The girls erupted in laughter as Leah wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him down to her height. She pressed her lips against his and pulled him closer still, sharing an intimate kiss.

I quickly walked away, uncomfortable at the show of intimacy.

Mia laughed, "You're such a prude, Emmy!"

I walked away and sat on the couch furthest away, watching the crowd below, silently hoping that Damien would soon tell me why he was there.

It seemed that my concerns were unfounded, Damien didn't make his way towards me until much later and it was because Leah finally went dancing with her friends.

I was on the private balcony over the party when Damien approached. Being his usual Damien self, he gave a charming smile and shouted over the music, "I didn't think I'd ever see you here."

I raised an eyebrow. "I'd say the same thing about you."

He seemed to sigh, though I could have imagined it since I could barely hear or see anything over the pounding music and strobe lights. "Leah was ... persistent. I told her I'd show up for a little while."

I wanted to get information from Damien - being mad got me nowhere. I laughed. "You know, I think she's showing you off."

He laughed too. "Can you blame her?"

I cleared my throat. "So, what have you been up to? You've been ignoring my calls and texts, you better have a good story."

He laughed and looked down at the bourbon in his hand - when did he get that? He swirled the large ice cube in the glass several times before speaking again. His dark lashes hid his eyes then they shifted up to me showing me the strange shade I'd gotten so used to.

"I've been wooing her this entire time."

I laughed settling back into the way things used to be. Before finding him a Queen before the nightmares, before I found out he was having me followed. "Hard to believe it took two months to charm her. Where did you guys go? You mentioned Bali, Paris -"

He nodded. "In the beginning, I showed her around the realm, the kingdom - we found her family."

I nodded and turned towards him resting my back against the small railing. "How did that go?"

He shrugged. "Fine, I suppose. They gave her up during my Uncle's reign."

I froze. He mentioned his Uncle. He never mentioned him.

"They feared they wouldn't make it and thought that was the best chance for her at the time. So she was raised by humans. There were a lot of tears."

I tried to look and sound natural but all I could do was nod. His Uncle's mention made by neck tingle strangely. Instinctively, I reached for my neck and looked away. Should I tell him?

He grabbed the hand at my neck and gently took it. "I'm sorry I was gone all that time. I wanted to make sure nothing went wrong - there's just so little time. The Blood Moon is so close." Damien was usually guarded with his feelings, there were very little times that he actually showed what he was thinking. Even with the dim lighting of the annoying club I could see he really meant the apology.

I nodded, glad to have my friend back. "I know. You've been busy. When is the wedding? Where is it?"

He let my hand go abruptly and took a drink. He swirled the large ice cube in the small glass as he stared at it. "In five days. Royal Weddings are in the Underworld. Binding for eternity."

Leah appeared suddenly, grabbing my hand. "There you are! Come on, let's go dance!"

I watched Damien as Leah pulled me away back to the private room that led to the stairs. He wouldn't turn to me as I left.

"I have someone to dance with you!" She yelled over the music.

I shook my head firmly as she continued to drag me. "Oh, no. No. I don't dance."

"Liquid courage then!" She laughed and placed me at the bar.

I looked at the bottles behind the bartender, overwhelmed. Leah ordered for me. "Two shots of tequila."

The girl behind the bar expertly poured them with a wedge of lime on the glass. Leah jumped with glee as another song started. The harsh beat reverberated through my chest. The music was probably the most annoying thing there.

Leah grabbed a shot glass and handed it to me she touched them together. "Cheers!"

She drank her with a quick shot and laughed when she saw me still holding mine, full.

"Come on! It's a party! Have fun!"

I looked at the clear liquid in the small glass. "God, I'd kill for some Bowie right now."

"What?" Leah yelled over the beat of the song.

I shook my head, "Nothing!" I quickly took the shot and shoved the lime wedge in my mouth, shuddering as the liquid made its way down my throat.

Leah pulled again, leading me to the door that led to the stairs. A new song played as I rounded the corner and I instantly recognized it. Let's Dance by David Bowie.

I looked to Damien who had a grin spread across his face at the other side of the room where Leah and I had left him. He casually leaned against the small railing of the balcony with his elbows.

I narrowed my eyes at him and yelled sarcastically, "Oh, haha, laugh it up, your Majesty. Thanks for the help, dork."

Damien laughed and the song immediately cut to the one previously playing just in time for me to make it downstairs.

Mia was there with a drink in her hand with a sweet smile. "Leah! Do you mind if I steal Emmy for a second? I have to use the restroom - I don't want to go alone."

Leah nodded and took the drink from her hand. "Is that all right, Emmy? I'll be over there." She pointed to an arbitrary place in the sea of people. "Come dance with us, okay?"

I smiled and followed Mia, as she tugged at my hand and led me away.

I was getting really tired of being led from place to place.

At least the restroom was a bit quieter and not as bad as I thought. There were a couple of women in there, not making eye contact with anyone as they entered the stalls, walked out and washed their hands.

After we were done and washed our hands, I smiled at Mia. "Ready?"

Mia shook her head. "Emmy, there's a reason I asked for you specifically. I need to talk to you."

I looked at her concerned even with the heels I was wearing she was still a bit taller than me. "Everything all right?"

She shook her head again. "No. Maybe Leah is too polite to say anything but I'm not. Stay away from Damien."

I almost laughed. Almost. It was Mia's deadpan expression that made me stop. "What?"

She nodded and continued, "Yes. Stay away from Damien. I see how he looks at you."

Was this really happening? "Didn't Leah tell you? We've been best friends for years - there's no way, no way there's anything between us. Ever."

This time, she laughed. "Oh, please. That might work on her but it won't on me. You don't belong here, Emylin. She only invited you because she felt sorry for you. Don't think that you can all be best friends now since they're getting married."

I scoffed silently, hysteria almost bubbling. "This is insane."

Mia raised a perfect eyebrow her stance exuding confidence. Something was wrong. What happened to the sweet Mia thanking me the previous day for helping her with college work? "Am I? You won't be one of us, Emylin. Ever. Tonight you were invited because Damien asked her to. Not because she felt the need to."

I felt that familiar knife twist in my rib cage. I'd been right, I was invited out, tried to make friends just to have everything blow up in my face.

Too much to take, I walked away. "You have fun, Mia. Enjoy it while it lasts before you lose your best friend too."

If she said anything else, I blocked her out as I headed out the back doors I found near the restroom. I pulled my phone out of my small purse, ready to open the Uber app. At some point in the night, it started pouring. I didn't even care that the rain poured down all around me in the small alley.

The sound of footsteps made me turn and I watched as Mia continued to chase me. The rain drenched us but she didn't seem to mind as she continued to yell at me over the sound of the thunder and rain. "Get out of here! You're not welcome here!"

"Leave me alone," I yelled over my shoulder.

I placed my phone over my head trying to find a decent signal. Nothing so far.

The rain continued to pour and lightning crackled around us. I wanted to go back inside but wanted to get as far away from the club as possible. I didn't care if it wasn't safe.

As we made it to the end of the alley back to the parking lot, a figure emerged from it in the rain.

Something about him made me stop. He was much taller than us and definitely a man with a full-grown beard. A familiar warning about being in the city alone as a woman rang in my head but it wasn't any of that that gave me alarm. It was what he had in his hand.

The sword was almost as long as he was tall. He held the hilt at his waist - the sword sparked against the pavement as he dragged it behind him. He had no shirt on but had dark tattoos that trailed from his wrists to his neck then down his large naked torso and continued down the waistband of his pants.

I froze watching his white eyes fixed on me through his dark curtain of hair.

No, this wasn't right. I could feel the same oppressive air around me as in the dream. We were in danger. In real danger.

As long as I'd known Damien there wasn't ever an attack from a fae on humans. Yet, here I was living it watching as the strange man in front of us approached us.

Finally finding my voice, I spoke to Mia behind me. "Go to Damien."

She laughed. "No way, do you think I'm stupid? Is this some sort of prank?" She took a couple of steps forward but I stopped her placing my hand in front of her, not letting my eyes off the creature. "Are you showing off your Halloween costume?" She yelled down the alley. "Promoting your store?"

The man in front of us spoke though I couldn't understand what he was saying. He extended his hand and spoke with a guttural, unnatural voice. That alone made me shiver.

I shook my head. "Please, Mia," I pleaded, my voice shaking. "Please, listen to me."

She batted my hand away and walked closer still as I took cautious steps back.

"Alteaza," the figure spoke looking at me, his hand was still reaching to me, palm raised. He spoke again but I couldn't understand him.

Mia turned her head to me and laughed. "Well, he seems to like you."

I shook my head and felt the warm tears down my cheeks. I could feel the cold fear inside creeping to all of my senses. We had to leave, we had to run.

There was a loud crack of thunder around us and I watched Mia suddenly collapse in front of me.

"Mia!" I rushed over to where she fell, facedown in a puddle in the pavement. I turned her over and immediately pulled away. She had a large slash across her neck the blood pouring out of her in buckets.

She gasped and gagged as she watched me. Her eyes went from confusion to realization to terror. I tried to place my hand over it as best as I could but it was too late.

I tried to scream but couldn't - my voice couldn't make it from my sobs.

I looked at the man. Mere moments had passed and he still stood watching me as I watched Mia die in my arms.

I watched the blood fall from his large sword. He approached me again, his hand outstretched with the palm up.

I was still on the floor on my knees next to Mia's body, I tried to pull away from him, keeping an arm close around Mia. I was hysterical between my sobs and my screams. "Stay away from her, you murderer!"

He was persistent - but his patience was wearing thin. I could see it in the way he watched me. "Alteaza."

The curtain of heavy rain between us stopped.

I watched as the rain that was falling previously stopped as if frozen in mid-air. He noticed it too and immediately lunged for me.

He didn't get too far before he was pulled far away back to where he had first appeared. He was tossed like a ragdoll away from where he stood. He landed far away on his feet, the stance absorbing the shock.

The air around me became heavy and I felt pressure all over my body. The air buzzed with charged electricity, too thick to breathe. The walls around me oozed darkness and seemed to move unnaturally on its own towards me.

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.

The darkness converged in front of me and made itself into the shape of a man.

I sighed with relief when I saw who it was that materialized from the darkness. Even with his back to me, I recognized Damien's silhouette. He placed himself between me and the tattooed man.

In an instant, the tattoed man made up the distance again and before I could blink Damien pushed an unnatural force against him again sending him flying. The air seemed to groan from the effort.

Damien was immediately at my side but he didn't look like himself. His eyes were completely black and seemed to spill out to the skin around his eyes, like the darkness was a liquid threatening to spill from his eyes. He tried grabbing me by my arms but I resisted even as he pulled me to a standing position.

I was hysterical. "He killed Mia!"

"We need to go, Em," his voice was calm and collected. "It isn't safe here anymore-"

I watched the man make an appearance again before I could warn Damien. But Damien was prepared.

He turned towards him and I watched as Damien created a sword of his own from the air. The man jumped high in the air and launched an attack towards him, his sword high.

Damien was fast, he used his own sword and blocked the attack, making a deafening sound ring throughout once the swords crashed. Damien pushed him off, launching him backward with an invisible force from one hand.

The man stumbled back but recovered, this time moving again closer towards me.

Damien appeared before him again - pushing him back with the force of his sword as they once again crashed.

Suddenly, they disappeared from view.

There was a glint of metal further down the alley and another familiar crash of metal. There was another blur of movement, too fast for me to catch then Damien appeared in front of me. He was out of breath, wet from the rain, his shirt torn. His eyes were the obsidian I couldn't quite get used to.

He grabbed my hand, "We need to leave."

I turned to Mia. "What about Mia? We can't leave her here."

He pushed the stray hair in my face aside, his eyes starting to return to normal. I could see the sadness in them but it didn't stop his urgency. "She's dead, Em. There's nothing we can do to help her."

I shook my head, unbelieving on the verge of tears again.

He placed his hand behind my head, his fingers raking my hair. "I'm so sorry," he pulled me closer still and crashed his lips against mine.