I waited at the canyon, half panicking. Nick was right, the second his wings came out they would sense him and come running. I didn't think they knew that Nick was traveling with me, but he was in the taskforce so they would check.

He should be here by now. Had they caught him? Had they... killed him? Were they on their way here? I took a deep breath and forced myself to relax. He was fine, he would get here soon, we would to a quick swap, take care of Amber and be on our way.

I saw him. He was flying like a jet through the black sky, barely visible; especially in his black clothes. He had the girl too, or he would have been faster. Her long black hair was flapping in the wind as he got closer and landed. She was like a rag doll, completely limp.

"Hold her still," I said quickly. As he held her I grabbed the girls head and did the exchange. As I blinked and tried to get my bearings in the new body I dazedly saw Nick pick up Amber and run back towards the hotel. I was glad that he trusted me to get myself up and the car ready. That was something I loved about Nick, he trusted that I was strong enough to do what I said I would.

After a moment I stood up. It was a little more difficult than it had been with Amber. This body hadn't been moving for a long time now so it was a little stiff and didn't have the jolting energy that Amber had. But blissfully there was no conscious in it either. It was like being back in Victoria.

I got to the car and started it up, my heart thundering. They would undoubtedly be nearby by now... they were fast, especially when on the hunt. Nick ran up soon, jumped in the car and I sped off. I kept my foot on the gas until we were in Phoenix. We were stopped once but Nick killed the guy without a second glance. I blinked, then sped off. There was no time to be guilty about it now.

It was only when we were in Phoenix that I slowed down. We drove straight through though, only stopped for gas and something to eat at the gas station.  I don't think I breathed until we were at the border to California. Only then did I relax a little.

"We should check into a motel," Nick yawned.

"Yeah," I nodded. "The next one we come to. You sure it's safe?"

"Yes," he said. "If they knew we were in this car they would have gotten here by now."

"Okay," I agreed. "We'll stop."

"We should change cars too," he told me. "Just to be safe."

"Alright," I nodded.

We stopped at the next motel, as agreed, and rented out a room. I was exhausted and more than a little shaky. Nick helped a lot, he just held me as we lay on the bed. He was warm and solid, and just plain comforting. I sighed into his shoulder and let myself relax for the first time in a very long time.

I hadn't even realized that I'd fallen asleep, but the next thing I knew, it was morning. Nick as still there with me, sleeping. I slipped out from his arms without waking him and went to take a shower. When I opened the door to the bathroom, my blood turned to ice.

Ryder stood there, just as painfully handsome and arrogant as the last day I saw him. I took a step back, a gasp escaping. He simply kept advancing, perfectly calm, but the same narcissistic pride clear. If I hadn't been so terrified I would have loved to punch him.

Something hit the back of my knees and I fell into the bed. Nick was gone. Panic surged for a split second before I realized what was happening. He could not be here on earth in his real body, Nick could not have disappeared like that.

"This is a dream," I laughed, standing up. "You cannot hurt me here."

"That's true," he smiled. "But I know where you are, what you look like, who you are with. This body really goes not suit you Kaysden, blue is your true color."

"You're lying," I wasn't scared anymore. "Yes, you know where I am, the motel room, you do not know the state or town, or who I am with. They were not in sight when you came in."

"Alright," he grinned, it was shark-like. "However I do have something of yours. Several things of yours in-fact."

"I'm not surprised," I tried to keep the panic from showing. "I left a great many things in the mansion."

"You left several living things too," he didn't loose the grin. "Save for the vampire of course, he is not living."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"What are you planning to do with them?" I asked, my voice steady.

"You should not have grown so attached to these creatures," he sighed, voice condescending. "You know that I am all you need Kaysden."

"Still singing that song?" I smirked. "I thought I made it clear that your attentions meant nothing to me. You are not as perfect as you may think Ryder and I will never accept you."

"How has it been here Kasyden," his confidence didn't falter. "Up here in this hideously bright world, in exile."

"It was a place I chose for myself," I said calmly. I was not going to let him get to me.

"I will let them go," he shocked me into the next dimension, then sat calmly on the bed. "I will let all of your little friends go, will make the blood oath never to harm them."

"And?" I forced myself to keep my calm. "What will it cost me?"

"One night," he looked around the room, taking in every little detail before finally looking back at me. "One night with me, your choice of venue."

"That's it?" I demanded, suspicious. "That does not sound like you Ryder."

"It's my price," he shrugged. "Any consequences of the night will be your own fault."

"You realize that it will be this body that becomes pregnant," I raised an eyebrow. "If that is what you are intending. It is a brain-dead body, nothing holds me to it.

"That is not my intention," he stood up again, walking straight up to me so I had to look up to meet his eyes. He obviously enjoyed towering over me.

"Then what consequences are you referring to?" I asked, not backing down.

"Anything that may happen," he shrugged again.

"I don't trust you," I said bluntly. "I will not subject to this if I do not know all the risks."

"Your demon blood could accept me as your Lord," he said plainly, still looking down at me. I took two quick steps back.

"What?"

"You heard me Kaysden," he advanced again. "You know that each devil has a compatible demon. Demon blood calls to the devil, we made you, we own you."

"Your father made us," I snarled. "Out of selfish, arrogant pride. She'd only been with one devil, my father, before his disgusting possessive arrogance forced her to him against her will. I will not allow you to do the same to me. Never."

"Even if it means that I will kill all your friends?" he asked calmly, walking back to the bed and sitting down like he didn't have a care in hell. "And send their slow, gruesome deaths with you in your dreams until you kill yourself or are killed?"

I never once looked away from his eyes, those soulless black eyes.

"What makes you so confident that my blood will call to yours?" I asked.

"There must be a reason I want you so badly," he shrugged.

"Fine," I said. There was no way our blood called, just no way. I knew that my mother's blood had called to my father's before Satan killed him. I saw the connection they had. I had no such feelings for Ryder.

"You agree to my terms?" he stood up again.

"On one condition."

"What would that be?" he looked suddenly bored, like nothing I said would have any impact on him.

"You release three of my friends before," I refused to look away. "Completely unharmed, and the other three will not be harmed in any way before they are released."

"Which three?" he smirked. I didn't like the smirk, but I was pretty sure he was doing it just to throw me off.

"I don't care which," I told him. Honestly I wouldn't be able to choose which three... if he chose it somehow felt more fair.

"Alright then," he calmly pulled a knife out of his pocket and made a long cut across his palm. "I, Prince Ryder of the Devils swear to thee to release Christopher Lock, Nina Storr and Jay Tomas, completely unharmed. Christopher Lock, Justin Marks, Raymond Sky will remain unharmed until you come through your part of the deal."

"Then I, Princess Kaysden, swear to accept these terms and share a night with you providing you Prince Ryder keep your oath."

Then I took the knife from him, calmly cut my palm and held my hand out to him. With a perfectly arrogant grin, he reached forwards and grabbed my hand. I felt the power explode from our palms, two powerful bloodlines meeting to form a pact.

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow night to discuss time and place," he winked.

There was no getting out of it now.