I drag the back of my hand across my cheek, wiping away the last of the salty tears. Sniffling a little, I shove what little belongings I have into the backpack Leilani had given me when I'd been tossed out of Archer's home and try to shove the panicked worry that's brewing in my chest. I need my wits about me. I need to be calm and calculating if I have any hope of getting Anabel home to her brother. I can't keep letting visions of Octavian forcing the sweet little girl to endure what I had form in my mind's eye. I'll go mad.

"Viridian, what are you doing?" Ryder asks from the doorway.

"Leaving. Dax and Leilani need my help to find Anabel," I mutter, yanking my sweater over my head and replacing it with a leather jacket. The material is cold against my skin compared to the gentle warmth of the sweater, but it will better block the biting wind.

"What are you going to do? Barge right through my father's front doors and demand the girl back? That's a stupid plan -no, I take that back. It's a suicidal plan. If he doesn't kill you on the spot for being a traitor, you'll have given him exactly what he wants; you and your boyfriend's power," the incubus states with a stormy expression. His arms fold across his chest and his shoulders square, telling me he's definitely not okay with this. That's okay, because I definitely don't care.

Slinging the backpack strap over my shoulder, I raise an eyebrow at the darked haired man. "If you're so worried about me, why don't you come with me?"

His eyes widen in surprise, but the emotion is quickly covered up with an arrogant scoff. "And risk my neck for some kid I don't know? No thanks."

Angered by his everlasting selfishness, I shove past him. He grunts as his shoulder is forced back by mine, causing a satisfied smirk to form on my lips as I quickly make my way to the front door. Ryder's footsteps follow me, coming closer and closer until his hand grasps my upper arm and pulls me to a stop. I curse, damning his longer strides, and turn back to him.

"You can't be serious," the incubus says incredulously, the oceans in his blue eyes churning with emotions that don't mix well, "you're actually leaving?"

"I am."

I try to tug my arm out of his steely grip, but his fingers tighten on my skin. Reluctantly, I lift my gaze back up to his and find him frowning down at me.

"Viridian, I-" he begins, then stops and frowns again, as if searching for the right words. The stormy seas in his eyes freeze over, becoming impassible walls of ice once more. All emotion leaves his voice when he settles with, "don't get yourself killed."

"I don't plan to." I frown at him and tug my arm again. This time, he lets me go, shoving his hands into his pockets. His eyes stay on anything but me, so I don't bother with a goodbye as I hike the strap of my backpack higher on my shoulder and exit through the front door of Ryder's cabin.

As I walk away, I listen for the sound of the front door opening -for Ryder to change his mind like he had before- but it never comes. Fine, I think hotly, be a selfish coward.

I make it to the treeline and pull out my cellphone, dialing Leilani. It rings several times before the witch's chirpy voice says that she's unavailable at the moment and to please leave a message. I try Dax, with the same result, and hang up, shoving the device into my pocket. I guess I'll be surprising them with a visit then.

Throwing one last glance back at the silent cabin, I walk into the forest once again.

Hours later, I peer around the thick trunk of a tree on the border of the familiar clearing. I let out a quiet, tired breath as my eyes land on the old, dilapidated cabin that sits above the place I'd wanted so badly to call home. I stare at the peeling cherry red paint of the front door, remembering the first time I'd pushed it open and walked into the ruined room, thinking it would only be for the night. So much has changed since then.

I look away and scold myself. Now isn't the time to be reminiscent. As much as that door symbolizes what once was my new beginning, it also marked the day I lost it. That door is the one Archer slammed in my face; the one I'd stared at in the pouring rain, holding onto the hope that the cherry red door would open and he'd come back to me. I have to be more careful this time around. I'm not going to walk through that door, only to come out heartbroken again. This time will be different.

I move to step out into the clearing but the sound of claws bursting from fingertips stops me dead in my tracks.

"Move and you die," a guttural voice growls through a mouthful of deadly sharp teeth.

I curse. How could I forget that Dax had ordered heavier patrols? He did it because I'd been worried for Archer. I should have remembered. Mentally, I shake myself. It's too late for that now.

I do what the shapeshifter says. I don't really have any other option. If he shifts, I'm screwed. My last encounter with shifters nearly killed me. I can't afford to die right now, not when Leilani is counting on me.

"I'm here to see Archer," I say calmly, careful not to give him any reason to attack, "my name is Viridian Steel. Call Archer and tell him that Viridian Steel is here to see him."

"Steel," he spits vehemently and, too late, I realize I've given him my real name. He steps around me so that he can capture my face in his hand, forcing me to look at him. Recognition flashes in his black eyes and he sneers down at me. "You look just like your mother; like that bitch who killed my brother in cold blood."

My eyes widen in surprise, not because my mother had killed his brother, I already know how ruthless she is, but because it occurred to me just how fatal this encounter may have just turned.

"I-I'm sorry," I stutter, not really sure what to do. Apologizing for the violent deeds of myself and my family is still new to me. My killer instincts tell me to let my claws do the talking; to make him sorry for speaking to me so rudely but I know I can't do that. How am I supposed to show Archer that I'm not a monster when I'm eviscerating his guards?

I bow my head meekly, trying not to enrage the shifter anymore. I may have decided against ripping him apart but he'd made no such decision about me. By the way his nostrils flare and black eyes grow even darker, it's safe to assume he's considering how nice my head would look on a stick. I sigh internally. Who knew being a good guy was going to be so hard? I expected not to be forgiven for the things I've done, but I didn't expect to be murdered for them.

"Please, I need to speak with Archer Valentine. He's expecting me," I lie. Technically, Archer doesn't know I'm coming but the black-eyed shifter doesn't need to know that.

The shifter's eyes narrow with suspicion. "What would Archer Valentine want with murderous scum like you?"

I wince. "I've been asked to help rescue the little girl who was taken."

He scoffs. "You're here to save Anabel? Right."

The shifter releases my face roughly, allowing his claws to rake across my cheek. The scrapes sting, but I keep my face passive, even as I feel wetness dripping from my chin. I meet his black eyes and tilt my chin up defiantly. "It's the truth," I grind out through clenched teeth.

Infuriatingly, he laughs, exposing sharpened teeth that gleam in the sunlight. "I'm supposed to believe that the big bad wolf wants to help little red out of the goodness of her heart? I don't think so. Any spawn of that devil that murdered my brother can't be trusted."

"I am not my mother. I didn't kill your brother," I say lowly, wondering how I'm going to escape the shifter without violence, "please, just let me talk to Archer."

His next smile is vaguely canine, and not at all friendly.

"Crawford! You are to do no harm to Miss Steel. She's always welcome here," my savior says from behind the shifter. Archer lays a warning hand on the beast's shoulder but that doesn't stop him from glaring daggers in my direction. My frown is deep. Crawford? Crawford is Dax's last name. That would mean-

"If you think I'm going to let the monster's daughter help find my sister, you're wrong," he growls. When his eyes land on me once more, I find them filled with fury and pain. My mother stole something precious from him, and seeing my face only reminds him of what he's lost. I can't hate him for that. Not when I feel the same hatred for Ryder because of all the things he represents.

"It's not your decision," Archer says, expression darkening at the challenge in the shapeshifter's tone.

I put a gentle hand on his arm, pretending not to notice when he tenses under my touch. "Archer, let's go," I murmur, tugging him towards the old cabin. The last thing any of us need right now is for Archer to get into a fight with one of his own because of sins committed in my past.

He stares angrily at Dax's brother for another long moment, then turns and strides towards the entrance to his home. Each step is hard and angry. With only a moment's hesitation, I follow him.

"Steel," the shifter calls after me with a gruff, slightly less volatile voice. I half turn, wary of what he could possibly want to say to me, the daughter of his brother's murderer. The pain is still evident in his black eyes when he says with a deadly calm, "if anything happens to Anabel, I'm coming after you."

With that, he whirls around and stomps off into the forest, leaving me standing in his angry wake.