I see him from across the room.

The sea of people parts just long enough for his electric blue eyes to meet mine. I look away, embarrassed that he had caught me staring, a blush crawling up my cheeks. When I look up again, he is right in front of me, appearing quickly despite the crowd.

"I saw you from the other side of the room and I just had to introduce myself," he says, projecting his voice over the swell of music. "I'm Henry."

It takes a moment for me to realise that he is addressing me. I glance around at the writhing mass of party-goers, but when I look up; his eyes are boring into mine, waiting for a response.

"Peyton," I mumble, hardly able to get the words out.

"Peyton, you look very uncomfortable," he observes. "Why do I get the feeling you don't come to these types of things very often?" He gestures towards the hordes of thriving bodies, moving along to the rhythm of the music, the party in full swing.

"Because I don't," I answer, truthfully. Naomi had forced be to come, but it seemed like my night might be finally taking a turn for the better. All thanks to the handsome stranger that was talking to me. "My roommate dragged me out."

"Neither do I. But I'm glad I came tonight or I would never have met you." He takes my hand and leads me to the open doorway, away from the mass of people. The moon is full and bright, stars shining across the sky like scattered gems. "Peyton, do you believe in fate?"

"No, I believe we can choose our own fate." I shiver from his proximity, but hope that he thinks it's from the cool breeze that plays with my hair. His eyes never leave mine, cerulean blue meeting chocolate brown.

"Well I believe that I was meant to meet you."

And with that he lowers his head down, his lips meeting mine softly in a chaste kiss. I'm taken aback by his forwardness, this kind of thing has never happened to me before. For a moment, everything feels perfect.

But when he pulls away, his eyes glow crimson red. His teeth elongate into fangs, stretching past his bottom lip. I don't recognise this demon in front of me. The scream gets caught in my throat; the oblivious crowd seems just out of reach.

He scowls and lunges towards me again, this time going for my neck. I brace myself for the impact, but suddenly he bursts into flames right in front of me and crumbles to ash.

I wake up sweating and panting, on my couch at home.

"What the hell happened?" I'm still in my black dress that I had worn to dinner with Henry, but my shoes have been removed and placed under the lounge table. Caleb is sitting with my head on his lap and Zach is occupying the other couch.

"You fainted." I can't help but see the smug smile that crosses Zach's face as he says this.

"Fainted?" I try to piece it together in my mind, but the last thing I remember is the sight of Caleb and Zach standing with their swords.

"Yeah, one minute you were standing against the car the next you went down like a lead balloon," Caleb says helpfully. "Zach managed to catch you just before your head hit the tar, otherwise you would be in some serious pain right now."

"Henry-," I close my eyes and shake my head, trying to get the image of Henry being decapitated out of it. I shudder, remembering the way his body had burst into flames, and then turned into ash. His grey remains being picked up by the wind and carried down the road.

"He's dead. Thank you. You did alright." I feel like this is extremely high praise from Zach.

"Alright? She did very well!" Caleb insists. "Up until she fainted that is. The plan worked perfectly, even though she came out a little earlier than expected. We did it!"

"I don't think she is ready to become a Hunter," Zach frowns. "The sight of it was obviously too much for her. We can't have someone fainting every time they witness a death. Hunters need to be made of stronger stock than that." I don't think Zach's in the mood for celebrating like Caleb clearly is.

I tune out their conversation and instead think about Henry. I thought that I might feel a tinge of sadness at his death, but I don't. All I feel is relief that he's gone. I'm glad that this is finally all over.

My dream about him made me remember our first encounter, though the events of tonight clearly played their part in it. When we first spoke, he had told me that he believed we were supposed to meet. At the time I thought it was just a cheesy pick up line. But now I think he may have been right.

I was meant to meet Henry. But, not because I was meant to be with him. Because I was meant to be a Hunter. I was meant to meet Zach and Caleb. This is what I was born to do. And no one; not Zach, and definitely not Lideri, will ever be able to convince me otherwise.

I need to go and speak to Lideri. I'm not sure if I should confront him about his lie, or just pretend like I have no idea. Either way, I have to see him, tonight, while we're still on the heels of our victory and I can use that to my advantage.

Also, before Zach can tell him that I fainted.

"Take me to Lideri," I interrupt their discussion on whether or not I am ready to be trained. They both look at me in shock as if they have only just remembered that I'm here.

"What did you just say?" Zach looks at me, his frown etched on his face. I know that he heard me.

"Sorry, I meant take me to Lideri, please," I emphasize the last word.

"Peyton, that's probably not the best idea right now," Zach hesitates.

"Why not?" I question.

He shrugs his shoulders and looks to Caleb for help in answering. But Caleb has just raised his eyebrows at me knowingly and I understand exactly why Zach doesn't want to take me there.

"You have just had a very intense night. Perhaps it would be best if you got some sleep and we went in the morning. It's late after all." Zach pretends to look concerned about my well-being. If it had come from Caleb, I might have believed it. But I'm pretty sure Zach doesn't give a damn about me, especially now that I've already helped them.

"No, I'm fine." I stand up and brush down the creases on my dress. "Give me ten minutes to get changed and then we can go." I walk into my room and close the door behind me before he can argue.

I can vaguely hear muffled talking as I strip off my dress and instead put on jeans and a black t-shirt, but I don't even bother trying to eavesdrop. I can imagine what they are talking about. I pull on some trainers and a jacket that I zip up in the front before going to the mirror and using wet wipes to clean the make-up off my face. Lastly I tie my hair into a ponytail before I go out to meet them.

"Peyton, it's nearly midnight, Lideri will be sleeping by now," Zach says, clearly having thought of the new argument while I was getting dressed.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Why don't I believe you?"

"Because you are a very distrustful person?" he suggests. "Better to get some sleep and go in the morning."

"Or better yet, we can go now." I grab my house keys and go to stand by the door. "Unless, of course, there's a particular reason you don't want to go, Zacharias?"

He scowls at my use of his full name, but I know I've got him there. I know he won't admit to the real reason he doesn't want to go. "Come on then, let's go," I urge when he doesn't say anything.

Zach's shoulders sag in defeat and he mumbles something under his breath that sounds vaguely like 'stubborn mule'. But he does get up and grudgingly follows me out the door, Caleb coming right behind him and throwing me a wink.

We are in the car and speeding away by the time I remember something important. It should have been the first thing I told them when I woke up. "Guys there's something you should know. Henry mentioned to me that he had helped a friend kill a Hunter."

Zach's grip tightens on the steering wheel. "Yes we are aware of the situation," he speaks through clenched teeth.

He seems quite affected by it so for once I don't push the subject. Instead, I ask something I have been curious about since Sunday. "The scars on Lideri-,"

"Werewolf," Caleb answers before I can even finish. "It happened not long after his ascension to Lideri. The position is a dangerous one. It's like a bull's eye for most mythical creatures. They believe that if they take him down, they will dismantle the organisation from within. He hasn't left headquarters since the attack."

"What's his real name?"

"Jackson." A small smile plays on Zach's lips. "Jackson Marshall. Originally, he specialised in Vampires as well."

"Wait," I remember something else I've been meaning to ask. "Zach what's your full name?"

I didn't think he would answer me, and he proves me right, staring silently at the road. Caleb gives me another wink and responds for him, "Zacharias Avery Barnes."

"That's very-," I search for the right word, "regal."

"My father was a wealthy man, he gave me his name." Zach sighs wistfully.

"He would have been proud of the man you've become." I rest a hand on his shoulder and he visibly tenses. I'm not sure if it's from my touch, or the mention of his late father. "Sorry," I mutter, removing my hand and slumping back in my seat.

"That's okay, Peyton." He seems to relax slightly. "But yes I do like to believe that he would be proud of me and what I have achieved."

I can't think of a response to that so I just nod, though I know he can't see me. A few minutes later his eyes meet mine in the rear view mirror and a small smile graces his lips, but it's gone so quickly I wonder if I've imagined it.

The rest of the journey we travel in silence, no words seem appropriate in the confines of the car, after our heavy discussion. Caleb nods off in the passenger seat, the late hour catching up with him. Zach concentrates on the road, his eyes staring straight ahead, his hand resting on the gear stick.

And I watch the city lights flash past, preparing for my argument with Lideri.

How exactly does one go about confronting the all-powerful leader of an elite organisation of Hunters?