Sorry that it has been a while. I'm currently juggling two jobs and university! Here is chapter 7. I've tried making it a long one.

Again reviews and critiques are much appreciated as it helps any writer better their craft!
All rights reserved to Veronica Roth, OC's however are mine!
Enjoy my lovelies

"I've underestimated you."

"What the hell does that even mean? For weeks on end his been on my case, giving me hell. And then when he gets me alone, his all, 'I've underestimated you.' His worse than a girl." Katherine threw her pillow at me finding my comment offensive, not liking my comparison of Eric to women. "Sorry. So what do you think?"

Katherine started to snicker, making me turn to her, cocking my eyebrows up in a perplexed look. My hand wound around her pillow, a soft thud echoed around the room as I hit her upside the head with it. "Why are you laughing?"

"Sorry. I think you…well…kind of" she hesitated, her eyes darting around the room, trying not to make eye contact.

"Kind of what?" my voice coming out a little harsh.

"That you kind of like him."

I paused for moment, trying to register her words. I could feel my cheeks blush with red, and a lump had formed in my throat.

"No, I don't like him." However the croak in my voice sounded raspy, the blush of my cheeks and the lack of eye contact gave it away. You're losing it Candor, I could only sense my conscious rolling her eyes at me behind sunglasses and a book.

"Yes you do. And it's okay to admit it. Hell maybe you might tame the guy." Katherine got up from her position on the bed and walked over to me, grabbing my shoulders playful, before stepping behind me and undoing my ponytail.

"What are you doing?" I tried to move my head, but she had a strong grip on it, forcing me to look straight.

"I'm going to curl your hair, and then we are going shopping. There's another party on tonight at one of the dauntless members' apartment. We are going, no buts about it." I didn't have the heart to argue, and relaxed back into her touch as she worked her magic, while I drifted off deep into my mind, thinking about what Katherine had stated. Did I really like Eric? But I couldn't.

After hours of pampering ourselves, and picking out outfits, Katherine looked like a goddess, her brown locks, sat straight down her back, her face shone with a smoky eye, while wearing a very sexy black dress. After much debating and arguing, I had finally managed to convince Katherine to let me wear, a pair of high waisted black pants, pairing it with a black long sleeved crop top. She had a whinge when I walked out with my boots, but my already long legs didn't need to be any longer. I had to admit I looked pretty, my makeup was quite natural, as I was never one to pack on the makeup, some mascara on my eyes and bronzer on my cheeks matching it with some pink gloss on my lips. I had never felt beautiful, not before my attack and now not after, and the scar that I carried everywhere I went made me feel even less attractive. Jax's words sang in my head. He always thought I was the most beautiful creature in the world, and my scar only brought out my beauty. "Everyone is flawed Lex. Even the most beautiful creatures in the world. It's the different, the flawed, that make us beautiful." My face lit up, and my fingers grazed my scar, trailing it.

"Eric is going to love you." Katherine's sharp voice snapped me back to reality. The sound of Eric's name sent a foreign feeling into the pit of my stomach.

"I'm not here for Eric. And I don't think love is in his vocabulary." I chuckled as we made our way to Zeke's apartment. He graciously offered to host the party.

"Keep telling yourself that toots." She nudged my side as I could only give a shake of my head, a smirk appearing on my face. We had reached Zeke's door, at the same time as Jayce, Adam, Kyle and Sarah, all dressed for the occasion. Michael, the soft hearted Amity transfer had not been seen in days, which worried me. "Is Michael not with you?"

"No. Haven't seen him since the final testing." Kyle shrugged his shoulders apathetically, his tone held no emotions, which I found not surprising, wondering what Sarah saw in him. My eyebrows came together as my forehead creased in worry.

Jayce had knocked on the door, and it flew open a second or two later, a Dauntless member who by the looks of it was already plastered drunk staggered out of the doorway, pushing past Katherine and I with a rough shove as he stumbled down the hallway, his hand clutched to the wall for support. A loud laugh sounded, causing me to turn back to the door. A young boy, maybe only a year younger than us appeared, and in closer inspection he looked very much like Zeke.

"Hey I'm Uriah, Zeke's brother. Come in, get some drinks and start partying." That explained it. We had entered to find people buzzing and roaming, drinks in hand, dancing and grinding on one another, the music blasting. Zeke's apartment was quite large, and where I was standing I could make out four bedroom doors, which probably led to a couple of bathrooms. Furniture had been pushed against the walls, as people filled nearly every crevice of the spacious apartment.

I was wasn't one for parties, it wasn't in my nature to get drunk nor did I attend any parties to drink. Katherine and Jayce were dancing on the makeshift dance floor, as were the rest of my friends. Deciding that I wanted some air, I squeezed past the sweaty heaving bodies of the mass, and slid open the balcony door. Luckily no one was out here, allowing me to collect my thoughts.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I needed to make a decision, which would then require me to start collecting answers, both for my dad and myself. Jax. Divergent. Eric. All three were connected somehow, and to find answers about Jax's disappearance I needed to get them from Eric, who was according to Four, a divergent hunter. This is going to be fun. "Shut up." I whispered to myself quietly.

"Talking to yourself?" His voice was like swallowing glass, and I hadn't needed to turn around to know who it was. He came to stand beside me, leaning against the barricade, two beers in his hand. He passed one to me, shifting my face to look at his as I gingerly accepted it, turning back to face the city lights. I sipped the beer slowly, the gold liquid slid down my throat warming its way down my oesophagus, heating my chest against the bitter wind of outside. I could feel my heart beating hard against my ribcage, and if you listened closely you could hear it thumping, hard. I wasn't normally nervous around Eric, but tonight was an exception, and Katherine's voice continued to flutter around in my head. Maybe I did like him. Under all the bravado act, Eric was strong and powerful, but humorous, and beautiful.

His shoulder brushed mine as he shuffled over to me, and it was then that I realised the little skin on my stomach that was showing, radiated with gooseflesh. He was attentive enough to realise I was cold, and beyond his bad boy exterior came closer to me to radiate body heat. I sighed through my mouth, an involuntary reaction, and his attentive self, picked up on it.

"What is in that mind of yours?" His light tone caught me off guard. Turning around to capture his face, I smirked slightly, my eyes lighting with amusement and giddiness. His grey-blue orbs weren't filled with anger, or annoyance, but for the first time in my experience with curiosity and wonder.

"If I told you, we'd be here all night." A hearty laugh escaped his lips, a shiver running down the length of my spine hearing such sounds coming from him. It was beautifully different, a welcomed change from the previous times he would chuckle with sinister aggression in his tone. He took a swig of his beer, my eyes wandering to his lips, the way it curved, and when he tongue thrust out between the soft pink tissues of his lips to lick any spillage of the golden liquid. I wondered what it would be like to kiss him, what he would taste like. Get your head out of the gutter. Get some stinkin answers Lex.

"So did you follow me out here?" I inwardly yelling at myself for sounding so timid. Watching the way he tapped his forefinger along the neck of his bottle, as he was contemplating his answer, I couldn't help but feel a little happy that Eric was out here with me, and not some hot random chick he probably would be banging. Lex, honey. First you want to kill him, and now you want to bang him. I'm getting dizzy. Man would she ever shut up.

"Maybe. You've gotten me curious. And no girl has ever done that to me before." I had to respect his honesty. I smirked against the lip of my beer bottle before downing a hearty gulp, hoping the liquid courage would allow me to be brave tonight. It's time Lex. Answers above all else.

"Really? Should I feel special?" His eyes shone with a glint of amusement, his head etching closer to mine, as I shifted my body to face his, I hadn't realised that my back was now against the railing, his body towering over mine. The feeling of cold metal radiated my hand as I clutched onto the barricade, while the other held my beer bottle, between only my thumb and forefinger.

"Very." He purred almost seductively, his finger, calloused and hard, gently caressed the bottom of my lip, tracing them ever so slowly. It would have been interpreted as a romantic gesture had it been anyone else in my situation, but the look of amusement that was once present in his eyes, now was replaced by a harsher happiness. Like a cat watching its prey slowly die due to its torture. I suddenly felt like a moth, my wings being ripped apart by my predator, as he watched happily of my sudden exposure of vulnerability. I was playing a dangerous game.

His hand that was gracing my face, had made its way seductively slow down the front of my chest, his index finger, pressing down against my top, in between my breasts, until it stopped at the hem of my shirt, his eyes were still locked with mine, and a slight twitch of his lips played on his face as he slowly, inch by inch, crept his finger under my shirt, still playing with its material. If I clutched my beer bottle any harder it would shatter, his fingers, tantalisingly slow, crept there higher, splaying across my navel, my breath hitched when I felt both his hands make their way to my ribcage, clutching hard against my ribs. His beer bottle, sat perfectly upright on the barricade.

A wetness pooled between my legs, making me rub my thighs together, as he pushed our bodies closer. Heat was radiating between us, my head getting dizzy, and I didn't know whether it was from the alcohol or the effect Eric was having on me. Get a grip Lex.

I placed my bottle next to his, not caring if it stayed there or not, miraculously it did, as I placed my hands by his hips, my fingers pushing his fitted black tee up, as my fingers came in contact with his flesh. They pressed hard into both sides of his hip bones, caressing them in a circular pattern, until I was brave enough to push them higher, burying my hands underneath his shirt, where I lightly scarped my fingernails up and down on his lower back. An inaudible sigh left his mouth, a smirk played on my face.

A sharp prick in my neck caught my attention, as Eric's head was now buried in the side of my neck, his double brow piercing scored into my skin, his mouth leaving open wet kisses, his tongue swirled around, as he suckled my skin. My knees buckled under his intensity, and if he continued I wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. My fingers tightened, my nails now struck hard against his skin, trying to hold myself up. A gasp evacuated out of my mouth when he bit down hard, just below my collarbone. My hands wound around his tee-shirt and I pushed him away, my fingers lifted to where he marked me. Luckily there was no blood, but his mark would take some time to fade away, no doubt his plan all along.

"Like I said. I'm not some easy lay. You'll have to work harder than that." My voice came out airy, but I was proud of myself, as no matter how much I had wanted to do the dirty deed with Eric, I would let him stew a little more. I had to make him trust me, fully, and no matter how much it hurt me to think about hurting him, I had to think of my family, and the bigger picture. Walking around him, I couldn't help but give him a small condescending pat on his shoulder before exiting, but Eric was not someone to walk away without the final word, as he pulled my wrist, making me turn to face him. Warm hands grasped the sides of my face, and his plush lips, made contact with mine, in a very chaste kiss. It lasted all of a few seconds, before he left me tracing my lips, my eyes finding his back as he walked back into the apartment.

"Son of a…"

The party was still in full effect, bodies grinding, drinks were pouring, floating around the room. My eyes roamed around the large apartment, trying to distinguish the different bodies and faces, looking for my friends. Katherine and Jayce were sucking each other's' faces off, while Kyle and Sarah were absorbed in drying humping each other, in the middle of the makeshift dance floor, the rest of the boys were trying, and failing miserably, in trying to play hooky with a few of the dauntless girls. My curls bounced around as I shook my head at their antics, walking towards the front door as I decided to call it a night, the party scene not really my cup of tea.

My left hand felt irregular pressure, jolting me to a standstill as I discovered a hand wound around my wrist, pulling me towards them. Defence mode kicked in and swung my fist, hoping it would collide with the mysterious figure, but they swiftly dodged it, my hand swung against air. Before I could react again, they revealed themselves.

"Lex, stop. It's me."

"Four?" This night was full of surprises, and by the strong nauseating feeling in my gut was telling me that it wouldn't end the way I wanted it to. "What the hell?"

"Meet me at the chasm in thirty minutes." Before I could answer him back, Four walked back into the crowd, camouflaging himself.

"So what needed my attention at two in the morning Four?" The party was still raging on, and Four's cryptic message had me on guard throughout, waiting for the minutes to tick by so I could meet him here at the chasm, deciding to not go to the dorms, as I would probably have fallen asleep.

"We don't have that much time. I had to rewire the video feed, so we only have a few minutes." He shifted our bodies away from the small camera, and near the thunderous sounds of the water cascading down against the wall. "I know what you are doing Lex. This game you're playing with Eric will end dangerously for you."

"Listen Four I-"he cut me off with a hand to my face, before continuing. At this point my blood was boiling, and it was only my respect for Four himself that kept me from breaking his hand from the condescending gesture.

"But you can handle yourself, I know. I'll work with you Lex. I'll help you get answers." The sudden change in conversation stopped me in my tracks of leaving, and suddenly doubt and suspicious crept into my mind.

"What's in it for you? And don't give me that bullshit that you don't want anything out of this." My voice came out in a harsh whisper, though no-one would be able to have heard our conversation due to the crashing of the chasm, and everyone was still plastered drunk at Zeke's party.

"I want answers too Lex. I'm like you." His voice bleed with sympathy and begging. But Four was one of my only allies here, and his divergence made him a target as much as me. Take what you can get Lex. You have better chance of not dying with Four by your side. She was right.

"Okay. Deal. What do you need me to do?" a strange feeling enveloped my body, deep inside my soul, which left me with a terrible feeling.

"You get Eric to trust you. And we can get answers to their divergent plan."

"That's one thing. What about Jax?"

"I'll get you the answers about Jax. But this is bigger than just the disappearance of your brother. Lex, something big is going on." Nothing was as big as my brother, but the pleading in Four's voice, scared, a first for me to see, changed my mind about what my priorities were, and I knew that Four would not fail in getting to the bottom of Jax.

I could only nod. A silent agreement between us, before we both left. Make Eric trust you. Hell make Eric fall hard for you.

Should be fun.

Katherine stood hunch over the grime covered toilet, as she puked out her entire stomach content out and around the initiates' bathroom. Being the great friend I was as I was holding her long locks up as she continued to desecrate the toilet, I pondered that this would be the last time that we would stay here, together. Soon after choosing our permanent jobs we would then be issued housing situations, apartments.

A flush awoke me from my day dream, Katherine slowly getting up from her position, allowing my hand to drop from her head, where I could get ready.

"I am never drinking again." Her voice was hoarse, and by the looks of her she looked worse than what she sounded. Her makeup still caked on from last night, though smudged and panda eyed.

"Yeah, I'll remember that next time there is a party." Her response was a poke of the tongue before she went to take a well-deserved shower. With a shake of my head, I turned to continue to towel dry my damp hair, which was put on hiatus due to Katherine's bowel movements.

An hour later, Katherine looked better than ever, and we descended down to the chow hall, where we would have breakfast before choosing our respected jobs.

Waiting for us was already our group of best friends, though Michael, my sweet Amity was still missing, a churning feeling made its way to the pit of my stomach. I stuck myself across from Jayce and Katherine, in between Adam and Sarah. A plate of food already sat waiting for me to demolish, thanks to Jayce. There was light chatter coming from the different tables in the hall, though most of us stayed silent, a familiar thinking going around the soon to be fully fledged members of Dauntless.

"Has anyone seen Michael?" It felt like déjà vu, a repeated question, but I was getting worried. Had he too disappeared?

"No, he never came to Zekes'. And now I'm thinking about it, he never showed up in the dorms." Kyles' voice spoke out from the table, he turned his head away from Sarah to speak. "Why? You think something's happened to him?" With Four's cryptic talk about Eric and divergence still playing like a sonnet in my head, the worst ideas come up, and Michael's dead body flashed in my head. Get it together Alexia. Wow, my subconscious never first named me. I must be losing it.

Sometime had passed, and the atmosphere picked up, most of the tables now filled with chatter and the loud chewing of food. Jayce and Kyle were half way through an arm wrestling match when a sudden silence enveloped the room, everyone stopping to stare at the culprit.

Max, the leader of Dauntless had walked in, almost eerily, flanked by the younger leaders, including Eric. He stood out in contrast to the older members, his youthful face shone, the tattoos that barred on his neck were prominent, compared to the others, whose ink was slowly fading away. My eyes stayed glued to him, watching his figure with every move he made, the way his jaw would clench when darting around to certain members of the vast room. What startled me a little was the daggers he shot at Four, and Four returning the gesture.

The booming sound of Max's voice brought me back to reality, and I gave all my attention back to him, kicking Eric, and Four, to the back of my mind for now.

"Initiates of this year's class" Max's eyes found the few tables of Dauntless born initiates and us, he wore a smile of pride, his hands clasped gently behind his back, and in the corner of my eye, Eric had turned his attention to my table. "Please stand." We did as we were told, each of us rising rapidly. "You are now Dauntless members, and will now step forward, one by one and select a position of work here. Think carefully, you will not pick again." A rounding applause sounded, and with that Max had left, the other leaders staying behind to join in the small festivities of breakfast. I willed my eyes not to meet Eric's, and swiftly turned my head away, sitting back down in my seat, discussing with Katherine what job we will choose and our soon to be living arraignments.

It felt much like the second stage of initiation, as all of us initiates, were seated across and next to each other waiting to speak with the various leaders about our future job prospects. The numbers were slowly dwindling away, with only a handful of us left.

"Lex Manton." I ceased my bouncing knee, slowly rising from my seating position and into a stance, marching to the only door in the room, as one of the leaders opened the door. A lonesome chair sat across a wide table, where all five leaders sat. I took my place, my hands, palms down were flat against the oak wood table. My eyes meet Max's, and soon all the other leaders, including Eric's. My jaw clenched as I saw the smirk plastered on his face.

"Miss Manton, do you have a profession in mind?" Max was succinct and spoke straight to the point.

"Yes. I do." I had cornered Four and spoke to him briefly about a job that would allow me to work with the leaders and other factions, something that was under the radar. He suggested something that was both exciting and feared at the same time. "I would like to work in the weaponry and tactic sector of Dauntless." I tried to push down the lump in my throat as I could feel their intense eyes watching my every move. I felt vulnerable. A feeling I dread.

"Very well Ms Manton. Due to your finishing place on the board, you are eligible for such a prized position in Dauntless, and so it is yours since no one has applied for the position. Congratulations." There was no clapping, or shaking of the hand. Just a quick nod from Max, and I was off to enjoy the rest of the day before being given a key to our new apartments.

"Weaponry and tactical operations? Why the sudden change of heart to weapons?" It was a good question, and coming from Jayce he had a right to question the profession I had decided to choose. But if I had a choice I wouldn't have ever chosen to work down with the heavy machinery of vehicles and weapons. However Fours' sound advice on the position had me jumping to the opportunity, where he stated that it was a discreet and well respected job, where I would be in high demand with the leaders and Erudite, who continuously supplied Dauntless with different weapons and serums. In laments terms, it was the perfect job to easy access of information. But I wouldn't tell them that.

"Well Dauntless is all about facing our fears, and what better way than doing that, then surrounding myself with sharp knives and killer guns."

It wasn't a total lie. Just misdirecting them a little. Not telling my friends was for their own good. Yeah keep telling yourself that.

Jayce and Katherine bought it, and the conversation took a turn into their choices of work, and what the living arraignments would be like.

"So I was thinking apartment warming party?" Katherine's inane question had made me turn from my new bedroom making me step out of the spacious room and into our new living room, where she was perched on the leather couch, her feet laid atop the arm rest. I was very impressed with our new house, as it fit two bedrooms with our very own bathrooms, a spacious living area that connected with the kitchen, and an island bench that could fit at least four people for dinner.

"Absolutely not." It wasn't like me to be a negative person or say no to one of my best friends, but I couldn't deal with the added stresses of a party, as keeping up appearances was already getting to me as is. "Stop pouting. Maybe you could warm up Jayce's new apartment." Katherine sucked her lip against her pearly white teeth, and gave me a quick smirk before bounding to her new room and shuffling through her wardrobe to find something to wear.

I was getting ready to make a cup of coffee, before Katherine started to wail, stalking forward to me, before grabbing my hand and shoving us both through the front door.

"What the hell is wrong?"

"I can't find anything sexy to wear, so now that we have some points to our name. We. Are. Going. Shopping."

"Greeeaaat."

After three hours of trying on clothes, from sexy lingerie to formal dresses, Katherine had maxed at her points, while her hands carried several bags. Though while she had shopped until her hearts content, mine was racing as I continued to think about my new job, and how I would try to covertly gain access to Eric's head, and those in Erudite. But Katherine's shopping trip was somewhat of a welcomed distraction, and now I had a few outfits and undergarments that would last me for the next couple of months. Though Katherine pushed me into buying a sexy red lacy bra and matching panties, I had opted for the black, as it was ironically my favourite colour. I wondered what Eric would think of me in just my bra and panties. Wait why the hell was I thinking of Eric, and bra and panties. Stop mind fucking yourself Lex.

Katherine had left an hour ago, and most likely wouldn't be back until morning, and I was struggling to find something to entertain me. I contemplated going to see Four, and to discuss our plans for answers, but negated, as we couldn't draw to much attention to ourselves.

Four had told me only the basics of what my job would entail. Clean and count the weapons that come in and out of Dauntless. Maintain the weapons, and the machinery, such as the intimidating armoured vehicles. But the most exciting part, was having a say in the new technology that could be fitted onto the weapons. I would have to memorize every aspect of my new profession, and build it into muscle memory, as my main focus was infiltrating Erudites files.

Just as I was preparing to walk into our new kitchen, a loud banging sounded on my door. Rushing over as I thought it might've been Four with news, I hastily unlocked the door, and in my peril for news, I hadn't realized that I was standing only in a long sleeved t-shirt that just reached my mid-thigh, though my saving grace being the boy-leg underwear that I was wearing. But my appearance, or lack of, swiftly entered into the back of my mind, as a sly smirk greeted me, on the face of the one and only Eric Coulter.

This should be interesting.