• tab Bored out of my mind, I walked over to the computer, the screen was black. In the middle of it was a light gray box with a message in small black letters, saying that it was broken. Actually, it said something nothing of the sort. It was a foreign language to me. Gibberish. Actually, computer-ish. Irvine’s area of expertise. I only dealt with minor problems. This looked as if it needed a new motherboard. At least, that’s what it said on the note next to the computer.
    tab Suddenly, I decided that I would entertain myself by attempting to fix the computer. No one was there to warn me. The guys were out either for a few drinks or training and practice for the next battle. Whenever that’ll be. Probably next Tuesday.
    tab Anyway, I was alone. On my own. It was quiet. I had done myself three times – just once takes about roughly an hour, without Shadow that is. I couldn’t find Shadow’s secret chocolate stash, no matter how hard I tried. Damn him to hell and back, because I still love that crazy thing called a guy. I think.
    tab Looking at the screen, I hit three keys: f, i, and x. All of a sudden, the screen went blank and I panicked. Not knowing whether I broke the computer beyond repair or something very similar, which I had done before and got beaten up for because I’m not really suppose to touch stuff like this…
    tab Suddenly another box message popped up saying it was done with the repairs. “Oops!” I sat there, frozen to the spot. Fast footsteps could be heard in the stairwell on the first floor. Next thing I knew, I was cowering in a corner, Irvine looming over me menacingly.
    tab “What the hell did you do?!” He seemed a little tense.
    tab “Noth-”
    tab “I’m not human so I’m not stupid.”
    tab “I-I-I-I pushed three keys!”
    tab “Which ones?!”
    tab “Fix.”
    tab He was silent for several minutes. It worried me. His artificial body was as still as a sculpture, not even simulating breathing. I was as motionless as he was until he spoke.
    tab “Very well. I’ll have to return the new motherboard I just got as the replacement. But for now, I’m heading back to Shadow and the others at the bar downtown. It’s getting messy.”
    tab “Ok. I’ll call in a few minutes. I might go do something later.”
    tab Then he left. Five minutes later, the phone began to ring, I picked up the cordless phone, and looked at the caller id. I dropped the phone when I read the number. It was the business number of my former clan. I wondered if I should answer it. Picking the phone back up, I pressed the answer button, and I held the phone to my ear carefully and cautiously.
    tab “He-hello?” I said, scared.
    tab “Agent S, or can I call you by your true name now?” a voice half-whispered.
    tab “Calcifer! And no, you can’t.” I breathed in relief. “You freaked me out. Calling me when I’m exiled and with… him.” I was careful not to mention Shadow’s name. I never really trusted Calcifer with personal information of any kind in any situation.
    tab “Where is that lucky mongrel? May I speak with…it?” he mocked.
    tab “He’s not here right now. He’s out.”
    tab “Oh, what a shocker. A babe like you, all alone. That’s pathetic of him.”
    tab “Do you even have a point in this phone call at all?”
    tab “Yes. I need you-I mean the High Council needs you back here, Agent S. They are firing agents by the dozens. They need you back very badly.”
    tab “How badly?”
    tab “Your father came by. The High Council is in an uproar. Your father made a request for you. Actually, several requests. One of which I would like to highly request my participation in. You’ll need me, babe.”
    tab I swallowed hard. Calcifer knew how to get to my emotions. He was doing it now. Except for the ‘babe’ part which was throwing me off. “Calcifer, you know I can’t come back. I won’t come back even if I could. I’m going nowhere.”
    tab “They thought you would say that which is why they sent our presently top agents to retrieve you. You will complete the missions they have assigned for you,” he said, matter-a-factly. It felt to me as if he sounded smug about all this. I hated that about Calcifer. He was always like this when it came to getting what he wanted. Just then it dawned on me.
    tab “No! You didn’t-”
    tab “Didn’t what?” I was furious with him at this point.
    tab “What did you do to get the High Council to ask me to come back?”
    tab “I didn’t.”
    tab “But-”
    tab “Are you questioning your superior, Agent S?”
    tab “Yes. How much time do I have to pack and say goodbye?”
    tab “Two hours, tops.”
    tab “Minimum?”
    tab “Two hours.”
    tab I ended the call and stood there frozen. I had 3 options open: leaving without a word, leaving after writing a note, or calling Shadow then leaving no matter what he says. All in all, I was leaving no matter which option I chose. There was the matter of Shadow tracking me down, then he’d be in trouble and I’d get beaten to death for it to spare his life. But if I told the others then they would be involved somehow anyway. It was the most difficult situation ever in my life. I had to leave soon, if not I would be caught and forced to do as they wanted because they knew my weak spots and so on. And then be taken prisoner for the remainder of my sentence that I was supposed to serve some time back.
    tab They created the weaknesses and such from the time since I could remember when I started living with them. It was terrible. The things they made me do and the reasons why I did those horrid actions.
    tab “I guess I could be nice and leave my big boy a note.” Finding a piece of paper and pen was hard. The place was a total pig sty and I ended up having to use my favorite notepad paper and my favorite pen. At this point, I was beyond pissed off at both the clan and Calcifer. Hurriedly, I scribbled down a quick note for Shadow.

    tab My dear, sweet, adorable Shadow,

    tab Whatever you do, don’t come after me. I’m going to see Calcifer from the clan. I’ve been summoned by the High Council.

    tab tab tab tab tab With endless love,
    tab tab tab tab tab Bella

    tab After taking care of that, I rushed to the window, yanked it open and threw myself out. Immediately, tiny silver white threads sprouted from my back, formed a pair of huge silver white wings and I soared off into the air. I knew Shadow would be both confused and angry with me for being rude but I was pissed and he would have to understand that. I was pissed and he would take it like the man I knew he was. Not in the lower sense, even though I could think of many compliments for that…I was losing focus. I cannot think about the quality of the sex we have, especially on his part. Why did I have to have a short attention span in these kinds of situations? I don’t know and actually I shouldn’t care at the moment.
    tab I flew across town. Over the bar Shadow was at. Suddenly, I recognized Shadow and the others coming out of the bar. They looked up at me, Shadow looking confused. I quickened my speed and rushed off in a hurry. I couldn’t share thoughts with him right now. Keeping the contact silent between us was crucial.
    tab All of a sudden, I saw something. A kind of vision. It was of me, Calcifer, and Shadow. I was naked in Calcifer’s arms. Shadow was staring in horror at the sight. I appeared to be unconscious. Calcifer, on the other hand, was just about to have his way with my body.
    tab I stopped mid-air. I thought I was going to pass out from shock. It had been one of the clan members’ visions. None have never not happened. Some were slightly different or altered in some way. But still came true. I now had to see Emile. She was the seer in the clan. I could read Shadow’s thoughts, the world’s thoughts, including animals; I could summon a visible force field in the shape of a bubble around me to block anything. I was considered special by the clan. There were very few vampires in the clan that had some form of special ability like Emile and I.
    tab Suddenly, I felt myself falling. I looked and saw muddy brown. It was the ocean and I was falling fast. I couldn’t seem to make my wings flap. My body felt numb and I couldn't seem to move. Just as I was about to hit the water, someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me up, flying toward land. As we were flying over the water, I noticed the dark wings of the person who had caught me.
    tab “Shadow!” I was scared. I had only two hours to escape.
    tab “What the hell was that note?!” he said, angrily.
    tab “I can’t give you the details. It’s classified information only known to the clan.”
    tab There was a pause.
    tab “You sound like you’re working for the clan again. Why?” he spoke carefully, guarded.
    tab “I…I can’t tell you.” My whisper was barely there.
    tab “That’s the biggest crack of bullshit you’ve fed me yet.”
    tab I clamped my mouth shut. I was desperate to not tell him. I always told him the truth eventually whenever he bugged me for it. But not this time. I spread my wings and took off. A trail of ripples from rain appeared on the water. The rain was my tears.