Isabel walked through the colony with one eye on the tunnel to her right. It was as if something far away was setting off her senses. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. She didn't know if there was something truly terrifying approaching, or if it was just her emotions playing with her.

It wasn't difficult to know where Jess was. She hadn't to admit it, but she knew her smell. The moment she had returned to the colony and hugged Jess, she could detect the slight hint of Jess's excitement. It was the same as before she left with her mother when she saw Isabel holding Jess and had her head between her friend's legs. Isabel remembered the sweet taste on her tongue. It was intoxicating. Her only wish was that she could compare it to how her mother tasted. That last thought was enough to make her stop in her tracks and consider what she was feeling and thinking.

She smacked her forehead and groaned. Everything about this was wrong. How did things get so complicated? Her abilities were supposed to be the important thing to think about. She thought back to her confrontation with the Scorpula. What happens if they come across another hybrid like that? Isabel had to get stronger to protect everyone. She had to get stronger so that one day she could fight back against the Dragons. She couldn't afford to get distracted by taboo thoughts. However, the least she could do for now was tell Jess about what had happened.

She started walking before looking up, causing her to bump into someone. She reached out to grab the person and stop them from falling. Her throat hitched and her heart raced when she saw it was Jess that she was holding in her arms.

''Oh, hello,'' Jess said shyly. She either failed or didn't bother to hide the blush that brightened her cheeks.

''Hi…'' Isabel gulped and then helped Jess to her feet. Her arm lingered around Jess's body, but she eventually let her go. ''Are you preparing to relocate?''

Jess nodded. ''I was going to my hut now. I don't know how long the journey will be so I don't know what to carry.''

''It'll be a few days at least. But, if you need any help with anything, you can always come to me.''

''I wouldn't want to trouble you,'' Jess turned to her left and then her right. ''Is your mother helping the council?''

''Yes, she's actually now become a member.''

''Really?'' Jess gasped and then grabbed Isabel's hands. ''That's fantastic. What does this mean for you two?''

''Huh?'' Isabel felt trapped. Her mind took Jess's words the wrong way. She shook her hands away from Jess's grip. Her palms were sweaty and she could feel her whole body trembling. ''I guess this means we'll finally get some respect from others in the colony.''

Jess smiled warmly. ''I suppose Thane is grateful to you for saving his life?''

''I honestly don't know.'' Isabel frowned. She didn't know if she wanted his gratitude. But at least she didn't have his death on her conscience. ''We went through a lot to get him back.''

''I can imagine,'' Jess said. She looked closely and her friend and could see a hint of hesitation. ''Do you want to talk about what happened on the surface?''

Isabel closed her eyes and sighed deeply. ''That's actually why I came to find you.''

She opened her mouth to speak but that wasn't enough for the words to come out of her. How is it that confronting slave-traders and facing a monster hybrid was less scary than confessing to her best friend? Perhaps because of the topic of her confession? Where was Isabel supposed to start? She didn't know if she should ease Jess into the subject or go straight into the naughty details.

Jess stepped closer when Isabel didn't say anything. ''Did something happen to you?''

''To my mother and I…''

''Are you both okay?'' Jess asked filled with concern.

''We're fine, it's just that we…'' Isabel's head was filled with thoughts about what she and her mother did. All the lewd images came rushing back to the forefront of her mind and had her feeling hot and frustrated. This was the last thing she wanted to feel, especially with Jess taking one step closer. She could feel Jess's warmth. She could smell her innocence fading with every second she stayed next to her. After spending her time with her mother, she thought these feelings were only reserved for her. However, Jess made her feel heated too.

''I'm torn,'' Isabel stated.

Jess looked on confused. ''Torn? Torn apart from Helen? I don't understand.''

It pained her to see Jess look so lost. She couldn't drag this conversation out any longer.

''My mother and I…''

''Isabel!'' Thane shouted from behind them. Isabel could have crushed stone as she clenched her fist in anger and turned to see the young man marching towards her and Jess.

''What do you want?'' she growled impatiently.

Jess looked at her nervously and started to shuffle away. ''I should go…''

''Stay!'' Isabel said to her.

A chill ran up Jess's spine, but she obeyed without complaint.

Thane showed no fear as he stopped right in front of Isabel, staring directly into her eyes venomously. ''Don't think that things have changed just because your mother is part of the council.''

''Things have changed,'' Isabel smirked. ''We're now equals. Although, with the power that I have now…I should be the one looking down on you.''

''That power should be mine!''

Isabel creased her brow. ''What are you talking about?''

''You got in the way,'' he snarled and edged closer to her, breathing down her neck and standing over her. Jess was intimidated staring at the size difference, but Isabel wasn't concerned at all. ''That skeleton we saw was going for me. You jumped in the way and took that power for yourself. What if it was supposed to be for me?''

''I was trying to save your life! I didn't know I was going to get super strength from it! When it happened, I thought I died!''

''Don't talk to me about dying!'' Thane yelled angrily. By now, dozens of people had gathered to see what all the commotion was. ''I was a prisoner for days. They only gave me crumbs and droplets of water to survive on. I had my fucking fingers cut off. While I was suffering, you got to have this power. A power that looked like it was supposed to be given to me. I'm the one who will lead this colony one day. I should have the power to protect everyone and be in command!''

Isabel could see him lunging for a strike. She could have stopped him. But she let him hit her. His fist clattered against the side of her face. She didn't flinch while he stumbled back, holding his wrist and groaning in pain. As he slouched down, she walked forward and looked down on him.

''You've lived on top your whole life. The moment someone else gets the praise they deserve; you think you've been wronged. You're pathetic.''

Thane sneered at her. ''If I was like you, I'd snap your neck.''

''If I was anything like you, I'd kill myself.''

As Isabel towered over Thane, watching him clutch his swollen hand, something dawned on her…this felt good. After all the years of torment she endured because of people like Thane, it felt good to finally have the power to strike back. She wanted it to continue. Thane backed away from her, but Isabel advanced on him. Her smile widened into something unpleasant.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her hand from behind and stopped her.

''Isabel…'' Jess's soft voice quelled the fire inside of her. ''You've always been better than him. Don't go to his level.''

Isabel slowly turned and faced Jess. Staring at her friend's kind face and sparkling eyes made Isabel feel like she was flying. It was exactly like whenever her mother would calm her. What did that say about her? Were her feelings for her mom and Jess the same? They shouldn't be, and yet, Isabel realized it was the truth.

A noise coming from far away turned her attention away from Jess and over to the tunnel she had been staring at earlier. The strange presence she had been sensing was more prominent than ever, but there was also something else. She could hear dozens of footsteps scurrying around and frantic calls from people. It was muffled because of the distance, but Isabel knew something was happening.

Jess noticed Isabel's hard stare. ''What is it?''

''There's a noise coming from that tunnel,'' Isabel said. Everyone who had been watching her and Thane's argument also turned their heads. They couldn't possibly hear what was happening, so none of them showed the same level of concern that Isabel expressed.

''That's where they released the prisoners.'' Someone said.

Isabel then remembered the slave-traders that were with Angelique when she first faced her. As instructed, they had been freed and were allowed to return to the surface to do whatever they wanted as long as they didn't return to the colony to cause trouble. At first, Isabel believed that they had regrouped and were coming back for revenge. But it soon became apparent that wasn't what was happening.

She could hear blood-curdling screams. The sickening sound of bones snapping and blood spilling onto the walls. The color drained from her face as she listened closely to the horrors going on in the tunnel. She couldn't see what was happening, and she wanted to keep it that way. There were pleas of mercy that gradually dwindled until only one voice remained.

''Please, Lord Lacron, we were…'' that was the last thing said before the voice was abruptly silenced.

Isabel gasped. She recognized that name. The strange aura she had been sensing wasn't human at all. Before Jess could question her friend, Isabel broke free from her hold and sprinted back in the direction of the council. She cupped her hand around her mouth and took a deep breath. ''Drake! There's a Drake coming!''

Her warning carried over throughout the whole colony. People stopped what they were doing and turned to Isabel as she rushed through the crowd and towards the other end of their home. All the while, she cried out the same thing over and over again. She hurried on until she found where her mother was. By the time Helen turned her head, Isabel was already beside her, taking her arm and leading her to the front of a large crowd of people who were the first ready to leave.

''Mom, there's a Drake coming! We need to get everyone moving now!''

''Are you sure?'' Helen asked. She knew her daughter wouldn't lie about this. But she wished that she was wrong.

''I'm sure. He's getting closer. We need everyone to make their way through the other tunnel now!''

Helen looked up to see everyone staring at them in confusion. She pointed to the tunnel that would lead them to their destination. ''Didn't you hear my daughter? Move now!''

Spurred on by Helen's sharp tone, everyone rushed forward. While they tried to carry whatever they could hold, if they dropped something, they were instructed to leave it behind. No one had seen a Drake before. The fear of the unknown scared them more than any creatures they had fought in their years of hiding here. Helen and Isabel watched on as the council took the lead, and Giovanni was one of the few that stood by to make sure everyone fled in an organized manner. Isabel kept her eyes peeled just in case anyone looked like they would be crushed under the stampede. At the same time, she listened for the Drake. By now, she could hear its footsteps.

''There isn't enough time,'' she said, turning to her mom was a panicked expression. ''Not everyone's going to make it.''

A councilman heard her and barged his way to the front. ''Those in the back will slow down the Drake.''

If the situation wasn't dire, Isabel would have slammed him into the ground. But she held back. She could smell the Drake from where she stood. Her nose was filled with the stench of ash and smoke. This was hopeless. The colony would only get so far before the Drake caught up with them. She looked up to see Jess somewhere close to the back. She never went back home to gather her belongings. Isabel wanted to dive into the crowd to help her friend. She wanted to help them all.

There was only one way she could help them.

She turned around and walked back to where she came. But didn't get very far as her mother grabbed her arm. ''Where are you going?''

''Even if I can stall it by just a few minutes…''

''No!'' Helen shouted. ''That's suicide.''

''Not going will lead to a massacre.'' Isabel jerked her arm free, careful not to throw Helen off her feet as she did so. ''Mom, you know this is the only way.''

''I won't lose you.''

''You won't. I'll stall it and if I can't kill it, I'll run ahead to catch up with you.''

Isabel wasn't sure if she was trying to convince her mother or herself. Earlier in the day, she was almost killed by a hybrid that was probably no more than a pest to a Drake. She cupped her mother's face, wiping away the tears that welled up in her eyes. Helen grasped her hand and rested her head against Isabel's strong yet soft touch. She wanted to argue with her. She wished there was a way to drag her daughter to safety. But she wouldn't do that, even if she could. She knew that Isabel would never forgive herself if she did nothing while the colony was hunted and killed.

''Come back to me as soon as you can,'' Helen whispered.

It took all of Isabel's willpower not to lean in and kiss her. Even with the colony stampeding their way to safety nearby, she wanted to do it anyway. She didn't know if this would be the last time, she would be able to gaze into her mother's eyes. No, she had to believe she would see her again. She had to see Jess again. Isabel wasn't going to let her story end here.

She stepped away from Helen, looking back at the older woman as she rushed to where the Drake was. ''Keep going. If it can track like I can, you need to get everyone as far away as possible.''

Helen nodded and watched Isabel run away, disappearing behind one of the huts and out of sight. It wasn't until Jon emerged from the crowd and guided Helen away so that she could escape with everyone else. Jess also looked back. While Helen was able to hold back her tears, the same could not be said for the timid young woman.

''Please come back to us.'' She prayed and then joined the others.

As Isabel ran and weaved her way around the empty huts, she clutched onto something in her hand. She gazed down at her bracelet, the birthday gift given to her by her mom. It was damaged and looked like it was going to fall to pieces, but she held it close to her regardless. She could hear everyone move further away. With such a large crowd, their speed was limited. So, Isabel would have to hold off the Drake for a considerable amount of time.

She stopped at the mouth of the tunnel. Thankfully, or rather unthankfully, she didn't have to wait long. Out of the shadows stepped a cloaked figure. With talons for hands and feet, the figure stood at an intimidating 7-feet-tall. Its body was bulky and imposing. From underneath the hood, Isabel could see a snout pointing outwards with smoke rolling out of its slit nostrils. It stopped walking and pulled back its hood. While his frame was humanoid, his facial features greatly resembled that of a Dragon. Or, at least what Isabel believed a Dragon to look like from the historical stories her mother told her.

''Interesting…'' Lord Lacron hissed. The outline of his mouth curled upwards. Isabel wasn't expecting it to smile and that somehow made her feel worse. ''I can't remember the last time my prey didn't run away.''

''I'm not going anywhere.''

''And that will be your last mistake, human.''

XXX

HELLO MY SWEET SUPERSTARS! DID YOU ENJOY THIS NEW CHAPTER? THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET INTENSE FOR ISABEL. THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE AN ACTION-PACKED ONE WITH ISABEL VS LORD LACRON. THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE HERE ON WEDNESDAY. I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY OTHER THAN THANKING YOU ALL FOR BEING THE BEST READERS EVER. I LOVE READING YOUR REVIEWS AND COMMENTS. STAY SAFE EVERYONE. TA-TA FOR NOW.