chapter one.

I could feel the flames burning up my legs. I could feel my hands start to slip off the rocks. Then I could feel myself falling. I jolted up in bed; I knew it was just a dream, but that didn't stop how real it felt. I was covered in sweat and phantom pains emanated from where I'd been burned. I still can't fully believe everything that happened in Santorini. Most of all, I couldn't believe I had survived.

Feeling my phone vibrate I picked it up and opened the new text from Lincoln. "Nightmare again?" He must have felt my fear from across the city. There was no pretending with him. He felt my every emotion; sometimes he even knew how I was feeling before I did. I typed a quick response back, "Yeah… but don't worry everything is fine." I think I said that more for my own benefit.

It had been a month since Lilith was freed and everything was quiet. There was still the occasional deranged exile on the prowl but nothing major. Maybe she was using the time to build up an army. That's what we were doing anyway. Every Grigori, worldwide, had been put on alert.

Lying in my bed, I thought of everything that had happened; everything that I screwed up. It was like that day went on a loop. Before I knew it, it was time to get up. I jogged to Lincoln's warehouse to get started on today's training. When I opened the door, I thought I was seeing things. There she was, Evelyn Eden, talking with Griffin like they were old friends. I glanced at Lincoln and he had an apologetic look on his face; he had been told not to tell me about her.

"What's going on here?" I kept my voice and face emotionless.

"I'm sorry to ambush you like this Violet. I just came to talk," she smiled lightly.

I noticed Griffin inch over to where Lincoln stood. "Talk? It didn't really seem like you wanted to talk to me last month. What changed?"

"For all intents and purposes I'd been dead for almost eighteen years. I was scared and confused. I just needed to figure out what was going on. I'm so sorry Violet; I know how hard that must have been for you… I can't imagine what you must think of me," she dropped her head in shame.

"Trust me, you don't want to know what I think about you. If you think you can just come here and apologize and everything will turn out just fine, you have another thing coming to you," I realized I sounded harsh, but a large part of me believed she deserved it.

"Please, just let me try to explain?" she asked.

"Fine, you can try. Can you give us some privacy?" I asked Lincoln and Griffin, they both started to leave but Linc stopped in front of me. He squeezed my arm reassuringly; I knew if I needed him, he wouldn't be far. I sat down on the couch, "I'll listen, but I can't promise I'll believe a word you say."

She remained standing, "That's fair. I want you to know that I truly loved your father. Nothing between us was faked, even if he didn't know who I really was. When we got pregnant, we were both so happy. I didn't want this life for you. I wanted to keep you safe from all of this. But, your angel maker came to me in my dreams and told me you were going to save us all. You were going to be the savior," she looked for a reaction, but found none.

"I don't care if I'm some sort of savior. All I wanted growing up was a mother," this was the most revealing thing I'd said to her. I could see her visibly flinch at my words.

She nodded, "I understand. Maybe it was my warrior side and not my… maternal side that made the decision. I can't apologize enough for that. Do you think you could ever learn to forgive me?"

It wasn't in my nature to hold grudges or hate anyone, that is unless Phoenix became involved. I knew even if I hated her right now, I could never stay that way, "It's going to take time and patience; and I don't know if I can ever forgive you fully, but I can try."

"Thank you for giving me this chance to know you…" she smiled. It faded slightly, "I don't think you'll like what I have to tell you next. You should call the boys back in here, this could concern them." I was very skeptical, but my curiosity took control and I called them back.

Lincoln looked around, "Thank you for not destroying any of my stuff," he was trying to lighten the mood.

"What's this about Evelyn?" Griffin got right to business.

"Lilith. We have to put her back where she belongs and to do that we're going to need help," she answered cryptically.

"Who?" Lincoln asked before I had the chance.

"Violet's sister," she, again, looked for the reaction in my face, this time she found one: shock. "You don't know…" it wasn't a question. She seemed confused and then sadness washed over her face, "I guess James separated the two of you after I died."

"I have a sister? Why would he separate us?" millions of questions crossed my mind, but that's all I could get out.

"A twin. I never thought he would separate you…" it seemed like she couldn't get the words out either.

"I have to go. You stay here," I said to her. I picked up my bag; Lincoln shot me a look asking if I was okay. I nodded, but we both knew I was far from it. I hailed a taxi as soon as I got to a more populated area.

I stood outside Dad's office building for a long time. Trying to think of what to say. Trying to think of the possible reason's he had for not telling me about my sister. Since coming home from Greece, we'd been avoided each other, both unsure of how we should act. I wasn't sure if the avoidance was because he was angry with me or afraid of me. Caroline looked up from her desk when I reached his offices, "Violet! Thank goodness your okay! Your dad said you had run away," I could tell she was genuinely concerned for my safety, but right now I just didn't have the time.

"Not now Caroline," I knew I was wrongfully taking my anger out on her. Blaming her for my dad's sudden interest in my life. If it weren't for her, Dad would still be blissfully ignorant. I knocked softly on his door before letting myself in. He looked up and surprise filled his eyes. "I told you when I got home I would answer any questions you had. It's been a month, I think it's time to talk."

He nodded, "Are you okay?"

I smiled, he wasn't angry with me or afraid of what I was; he was worried about me, "It's hard to explain how I am. It's been a tough couple of weeks. Physically I'm fine, but emotionally, not so much."

"What were you doing in Greece?" he moved on quickly.

"Trying to stop something terrible from happening, but I couldn't stop it. I don't think anyone would have been able to," I answered.

"What were you trying to stop?"

"That is a very loaded question, you should start somewhere easier to explain," I sighed.

"The poem, it wasn't for school was it?" I shook my head no. "Violet, what are you?"

This was the big one, telling him would mean him entering my world. But I promised him I wouldn't lie to him anymore, "I'm a Grigori; half angel, half human. I'm a warrior of sorts. It's my job, and others like me, to protect the innocent and return exiles that would do them harm. I found out on my seventeenth birthday."

"Exiles? Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"I was trying to keep you safe. Exiles are fallen angels. They're ruthless and kill without a second thought. I didn't want you to become involved in this. I couldn't lose you too," this was true, I used to think I didn't tell him because I was afraid of how he would take it. But I was really just trying to protect him, from them and from what I had become.

"How did this happen?"

"If a parent dies within the first ten days of their child's life an angel can impart some of its essence on that child. We call them our angel makers."

"And Lincoln?" I was wondering if he'd ask about Linc.

"He's one too. Every Grigori has a partner, he's mine," I answered.

"Your mother?"

"Yes, she was different though. She had a specific exile she was assigned to return," I said quietly.

He let everything sink in for a few minutes. "You had something, um, that you wanted to ask me?" he seemed distant, like he was still trying to comprehend it all.

"What happened to my sister?" I asked directly.

His head shot up, eyes wide, "How did you…? Did she come looking for you?"

"It's my turn to ask the questions. What happened to her? Why didn't I know about her?"

"I know I should have told you before, I just didn't know how. I'm so sorry Vi. When your mother died, I could barely care for myself let alone two new babies. So, even though I loved you both so much, I planned on giving you both away. I would have made sure you stayed together… Everything was planned, but then something stopped me from giving you up," he was lost in the past.

"Someone intervened," I said taking Lincoln's words.

"Somehow, I found myself keeping you and letting her go. Fifteen years later, she's filing emancipation papers to get out of the foster care system early. She was never supposed to be in the system, she was supposed to be adopted by a family that would love her as much as your mother and I would have… The guilt was too much; I signed the papers without even meeting her. If she could see me now, your mother would be so disappointed and I don't blame her for it," his head low in his shame.

"You have plenty to be disappointed in her for too, trust me," I was mad at him for keeping this secret from me, but I couldn't blame him.