Why would he do that?"

Images flashed in my head of Dean sitting down at his desk and reading the resignation Dad handed in. Only it wasn't what any of us thought.

"He faked it?"

Dean looks at me confused then down at the paper. He sits down at his desk and began to read. He set it down and nodded his head.

"It would seem so. He thinks Dawn has been in with it all along. It says that while he was in hiding he had found several things, one of which was her dropping you off at the mall and a plane ticket for her brother from California to Tennessee."

Shay and I both slumped down in a chair.

"I don't understand, why didn't he just do something about it? Why didn't he have her locked up or something?"

Shayden had a very good point.

"He can't prove it completely and he also wanted to wait to see who else was involved. There had to be more at play here than just those two."

### Chapter Twenty-Six

A couple of hours had gone by and we were all sitting in the apartment staring at the wall saying nothing to each other. I don't think anyone really knew what to say. We had all been betrayed by the people that were supposed to protect us. Well Lorik and Gabe weren't first hand but they still felt the blow back from it.

I still hadn't told anyone what was said to me. Like how Maria was my real mom. I didn't know how to take that. Was he saying it to justify what he had done? I looked over at Shayden. I watched as he looked back and forth between me and Lorik, and me and Gabe. He was comparing us. He had heard it.

The door opened and Dean walked in. His hair was in disarray. I could tell he was taking everything hard as well. That letter must have said more but he never told us and I wasn't about to check.

"We need to leave. I don't know where we will go but we are not staying here."

I stood up and looked at him. "I know where we can go." I grabbed a notebook and wrote down the directions. "We don't need to even pack our clothes. I have everything that everyone needs. Of course, Braxton will want to either take the hard drives out of his computers or take the computers with us. I'll be taking mine. But we won't need food or anything."

I got up and went over to my bedside table. I got out all my computers and grabbed the medical kit out of the drawer. I just needed to get the stuff out of the fridge that needed to stay cold and I was set.

I turned around and blinked. Zavier and Shayden were standing up looking at me. Everyone had the same look on their faces, fear mixed with a little shock.

When I looked over I felt faint. Dean wasn't even in the room. I was going to ask where he was when the door opened and Dean walked in saying exactly what he said a few minutes ago.

My mouth dried out as I made my way over to all of them. I handed Zavier my computers and Gabe the med kit. I heard Shayden saying what had happened and handed Dean the directions on the notebook.

"I think you may have to sedate me. I don't think I can tell visions from reality anymore."

I could hear Dean telling Gabe not to, but it seemed they wouldn't have to anyway. The shaking became severe, my alarm screamed at everyone, and I felt arms hold me as my body went slack.

I was walking down a well-lit hallway. It had beautiful marble floors, brick walls with windows that went from the floor to the ceiling every few feet. I could see three doors lining the hall. But it was the brightness from the window that caught my attention.

I stopped and looked out the window. Snow covered the ground. There were three sets of footprints. I followed the footprints from the building I was in to where they originated. The buildings were side by side. Touching but not connected it seemed. They made a circle. In the middle was a huge field. It had rose bushes and small trees dotting the landscape. Then I saw my men.

Gabe was walking off toward one of the buildings. I could see Sage building up a snowball. I laughed as he threw it and hit Gabe in the back of the head. Gabe turned and laughed. I hadn't seen him laugh like that in years. He packed the snow he gather and tossed it back toward Sage only for him to duck out of the way and it hit Lorik in the face.

I could tell it was on from there. All of them were throwing snowballs and laughing when Zavier stopped and looked up at me. He mouthed the words I love you. I whispered it back to him. Suddenly I heard kissing noises and looked down.

Standing in front of me were two little girls. They had their lips puckered and pressed against the window. I looked back up and watched Zavier blow them a kiss. Every one of the men stopped and did the same. The little girls giggled.

I felt their small gloved hands when they put theirs in mine. They began pulling on them.

"Mommy! Mommy come on. Papaws awake," One of them said.

"I want to see Papaw, come on Mommy," The other added.

My heart swelled every time they called me that. I looked down into their beautiful faces and gasped. They had long beautiful black hair. Their eyes were different than any I had ever seen. They were as black as Zavier's only with a bright blue star-burst in the center. I could tell they were identical twins. They had Zavier's nose and my lips. These were my daughters. Zavier's daughters.

Tears came to my eyes and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading. I could feel the love they had for me and their dad. I nodded to them.

"I'll race you."

They giggled and took off running down the hall with their hair flying out behind them. They stopped at the middle door and I watched as they worked together to get the door open. They were giggling and grunting but before I could get there, they had it open and were running inside.

I heard the squeals of delight from the hallway. I stood in the doorway and watched as Dean picked up the girls and held them to him. Dean. Not my Dad. The door started swinging shut and I reached a hand out to stop it. Director Sterling.

We were at the academy. A new academy. When I looked both ways I could see the words Director on each of the other doors. I couldn't, however, make out the names.

Suddenly a voice whispered to me, "Find Laven."

It didn't seem to be coming from here. My eyes shot open and I looked around the room. I immediately was forced into another vision. Dad was standing there looking at me.

"Find Laven." I nodded and he vanished.

I got up and made my way downstairs. They had managed to get me here without me ever waking. I guess my mind had to come to terms with it more than I thought. I still wasn't sure I wasn't losing my mind, but I figured as long as I didn't fight someone that wasn't there, I was good. For now.

Everyone stood as I got to the bottom of the steps.

"I'm glad you're up. How are you feeling?"

"Uh well. I had a nice dream. Then woke to a vision. So I guess I'm doing weird as usual."

"What was the vision?"

"Dad saying to find Laven. I don't know what a Laven is. Or is it a person?"

I watched as Braxton grabbed a computer off the table. "Thanks for the tech room. It's awesome," he said as he began typing. A few minutes later he looked up. "Laven is actually a person. She is the daughter of Director Merringer. The Director of New Zealand."

New Zealand? My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't even get the words out to ask. This was the same Director that had told that I was the black rose. Would they accept me?

"I guess that's a good thing. I had been trying to figure out a way to tell you that we needed to go there. If we start with them it would be in our best interest."

"What do you mean?"

I was glad Zavier was coming out of his shell because he asked what I couldn't speak.

"We need to start going from region to region. If they will listen long enough to let us explain it could lessen how many people we have coming after us. Starting out of the country would be to our benefit because they haven't heard everything going on. I can assure you that the other state regions have. This will give them time to realize we aren't coming after them. And well, Director Merringer, would be the best place to start."

I felt like I was in a dream as I walked over and sit down in Zavier's lap. I had never done that before but he accepted me with a huge smile and wrapped his arms around me. Dean leaned forward.

"So what was the dream about?"

I told them all of it. When I told about the little girls Zavier's hold tightened. I felt him put his cheek against my neck before turning his head and kissing it intimately. I leaned into him and he did it again. Dean cleared his throat and I smiled.

"Tell me about the academy."

I knew he wanted to side track me and Zavier. Not like I could get pregnant right now anyway. I still hadn't started. I told him all I could, including the three doors of directors and one being his. He nodded.

"It was our academy. All of ours." I looked at each of the guys. "We each invested in it. We each help design it."

"We don't have that kind of money." Lorik didn't know everything.

I got up and went to another door. It was my office. I went in and came out pulling a table. It was one that would show 3-D images. It would be as if we built a replica of the academy only it was all electronic. I also had the touch screen computer that went with it and several files laying on of top the desk.

I stopped the desk in front of the guys. They looked at and I could see the twinkle in Shayden and Lorik's eyes. They had always wanted one. I would have to give it to them.

I took the files and stood before them.

"Zavier, I bought you firing ranges. You have about a hundred of them across the US." I handed him his file. He looked down at it and his eyes bulged.

"Forty million. Rissa how's that possible?"

"They hold classes on shooting as well as have an imitation shootout. People are willing to pay good money to pretend to shoot bad guys." I turned to Shayden. "Shay I bought you a gym franchise. You have around two hundred worldwide."

I handed him the file. He opened it up.

"Sixty-seven million?"

I nodded. "You have the best and newest equipment. Also each establishment gives free self-defense classes to abused women and kids being bullied." He smiled and looked back at the file. I knew he would like that. He always said he wanted to give back to the community.

"Lorik. I took the game you built and put it online. You have your own set of servers in that room." I said pointing behind me.

He looked at the file and jumped screaming. I had never seen him so happy.

"Whoo! Two-hundred million. Beat that!"

I shook my head and walked over to Sage.

"I bought you nightclubs. You have a hundred nightclubs from here to L.A." I handed him the file.

"Beat that you say? Boom! I beat that. Try two-hundred forty million." I stood back trying not to laugh at the two of them. My jaw was already throbbing from smiling so much.

I walked over and sit down beside Gabe.

"This is yours."

He took the file and looked inside. I watched as he covered his mouth and cleared his throat. "I only helped with it. You don't have to give me the credit for it."

Gabe had helped me create a medication that every hospital now used. It was a gel that could be put in the wounds to numb it. It contained an anesthetic for numbing, antibiotics for infection, allergy medication, and a steroid for inflammation. This way it could be used on most of anyone. And the hospitals loved it.

I smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

"You deserve it."

I had two more files in my hand. I could see the look of confusion on Braydon's face.

"This is for you and Braxton both. Remember when I asked you to help me design my dream house?" Braydon nodded. He didn't realize I was having it built. "Remember how I asked you to get Braxton to help build 3-D software to go along with it?" He nodded again.

"Well when I was done using it. I put it online. Schools, architects, and government officials started purchasing it. This is what you two got from it."

He shook his head. I nodded. He huffed and reached for the folder. He opened it up looked up at me and handed it to Braxton. I didn't say anything else. They were private men just like Gabe.

I handed Dean his file and didn't say a word. He nodded to me and looked it over. I could see the smile even as he looked down at the folder. "I was afraid I wouldn't make it after what had happened to me. The money I got from killing those men, I figured could be used to make sure my men were taken care of in the future. When I realized that I was going to pull through it, I made sure to collect the investment back that I made. None of you owe me anything."

Sage stood up. "Let's do this academy thing."

That was all it took. I leaned back against Zavier and watched as they went to work. They decided what needed to be put in. I added in a nursery. Gabe mentioned a clinic. I said it should be more of a hospital. He smiled at that. They mentioned dorm houses; I agreed as long as we each had two bedrooms and two bathrooms but shared a kitchen and living room. It saved space and kept us together at the same time.

I turned to see Zavier asleep. I reached out and got a notebook off the coffee table. I turned the page and began sketching my daughters. I needed to see their faces.

I was done sketching, had went to my office and got the pastel pencils, was leaned back against Zavier and coloring them in. I stopped and looked at them. They were beautiful. I leaned my head back and before I knew it was fast asleep.

### Epilogue

I woke turned on my side but still laying against Zavier. I felt my notebook in my hand and remembered the picture. I pulled the notebook up only the picture wasn't there. I began looking everywhere for it. The floor was empty. The couch didn't take it. I looked at the guys. Sage was grinning. He motioned with his chin behind me.

I turned to see Zavier leaned back with one hand behind his head and the other looking at the picture.

"You should probably read your note that was left for you." I tried to peak around the page but he would just move it.

I looked back at the notebook and it registered that there were words on the page that should have been my picture.

I watch as the rose petals fall at your feet

'He loves me, he loves me not' you say

Do not tear apart my rose I say

For its petals do not answer the question you ask

Not like that.

Instead know that every drop of dew that falls from it

Is a tear I cried for your pain

Every leaf that points up to its beauty

Is how high I hold you in my heart

Every thorn that graces its presence is I, my love

There to protect you from those that wish you harm

This is not a new kind of rose that lasts only for a time

Nay, I say, this is centuries old and can last us our lifetime.

So you ask, do I love you?

My answer is this.

I will love you for as long as the rose blooms.

To say I cried would have been putting it mildly. I bawled. I grabbed Zavier and kissed him as passionately as I possibly could. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer. I pulled away from the kiss and buried my face in his neck.

I knew the poem was to me. About me. When I was around fourteen that was when Zavier would show me his poems. When it was just us, he referred to me as Rose, his Rose.

"Pollinate me," I giggled.

He jerked slightly and leaned back to look at me.

"Say when." He was smiling but I knew he was serious.

My lips parted as I looked into his eyes. He took my breath away. I reached up and moved his hair away from his face. "Now," I whispered. I was as serious as he was.

He grabbed me, kissed me and began carrying me upstairs. We didn't make it.

"I believe the two of you can get ready without the other." Dean stood at the top of the stairs looking down at us. I looked back at Zavier and whimpered before giving in.

"I also think the two of you can wait until your married to get ready together."

I wanted to laugh at how he was wording it but if it made him feel better I was all for it.

"Hmm. Could you marry someone like me?" Zavier asked looking me in the eyes.

I reached up grabbed the sconces hanging on the walls to press him against the wall. I had moved my legs so they were no longer around him. I at least wanted to respect Dean, even if it was my house. "Would you marry someone like me?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation in his voice. I smiled.

"Sweetheart as much as I love you against me, you're hurting yourself." He grabbed me by the waist and lowered me to the step. "Wait here I'll be back."

I looked up at Dean. I was beginning to think he was like me. He knew when we were doing things we shouldn't. Growing up it was like he had eyes in the back of his head. And on more than one occasion I swear he could read minds.

I watched as a grin started spreading across his face with each of my thoughts. The more I narrowed my eyes and thought I was right, his grin grew. But before I could ask, Zavier was right back and leading me away and back down the stairs.

He laid me across his lap and began massaging my side. He never touched me anywhere he shouldn't but rubbed everywhere else.

"Mmm. That feels so good."

"Zavier."

"I swear Dean I'm not doing anything but helping to relax the muscles."

"Is it wrong that even I don't want him to stop?"

I busted out laughing. "Sage! Oh my Gosh! Don't make me laugh it hurts." But every time I looked at him I did.

Zavier was rubbing my hand when Shayden said he would help me out. The picture I had drawn of our daughters appeared before me on the table. Zavier helped me up and I walked over to them. I knew they weren't real. But it didn't stop me from wanting to touch their faces.

They both reached out and took my hands. I knew tears were flowing down my face. Suddenly one of them moves her hand from mine and points to something on the floor behind me. I followed her hand and turned slowly.

Zavier was kneeling down on one knee with a small box opened. I don't know when he had bought it but I didn't care.

"Marissa Rose, I have been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you. And I will love you for eternity." He cleared his throat. "Someone once told me that life was a journey. A road of sorts. There would be times that the road would be rocky and rough but at other times it would be smooth and easy. I don't want to walk through my life alone anymore. So I'm asking you. Will you walk through life with me? If you say yes, then know that the days you feel like you can't walk anymore, I'll carry you.

"Marissa Rose, My Rose, will you be my wife?"

It took me covering my mouth with both hands to shut the sobs up long enough to let him speak. I finally nodded to him and did something I had never done before in my life. I squealed like a girl when he placed the ring on my finger.

I must have slammed into him to kiss him because we were both lying in the floor with tears flowing down our faces. Never again will I think it is a weakness for someone to cry. Those tears he cried meant so much to me. It meant he loved me with all his heart.

I sat up. "Marissa Rose Mathews."

He shook his head. "I won't have you bearing that name. And neither will our daughters."

"But." He put a finger to my lips.

"I had Dean change my name a few weeks ago. You will be Mrs. Zavier Sterling."

Sterling. I would be a Sterling. That was odd because even when I was little I said I would be one, one day.

"We named the academy" Lorik loved interrupting things like this.

We sit up and he scooted us over to the couch so he could lean against it and hold me.

"Give me a minute." I wanted to see our girls. I didn't realize how much. I had lost so much in my life that having them made everything worth it.

After a little bit I nodded. The girls slowly faded and in their place was the academy. Zavier and I stood to walk over to it.

"They named it something girly so I hope you're happy with it." Lorik may have sounded like a smart-alack but I knew he wasn't upset.

"The Rose Academy," Shayden announced.

"I like it. Since we all have different last names, it's something we all have in common. But if it makes you feel better Lorik. I know the name of our dorm house."

He looked at me and waited.

"The House of Thorns."

###

About the Author

K.L. Hopkins loves talking to anyone and everyone. She lives in Southwest Virginia with her children and four dogs. Reading and writing are her passion. Whether it's writing her next novel or writing online at her website, or her social sites.

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