Arianna zeroed in on the voice and found a second night human in the woods. He was also hiding in the trees. He had done a good job of keeping out of the sun, but he couldn't stop the panic he was throwing off. The sun was easy to avoid at one time, but it moved through the four danger hours and he couldn't be sure he would be safe for all four hours. Even now in the shade his skin was blistering.

"There are two out there," Arianna said, surprising even herself. "They are both in danger and doing their best to hide. I don't know who the first person is in that direction, but the second has a familiar voice. He has to be one of mine."

Gabriel debated what to do. He worried that the second night human wasn't from their clans. Arianna didn't know the difference, but Gabriel did. From the worry and anxiety, they weren't a night human that could stand the noonday sunlight. Gabriel didn't know all of the dearg-dul clan, so they could easily be one of her's also.

"The first one isn't ours," Gabriel decided. He couldn't take the risk. He didn't know how much Arianna knew of the other clans. Devin had kept her knowledge limited, but she had run into them over the past month more than once.

"But they're in trouble," Arianna replied. Clan or not, Arianna didn't want the death of a night human to be on her conscience.

"And they aren't ours. Let someone else deal with it," Gabriel replied.

"We are the only ones that can help in time," Arianna answered. "And, as head of the clan, I insist that we save both of them."

Gabriel gritted his teeth. He loved Arianna as his own flesh and blood, but he wasn't happy with her at that moment. He regretted that her word was final. All baku had to listen to the leader when they made a decision. Gabriel looked down at her, wanting to fight more, but he caught the innocence in her eyes. That was the part that made Arianna who she was: her complete innocence. Immediately, he knew why she wanted to save the unknown person. She couldn't be the ruthless leader Randolph was, or that Gabriel had to be. Gabriel sighed. He couldn't deny her word, and he couldn't crush her innocence. That would happen soon enough.

"We will go to the one of your clan first," Gabriel replied. "And if we're not too late, we can see about the other one." Arianna smiled. She had won the argument. Then she paused and scanned the woods. There was burning flesh on the first one that caught her attention immediately.

"It won't be enough time. The other one is already burned. He won't last without us saving him." Arianna had to formulate a plan. "I'll go to my own clan on my own, and you go to the other. There's no one in the dearg-dul clan that I can't handle."

"That's not safe," Gabriel replied, refusing to leave her alone.

"And that wasn't a question," Arianna replied, getting the backbone she needed to order her uncle around. Someone's life depended on her.

"I'll watch over her," Thomas said from behind Gabriel.

'And so will I,' Andrew added silently to Gabriel and Arianna. There was no way Andrew would let her wander the woods alone.

"Then that's settled," Arianna added, not waiting for Gabriel's reply.

Gabriel sighed and gave up his argument. He nodded to Arianna and headed in the direction of the silent night human as she took off in the direction of the one pleading for his life.

Arianna couldn't contain the laugh as she began to run through the trees. She felt better than she had in months, and after being crammed into the cabin for almost a week, she was happy to be stretching her muscles. The poison was obviously leaving her system. Andrew followed, not too far behind, but still unseen to Thomas. She ran through the forest at a full sprint, and Thomas was right beside her. His beautiful black wings stretched and flapped in the wind. His feeling of freedom was almost as happy as hers.

'Are you doing better?' Arianna asked Thomas. They had all been poisoned.

'Not a trace of poison left in me,' he replied. 'We think it was only reacting with the leftover blood of yours in my system. Must have been the same for Turner. The poison has no effect on lycan or tengu. And you?'

'Feeling great right now.' Arianna jumped a little higher than normal, missing a log. She faltered only momentarily before running again.

'Arianna Caoimhe,' Devin yelled in her mind. He was beyond livid.

'Yes,' she replied, not backing down after the night before. He had broken her heart. He had no right to tell her what to do and how to do it.

'Andrew just hopped out my window saying that he was chasing you into the woods, and standing here in your room I can see it's true.' Devin's anger and worry mixed together as it poured off him. Arianna felt a slight stab of guilt, but didn't stop running to her target.

'There are two night humans stuck in the woods. I'm going to bring one back and Gabriel's bringing the other.' Arianna explained her reason for running, though she felt she owed him nothing.

'Who are they?' Devin demanded, getting dressed to follow her.

'I don't know,' Arianna replied.

'You're risking your life for two unknown night humans? They probably aren't even our clan.' Devin was close to fuming now.

'One is mine. I can recognize his voice. I will not let my clan members die, no matter how stupid they are for running in the woods near high sun.' Arianna ducked under a pa.s.sing branch.

'Arianna, how can you be so reckless? Ours or not, it doesn't matter. Not everyone that is member of one of your clans is safe for you to be around.' Devin rushed to get dressed and follow her out into the woods.

'Someone needs help, and there's no one for miles. Help isn't coming. I am.' Arianna tried to put some finality behind her words.

'You don't even know who they are. This cabin is on the edge of the Grace Clan property, but it's surrounded by others on all sides. There's a war going on between the night humans and you're placing yourself in danger. Get back here right now.' Devin tried one last attempt to bring her back.

Arianna laughed her reply. 'All more the reason for me to get to this one and save him. How much will the clans like it if I knowingly let one of their clan members die?'

Devin's words didn't make a difference to her. Arianna was done following Devin's orders, and was now going to follow her own. This felt right. She couldn't sit by and be a p.a.w.n for anyone. She had to fight her own battles, and this was the first one she would fight. Arianna would be the kind of leader she wanted, neither what Devin or Gabriel wanted, nor what Seeger or Lucan wanted. Arianna would be herself and live her life the best way she could with no regrets. Watching Devin walk away before bed showed her that much. She would have no regrets. Arianna ran through the trees, coming to a sudden halt. Hiding behind the trees was a young man. He was still trying desperately to plea with his harsh father. Arianna froze in her tracks as Thomas stopped beside her. She recognized the dearg-dul immediately: Michael Seeger.

TWENTY.

Michael stared up at Arianna in her night human form. The sun was shining behind her back, and she didn't flinch. Her skin was still the same milky-white tone but without a hint of a burn or blister. She was radiant. He had heard the rumors, like everyone else, that she was immune to daytime sunlight, but he had never seen her outside, as he never left buildings during daylight hours. She was beautiful, with the sun sparkling off her pale skin, and her blue eyes were stunning. Michael couldn't get any words out as he stared dumbfounded at her. She was an angel rescuing him when his father refused.

"Are you hurt?" Arianna asked, looking him over. Michael couldn't form words to respond. She took his breath away every time he looked at her. His father was right. Arianna was the perfect match for a mate.

"Should I just run for it?" Arianna asked Thomas behind her. Michael continued to stare and didn't even notice Thomas as he landed. Thomas' large black wings were making her stand out even more with her pale contrast to them.

"We can't stop the sun, so that's probably the best solution. He will get burned, but we have enough blood back at the cabin to fix that," Thomas replied, and Michael finally looked over next to her. "I can keep pace above you and block out most of the light, but that's the best we can do."

Michael was startled from his gawking when he finally noticed Arianna stooping to pick him up. He pushed back and scrambled closer to the tree. He was afraid to enter the direct sunlight but even more ashamed to be carried by such a beautiful creature. Arianna c.o.c.ked her head to the side as if listening to someone and then nodded before swiftly knocking him out.

"Why?" Thomas asked as she easily scooped him up into her arms. Michael Seeger was a small man like his own father, so it wouldn't be a problem to carry him back the way they came. Arianna's night human strength was plenty enough to lift him. There was no way she could gracefully carry any of her keepers, but Michael would not be a problem. Although there was no reason to knock him out from what Thomas could see.

"He was going to refuse me," she explained with a shrug. "It's easier this way."

Arianna turned and began the slower run back to the cabin. Arianna did her best to keep Michael away from the sunlight, but it was a challenge. She wasn't used to hiding from the sun, so it was hard to remember to. Gabriel found his charge easier and was already at the cabin. In the middle of her jog back, she stopped and motioned for Thomas to come down. Thomas kept his wings spread to block the sunlight. It didn't burn Thomas like the dearg-duls, but it wasn't the most comfortable thing either. He would need a bath from all the extra sweat dripping down into the feathers.

"Problem?" Thomas asked. She didn't look like carrying the dearg-dul was straining her, but Thomas was acutely aware that she wasn't completely healed. He wanted to berate himself for letting her carry Michael, but didn't get a chance.

Arianna strained out a smile as Gabriel and Devin appeared from the trees in front of them.

"At least now maybe he will stop yelling in my head," Arianna replied to Thomas.

Devin was livid, and it showed in every ounce of him.

"Oh, I see," Thomas replied as Gabriel came and took Michael from Arianna. "Arianna, do you feel okay?" Thomas noticed he wasn't the only one sweating profusely. There was still an underlying yellowness to her skin, even in night human form.

Devin didn't wait for Arianna to respond before he scooped her into his arms like a child. He stared in the opposite direction for a minute before marching back to the cabin. Arianna smiled over Devin's shoulder at the trees, and Andrew hidden away in them. Devin was silently thanking him for keeping watch over her. Andrew vanished in an instant and was back at the cabin before them. He slipped through the window to her room unnoticed and was sitting in her room, listening to everything.

Once back at the house, Devin set her down gently on the couch, which was a surprise considering how mad he was at her. Arianna expected him to unceremoniously drop her once he got her safely locked inside. Devin did, however, turn back to her to yell more, but stopped. He sighed after looking at her and stormed off to his room. Devin was sorting out his feelings and getting everything under control. It wasn't often that Devin lost his cool. Gabriel exited one of the bedrooms and came to sit beside her.

"That boy isn't too happy with you right now," Gabriel commented. The couch bowed under his ma.s.sive size. Even his day human form was larger than most people.

Arianna nodded in agreement. "Where are the night humans?" Arianna asked, now that she could finally relax and breathe again without all the extra yelling of Devin or Michael in her head.

"We locked them both up and put them in separate rooms for now. We know the one you got is Michael Seeger, but we don't know the ident.i.ty of the other one. Mori ran the Randolph database, and he's not one of yours. He's running the facial database right now to see if we can tell who he is," he continued.

"Locked them up? I think I'm adequately protected now." All her guards had returned to her and were taking turns watching over the house and surrounding wooded areas.

"Not for your protection, but for each other. I was only able to get a glance from the unknown one, but he and Michael were fighting before they both noticed their predicament." Gabriel was keeping more from her. Arianna could tell, but she would never break his trust and enter his mind unwillingly.

"They were fighting so hard they didn't notice the time?" Arianna wondered.

"Hey, it can happen." Gabriel chuckled at his own memories. It had happened to him on more than one occasion. Arianna again wanted to use her new skill and intrude, but didn't. Gabriel looked back to Arianna with concern. She didn't feel too bad after her afternoon run, but everyone was very anxious.

"So how mad is Devin?" Arianna asked cautiously.

"Worried, as we all are. You're still sick." Gabriel touched her forehead like he was feeling for her temp, but after a year in this night human world, Arianna knew better. Gabriel was just going over the motion while he thought. Night humans didn't register temperatures when infected. "You should be getting better more rapidly, especially with Andrew's blood. The stronger the blood, the quicker you heal." Arianna already had multiple lessons on that. It was one of the main reasons she was so valuable to everyone. Inside, Devin's bedroom furniture was being rearranged as several items. .h.i.t the wall.

"I don't know if I'd call that worry. Sounds more like anger to me. And he has no reason to be mad. I get to make my own choices, and, last time I checked, I was technically in charge." Arianna crossed her arms in protest. Devin's anger wasn't going to make her feel bad about saving two people. What good was it to have so much power if she couldn't help people with it? "If I want to risk my life saving someone, I think that's my choice. It's not like he hasn't made it clear that he would be better off without me."

"Ari, give the boy a break. He has a lot of pressure to fulfill many jobs around here. And maybe he's taking care of you in his own way." Gabriel nodded, not needing to mention that he knew about her broken heart. It was hard enough to hide her emotions from most baku, but Gabriel was more in tune with her than she even pretended to understand.

Gabriel sighed. He'd known Devin since the day he'd help Randolph save him. It was Gabriel's own negligence that ended up making Devin into who he was now. "He truly loves you, child. So much, he's willing to give you to who you're meant to be with. I think that's the greatest love someone can show another."

Arianna's head snapped up as she wanted to question Gabriel more, but Andrew took precedent as he spoke inside her head.

'I think you might want to search both Thomas and Molina's minds soon. Like right about now. Molina is in here looking around your room and doesn't know I'm here.'

"I heard," Gabriel replied as Arianna moved to stand up. "Ari, do it from here, right now, to know what she's doing. Turner," Gabriel called behind him. Turner came from the kitchen with a plate full of sandwiches. "Time to work for that food boy," he teased as he vanished to the outside of the house.

"That means I need to stay here?" Turner asked the empty s.p.a.ce that had been Gabriel. He plopped down and set his plate down. Though he appeared casual as always, Arianna felt his pulse increase as he tuned in his senses to follow Gabriel and a.s.sess the room around them. Turner was going to enjoy his sandwich and work at the same time.

"Yes," Arianna replied, closing her eyes and searching for Molina's mind. Instantly her mind was filled with almost an equal amount of different colored b.a.l.l.s. Molina had many secrets.

Arianna searched through the memories coming to the moment leading her into Arianna's room.

A bedroom came into focus as Arianna entered the memory. Molina was laying on a bed in Devin's and Turner's empty room. Gabriel flashed into the room carrying Michael. Molina jumped up and ran over to Gabriel.

"Is he hurt?" Molina asked. She already knew who he was before they got back to the cottage. Only one person would be this close to Arianna's hideout without being told. "It's burning hours."

"Not from our jog back here, we got him back in time. There are a few minor burns, but after we feed him, he should be fine." Gabriel placed Michael on a bed and began to bind his arms and feet effectively tying him to the heavy bedpost at the same time. There were minor cuts all over him that were already healing.

"Is he the threat?" Molina asked, watching him, but not offering to help. She was testing the waters to find out what Gabriel knew or suspected.

"I'm not sure. We found a second one out there, and all I can tell is they had been fighting. All the sc.r.a.pes and cuts are from the fight." Gabriel finished binding Michael. "You can stay here and watch him. Devin should be here soon with Arianna. "

"What?" Molina asked, standing to follow Gabriel. "Arianna was outside? Doesn't she understand how unwell she is?"

"Stay here," Gabriel ordered Molina.

"But is Arianna in trouble?" Molina was unconcerned with the tied up, unconscious young man in the room. Michael's pulse was strong, and he was just sleeping. Her main concern was, and would always be, Arianna. Molina knew about the extent of her sickness and running around during daylight hours, immunity or not, was not a good idea.

"She just exerted herself too much getting to him in time. If she hadn't, it could have been much worse. Thanks to her, both boys should live and come out of this completely fine." Gabriel paused at the door. He pointed at Michael. "I don't trust him or his family. Stay here and watch him." Gabriel was one of the few people Molina didn't ever disagree with. Gabriel was deadly if he chose to be so, and no one would see it coming. The old baku had experienced more in life than she ever imagined, and he was the only one without clouded judgment that felt as strongly about Arianna as she did.

Molina waited until she heard Devin and Gabriel talking before she walked over to Michael. She felt his pulse; he was already awake and waiting for her. He didn't open his eyes and stir, but he felt the pinch she gave him.

'Did you see the angel that rescued me?' Michael asked in awe. 'I'd do that all over again just to get her to come get me.'

'And did you see how sick she is? I thought you said it would only make her weak?' Molina kept pretending to check him over and used the opportunity to pinch him hard again. It would leave a bruise for sure.

'What the h.e.l.l are you doing so close to the cottage?' she asked him mentally.

'I didn't honestly know she was here. I was chasing the vrykolakas. I almost got him too.' Michael didn't open his eyes, but talked back anyways. 'What's the baku planning to do with me?'

'I don't know. No one will trust you. Keep your mouth shut,' Molina advised him.

'I have to say something when they finally know I'm awake.' Michael tested the binding just a little bit. Gabriel had done his job well. Michael wasn't getting out until someone let him.

'Which one of you started it?' Molina sat down on a chair and pretended to watch him dutifully though he wasn't going anywhere.

'Does it matter?'

'It will to Gabriel. You're on their land.' Molina wanted to slap him, but then everyone would expect him to wake up. She hadn't been told to wake him. Michael was just as arrogant as his father.

's.h.i.t, I went too far over the line again.' Michael was actually sorry.

'Yeah, so you better make up something good. Just don't get your father involved. He'll mess things up for sure. Stick to our agreement.' Molina stood and walked to the door, hearing Devin enter with Arianna. She listened to Arianna and then moved back to Michael.

Arianna jumped back out of the memory quickly. They were speaking too much in code for Arianna to understand.

'I need more time to find more memories,' she told Andrew.

'We don't have more time. Gabriel wants to act now. Did she do it?' Andrew asked. Arianna's demeanor told Andrew that she had.

'I don't know.' Arianna didn't want to believe Molina would do anything to harm her. She was like the sister Arianna had always wished for. Molina was the only female in this new life of hers. She barely had time to see her friends now, but Molina was there every day.

'Should I check Thomas first?' Arianna asked, trying to delay him.

'No. Mori agrees that he's safe,' Andrew answered. Molina was guilty, but Arianna didn't want to admit it.

Arianna closed her eyes, trying to will the tears away as Andrew silently captured Molina and subdued her. She didn't resist. She didn't even know Andrew was in the room. He acted quickly and took her down before anyone else even knew what was happening. Gabriel wasn't needed. Devin came running from the second bedroom to find Andrew escorting Molina into the living room. Gabriel was right behind, flexing his power and making every night human in the cottage shiver. Arianna's guards were all gathered in the living room for this new threat. Molina refused to look anyone in the eyes.

"I hereby relieve you of your post," Gabriel said, to the shock of Devin who hadn't been in on the conversation. "Devin is now in charge of Arianna's protection unit. All orders through him are final." Gabriel looked around the room. The day human guards didn't sense the power behind his statement, but they read the power behind his eyes. Gabriel was especially imposing to day humans. Every one of her guards nodded. Jackson looked betrayed as he stared at Molina. Arianna knew the one secret between them. Jackson had asked to be Molina's keeper only weeks ago, and she had said yes.