Something poked my side. My instincts flared and I grabbed for it; a snapping sound reverberated through the room. Shit. Did I break someone's arm?

When I opened my eyes, I was holding a small twig in my hand. Luke was holding the other half.

"It worked," he reported. "With minimal casualties. Poor stick."

"You poked me with a stick..."

"No one wanted to die," Peter said, handing me my katana and daggers. "Where'd you find these, by the way? You only let us look at them yesterday."

"A dark ally way shop," Zero said before I could come up with an excuse.

"You didn't," Peter said, glaring at me.

"I might have."

"Might have what?" Jessica asked.

"She got them from a black market. Are these even legal?"

"They are! In most countries."

"Just...don't get arrested."

"I haven't so far."

"What the hell could you possibly have- you know what, I don't even wanna know. Let's just get out of here before the police try to find you. And us, more specifically."

We walked outside, and, since it was morning, there weren't any ass grabbing drunks, sluts, or whores. Though, I did see the girl I ripped off Peter glaring me. I just smiled sweetly at her, pissing her off even more. She stormed off and I caught Peter watching me, eyebrow raised.

"Bitch simply deserves to be put in her place."

He rolled his eyes at me as we left. As everyone was loading into the cart, I turned towards the tree that was in front of my window last night.

"Hold on," I said, "I've got some vengeance to acquire."

"Who pissed you off this time?" James asked.

Without answering, I climbed the tree. I straddled myself into one of the branches and took out one of my daggers. Using it like a saw, I chopped off one of the branches, then another, then another.

"Hey!" Peter yelled from below. "You're gonna hurt yourself."

"I'll be-"

Crack. I was falling. I was tempted to pull out my wings, but there were people around, so I just flailed like a fish. When I saw the ground getting closer, I closed my eyes, preparing for impact. It never came. Well, not a harsh impact, anyway.

When I opened my eyes, I was looking up at Peter who was holding me bridal style. I felt my face heat as I struggled. Peter didn't let go. Instead, he threw me over his shoulder and carried away. I beat on his back, thrashing my arms and screaming until he dropped me into the cart with everyone else.

"Zero," Jessica said, "let's get moving before she murders someone, or something."

Before I could get out and exact my vengeance, we were already moving.

"The tree was already dead," I complained.

"What do you have against the tree?" James asked.

I didn't answer, though I could hear Zero snickering from up front.

"Don't say it."

"The tree scared the shit out of her last night."

"Argh!"

The others broke out laughing.

"It's not my fault that Mother Nature was trying to freaking give me a heart attack last night! I mean, come on! I couldn't have possibly-"

"We're being followed," Zero said.

My head snapped back to look out the back of the cart. In the far distance, I could see there shadow of several horses following us.

"You sure they're following us?" Luke asked. "Not just traveling down the same path?"

"If you weren't making fun of Akira the whole time, you would've noticed that I've been taking less populated patches, I've even turned around a few times. They've been close behind us the whole time."

"Pull over to the side," I commanded.

Obeying, Zero pulled over to the side of the path. I, quickly picked up all of our important items, cut Zero's ropes, and pulled the others to the side, into the leafy underbrush of the forest. We crouched there for a minute before the group of others got there.

There were seven of them in total, six Demons and one human; that bitch from the inn.

From the bushes I could just barely make out the face of the Demons, I didn't recognize any of them, but they did scare me. No, it was the Uma that kept me on edge. The Uma were a breed of Demon horses made for war. They were an extra foot taller than a normal horse and, they were carnivores. Luckily, they weren't trackers. They were bred with weakened taste so they wouldn't turn on their masters and, you know, brutally devour their insides.

"You sure this is the one?" The first man asked the slut.

"Positive," she answered.

They dismounted and inspected the cart. I was crouched down with the others behind me, they came so close, only a foot away. They would find us.

I turned back and mouthed two word, 'I'm sorry.'

Then, I stood up. "Hey, little slut, it's good to see you again!"

They jumped. Slowly, I made my way away from the others.

"That's one of them!" The slut said.

"You!" The first demon said. "You're the one who killed my comrades?"

"I did nothing of the sort," I answered.

The Demon motioned for one of his men to disarm me, and I let him.

"You'll have to come with us," the Demon said.

"What?" The slut yelled, outraged. "Kill her!"

"I don't kill people without evidence," the Demon said. Wow, if I wasn't, at the moment, being falsely accused for murder, I'd form a real contract with him. He seemed like a nice Demon, as of now.

While the others paid attention to me, I watched the slut. With an evil smile on her face, she pulled something out of her pocket and charged the lead Demon.

I quickly pushed him out of the way and took the hut for myself.

"...shit," I mumbled as I fell. Blood was pooling against my shirt from where the knife had imbedded itself in my stomach.

As I feel something warm caught me and held onto me. My eyes looked up and I saw Peter, he looked terrified.

"I'm...okay," I said, brushing a stray strand out chocolate hair off his face. I felt hungry now. Unfortunately, I smeared blood on his face. Very helpful, Akira, very helpful.

"Like hell you are!"

"Let me see her," another voice said. I was turned over and I could see the Demon that tried to capture me earlier. "Let us take care of her. If it weren't for us, she wouldn't be in this situation."

My body was starting to feel heavy as I felt someone move me. I was placed in our cart as Zero was retied. I reached out for something to hold onto and I felt something grab my hand.

"Stay awake," a voice mumbled as we took off at full speed. I almost fell out, but something grabbed onto me. "Don't fall asleep."

"...sorry," I mumbled, "but I'm really tired."

Peter's face drifted into view as I felt my head being lifted. I listened to the beating of a heart as I drifted into unconsciousness.

"I...really see...a...pat...tern."

The world went black.