Ashley's POV

"How could you all just let her do that? She won't be able to escape this time! I know I wasn't the only one who saw that puddle of blood coming out from under the door! W-what if she is dead?!" Tears fell from my eyes and I crumpled to the ground. I felt Iggy holding me tightly and trying to comfort me but, it wasn't working.

I wasn't sure how long it took me to actually stop crying but, when I did only Iggy and Fang were still awake. I watched Fang; he was looking back in the direction we came, he took a deep breath and whispered, just loud enough for me and Iggy to here, "She was suppose to be able to get out. She was supposed to come back…"

Iggy stood up, "Fang…I'm sure she is fine..."

"That's right! She was too important to them! Why would they kill her?" Fang, Iggy, and I looked up and saw Angel stilling up on her elbows.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked, staring at her.

"I mean…That I could read the scientists' minds, none of them wanted her dead…" Angel laid back down and closed her eyes. We all knew she wasn't asleep.

"If that's true…Then you could read Lamia's mind too right? What was she thinking?"

Angel's eyes remained closed, "I could only see anger, darkness, and betrayal…She was mad at someone close to her because they betrayed her. I don't know the name, there were too many emotions to dig through"

I looked over at Fang. His eyes were shadowed over as he looked at the ground. "I'll talk to Max in the morning." He mumbled.

I smiled at him and wiped away new tears, "Thank you Fang"

Iggy sat down by me, "you should sleep Ash; you look more tired than any of us." I nodded slowly and leaned against him, closing my eyes.

Lamia's POV

My head was pounding and I didn't want to open my eyes. I knew where I was, Isolation. There was a creaking noise and my eyes snapped open involuntarily. Regret and bitterness sank in immediately. A deep growl filled my lungs and he laughed, "Oh Jessica… still think you're strong?" He laughed again, "well you're not, you're broken… we both know that."

I glared hatred burning me inside, "Derek, I'm not broken… not yet"

He stayed silent a moment, watching me, "Your eyes are bright…" He smirked, "Are you thirsty?"

"No" I grumbled blinking for the first time since he walked in.

He shut the door behind him and started toward me. I got to my feet and stumbled back but, he was too fast and ended up pinning me to the concrete wall. "You're a bad liar; I can see it in your eyes. You want blood, rich, warm, fresh, blood." I didn't answer just closed my eyes, hoping he would go away. Luck wasn't with me, as usual.

Derek stayed there, keeping me pinned to the cold wall. "You're not going to leave me alone are you?" He said nothing and I already knew his answer anyway. "Do you regret it at all Derek? Bringing me back here I mean."

"Of course" He whispered. "I had no choice, it was either bring you back myself or let them send the Erasers after you…" He wasn't pinning me there anymore but, holding me tightly to his body. "You're my best friend Jess I would rather you still be out there. I knew better though, they would've found you and captured you by any means… even if it meant ripping off a few limbs off…"

"Derek… I want to go back to the others; I want to be with Fang."

I felt my darkness coming at me again as Derek pulled away from me. "I should go find you something to drink…" He mumbled and walked out.

At the same time I slid to me knees, allowing one word to pass through my lips, "Fang…"

Normal POV -- With Flock --

Fang sat next to Max whispering, "We need to help her Max, she helped us."

"That's out of the question Fang. Yes she may have helped us before but, she knew she was sacrificing herself to do so"

The dark haired teen sat silent a moment gazing at the ground, "You don't understand, you didn't see the look in her eyes when she sat in that cage…"

"I imagine it was like most of the creatures in there" Max mumbled.

"No…" He shook his head, "worse, Max, she had a family once. They abounded her, they left her alone. I'm not going to make her go through that again..."

"Fang… you really do like her don't you?"

"I guess so…" he whispered closing his eyes briefly then opening them again, "whether you like it or not Max, she is a part of the flock now, as is Ashley. We have to save her, she is one of us. Think about it Max, if Angel, Gassy, Nudge, Iggy or I were trapped in there wouldn't you go?"

"That's not fair, you know I would" Max glared

"Well you know I would do the same for Lamia…"

"You didn't last time…" Fang flinched at Max's words. Max sighed, "I'm sorry… you're right though, we need to help her out… for Ashley's sake anyway…"

Fang let out a relieved sigh, "alright… tomorrow then?"

She nodded, "tomorrow, lets rest for now, I'll take first watch"

Lamia's POV

This, without a doubt, was the most terrible feeling ever. To feel your-self loss control and not be able to gain it back. My darkness came in a huge wave and I couldn't fight back. I now sat in the back of my mind watching my other side feed off a poor victim of the school and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Without control I am nothing; without control… I am a killer and right now, I have no control.

Normal POV -- Flock --

Ashley grabbed Iggy's hand, "you ready?"

Iggy nodded, "Max, we're all set!"

Max flexed her big white wings, the brown speckles seemed to shift this way and that way, "alright, everyone understands the plan? Fang, Ashley, Iggy, and Angel are going to look for Lamia, while the rest of us make a distraction." The others all nodded and said some form of an agreement. "Alright, let's head out!"

All took to their wings and flew up, except Ashley of course, who was being held by Iggy. When the alarms sounded and Fang saw the others lead the Erasers away the small group of three touched down and ducked into the building via broken window. "Where do we look first?" Ashley whispered.

Fang thought a moment, "they'd put her in isolation, they're good at learning from past mistakes…"

"How do we know where that is?" Ashley asked again.

"You have feline DNA, sniff her out" Iggy encouraged.

"All I can smell is clean and…wait… I think… Yes, it's her but, the smell of blood…" As Ashley spoke she jogged down a hall and another; down stairs and now stood at a door.

"Is it her blood?" Fang asked trying to sound indifferent but, failing.

Ashley shook her head and Angel touched the door with her finger tips, "here she is in here… she…is scared…"

Lamia's P.O.V

I heard muffled voices at the door and hugged my body tighter together. I was drenched in blood from my dark-side's feeding. I felt so ashamed of myself for losing control like I did. The door banged and banged again louder. Someone was trying to open it. No… I couldn't leave. They were here to help but, I was so ashamed! I couldn't leave. What I did… I can never forgive myself.

The door slammed open and blinding light showed threw the room and curled into the smallest ball possible. "Lamia!" Fang shouted but, I didn't unwind myself from my little ball. "Lamia…" His footsteps came closer, I still didn't move.

He bent down his hand touching my shoulder. I back away from it in a flash, moving a crossed the room, "don't touch me…" my voice was rasp and strained.

Fangs dark eyes stared at me; my body was jittery, I was scared. "Lamia… we have to get out of here… look… look what they've turned to into in a matter of a few hours…"

He was moving toward me again, my eyes stared back at his, and suddenly I snapped out of it. I blinked a couple times and looked around. It hit me then that Derek had done something to me when he was in here, "Damnit…" I got to my feet and Fang helped me stay standing. "You're right Fang, let's get out of here" He nodded and helped me walk out of the door.

The lights blinded me; I covered my eyes, allowing Fang to lead me. My knees were giving out from being asleep. Fang muttered a curse after I collapse for the fourth time while walking up the stairs. He finally gave up helping me walk and just picked me up. His foot hit the top stair and running footsteps echoed off the hall to the right. He cursed and ran the others following behind quickly.

For hours I lived in that dark room, nothing but the smell of blood and rusty water to keep me company; besides that one visit from Derek I had been totally alone. Everything now was overwhelming, the smells, sounds, and lights. I think I blacked out.

Normal POV

Fang noticed when Lamia blacked out but, he couldn't do anything at the moment so he kept running. Once through the door he snapped open his wings and down stroked hard catching himself into the air. Glancing back he saw Angel take flight and Iggy get Ashley into his arms before flapping his wings and flying into the air. From a distance he could see Max and the others above the trees out of sight of the Erasers.

The flock rejoined each other and flew as far as they could from The School, which was an estimated 50 to 80 miles. Max offered to take first watch but, Fang said he was going to stay awake until Lamia woke back up. That was about an hour ago and at the moment everyone except Fang was sleeping, even Ashley who had tried to stay awake with him but, obliviously failed.

Fang forced his eyes to stay open and after an hour and a half it came in handy. Lamia's deep-red eyes opened slowly, her soft voice calling his name.