Chapter 1

Something made me stray from my usual path. I'd been walking home along the crowded streets when I literally felt my body being pushed into one alley way. I looked around but there was no one even remotely close to me. I shook my head and was about to step back onto the semi-busy sidewalk when I felt my body just turn back around so I faced into the alley. Without realizing it, I began walking deeper and deeper into the maze it turned out to be a part of. I didn't know what I was searching for but I knew I'd recognized it when I saw it.

And then I came to a dead-end. Buildings towered over me and there was nothing there except for one lonely dumpster heaping with garbage. So there I was, utterly lost when I heard footsteps coming closer. Whoever it was was running, or at least trying to.

A body ducked into my alley and collapsed onto its hands and knees. I watched as the being painfully made her way to one wall and lean against it for support. I knew who it was.

"Kristin?"

Her head snapped up.

"Ryan?"

"What are you doing here?" We both demanded.

She shook her head. "Ryan, listen to me. You must get out of here. You're going to get hurt if you stay."

"What about you? You're already hurt!" I indicated to her swollen ankle and right, bloody shoulder.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just go already!"

"Not until I find out who's done this to you," I said, making my way closer to see how I could help.

"I'm serious, Ryan. If you want to stay alive, let me be."

It wasn't what she said that shook me but the tone of her voice. I looked into her eyes and saw they'd gotten darker. Beyond the pain and fear she was feeling at that moment was a hint of something else. What it could possibly have been eluded me for the moment. All I knew was she was testing me for something.

"I'm not leaving your side," I found myself answering, using an equally strong and determined voice.

She tried once more. "I won't be held responsible for what happens to you. Leave while you still can."

I reached over and took both of her hands in mine. "I'm not going to deny what I feel for you, Kris," I started, using the pet name I'd given her so long ago. "I love you. You know I have for the longest time. Something brought me here and I'm not going to leave until I've helped you out in any way I can."

I watched her eyes as I spilled out my feelings to her. When I'd mentioned how I'd gotten to be in that alley, her eyes had clouded over and I couldn't think why. I was too worried to think about it anyway. She was in terrible pain. But I waited. If she didn't want my help, she'd say so again. She'd had no trouble telling the truth in the past, no matter how much it hurt us both. When she stared at me for so long with those hooded eyes, I grew increasingly aware of how stupid I must have sounded to her. I lowered my gaze from hers, ashamed. I opened my mouth to apologize but she spoke first.

"You mentioned awhile back that you'd be willing to do anything for me."

"I remember," I said, looking back up at her.

"Do you still feel the same way now?"

Something deep inside me stirred. Something was up, otherwise she wouldn't have referred to the past. "With all my heart," was my reply.

She smiled, but it was a smile with no hint of true happiness in it. Although the corners of her mouth tilted up, it was with strain. Her eyes gave away her sadness from hearing those words. Why was she so sad? Was it because after all time, I hadn't had the will to move on like she had? Did it scare her as much as it did me to know that these feelings hadn't changed in the years we've spent apart?

She reached up with her good hand and gently touched my face, brushing my skin so lightly, I barely felt anything more than her warmth. She mumbled something to me but I didn't understand a word of it. I couldn't tear my eyes away from hers. I felt as if I was meant to memorize her face once more (as if I would ever forget that face), somehow already realizing that this would be the last time I'd see her before me. Her words, whatever they were, sounded oddly familiar but still completely foreign to me at the same time. From her tone though, it felt like she was apologizing to me.

She ignored my confused look and indicated that I should raise my hands slightly, palms open and parallel to the ground. She lightly laid her hands on top of my arms so that our wrists touched. She muttered some more in that old language and two bands appeared, circling her wrists. Slowly, they unraveled themselves and snaked their ways down to encircle my own wrists. Then she took her left hand and lightly touched her throat. Still mumbling, a band of some silver metal appeared and unlatched itself. Holding it loosely in her hand, she bent close and touched the band to my throat. I felt it work itself around my own neck and shivered slightly at the feeling I received, the same as I'd done when the bands had locked themselves around me the first time.

She hesitated a little, looking back into my eyes. Regret, sadness, pity, and a faint flicker of hope all mixed around in her eyes. Smiling that sad smile of hers again, she supported her bad arm and made herself reach up to touch my forehead. She whispered one last thing to me and it wasn't until much later that I realized what she'd said.

"I love you."

A cool sensation washed over me, leaving me slightly dizzy and breathless. When I opened my eyes again, I saw that Kristin's body was tense with anticipation and her eyes looked toward the alley's entrance.

"Ryan, I only have a little bit of time left. I have enough Energy to make you invisible but I have no idea how long the transformation will last. Therefore, hide behind the dumpster since I know you won't go. You don't have time to leave anyway anymore. Once you're there, be quiet. No matter what happens, not a sound from you until everything here is finished. Do you understand?"

My mind was whirling. Invisible? Silence? "I understand."

"Swear it."

My mind wanted to protest. What was going on? What was she asking of me? "I swear it."

She gave a curt nod and reached over once more. I felt myself grow light for an instant and in the next, I found myself standing behind the dumpster. From where I was, I had a clear view of the alley entrance and I watched as Kristin struggled to stand up. I cursed myself in my head for not helping her but I'd already sworn. She swayed slightly once she got on her feet. She tried putting weight on her bad ankle and almost fell over from the pain. I could also see the blood on the wall where she'd leaned against it, a small pool of the liquid left behind on the ground as well. She still bled.

We both sensed the chill next. I wanted to run and hide somewhere else. I was that scared all of a sudden. But Kristin stood her ground, waiting…

A man in a long, brown trench coat landed right in front of Kristin, causing her to almost fall over backwards in shock. I felt rather than saw him smile in response, my view blocked by Kristin's body.

"You're hurt," I heard the man say. I realized he was talking in the same, ancient tongue as she had been speaking earlier, only now, I understood.

"No thanks to you, you bastard."

"Easy, wildcat," he chuckled. "I'm not here to harm you. I just want what's mine."

"And what makes you think I have anything you'd want?"

"Why not? You're the Lhaam's most esteemed person. Who else would be given such a responsibility?"

"Someone you wouldn't think of."

"Oh, don't be so feisty. I promise to leave you alone after you cooperate."

"You think it'll be that easy to just wipe us out? Think again."

"Sorry babe," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I don't feel like thinking any other way. Besides, who said anything about getting rid of you? I'd be perfectly content to have you at my side every step of the way. What do you say?"

She tried to hop out of his grip and managed to fall this time. Whereas she'd been able to hold back her cries before, she couldn't now, and the wail absolutely broke my heart. "You bastard! How dare you think of me like that!"

He laughed. "And why wouldn't I think like that?" He crouched down and cupped her face none too gently. "You're so beautiful. It'd be a pity to just destroy you." She struggled but he only bent forward and pinned her down. He took a hand and gripped her bad shoulder, forcing a thumb into her bloody wound. She cried out again in agony as he dug deeper and deeper into her injured body. His easygoing act left him and he shouted at her. "How do you like it princess? No one is here to help you. No one is here to hear you scream. Where are they Quinn? What have you done with them?"

"I already told you. I don't have anything!"

"Who'd you give them to?" he demanded, not believing her one bit. He forced more of his hand into the now gaping wound. I felt my own shoulder begin throbbing in pain. The hurt I was feeling was inconsequential however, to the knowledge of knowing he was talking now about me. What did you do to me Kristin?

I heard her voice answer in my head. "I'm so sorry Ryan. I hope one day you'll find it in your heart to forgive me."

The pain was overwhelming her, I knew; I could feel it washing over me in waves, and yet she gave one last try for freedom. With what strength she had left, she shot a white beam of Energy at the figure above her. He snarled as he jumped back up to his feet, his hand rubbing the sore spot.

"You know, I'll be glad when you're gone. Forget your beauty. You're too wild… Almost non-human at times."

"I'm as human as you are, sir. A human trying to make your life a living hell."

"Thank you for the sport Quinn, but I'd rather spend my time doing other things."

He bent back down, this time blocking my view. I didn't need to see what was happening though. I could feel it all. I felt as if my body was being cut open and then something was strangling my heart as it tried to beat still. He turned slightly and then I saw him tear the organ out, cutting it free from its owner. He set it aside, concentrating on feeling her body, paying close attention to her wrists and neck. Grunting when he realized that she honestly didn't have what he was looking for, he stood up, taking her heart and placing it back into the lifeless cavity. He wiped his hands on her torn blouse and turned to leave. "Farewell Quinn. Until we meet again." With a slight wave of his hand, a small flame flared at her head and it wasn't long until her body was engulfed in Fire. He disappeared around the corner and never looked back.

I felt myself sink to my knees, weak with shock and horror. I didn't want to believe anything that had just happened. I didn't want to believe that she was gone. Or that I was alone. I watched in my mind's eye as her life flashed for me. Not only her life though, but a number of other lives before her. Through that, I learned a lot of about the past. I learned who Kristin had been. I learned of what she had fought for. I learned of my new role in society.

And I learned why she had asked to be forgiven.

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