"It's going to be an ambush!" I insist, slamming my hand on Lideri's table for impact. No one even flinches. "You have to wait until I've recovered enough to go with you!"

"We've discussed this Peyton," Zach says patiently. His hand reaches out to cover mine, but his touch doesn't give me the feeling of comfort it usually does. "We can't wait that long. They could be gathering forces as we speak. They might have even been turning people. We finally found him and he appears to be alone. This is our only chance."

"But-,"

"Jennings," Caleb interjects from behind me. Both of his hands land on my shoulders and Zach removes his quickly. "Our minds are made up. Lideri's on board. This is happening."

I glance over at Lideri at the head of the table. I hoped that by having this discussion here with him in his meeting room, I could get Caleb and Zach to see some sense. But Lideri has remained infuriatingly quiet throughout our whole exchange. Looking at him now, I can see that he's not completely 'on board' as Caleb said. The hesitation and concern are marked as clear on his face as his numerous scars.

It's easy to see that I'm not going to get any help from him with this. Caleb releases his hold on my shoulders and resumes pacing back and forth behind me, his footsteps echoing the beat of my heart. Zach watches me carefully from across the table, an unspoken apology in his eyes.

And still, Lideri says nothing.

"The other Hunters." Like a light bulb going off, I suddenly remember all the people that were here last night. "Can't a few of them go with you?"

"This isn't their battle, it's ours," Zach explains. "It's on our turf and it was our actions that led to this. We can't ask them to put their own missions aside to assist us with this."

He's wrong. It was my actions that led us to this. And now I'm going to have to sit here and wait for them to come back from what feels like an impossible mission. A heavy sense of doom has lodged itself in my throat and I can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen.

"But-,"

"Peyton," Zach cuts me off. "We do not need your permission to do this. This is our lives. It's time you accept that." Though his words are harsh, his gaze is soft and it is this, more than anything, that causes tears to spring to my eyes.

I bite my trembling lip, determined not to cry in front of the three of them. "I don't want anything to happen to you guys."

"Peyton." This time it's Lideri who speaks. "Zacharias and Caleb are both trained fighters. They have been in numerous battles such as this one and come out of them largely unscathed. Trust them to do their jobs."

"This is different," I plead, desperate to get through to them. Shame creeps up my cheeks as my voice cracks on the last word. "Please, just trust me on this."

"Jennings, maybe it's time you trust us." Caleb finally stops pacing, positioning himself behind Zach's chair so he can look me in the eyes. "No offense, but we've been doing this a hell of a lot longer than you have."

I want to continue pleading with them, but honestly, I feel firmly put in my place by Caleb's harsh tone and the determination in his gaze. His chin is set, his stance defensive and his arms are folded across his chest, allowing no room for argument. I look away from him, down at the table top with blurry vision and nod my head, clamping my mouth shut against the onslaught of words that want to fall from it.

Zach's chair squeaks as he stands and I glance up just in time to see both him and Caleb leaving the room, taking my heart with them. I furiously rub my eyes and get up, about to follow suit, when I hear Lideri's voice behind me.

"I warned you, Peyton. Emotions have no place in this world. Perhaps that is something that you are starting to understand."

I turn back towards him, anger rearing up inside me like a snake. "What happened to you?" I snap.

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know I shouldn't have said them. No matter how irritated or scared I am, Lideri is still, technically, my boss. The question wasn't one I had been intending to ask, but I'm genuinely curious as to why he's so cynical.

He eyes me for a long moment, and though I know I should apologise, I don't. I try to mimic Caleb's earlier stance; chin set, arms folded across my chest. Silence stretches between us, but I refuse to back down, too upset by the conversation with Caleb and Zach to think clearly.

"I loved someone once," Lideri finally says, surprising me with the fact that he answered at all. "It turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life. You see, Peyton, when you love someone, you give them the power to destroy you." Sadness cloaks his remaining eye as he shifts in his chair. "I've learned that not caring is easier than the onslaught of pain brought about by losing someone."

All the fight goes out of me at his revelation and I sag in defeat, my anger completely dissolving. "I'm sorry, Lideri."

"As am I." He nods once, his mouth set in a firm line. "It's obvious to me that both Zach and Caleb have the power to ruin you. I suggest you keep your heart tucked away safely from now on."

¤

With Lideri's words still playing on my mind, I head off to find Zach and Caleb. When I enter the weapons room, they're almost ready to go. Caleb is slipping small knives into his boots and Zach is zipping up a duffle bag that is stuffed with assorted armoury.

"Do you guys need all this?" I gesture towards the bag in Zach's hands. I've only ever seen them with their swords, or small daggers, but I'm sure I saw a crossbow and mace in amongst its contents.

"Rather safe than sorry," Caleb grins, rolling his shoulders like he's ready for a fight. Which, I guess he is.

"Is there nothing I can say to keep you guys from going?" I can't stop myself from one last attempt at keeping them here with me.

Both Zach and Caleb have the power to ruin you.

Lideri was right. I care about them, more than I should. It goes beyond flings and chemistry and straight to friendship and family. The deeply rooted need I feel for them to be okay scares the living crap out of me. If something were to happen to either one of them, my entire world would fall apart.

Zach's gaze meets mine and I see the hesitation on his face. I know without a doubt, that if I begged him, he would agree to stay. For a moment, looking into those ocean eyes that I've come to know so well, I consider it. But, Caleb doesn't give me the chance. He leans forward and kisses my forehead softly.

"We'll see you soon, Jennings." He slings the bag over his shoulder and stalks out, whistling under his breath.

Zach stops just in front of me on his way to the door, placing his hand on my shoulder. "I know you're worried, Peyton. But we'll be okay. I promise."

"You're a man of your word, Zacharias." I swallow the lump in my throat and manage a watery smile. "So you better keep that promise."

"If only so that I can hear you call me Zacharias again." He grins at me, releasing his hand from my shoulder and taking all my warmth with him. "See you later, friend."

With that he's also gone, leaving nothing but my sense of foreboding and pounding heart in his wake.

"Please come back to me," I whisper to the empty room.

¤

For five hours, I hobble up and down my room, driving myself crazy with all the possible scenarios going on in my head. Each minute is an endless loop of dark thoughts. The clock seems to be moving in slow motion as though time has come to a standstill.

Twice, I've gone out to find Lideri and asked if he's heard from them. Twice, he tells me he hasn't. The second time he assured me that they would be back soon, but I could see the worried look in his eyes. He seemed to be pacing across his own room, picking up where I left off when I went to find him.

Eventually, I can't take it anymore. I make my way to the steel ladder and climb out into the farmhouse above it, too concerned to be happy that I found it on my own. Lideri warned me against coming here, but I want to be the first to see them when they get back.

I walk out into the night, letting the cool air wash over me. The stars twinkle across the black sky like broken glass scattered along marble. The forest to my left where Caleb and I shared our first kiss, now looks ominous and foreboding.

They should be back by now.

Something doesn't feel right. The sense of dread spreads its way throughout my entire body, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. It's as though someone has poured a bucket of ice cold water on me, freezing my veins and covering my skin in goose bumps.

I sit on the grass and thread a few tufts through my fingers, trying to calm myself down. But I can't shake the feeling of impending doom I feel. Something's happened, I know it has.

I lose track of the amount of time that I sit under the stars, waiting for their return. But it's long enough that the dread has made my body numb. The fear I've felt before missions, pales in comparison to this all-consuming worry that swallows me whole. Questions play like a broken record through my mind, making me feel dizzy.

What if they're so badly injured that they're unable to drive? What if they're both passed out on the pavement, similar to the last mission they went on alone? What if they've been bitten, or worse? What if the vampire managed to overwhelm them?

What if? What if? What if?

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a car approaching, the headlights shining in my eyes and impairing my vision for a moment. Relief fills my chest so hard and fast that I think I might float away. I finally let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, scrambling to my feet and wiping the tears from my cheeks.

The car screeches to a stop a few metres away and the moonlight illuminates the interior, just enough to see the lone silhouette behind the wheel. My heart thuds against my chest, pounding against my rib cage as I realise there's no one in the passenger seat.

I take off towards it, running as fast as I can, clutching my stomach and ignoring the searing pain that increases with every step. The door opens, and out falls a figure with a loud grunt of pain. Even in the dim light I can see the blood that covers Caleb's face.

I reach him, wanting to ask if he's okay, if he's been hurt. But only one word manages to fall from my trembling lips. "Zach?"

Caleb looks up at me, the light from inside the car showing the grief on his face. His eyes are cloaked in sadness and regret as he shakes his head. My worst fears come to life when he finally speaks.

"They took him," he chokes out, each word feels like a sharp, stinging blow against my chest. "He's gone."