Part Forty-three:

Usually, your first reaction to someone busting into your house is to back up and run. Possibly screaming on top of your lungs, and maybe even dropping to the floor like an idiot and pay to a God that will for sure have sent you a burgular who hates Christians. That or He'd send you a murderer who happens to be your best friend. Hell, He'd probably send you a homosexual just to screw with your head. Either way, my first reaction was to walk in there, and smack the idiot over the head.

Then give him a nice long lecture on how stupid the person is.

But that's just a first reaction. There is always a second reaction. And if you are patient like special ole me, then you'll patiently wait for a more sensable reaction. That is, unless you have someone like Jestin pulling you up to your feet. "Where's Daviel,"Jestin said in a high pitched voice. For crying out loud, SHE'S the vampire here. Somebody needs to toughen up this girl.

Dreya grabbed both Jestin AND me and shoved us to the floor, hidden by the couch. That's when I realized that loud footsteps were making their way towards us. It probably wasn't such a great idea for Jestin to go give us a signal. 'We're over here! Come kill us!!' I'm surrounded by idiots. I suddenly heard a laugh. Like an evil chuckle, amused by its show. I heard Jestin barely gasp, clutching onto my arm as if it were the key to her disappearing. Daviel can do it, why can't she?

I turned to look at Jestin. She seemed so shocked at this moment, that it shocked me. "Now, I could have sworn I heard someone in here,"a familiar voice said, entering our room. We were still hidden behind our couch, here. The voice...it oddly sounded like that demon from when I had went searching for my class ring. This shocked me some more, seeing as I didn't feel like meeting up with this guy again. I felt the fear start to creep into my skin at the rememberance of his red eyes.

I heard the footsteps get closer. I looked at Dreya, who was listening with such concentration. I looked at Jestin, who looked in shock. Then I took a deep breath, and shot up from where I hid. The sight of the cloud demon guy stood there, frozen in mid-step with surprise. "Ah, I knew you had to be here,"he said, very well sounding pleased. "Could you leave,"I asked sarcastically,"You're stinking up the house, and it isn't flying well with the rats."

He narrowed his eyes, barely flicking his hand to the side. This moved a table out of his way. Creepy. I don't think I like demon powers. "I'll leave...with you with me, of course,"he stated darkly,"I've heard a lot about you, Iveria." I glared at him,"I'm not going anywhere." And he scoffed, sounding more like a growl in his throat. "You're so sure about that,"he asked, moving his hand up with a wave. Everything within me was locked into place.

I became as rigid as a board.

This isn't good at all. "I can make you come with me, anyways,"He snarled,"And there is nothing you can do about it...yet." Just like that, Dreya stood up in front of me. For some reason, with this small move, the thing that was keeping me still had disappeared. I could move again. I was confused. "And I've heard about you,"the demon sneered,"It's Shield. You'd know all about It, seeing as It's knowledge is told throughout you're bloodline. It's only right that you became the Shield."

If it sounded right to him, he didn't seem all to happy about it. I still didn't understand. My Shield? When'd she pick me? Oh, he must think it, like Tyra does. A trick. "Run, Iveria,"Dreya snarled to me below her breath, standing like a wall between me and the other demon. I scoffed,"I'm not running away!" Dreya didn't turn her eyes from the other demon, but snapped,"You run, and you find Daviel. That or you die, too. RUN, Ivy!"

Before I knew it, I turned and started running. For some reason, this didn't feel right at all. I was leaving Dreya behind with that demon. It didn't feel good. It's almost like someone holding a gun to your dog, but you have to turn and go home. Like what I had to do with Max. Except, that wasn't a good thing to do. I hadn't gone far enough in time to not hear the gun shot. To not hear my loved dog yelping in pain behind me, and yet I had to keep running.

Just the thought of it sent me into shock. I turned before I reached the stairs. "You should have just let me take her, you stupid Shield,"the demon snarled. I had to go back for her. I started towards the room again, feeling the need to save Dreya from going against that demon. Before I knew it, there was a bright red flash. It was followed by a loud crash, and then a heart stabbing scream. "DREYA,"I yelled in fear. Except, the scream sounded too different from Dreya's.

I started to plow towards the room, but before I made two steps, someone grabbed ahold of me. I screamed, feeling them pull me back. Could a demon be that fast? Kill someone and then appear for me. Kill someone. Kill Dreya. Could he have killed Dreya? I heard the screaming in the room stopped abruptly, and I was pulled back into a different room. I didn't even care that I was making a racket, screaming my own head off, and beating against whoever this idiot was.

"Stop it, Iveria,"Daviel hissed furiously. I heard the footsteps of the demon heading towards my stopped screams. Daviel wrenched a closet door open, and pulled me back into it. By just shutting the door, I started to scream again. Daviel clamped his hand over my mouth, and dragged me to the back of the small closet--to the floor. It was so dark, and I already felt like I was going to suffocate. Yet Daviel still had ahold of my mouth, making me even more scared.

I heard the demon stomp into the room. He stomped around for a bit, then turned and disappeared furiously. Daviel didn't let go of me. "Keep quiet,"he whispered lightly,"It's just a closet. Keep calm." Keep CALM? KEEP CALM?! Dreya is in there...OH MY GOD, so is JESTIN! And you're telling me to keep calm!? And a CLOSET? You've got me in a CLOSET?! I HATE CLOSETS!! Let me out. Oh my God, let me out. I need to help Dreya. LET ME OUT.

"Trust me,"he hissed, feeling me struggling away from him,"Trust me, Ivy. Don't move or she'd have died for nothing." I froze. He said dead? And then I felt so horrible. It's all my fault if she died. She was my stupid shield, so I should have made it where I didn't need one. It's all my stupid fault. I felt so furious. I seethed in the dark, wanting to get up and beat the crap out of the guy. I didn't care that I was being suffocated. I wanted to kill that man.

I wanted to KILL him.

After what seemed like forever, Daviel let his hand fall from my mouth. I didn't move, but just sat there in seething rage. "Don't do anything stupid,"he said cautiously. I glared in the dark. "Ivy, you have to calm down,"he snapped. I caught something in his voice. Was is slight fear? Maybe nervousness? Whatever it was, it dropped a bucket of cold water of my furious flames. "How'd this happen,"I asked, suddenly very morbid. I'm changing emotions like a rainbow.

Daviel didn't say anything. "I don't know what happened,"I said mournfully,"All I did was...was go to the park. I'm so stupid. I should have seen it coming." I think I've switched to thinking of Dreya's death to Oak's. He didn't want to go to the park that day. "And I'm the one with the sight,"I said bitterly, abusing myself with every word,"What a useless waste." My wrists were suddenly snatched, and I jumped; startled. I could barely see, but I could practically feel Daviel's rage.

"Don't be a stupid IDIOT, Ivy,"he snapped furiously,"You were not ANY part of that. He was just some sick moron who played his way on two little kids. And he is back for more. Do you understand? It's not your fault!" I starred at him in shock. "Back for more,"I asked in confusion. Daviel practically bit on his tongue. "Nevermind, you can't blame yourself for any of this,"he said, trying to move away from that subject,"If anything, blame Jon-Deus Elequet."

I scoffed, suddenly feeling better. "Who is that,"I asked, but at the same time...I was feeling that I've heard that name somewhere! "Let's get out of here,"Daviel said, reaching for the doorknob. I suddenly realized something. I'm not afraid. I'm in a closet, a small one, and I'm not afraid. Maybe...I don't know. Daviel stepped out into the room before turning to reach for my hand. I hesitated, and he said,"Come on. You can trust me, Ivy."

I grabbed his hand, and he pulled me out of the closet. It's not that I don't trust him. I don't want to see what happened. "Jestin,"Daviel yelled, obviously not knowing that she had been with Dreya and me. He pulled me along behind him as he started towards the room where Dreya, Jestin, and I had been. "Jes,"Daviel called loudly,"Are you all right?" The wasn't an answer. "Daviel,"I said extremely quietly. He barely glanced at me before reaching for the door to the room.

"Daviel,"I said shortly, grabbing at his hand that still had ahold on mine. I started to try to pry it off. I could feel the sick waves flowing through me, and we hadn't even walked through the door yet. Daviel hesitated, already ready to walk into the room, and he looked at me closely. "She was in there with us,"I told him in a small voice,"She screamed." With that, my hand was dropped. Daviel burst into the other room, but I stayed put. I didn't want to see Oak's dead body renewed by Dreya's.

I don't even get how Dreya could have died. What about that block she had? I thought she could Shield herself. I could hear Daviel shoving things out of the way in the room. It wasn't long before he burst back to where I was standing. "She's not there,"he said in a slight panic. I bit my bottom lip. "And Dreya,"I asked in a squeak. Daviel didn't say anything. He only stomped off, yelling,"JESTIN." I knew already that she wasn't here. Would you consider it hostage?

First Dreya. Then Jestin is taken. He came for me. And now everyone is going to die for it. I sat down on the ground, letting guilt scratch its way into my brain. Not long later, though, Daviel was in front of me again. "We have to leave before he comes back,"He said, sounding slightly lost. I didn't like this kind of Daviel. "Where's Jestin,"I asked in confusion. "He's got her,"Daviel said,"And that's all the more reason that we'll have to be leaving now."

"Why,"I asked in shock,"How'd he kill Dreya? She's a Shield? Why does he want ME for? Why'd he take Jestin?" I would have asked more if Daviel hadn't grabbed my arm, and dragged me to my feet. "Daviel,"I whined, all this confusion killing me,"I don't get it. What's going on? He came from the house. How'd he know we were here? What will he do to Jestin? She won't be killed, will she?" Daviel started pulling me towards the front of the house without answering.

I started to ask more questions, but Daviel interupted. "Dreya wasn't strong enough against him. He's older than even me. He is stronger than Dreya,"Daviel snapped. Well, that was one question answered. What about the whole rest of them? Daviel paused before we got to the front door,"We'll have to leave tonight. The sun is going to come up." He turned and looked at me. I gulped,"But...I don't think..." I don't think I want to be in a house with a dead person in it.

Daviel still started leading me to the front door, for some reason. He ignored my silent protest. "And as for how Dreya's killer knew how you were here,"Daviel said quietly. I barely caught that one. As we rounded a corner, Tyra came into view. She hadn't seen us coming, yet, but she stood leaning against the door with a smile. A knowing smile. Tyra. She told him. Of course she told him. Not only would it get rid of me, but he could get rid of Jestin. Of course Tyra would be behind this!