AGAIN I WARN YOU THIS BOOK ISN'T EDITED SO DON'T GET MAD AT ME IF YOU FIND A TON OF MISTAKES. 

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The huge mansion on top of the hill was packed with underage drinkers. Teenagers who were anybody at school were there for a good time and a way to release. Almost every corner, every table had some kind of alcohol ready for the take. 

Deva indulged in her bad habitats and drank so she couldn't feel her senses. Reality was just too hard. It shouldn't be that hard for a eighteen year old girl who was just about to graduate yet it was. 

Life was hitting her like a brick, over and over again. It hurt. Everything hurt. 

"Don't you think you should slow it down, girl? What is that, like your sixth drink?" 

Deva clinched her jaw at the annoying voice that came from none other than her back stabbing two-timing ex best friend. 

"Don't you think you should pay less attention on me and more on keeping your panties on." Deva had reason for her bluntness. 

The beautiful redhead frowned. "Deva I'm serious. I'm just looking out for you." 

"Like you were looking out for Gabe while I was gone." Deva didn't trust her, not for three years now. 

They were supposed to be best friends but best friends don't put the moves on a guy you like. Deva didn't even get a chance to start a relationship with him because by the time she got back Carmen and Gabe were hooking up. Deva figured her and Gabe's first date didn't count or matter for that fact.  

"Deva, look I'm sorry. How many times do I have to say it?" 

Deva wasn't even that mad about it anymore. She was honestly thankful, because otherwise she probably wouldn't have been with Nick. She just couldn't trust Carmen anymore which ruined her image of all redheads. 

Deva gulped down the rest of her whiskey like it was water. "Just leave me alone. Don't talk to me, don't look at me. We're done. You don't even exist to me." 

"Deva wait!" 

It was too late. Deva was already losing herself within the crowd. 

Carmen only felt sorry for her. Everyone felt sorry for her and she was sick and tired of it. She hated the pity, the sympathy, and the small crying fest. She was done with it. 

All she wanted was to forget about it, even if it was just for a moment. 

Deva entered the room she knew was the studies. She had been in the house before. The guy, Brad, who lived there was a good friend of Nick's. She opened the desk drawer and found the hard liquor. Brad's father was a business man with a great taste for fine liquor. 

It burned like hell going down her throat but she didn't care. She wanted it to numb everything especially her mind.  She heard the door to the room open so she turned. Brad was grinning while walking her way with a beer in his hand. 

"You do know you're breaking and entering." 

Deva took another sip, not caring for his thoughts. "Then maybe you should lock the door next time." 

His brown eyes devoured her, head to toe. "It was locked." 

Deva walked in front of him and slid a key into his pocket. "Then hide your key better next time." 

Brad smirked, inching closer. "Find what you were looking for?" 

"Yup." 

She tried moving past him but he grabbed her arm.

"I think I deserve something in return for my services." 

"What do you have in mind?" 

Brad slid his hand under her shirt then pressed her against him. "I think we can both think of something." 

"I don't think I'm your type. I'm not inflatable." Deva shoved his chest to put some place between them. "If you want some ass go see Carmen. Hers is always on display." 

He chuckled, still not letting her go. "Exactly, she's used goods. I've never been with a virgin before, but I've heard they're the best." 

"The best at shoving my foot up your ass if you don't get out of my way." Her smile was anything but sweet. 

"There's no need to get nasty." Brad took a fist full of her hair and leaned in. "Unless you want to play dirty, baby." 

It disgusted her to the core to have him take advantage of her. He wouldn't have dared laid a finger on her if Nick was around. 

"Only in your sick pathetic mind would that ever happen." Again she tried shoving him back. "Let go of me, you filthy drunk." 

Brad laughed while trailing kisses down her neck. "You're the one to talk. You've had more to drink than I have."  

"Yes but the difference between me and you is that I can hold my liquor. Now let me go." 

His hand lowered to her butt. "I don't think so." 

Deva gradually took hold of the pencil sharpener on the desk then rammed it on the side of Brad's head. Brad rocked back from the impact. She had no regrets what's so ever. He had it coming especially if he thought she'd just let him have his way with her. 

"You bitch," he groaned, placing his hand over his bleeding skull. 

"And who the hell do you think you are? Did you really think I'd stay defenseless while you try to fill me up? You pig." 

Deva wasn't even afraid of him. He was nothing; he was scum. Or maybe the reason for her calmness was because she actually wanted to fight. She wanted to feel the danger. 

"Oh you're really going to get it now little bitch Deva. No ones here to hear you scream." 

"You're the one who's going to be screaming asshole." Oh yes, she was ready for it. 

"Touch her and you die." The deep, angry voice came from behind.  

Brad turned, completely pissed someone had interrupted their little party. "And who the hell are you?" 

The mysterious guy definitely did not go to their school. No, he looked at least about 25. Deva was shocked herself. Who was it coming to her rescue? 

"Your worst nightmare if you don't let her go." 

"Piss off, old man." Brad tightened his hand around her arm. 

The guy was not old. In fact he was the most beautiful man Deva had ever laid eyes on. The stranger laughed before rapidly appearing in front of him. He was so quick and fast Deva swore she missed it. What the heck was he? 

The beautiful stranger leaned in. "Let her go." 

Brad released her immediately. He was still stunned and confused. 

"Now take the stapler from the desk and jam it on your palm." The stranger's commanding voice was thick with vengeance. 

Deva didn't think Brad would do it. Who in their right minds would staple themselves? 

Deva watched horrified yet mesmerized as Brad took the stapler and jammed it against his skin. Blood began to pour out like crazy. 

"The next time you think about taking advantage of a girl you'll remember this, the pain throbbing through your hand." 

Brad was dazed, like he was dreaming or something. 

"Now get out of my sight." 

Brad wasted no time getting out of the room. Deva wasn't sure if she should be relieved or scared to death. 

The stranger's exotic green-gold eyes were on Deva's every move. "Are you alright?" 

"Are you psycho serial killer?" This was not her day, or year.  

"There's no need to be afraid of me." 

That was an understatement. It was typically hard to scare her anyway but this was different. This guy was deadly, she could feel it. 

"What did you do to him? People don't just randomly start chopping off their hand with a stapler when some mysterious guy tells them to." 

The stranger signed. "I can be really persuasive." 

"So I've noticed." Things were getting way too weird for her liking. Deva grabbed the bottle and chugged the rest of it down. She rather forget about it in the morning. 

"Drinking won't solve your problems." 

She hated people who acted like they cared. "Well, being sober won't either." 

"Deva, running from it won't do you any good." 

That made her shiver with fear. "How do you know my name? Who are you?" Was he some freaky stalker? 

"I'm here to help you." His voice was so smooth and gentle, almost believable. 

"Help me?" Her cynical laugh echoed throughout the room. "And what makes you think I need your help? I don't even know you." 

He took a few steps closer. Her pride wouldn't let her back away or show any fear. 

"But you do know me. I told you I'd come back for you someday. Remember." 

This soft tone triggered something inside her brain, and then all of a sudden lost memories started to come back to her. 

Her heart sank. "Marius?" 

He smiled just hearing his name coming from her lips. Last time he spoke to her she was sixteen. He forced himself to stay in the shadows but now she was older, Deva was eighteen now. 

She was struggling with the pieces. "What are you doing here?  What do you want now? You were gone for so long. Maybe you should go. You're good at disappearing." 

"I may not have been beside you but I was never far." 

"I don't need you. I don't want you here." She was closing back up and hardening to almost nothingness. 

She wouldn't talk to most people after the tragedy. She had turned cold, disrespectful, and gained a bad habit of drinking. 

Adamarius felt like it was time to intervene. She was losing herself. "I'm not leaving you." He went to stand in front of her. 

"You should really reconsider. I have the tendency of hurting and possibly killing the people closest to me." 

Adamarius ran his hand across her cheek. She surrendered to the touch for a moment before taking a step back. 

"It wasn't your fault Deva," his eyes were so warm with understanding. 

She shook her head, annoyed. "You weren't there. It was my fault. It was all my fault." 

"No, no it wasn't. Deva don't do this to yourself." 

"You don't get it. Nobody gets it." A tear ran down her cheek. She hated crying; that was all she had been doing since it happened. Cry. 

"Deva listen to me. There was nothing you could have done." 

She hated when people told her that. Nothing, there was nothing she could have done. But it was a lie. 

"He wasn't even supposed to be there. Nick was supposed to be home, having dinner with his family. It was my fault." 

Deva's mind began to flood with the memories of the accident. Nick and her yelling in the car, then him pulling over to calm her. She was so mad; mad that he would come for her like he didn't trust her. Nick was only worried. He was always worrying about her because he never wanted to lose her. Nick took off his seat belt and leaned over to kiss her. His kisses always made her stop thinking. All she could remember after that were bright flashing lights coming their way. She was fine but Nick was still in the hospital, barely alive. 

Deva wishes she could take his place. He didn't deserve that. 

It was getting hard for her to control her feelings, emotions. Deva grabbed whatever object was in front of her and threw it across the room. Shouting, screaming didn't help the pain but she did it anyway. It was all like a horrible nightmare. She was just waiting to wake up. 

Adamarius wrapped his arms around her, while she fought to get out. She struggled for what felt like hours but eventually she began to cling to him.

"Shhhh it's ok. Let it all out." 

Her sobbing was breaking his heart. He would do anything to protect her, but protecting her from herself was difficult. 

"I killed him Marius. I killed him. Everyone knows it." 

Everyone was extra nice to her. It was pity that was forcing them to be kind to her. Nick's parents were anything but nice. They blamed her just like she did. 

"It was an accident. There was no way for you to know it would happen." 

"If I listened to Nick from the beginning none of this would have happened." 

"He's not dead. Deva look at me." Her sorrow brown eyes finally focused on him. "Nick is not dead. He's in a really deep sleep and won't wake up till he's completely healed."

Deva shook her head, not wanting to believe him. "You're lying. How do you know this?" 

"Deva I know things no one even know exists. Nick is going to be fine." He was so sure that it gave her no room to doubt him.

She had to believe him, trust him. "Why are you here Marius?" 

Deva could feel a strange pull, a strong gravity pushing her towards him. Suddenly her thoughts were at bay. Nick was the last thing on her mind. All she could focus on was the small distant between her and him. 

"For you." 

Deva lightly brushed her lips against his, like she couldn't help it. 

"Why do I feel this way? Why do I want to kiss you right now?" She mumbled.

He grinned. "Because we're connected. We're of the same kind." 

Kind? He made it sound like she wasn't human or something. 

"Are you going to take me away, like you promised?" 

He nodded then closed the gap between their lips. The kiss was sweet and filled with longing. 

She was ready to the leave, to get away from all the sorrow and grief. Nick was gone and she couldn't deal with the pain anymore. She wanted Adamarius to take her. She was ready. 

Deva woke up, startled. The memory or flashback felt so real. She couldn't believe she didn't remember it from before. 

Alcide was curled in her arms and she was grateful he didn't wake up when she did.  The stupid dream kept playing in her head but she couldn't remember anything past that. 

Adamarius came back for her when she we eighteen, after Nick's accident. She was in such a horrible place back then, mentally. Dealing with Nick's comatose state was the most difficult thing she went through in her teen years. Deva had to wonder what happened after that. Adamarius obviously didn't take her with him; she had to wonder why. 

If he did take her with him then, her life would have been so different. 

"Momma," Alcide squirmed in her arm. 

She bent down and kissed him. "Good morning baby." 

Her little boy smiled. "I like when you sleep next to me." 

She liked it too and knew the next few nights without him were going to be hard. 

"Baby there's someone new who came to the castle last night." It was better to tell him now then letting him figure it out on his own. 

Alcide stood up. "Really?" 

She nodded. "Yes. His name is Joshua and he's ten years old." 

"Is he going to stay here forever?" 

"I think so baby. I want you to be really be nice to him and show him around the castle." 

Alcide gave her his award winning smile. "Of course momma. I got a new friend." 

She knew she didn't have to worry with him. Alcide was great at making friends and keeping them. 

"This boy is not just another friend Alcide. He's your cousin." 

Both his tiny hands clasped on his face, dramatically. "What? Did aunt Julia have her baby." 

Deva laughed. "No. This is uncle Lucian's long lost son." 

"Oh, ok." 

"He hasn't had much of a family so he's a little shy and scared. We need to make him feel like home." 

Alcide nodded in agreement. "Ok momma. Where is he now? Did he have breakfast now? I want to show him my cd collection." 

Deva knew Joshua was in good care. Alcide was going to put him under his wing, in no time they would feel like brothers. 

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