Sage's four wheel drive eats up the dirt road. It glides over the uneven terrain with ease, only jostled by the occasional pot hole or large bump.

Thankfully, the back of his car has seats that can fold down, allowing up to eight people to fit inside.

Eventually the forest thins out and a jerk indicates that we have hit bitumen. Civilisation slowly coming into view.

"So, are you visiting Summershore or are you moving in?" Sage asks from the drivers seat. His brown hair peeks over the head rest. Next to him is Rafe, with Ivy and I in the middle which leaves the blonde haired twins in the back.

Wow. I'm amazing at names. I secretly praise myself for remembering them all.

"I'm only visiting," I say.

He nods, "We get quite a few visitors around here. Most of them are tourists."

"Tourists? What exactly does this town have?" I pry.

"Well, for starters we have mountains not too far away." I had recognised them in the distance when I first arrived. No where near as big as Hell's, but still giants that stood in the distance.

"The mountains are usually a hot spot for hikers and campers who enjoy places like that. Also in the mountains there are the abandoned mine shafts and caves that they give tours on. Not to mention the old Summershore dungeon that people like to go see. It closed down in the nineteen hundreds but they restored it and made it a tourist attraction," Sage continues, "And to top it all off apparently the forest is haunted."

"Haunted?" I ask. This town just got a lot more interesting. If the forest is haunted it would explain why the demon hunters have taken a liking to this town.

"Yeah," Quinn pipes in from the back, "A couple people go missing in there and apparently it's all spooky. I don't believe it's haunted, I just believe a couple idiots got lost. It's nothing but a bunch of bull."

"I think it's haunted," says Ivy crossing her arms. "How could you not? Every time I go near that forest it gives me the creeps. It just doesn't feel right ya know? They say some people even found weird carvings on the trees. I can't believe you actually went into that old house in that forest."

"You're just paranoid and believe whatever crap people tell you," Quinn interrupts.

"Do not."

"If the forest creeps you out so much then why don't you leave?" I ask Ivy.

"I grew up here my whole life. I could never leave this place. I'd miss it too much."

"The forest can't be that haunted then if it doesn't convince you to leave," Quinn looks up from her phone and the two girls bicker back and forth about useless nonsense.

This forest has got me rather intrigued, though. If it's haunted then a supernatural entity is living in there. Something that is powerful enough to have made an impact and attract demon hunters to the area so I want to find out what's in that forest. Whether it's friend or foe. I don't want to add an evil supernatural being to my 'to kill list'.

The car pulls into a car park in front of  the same restaurant I looked into to watch the news on the tv.

Ivy and Quinn still quarrel about the woods, their words firing back and forth at each other.

Honestly, I have never seen anyone get so riled up over a debate about a haunted forest. In Hell demons get angry over the most petty of things, but this? They must have some pretty damn strong opinions.

I bit my bottom lip unable to help but find it funny.

They shout and holler at each other like a bunch of crazies.

"Right," Rafe says, opening the door, "I'm out of here."

I do not want to be stuck with two crazy bitches so I decide that is the best idea I've heard all day.

I slam the car door behind me and go join Rafe on the pathway. Wind tosses his jet black hair across his head whereas a few strands of red invade my own vision.

Flicking my hair out of my eyes, I ask Rafe, "Do they always act like that?"

He smiles, a crescent of white on his face, and replies, "Unfortunately. Don't worry though, they'll be talking like long, lost sisters in a few minutes."

The other two girls hop out the car, smiling at their own ridiculousness.

I think of green eyes and a silly smile plastered on a familiar someone. I remember slapping that stupid grin of his face as he pokes me in the ribs. My smile vanishes like the wind carried it away, a frown now pulling my mouth down.

A crease forms between Rafe's brows, "Are you ok?"

I wipe the memory away as if it's broken glass and slam it in a box.

"Yeah," a smile though I know it must look as fake as it feels.

I don't want to think about him now. I don't want to think about him ever but he's imbedded into almost all of my memories. He had woven himself into every crack of my heart and now I can't get him out without shredding it to bits.

Rafe gives me a soft smile but his blue orbs are filled with concern.

A fight to keep the smile on my face from turning into a snarl. We have only just met and I have no need for his petty concerns. I'm not weak. I refuse to be weak.

My troubled thoughts are none of his business and he needn't worry about something he can't help with.

I turn away, avoiding his stare. Once everyone is out of the car we make our way into the restaurant.

The front is completely made of windows that give a view inside with a wide open door. A few tables are positioned outside under the night sky. We take a seat at one of them that can hold six.

"I need to tie my shoe lace," Quinn mutters to no one.

She bends over to tie up her expensive looking shoes. Her cropped shirt slides up revealing her lower back and Sage's eyes drift down.

He catches me looking at him as he observes Quinn's lower back. I arch a brown. Sage's cheeks tint red as he gives me a sheepish smile.

I shake my head and take a seat. Axel moves to sit next to me. He pulls the chair out to take a seat but Ivy slides in and plonks her ass on it like a sneaky ninja. Axel sighs and moves to take the next seat.

Quinn does exactly the same thing, stealing his seat and both of the girls giggle.

Axel tips his head back and exhales heavily through his nose. He moves over the other side, and finally scores a seat next to Rafe.

"Since Axel is paying," Rafe says, "What's the most expensive thing this restaurant has?"

I wonder what bet Axel had lost to make him have to shout everyone dinner? I can't deny that it is extremely convenient.

"Whatever it is, I'll take one as well," Sage grins.

Axel groans and places his head in his hands.

"I told you not to do it," Quinn sings.

I almost feel sorry for him.

"I'll take this," I say, pointing to an expensive meal that I can't even pronounce and Ivy bursts into laughter.

"Poor Axel is going to go broke," she laughs and Rafe chuckles wickedly with Sage and Quinn grinning savagely.

With a smirk I finish, "And that thirty two dollar dessert for after."

Almost.

***

By the end of dinner, everyone had ended up paying for their own food anyway, Axel only having to shout me and my broke ass. I sure as Hell didn't go easy on his wallet, wanting whatever caught my expensive taste, ignoring Axel's annoyance.

I am absolutely stuffed and the food was like fucking paradise. I hadn't eaten food in ages, even though it wasn't necessary, it was still nice.

I had learnt a bit about the humans as well. I find them interesting with their ranging personalities and funny attitudes.

The twins, Quinn and Axel, are the only ones in school, both being eighteen. The rest older.

Having finished sending Axel broke, we walk down the Main Street passing closed shops and various stores. It's quite nice leisurely strolling down the streets at night. It's peaceful and quiet if you can ignore Ivy blabbering on about random things. I swear she doesn't know how to close her mouth.

"Oh my God." I can't help but wince a little at Ivy's language.

"I've got to pee! Really badly," she says.

"I guess we need to find a public toilet then," Sage replies.

"You couldn't have went at the restaurant?"Quinn quips. 

She shrugs, "I didn't need to go then."

With a huff, Quinn marches off, gesturing for us to follow.

I rub my temple with the tips of my fingers. A small headache forms the further I walk. No else seems to be affected so brush of the annoying twinge in my skull, ignoring the way it feels like something is poking my head with a needle.

She stops at a building. One direction of traffic heads one way on the right of the building and the other direction on the left, separating the two sides. Parking spaces are lined on either side with a pathway down the middle of the road and a few trees to give it a nice touch.

Not far away is that damned church. It's holy presence presses against my skull giving me a migraine. It's not bad but enough to be annoying.

"It's locked," states Sage.

Ivy groans.

"Out the way," Quinn barges through.

She takes a bobby pin out of her blonde strands. She bends it and shoves it in the lock. With a few twists the lock pops open.

A raging bull, Ivy charges inside, hair bouncing around her head.

"Move it! My bladder is dying!"

"I'm guessing that's not the first time you've opened a lock," I inquire. It was like she'd done it a million times before. Practiced, smooth movements and with a couple turns the thing clicked open.

"Yeah," she says, "My parents keep a lock on the liquor cabinet so I learnt how to pick them."

"Thank God for bobby pins," Axel murmurs.

"You can't open the men's can you?" Sage smiles, "I have to go as well."

While everyone uses the bathrooms I wait outside for them to finish. I lean against the wall when a light catches my attention. A faint glowing.

I creep over, curiosity getting the best of me. The migraine in my temple begins to spike, wincing as pain thumps against my head.

I hear voices talking. They come from the alley behind the church and next to a small shop.

I press myself against the wall of the church. My head is going to explode but I want to find out what people are doing behind there. And what is the glow?

I peek around the corner. It's probably nothing but a group smoking.

I take a look and almost drop dead. I lurch and crush my back against the churches side again. I shut off my lungs and gulp.

I peer around the corner to see if I just imagined it but, unfortunately, it's no hallucination.

A man stands with his back to me. A blade hangs from his belt.

The celestial weapon is unmistakable. It hums with a slight energy. The ancient inscriptions mark down its side and I know that's it's not some human language. It's edges are sharp. The blade could slice through bricks like they are nothing, let alone flesh.

It's no fair. They get all the cool things and their still technically humans. Stupid nephilim.

But it's not the hunter I'm concerned with.

It's the heavenly creature that stands before him.

***

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