The wind blew softly around me, lifting my hair. It was cool and relieving after the heat of L.A. The full moon was shining turned the grass gray, the trees black, and the lake into mercury. There were breaks in the sea of gray with splotches of white, pink, and yellow.

"It's beautiful." I gasped.

"We're in Germany." He said. He looked at me. "Haven't you ever traveled to here?"

"I don't think so." I said. "I often just pictured some place. I don't pay attention to the name of the country I'm in."

He unfurled his wings and took off into the air. "Aren't you coming?"

I stretched my wings and took off after him. I took a deep breath and flew on my back. I saw the starry heavens above me and I reached out to touch it. It was clear and beautiful with little puffs of cloud in the sky.

Aidan flew above me and blocked my view. "What are you dreaming about?"

"The moon makes everything look so beautiful." I said.

He smiled. "Yeah, it does."

I made a face from him and let out a burst of speed. I did a barrel roll and twisted in the air. It felt wonderful to be flying again. It felt like I was completely free. I spread my arms and basked in the light of the universe.

I felt arms wrap around me and had a freak out moment. But then Aidan chuckled in my ear. "Relax Latia."

"I will never relax when your arms are around me." I said.

"Is that a promise or wishful thinking?" He asked.

I smacked him and slid out of his arms. He took my hand

"You should rest." He said.

I blinked. "I'm fine." I protested.

He smiled. "You're not right now." He tackled me. My wings churned air.

"Would you let me go!" I said. I rolled and twisted, trying to get free. We swept dangerously close to the ground.

"You really do say that a lot." He said. He released me and I fell onto the ground.

"Oof!" I said. I landed right on my butt and then laid against the ground, sighing.

He landed right beside me on his feet. He laid beside me with his head near my stomach and his stomach next to my head. My right wing was pinned under him. He put his arms behind his head and stared up at the night sky. I gave up and stared up too.

"What kind of flowers do you like?"

I lifted my head and looked at him. "What?"

"I don't know that much about you." He explained. "So what kind of flowers do you like?"

"So you're asking me about the kind of flowers I like?"

He grinned at me.

I laid back down. "If I answer your questions you then you have to answer mine." I bartered.

"Fine. But I have the right to refuse any question." He said.

"Deal." I thought about. "I guess I like lilies."

"Hmmm. I've always liked marigolds." He said. "When's your birthday?"

"Rather not say." I answered.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Twenty-one. Zodiac sign?"

"Are you psychology evaluated me or something?" I asked.

"Nope. I'm just curious."

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see. "Taurus."

He snorted. "I should have known. You do seem very stubborn."

This continued for who knows how long. He'd ask some random question and I would answer. There was one question he never asked and I was curious about his answer.

"What are your parents like?" I asked.

He tensed. "My father is pretty powerful and my mother just wants me to succeed." His tone said he wouldn't go any further. "I already know about your parents."

I grimaced. I switched to a different topic. "What does the tattoo on your back mean?"

"It's the ancient symbol of darkness. When an angel comes of age a tattoo like mine shows up, only for angels of the light it's the ancient symbol of light."

I rolled onto my side and propped myself on an elbow. "How come-why did-how did I never notice?"

He chuckled. "It's not known too much. It's a turning of age secret."

"When will it happen to me?" I asked.

"When you turn nineteen." He said.

My heart slammed into my gut. My birthday was early May which was only a couple months away. It would be soon.

I leaned back. He started with the psychological evaluation again. I stared back up at the sky and answered the questions.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"What's your favorite jewel?" Aidan asked staring up the sky. He didn't hear any answer. He looked up and saw that her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply. He sighed. "Rude little girl."

He felt a presence in the air. He sat up and then stood up. An angel walked out from the trees. He had black wings and white hair. His eyes were cold and uncaring.

The angel smirked when he saw Latia sleeping. "Not what I expected from their daughter."

Aidan stood protectively in front of her. "Leave her alone." He said sharply. His power seeped into the air.

The angel smirked. "Protecting her Aidan?"

"Obviously Donahue." He said. Latia rolled over and curled into a fetal position.

Donahue looked at her before glaring at Aidan.

"Do really want to chance angering my father by attacking his son?" Aidan asked coolly.

Donahue's nostrils flared. His own dark power curled in the air. Aidan tensed, ready for the fight that was seconds away.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Donahue said suddenly. His power diminished and he vanished into the darkness.

Aidan relaxed his tense pose and turned back to Latia. He sighed and bent down and picked her up under the bend of her knees and her shoulders. He briefly wondered if Donahue had been silently hiding in the shadows and stealing her energy. He pressed into her mind, but even in sleep there was a barrier.

"Don't you ever relax?" He asked the sleeping girl. He cradled her tightly to his chest and pictured her apartment living room very clearly in his mind. The forest surrounding the small meadow was replaced by white walls. The grass turned to off white colored carpet and the lake was replaced by a kitchen. The evening sun tilted through the windows leaving a strip of orange-red bleeding on the carpet.

He walked into her bedroom and set her gently down on her bed. She stirred and dug her fingers into her pillow before snuggling against it. He smiled and took the blanket that was folded in half on the bed and draped it over her.

Something shiny caught his eye. On the other side of the bed was a sword that appeared to glow in the dim light. He frowned and then recognized it. It had been Devlin's sword, her father's.

He reached out to touch it. A jolt of ice blue lightning struck out and burned his fingers. He jerked his fingers back. He stared at the burn marks it had left. He should have assumed that Devlin would have placed a spell on his sword so only his heir could wield the sword. Many angels did so.

He knelt down and brushed the hair off her face. She was a child in more ways then one. The control and knowledge of her powers were at the level of a…normal angel's level. She looked and acted very childlike. She was so sweet and innocent. He could see, very clearly in her eyes, the large and soft heart she possessed that she guarded with her antisocial behavior. He kissed her forehead.

She mumbled in her sleep and buried her face in the crook of her arm. Her hand touched his face like she was trying to push him away.

"Rest easy dear one." He murmured, kissing her fingers. He let his body go and melted away into the shadows.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Latia." I felt someone prodding my side. "Latia."

"Go away!" I mumbled. I rolled over and pulled the pillow over my head.

"Latia, it is Sunday." Jack said.

"Let me sleep." I complained.

"Latia, you are an angel of heaven." Jack said. "A warrior of God, wake-up. It's the Lord's day."

I rolled over onto my back and looked at the cat peering over me. I blinked. I remembered talking to Aidan, but after that. I rolled over and saw a yellow lily growing from the wooden nightstand.

I smiled and sat up. Jack looked up at me from my lap. His eyes looked calculating.

"Come on. You need to meditate while the sun rises." Jack jumped out of my lap onto the floor.

I sighed and got out of bed, stretching my stiff wings. I followed him into my living room.

I felt my jar drop. "What did you do to my living room?"

The carpet was gone and replaced by silver green-blue stone. A ring of white flames was burning on the floor. The ceiling-wasn't there anymore. Instead it was the starry night sky that was slowly turning gray with light. The crescent moon shone brightly. There were stands with basins on them and in the basins something that looked suspiciously like flurries snow dancing from it. Connecting these stands were tendrils of lightening that sparked tamely. Vines covered the walls of my apartment with the wind whispering through the green leaves.

Jack sat in the middle of the ring of fire. "I have made it so all elements are present. Angels do work with the elements to help protect humans and, definitely your case, themselves."

"Even darkness and light?" I asked. Mom and Dad did teach me about the four main elements, the four lesser elements, and the three major elements.

He shook his head. "Since you are not of age, it is unknown which element you are-in control of. But those elements are always present." He beckoned me with his tail.

I stepped over the ring and sat cross-legged in the middle of the circle.

"Breath deeply." He instructed. "Focus on the element of spirit."

"What?" I asked.

He looked at me.

"I was only four. My parents taught me very little." I explained.

He sighed. "Just breathe evenly and close your eyes."

I did what he said.

"Let your mind wander and reach beyond the barriers of your body."

I felt like my mind left my body and I was traveling through the air. I sensed everyone's minds, what they were doing, what they were thinking. My brain began to ache from the sheer magnitude of psyche.

"Latia!"

I released spirit and came back to my body. I breathed deeply like I had held my breath for the entire time.

"Too much." He said. "Try again, only less this time."

"Less?"

"Not to the ends of the universe this time. Try to keep it in your apartment building."

"Okay." I tried again, doing the same thing only thinking of definite barriers of the apartment building.

Most of the residents were still sleeping deeply. Their dreams were chaos or didn't make any sense. Amelia was still up. I ran from her psyche and that of her partner's. Jacob was sleeping with his mouth open and stretched awkwardly on his small bed. I laughed softly and he jerked. He lifted his head sleepily.

"Angela?" He looked around and then without warning, his head fell back on the bed and he let out a chainsaw like snore.

I felt a strong warmth and saw that the sun was rising. I pulled my…spirit, psyche, whatever back into my body. Jack nodded approvingly at me.

"Thank you fire, air, water, earth, lightening, ice, nature and metal, you may depart." He said clearly

The room shifted and turned back into my living room. A golden orb rose over the buildings and brought light to the world. I looked at Jack with a large grin spreading across my face.

He rolled his eyes. "I expect you back here tonight, before sunset." He stalked off and stood by his bowl. "Now, I'm hungry. I don't have the digits to pour my own food."

I laughed. I felt…good. That was a really strange and wonderful experience. I couldn't wait to do it again. I got up and grabbed the kitten food. I poured him some. I grabbed the water bowl and rinsed it out with fresh water.

"I'll teach you how to control to the element of spirit before we move onto the other elements." He said, washing his ink dipped muzzle.

"A feline teacher." I mumbled. "Bet no one else has ever been taught by a tom cat."

He looked at me. It was a wise look and he definitely didn't look like a little kitten. "You are far from normal and are very special and unique. So, it's not unusual for you to be taught by something that doesn't walk on its hind legs." He shook his fur. His head tilted to the side.

"You have to go?" I asked. A grin was spreading on my face.

"Yes. There's something I must look into." He stood up and ran out the window.

I blew my bangs out of my face. So the cat wakes me at the crack of dawn and then runs off? Maybe I should get him neutered.

I walked back into my room and collapsed face first on the bed. I heaved a sigh. Damn feline. I wasn't tired anymore.

I rolled off the bed and went to my dresser to find some clothes for today. I was happy when I found my favorite no sleeve white shirt with black angel wings and a five point star, clean and folded neatly away. I found the jeans that had white paint splattered on them. Humans are funny creatures. I used these pants to paint my apartment and ended up tipping a tin foil paint pan over and onto these pant. I had to wear them to school one day and everyone thought they were the coolest things ever. O-kay. But at least this meant I could wear these pants without hearing nasty snide comments. Those do tend to get on one's nerves after a while.

I slipped on a pair of white flip-flops and then attacked my hair with a brush. I actually pulled my sides back with two silver clips. I found my charm bracelet and put it back on. My wings disappeared back into my back.

I winced at the pain. I walked into the living and grabbed my keys, and on second thought, my wallet. You never know when you are going to find something that you just have to have. Man, I sound like a human teenage girl.

I walked out of the apartment and shut the door, locking it. Because it was just a little past dawn, not very many people were up. Most of those who were up were drunkers with nothing else to do, but wander the streets.

I stretched in the lazy hour. Wandering over to a park near the school. The leaves shifted in the wind and the water was a shiny mirror. So maybe I wasn't entirely upset with Jack waking me up, it was very beautiful.

I stretched lazily. It was probably dangerous and stupid to be wandering out alone, but it was dawn. The Followers would be hiding in their lairs after a long night of soul/hope sucking. And the fallen wouldn't come after me with potential witnesses.

I sat on a bench and stared at the water. My thoughts were on Aidan. Who was he really? Who were his parents? Why exactly was he helping me?

Maybe his parents were one of the ones who wanted me banished. It could be a reason why he wanted to help me. He could also be a son of those who fought with my parents to defeat the fallen. I often wondered why those angels, the angels who fought side-by-side with my parents, would also want me to kick out of the realm of the angels. Was there some evil prophecy that stated if I had stayed that the end would come?

I felt a chill. Did they know about the possible resurrection of Androcles? Or did they think it was a wild goose chase of sorts? It didn't seem logical that Androcles could be resurrected especially after almost two decades since his destruction.

"Angela!"

I looked up and saw Tianna, Vanessa, Jimena, Serena, and Catty running up to me. Their moon amulets reflected the sun.

"Hey," I waved sluggishly. I frowned when I felt something important on their minds. I didn't push into their mind and see what exactly was on their minds. My stomach was twisting into knots though.

"We need to talk to you." Jimena said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"All right." I said. I felt unease and I was prepared to bolt.

Serena sighed. "Angela we know you're an angel."

My heart tightened and I tried not to show how much her declaration had startled me.

"What?" I asked. "I know my name means angel, but it doesn't mean I am one."

"Latia." Catty said my name and I froze. They knew. There was no doubt they knew.

"How?" I asked, glaring at them.

"Stanton, told us." Vanessa said.

I peered into her mind. I bolted up. Stanton was Prince of the Night, the highest honor given by the Atrox.

"Latia?" Tianna asked softly.

"You're one of them. One of the Atrox's Follower."

"No!" Jimena said. "We fight Followers."

"Lair." I spat. Fear took over. I darted around them and took off running.

"Latia!"

"Go to hell where you belong!" I screamed over my shoulder. I put on another burst of speed when I heard their pursuit.

People seemed to have appeared out of thin air and I ran around them with those, Followers on my tail. I darted through an alley and sprang right over a chain link fence. I landed in a crouch and then got up as fast as I could and started running again.

I finally lost them and slowed to a walk. I felt a pain in my side and I wrapped my arm around my middle. I was going to have to leave L.A. It was way too dangerous for me to stay.

A chill shot through me. I sensed danger. My body felt antsy. I spotted a building that had a "club feel" despite looking like a normal home. It seemed dangerous, but being out in the open like this felt even worse.

I took a deep breath and crossed the road to the hidden club. I opened the door and slipped inside.

The club was…dark. The walls were painted black and the decorations were dark and gothic. The lights shone on the dancers. My lip curled, most of them looked like they were having vertical and clothed sex.

I went along the edge and sat down next to a lonely girl. She glanced up at me, but didn't say anything when I sat down. I began playing with my amulet nervously. I still felt unsafe, but leaving and going back in the open felt like a really bad and stupid idea.

A guy came over and asked the girl to dance.

"Sure." She said and she took his offered hand. He glanced at me and I thought I saw a flicker of yellow in his eyes. Yellow?

"He's a Follower, Latia! Get out of there!" Jack's voice screamed in my head.

My stomach dropped. How did I get into this mess? I noticed that only the ones with yellow eyes were glancing hungrily at me, but made no approach to me. I got a feeling that they were waiting, something was going to happen that they wanted to witness.

I stood up and started back toward the exit. As soon I was out of here I was going to teleport right back home to pack.

A firm hand grabbed my arm and whirled me to face them. My blood ran cold and froze in my veins. I felt an old memory press against my mind. He still looked the same. His coal black hair was still spiky and his brown eyes were cold and hard despite the feral smile that spread across his face. The only thing missing was his wings.

"You." I heard myself say.

His smile spread. "So you remember me?"

I answered his question with a knee rammed into his groin. He gasped and his grip on my arm loosened enough for me to pull free and ran from him.

"Donahue! Osten!" He barked. Dancers broke apart as I pushed through them. Two angels, with wings, dropped from the dark ceiling and grabbed my arms. I writhed and tried to free myself. I tried to focus on my building power for an attack.

The spiked hair one walked over and suddenly plunged his hands into my stomach. I gasped and saw that there was a blue-white glow around where his wrists disappeared into my body. It felt like he was trying to grab something. I felt his fingers curled around something and I felt like something was being ripped from me.

I screamed in pain. It hurt. This was unimaginable pain. His smiled in a sick way, obvious enjoying my pain and screams. His hands felt like they were pulling something from someplace deep inside me.

I watched as he pulled something smoky and red from inside me. I felt my eyes widened as I stared at whatever he just pulled out of my body. It curled and danced around his hands. He looked at a white haired angel and nodded.

The white haired angel pulled me from the other. His arm went over my neck and pinned one of my arms to my side. The other angel took out a long, black blade. He grabbed my hand and drew the blade against my wrist. I felt a sharp sting and then blood gushed out.

The red smoke thing shot from his hands and curled around my bleeding wrist. It seemed to suck up the blood. My knees shook and the room began spinning as I watched a figure take shape. I remember dark evil eyes with a cold smile before I black out.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Androcles fanned his wings and stretched his arms. He inhaled deeply. "You took your sweet time Barros."

"I'm sorry my Lord." Barros, the spiked haired angel, said. He glared at the unconscious girl in Donahue's arms. "She was difficult to find."

Androcles looked at the daughter of the ones who destroyed him. He smiled. "Ironic that the ones who destroyed me produce the one to free me."

"What do we do with the girl?" Donahue asked.

He looked at her. "She could be very useful to our mission. Bring her with us to Nefandus."

Androcles turned around and a portal to Nefandus opened. Donahue flung the girl over his shoulder and walked through the portal.

Androcles was the last to enter the portal. He looked at the scared and helpless faces of the humans who had wandered in her. He smiled and he held his hand out in front of him.

He spoke in an ancient tongue and golden threads flew out of the humans and gathered in his hand. The hopeless humans screamed as the fallen angel walked into the portal.