"I can't believe you went running off in the middle of the night!" Jessica yelled. "I mean, look at this! You reopened your wound again! You could've died of blood loss, or been attacked by wild animals, or Demons, or Angels, or...anything!"

Jessica was tightly tying new bandages over my stomach. After the whole 'welcome back' and 'we missed you' was over, they all took their turns yelling at me about how I shouldn't have worried about burdening them. Honestly, I was touched. Again, if never admit that.

James spent most of his lecture crying and hugging me and Luke just sent me glares. I also heard him mumble something along the lines of, 'I can't believe I worried for you, you little...' That's pretty much all I got. Though, I would like to know what he was about to call me.

"Ouch!" The bandages were too tight and I was about to complain, but she glared at me, daring me to say anything. I used to think Jessica was sweet and kind, but I knew better now.

Peter hadn't said anything for the past few hours and just held my hand, like he thought I was going to run again. I didn't mind, it was nice having someone worry about me.

"And you," Jessica shouted at Zero who had resumed his cart pulling duties, "I expected more from you!"

"What did you expect me to do?" He asked.

"I expect you to complain, to tell us, to stop her, to do anything that you could to keep her there! And don't tell me she could've overpowered you, you pathetic excuse for a hell hound!"

"Yeah, yeah." Zero's ears were pressed flat against his head in surrender.

Luke and James were laughing at us, earning themselves glares which only made them laugh harder.

Once Jessica finished wrapping my stomach, Peter moved so that I could lean on him; though I didn't have much of a choice. He pulled my head so that it was resting on his shoulder. I earned sly smiles from the others, especially Jessica.

'Shut up,' I mouthed as my body relaxed. I laid there, dazed and near sleep, until we passed another traveler.

"Evening," he said through a thick accent. It bothered me that he didn't seem the least bit cautious of Zero.

I was still a bit dazed and tired, but I could still hear the conversation.

"Be careful up ahead," the man said. "Been an awful lot of Demons runnin' round. Some say they been taken humans prisoner and doin' heavens know what."

"Thanks for the warning," Luke said. "How far up is the nearest town?"

"A ways, but if I were you, I'd try to make it before night. Get this hound workin'." He patted Zero on the head and Zero growled, good boy. The man continued in the opposite direction.

"I don't like him," Zero said.

"Neither do I," I replied. I lifted my head off Peter's shoulder. "Still, we should be careful."

Right now, Demons could be dangerous for two reasons. First, they could kill us. Second, if we got captured an older Demon might know who I was. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to tell the others who I was, just, maybe after things settled down a little. So, in a few days? Probably...maybe.

"Zero," James said, "full speed."

Pater wrapped his arms around me as we braced for full speed. Within seconds, we were off. The wind that ran through my hair reminded me of flying, making the ride even more enjoyable.

That is, until a screech sounded and we went flying. The cart shattered as we fell, bouncing off the ground and taking us with it. I tried to keep my hold on Peter as he gripped me tightly to him.

With a skid, we slammed into a tree, Peter taking the full impact as I landed on him. Through a daze, I could faintly make out the figures of James, Luke, and Jessica, crumpled on the ground, unconscious, I hope. Zero was in the distance, a dart sticking out of his neck as he fell to the ground.

As darkness over took me, I could make out the terrifying smile of a Demon.

As I woke, I could tell that I was lying flat on something with my arms tied down. And who the hell took off my shirt? I was ready to kick their ass.

"You chose a good time to wake up," a female voice said. I turned my head to see an...Angel? She had brown hair, and blue eyes, but I could clearly see glistening Angel wings on her back. I though we were captured by Demons. "We're gonna find out what you are."

She held a small needle in her hand with a fiery red liquid in it that seemed to glow, I didn't recognize it.

The needle was pushed into my back, right next to my vertebrae, making me flinch and stifle a scream. As the liquid was injected into me, I could feel my wings being ripped out the tattoos. I couldn't hold back as I screamed. I bit my lip as I tried to quiet myself, but I didn't work. Even as blood seeped out of my mouth, I still screamed.

I could feel the weight of my wings on my back as the burning died down. I panted heavily, my body still recovering from the traumatizing pain.

The Angel let out a low whistle. "Looks like we caught ourselves a rare one. Hold still while I get the master. Not that you have a choice." She let out a low giggle as she left the room.

When she left, I looked around the room, searching for anyone else. What I saw was horrifying. The room was covered in blood and what looked like torture instruments listed on tables on the sides. My heart raced as a thousand different ideas of what could happen passed through my mind.

The door clicked open again as someone entered. I looked up and saw the Angel girl walking besides a Demon.

"I didn't believe it until now," he said, coming over to me. My hands struggled as I tried to escape. "Don't worry, Princess," he said in a terrifyingly calm voice that DID NOT help. "I just wanna talk."

He crouched down in front of me and looked me in the eyes.

"Your as beautiful as I remember, little Akira, even if the human world has stained you." He held his hand to my sheet as he looked at me with dark eyes. "Though, little Akira, I have to ask you, why are you traveling with humans?"

"What have you done with my friends?" I demanded, proud that my voice didn't waver.

He seemed to tense at that. "Friends? Those humans are your friends?" His eyes flared as he takes his unusually sharp claws across my left cheek, drawing blood.

"Friends," he said. This Demon terrified me. He had passed the boundaries of insane long ago. "With humans. Did you hear that, Cheska? Friends with humans?" The Demon broke out into a hysterical laughter.

"What have you done with them?!" I demanded.

"Hmm," the laughter stopped. "You were serious. I can see that you won't be persuaded. Cheska, stitches."

The Angel, Cheska, handed the Demon a needle and thick thread. All my confidence drained from my body as he brought the needle to my wings...and sewed them together. I screamed in pain as he tied the tops of my wings three times and finished by noting the end of the thick thread.

My body was weak as they untied me and then retued my hands together.

We looked like we were in a cave, or underground as we walked. I was escorted by Cheska who had to support me. The halls that we passed through were filled with both Demons and Angles. Some looked at me with horror, some with shame, and some with the same evil grins that my captor gave me.

When we stopped, I was dropped into what looked like a prison cell.

"Your friends are alright," Cheska said.

I looked at her with gratitude as she left. With the last of my power, I pulled myself into a corner of the cell and rested my head against the cool metal walls.