Chapter Seven:

AFTER I had tasted blood, Michael sent me out into the human world with Aero to lure back more humans into There. I suggested we go to a high school; there were plenty of stupid people there.

As soon as I stepped foot inside, Carrie saw me and ran up. "Annabelle!" she cried. "Where have you been? Your house is burned to the ground and your dad is dead! And…your eyes are black."

I grinned. "Hello Carrie. In case you haven't noticed, I've changed. I'm a new person. A much better person." I looked at Aero, whose eyes were glinting. My fangs grew, and I smiled so she could see them. "Now, go bring me someone. I feel my life getting shorter and shorter." I pushed her away.

Carrie stumbled off into the nearest classroom, making a lame excuse, and was followed out by four boys and two girls. Aero grabbed three of them, and I grabbed the other three. We nodded and disappeared at the same time.

I split the tree in half and stepped into There, dragging the tree boys with me. Aero followed behind me with the other three. I picked the most handsome boy, and stroked his neck gently before latching onto the base of his throat and drinking deeply. I dropped him when I was done, inhaling deeply through my nose and licking my lips clean.

"Leave the other four," I told Aero. "Let them wander until others find and take their lives." I stepped over the boy's body and picked up my skirts, walking back through the forest.

"Stop this!" I heard Claire hiss from behind my left shoulder. "Annabelle Powell, you are no killer!"

"That may be so," I replied, laughing. "But I'm not Annabelle Powell anymore, Mother. I am Annie Darqueeth." I turned back around, picking my skirts up higher and running through the trees, feeling the sharp leaves caress my face and arms.

Aaron appeared behind me, and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Hello, love," he murmured in my ear. I pulled out of his hold, grinning.

I kissed just barely left of his lips and laughed. "Catch me if you can, darling," I taunted before running into the maze, which was made of tall red hedges. I heard Aaron running after me, and I giggled, running faster.

I dared a look back, breathing hard, but he was gone. When I turned back around, he was in front of me. He chuckled and pulled me close to him, kissing me softly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back.

I pulled away and grinned mischievously. "This does not make me yours, I hope you understand that," I said, tracing his jaw with my finger. "It simply provides you a way to make others…jealous."

Aaron chuckled. "Well that makes it better. But who knows, Annie; one day you could be mine, and mine alone."

I laced my fingers through his. "Perhaps. But it is highly unlikely; my mother once told me that me and Dimitri are destined to be together." I snorted, and brought Aaron's hand to my lips and kissed it. "He is not half the man you are, darling."

He stroked my cheek. "If that was true, my sweet, then you would be mine right now. But you are still his, whether you want it or not." He pulled his hand out of mine and kissed me quickly before disappearing.

I turned and pressed my hand to the hedges, and the second my skin touched it, there was a ripple, and the red hedge turned to a solid brick wall. I sat down against it, sighing and looking at the red sky.

"Can't say I enjoyed watching that," Dimitri mumbled, stepping out of the wall. "And please, Annie, before you turn the maze walls into something else, check to make sure there is no one inside?"

I laughed shortly. "Sorry, Dimitri," I said, wrapping an arm around his waist. "Didn't expect you would be watching that."

He chuckled. "It's okay. This time." He laid down on the ground and pulled me on top of him, making me squeal in surprise. My hair fell over my shoulders, and on either side of his face. I kissed him quickly.

"So," I began, grinning. "Which do you like better? Annabelle or Annie?" I smirked and laughed.

Dimitri's face hardened. "You know my opinion, Annie," he said softly, tucking my hair behind my ear.

I rolled off of him and stood up. "Well, Dimitri, you certainly know how to kill the mood," I grumbled, marching away. My footsteps left fire in my wake.

Dimitri ran after me, dousing the flames as he passed them. I didn't look back at him, furious at him but even angrier at myself. If I hadn't said anything about my old self, then we could have continued like we had been before.

He grabbed my arm, slipping his hand into mine and entwining our fingers. I pulled my hand out. "Don't you touch me, Dimitri," I growled. "I will burn you to death and you know it!"

He rolled his eyes and walked ahead of me, grabbing my shoulders in his hands and stopping me in my tracks. "Listen to me, Annie," he said, his voice sharp. "I say what I do because I know that, deep down, there's still the old you in there. And I like her better than I like the new you."

I narrowed my eyes. "Well she isn't coming back!" I hissed. "I like this me, and there isn't anything you can do about it! So stop trying!" I pushed him back, and he stumbled before falling directly on his snarky little ass. He was up seconds later, grabbing my wrists and holding them tightly.

"Annie," he growled, but as he looked at me and the seconds passed, his face softened but his grasp did not. "Annie, I can't give up on you." He looked at the ground and held my wrists even harder. "I can't!"

I twisted my wrists in his hands uncomfortably. "Dimitri, you're hurting me. Let go." He didn't do as I said, and he tightened his hold again. "Ow! Dimitri, let go!" I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to pull my arms out of his hands. I felt him release me, and I opened my eyes, rubbing the red lines on my wrists. "What the hell?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry." He pulled me into his arms, and despite having hurt me, I hugged him tightly, clinging to his shirt and burying my face in his shoulder.

"Dimitri, you scared me," I whimpered. He pulled away from me as soon as I said that, and stared at me.

"What did you say?" he asked, holding me by my shoulders. He looked at my necklace, and frowned.

"I…I don't know…what are you doing?" I asked as he reached out towards my necklace. I slapped his hand away. "Don't you touch that!" I stepped away from him and dashed back into the maze.

I didn't exactly know why I'd run away from Dimitri. When I slid down the wall somewhere near the center, I questioned myself. The answer came to me quickly; I had been on the verge of returning to my previous personality.

I half-wished he would come after me, and I buried my face in my knees. I couldn't go back to how I used to be. I liked being like this so much better. Being Annie, I was a princess, I had power, I had confidence, and I had magic. As Annabelle, I had been a no-one. I'd been underestimated and weak.

"What are you doing out here?" someone asked me. I looked up and saw Aero, her hands on her hips and a confused expression on her face.

I shrugged. She offered me a hand, and I took it and she pulled me up. She looked me over. "Oh, come on, Annie! It's your grandfather's birthday. There's a party, and you aren't even dressed!" I looked down. It was true; I was still wearing the dress I'd gone to the school in, and the front had blood splattered on it, and it was messy. Parts of it were torn from where I'd bolted through the leaves.

I nodded. "Will you tell my grandfather I apologize for my lateness?" I asked, and disappeared before she could answer, knowing the answer would be yes anyways. I appeared back in my room, and searched through my closet. How had I forgotten my grandfather's birthday? It was two days before mine; I should know better.

I picked out a gown that looked like the one I was planning to wear for the one I was going to wear at my own party; mainly red, but threaded with gold and Celtic swirls decorating it, but only seen if you looked hard enough. I changed quickly, and snapped my fingers, my dark brown hair becoming a wave of curls. I twirled and looked at myself in the shattered mirror and grinned. "Perfect."

Aaron appeared by my side and held out his arm. I took it and smiled. Aaron was the one made for me, I thought. But I knew the more I told myself, the more obvious it became that it was a lie.