Thierry walked over toward the door, his strides long but unhurried. He motioned Nilsson aside and paused beside the open door.

Cole raised his silver eyes, meeting Thierry's dark ones. "I don't expect you to let me in or welcome me. But I want to know where she is." He said quietly.

The group waited tensely, all of them peeking or crowding out of the living room doorway.

Thierry inhaled, almost measuring him. "You are welcome in my home. You have the saved the lives of many. I bear you no ill will."

Cole's eyes narrowed and an expression close to disgust entered his face. "What?" he asked, frowning. "I nearly kill everyone in this house and you still welcome me?"

"You are one of us." Delos said, golden eyes gleaming and staring deep into Cole's. You might not like that but we are Four. We are Circle Daybreak."

The young dragon took a step back. He thought nothing scared him, nothing except going back to Blaise. But this small group of people were scaring him beyond belief. Perhaps because they could forgive.

And forget.

"Where is she?" he asked softly.

Ash came up, shaking off Mary-Lynnette. Cole looked at him, instantly tensing. Ash ignored the reflexive movement. "Blaise isn't here. She was sent to the Convent. In Connect-"

"I know it." Cole cut him off. He hesitated for a moment, simply staring at Ash. Then he nodded. "Thank you."

And with that last sentence he spun and fled from their sight.

Thierry stared after him. "Something's wrong. With Blaise. He knew it but he didn't want to ask for help." He paused, jaw clenching and unclenching as he thought. "I need a team."

"A team?" Hannah asked.

"A team." He nodded. "To watch over Blaise. Whoever is against us will want her. And the minute they get her they'll get Cole." He turned, his dark eyes sweeping over the group. "Nissa. Ash. Rashel. If you would?"

Nissa and Ash instantly went for their luggage, pulling out duffel bags and shoving clothes into them. Rashel went for the closet, pulling on her own fully prepared duffel bag.

"Let's get ready to rumble." Ash said, flashing a grin.

***************

"Blaise."

She barely glanced over this time, already much too familiar with the voice. "Kin." She sighed, heading toward their class.

He looked around as he caught up. "Are you aware that you're getting death glares from every girl in the hallway?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets, a book bag hanging off one shoulder. "But all the guys look like they want to jump your b...uh..." he cast a quick glance at her.

Blaise allowed a small smile to curl her lips. "Same with you. Only it's the girls who want to jump your b...uh..." she imitated him teasingly.

He grinned, and it was a slow smile, the lift of one corner of his mouth and then the parting of his lips. "I don't pay much attention. New school. New group of people. Like always."

Blaise blinked at him. "You're new?"

"Yeah." He nodded, bowing his head. The lights shone off his red-streaked hair with the gesture. "I moved here a few weeks ago."

"And you've already managed to find a group of Night Worlders. You're fast." She said, clutching her books tighter.

He hesitated awkwardly. "Look...I'm sorry about last night. I just wanted to talk to you and the guys seem to think I'm in desperate need of a girl. They kinda liked you."

Blaise pursed her lips. "I see." She said quietly.

But Kin was still going. "I wouldn't be surprised if you never wanted to speak to me again. But I would like to be friends. We're both new. We could stick together for a while." He said with a shrug.

Blaise glanced at him.

"Start over?" he asked with a small grimace.

Blaise looked away with an exasperated grin. "Alright." She agreed. She held out one arm in his direction, looking towards him but not directly at him. "Blaise Harman."

His smile widened as he accepted her hand. "Kinshiro Rayden." He said with a nod.

Blaise pulled her hand back, painfully aware that she could easily forget his name was Kinshiro, easily forget he wasn't Cole. She inhaled. "Ok, c'mon. We'll be late."

"Lead the way." He said. And as she did, he followed.

***************

"Goddess! Can a class drag any more?" Blaise fumed as they made their way out the front doors. It was lunchtime, lucky for them. They'd been stuck in that dreadful class for two hours, had an hour for lunch and then had to return for another hour.

"It was worse before you showed up." Kin said from behind her.

It was the way he said it that made her turn to look at him. He stood at the top of the front steps, hands back in his pockets, staring off toward his left. His black eyes were narrowed against the glare of the sun and he spoke absentmindedly, as if he weren't paying attention to the situation at all.

"Was it really?" Blaise asked, feeling as if her tongue were suddenly too thick for her mouth.

"Worse. Much worse." He said, still staring off. "Not many people talk to you when you're new. They don't try to get to know you. They'll talk to you only if you look good on the outside." Then he looked at her, eyes narrowed to near slits, and he smiled. The sun brought out the golden undertones of his face, made his hair gleam like polished obsidian.

Blaise gave him a half smile, it was all she could muster. Then she turned to continue onward and saw a flash of color. She recoiled immediately and barely avoided the blond whirlwind that flew at Kin. She threw her arms around his neck, jumping up and down happily, and cried, "Hi, Kin!"

"Hi, Rebecca." Kin sighed wearily. He rolled his eyes at Blaise as if to say 'See?' and she gave him a withering look.

The girl, Rebecca, pulled away and cast a quick appraising look at Blaise. Then her face settled into a smug expression, as if to say she'd won...something. What that something was Blaise could only guess.

"She's not much to look at." The blond murmured to herself.

Blaise's ears pricked up. She turned silver eyes on the fluff before looking away lazily. "We'll see about that after I steal your boyfriend."

"What?" the girl demanded, clutching Kin's shirt tighter in her small, greedy fist.

The gesture caused a surge of jealousy in Blaise. "You heard me." She snapped coldly. Then she turned, looking around and studying the group around them. At the moment it wasn't too much attention that she had gathered but it would be enough if she could just show them that she was a force to be reckoned with.

"C'mon, Kin. I'm hungry." She said, finally deciding to ignore the girl if she said something else. Without waiting to see if Kin followed her she turned and walked away. She vaguely heard him say, "Later, Becky," before he caught up and smiled down at her.

She grinned back at him.

"I'll make you a deal." He said, walking ahead of her and then blocking her path a bit. He started to walk backward as he said, "You hold off the girls from me. And I'll hold off the guys from you."

His black eyes twinkling as he said it, as if he knew she wouldn't be able to resist it.

Blaise stopped and placed her hands on her hips. "I can do that myself." She said teasingly.

He gave her a sarcastic look. "Please, Blaise. I leave you alone for one second and they'll be all over you."

"That's how I like it." She replied, arching a black eyebrow.

He sighed, coming to a stop also and holding his arms up in defeat. "Fine." He said in a tragic tone. "I'll let the girls swarm over me."

Blaise didn't like the jealousy that washed over her from that mental picture. "Oh, alright, you big baby." She snapped good-naturedly. "Let's see how well you do."

With that she walked off, well aware of his black eyes following her movements. She flicked her thick, black hair over her shoulder, widening the distance between them. Then she slowed and finally leaned against the school wall to wait for the first obstacle in her test.

She was instantly surrounded on either side by two guys. Both were thick, probably football players. She glanced up at them under heavy lids, studying each critically. If something were to happen she'd never win a fight of fists but things never went that far anyway. But a verbal fight she could handle any day. "Hello, gentlemen." She said in a husky voice. "Would you move? You're blocking the sunlight."

The guys glanced at each other.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kin clamp a hand over his mouth to hold back the laughter. She was surprised he had heard that from all the way over there and she almost smiled herself. Then she saw Rebecca nearing and sudden strength rose inside her.

"How may I be of service?" she asked, staring from one to the other.

One of them smiled as if he had a secret he knew she was dying to hear. "My name is Brian. This is Jack." He said.

Blaise blinked. Did it seem like she really cared? "That's nice...I'm sorry, was there something else you wanted?"

Kin shook Rebecca off and hunched over, shoulders shaking with laughter.

The guys glanced at each other. Then Jack was leaning forward, pressing far closer than she would've liked. She tensed, her jaw tightening.

Kin rose to his full height, his laughter forgotten.

"What do you say you and me go find a spot and get to know each other?" Jack asked, grinning coldly.

Blaise frowned in disgust. "Is that your best line? Give me a break. Now run along and maybe I'll give you doggy treats later."

Brian pulled back as if he'd been slapped but Jack stayed where he was. They probably weren't used to being denied by any member of the female species. Jack's face was darkening and he said, "What's up with that?"

He wasn't going to be as easy as his friend.

Blaise looked him dead in his eye, feeling a sudden rush of familiarity. This was what she missed and right now she was going to savor every moment. "When you look at me, Jack," she said, stressing his name in a repulsed tone, "What do you see? A pretty face? Or a pretty stupid face?" Her silver eyes flashed and she continued on, leaving the wall and leaning into him, challenging him. "I'm not stupid, Jack. I know your hormones are working overtime. It's not my fault you can't control them. When you get a hold of them maybe I'll listen to what you have to say."

She turned to brush past them but jack's hand clamped down on her shoulder and he shoved her back against the wall with surprising strength.

Blaise flinched in surprise. 'Goddess, what-' she thought wildly. Then her eyes narrowed, fury welling up inside her. "You'll pay for that one." She whispered to him faintly.

"Let me tell you something, you-" Jack began angrily.

Kin was suddenly there, a hand snaking out between them and resting on the other side of Blaise. The message was clear. The area past his arm was off limits. "I'm sorry," he was saying, in a tone not sorry at all, "is there a problem here?"

"Back off, little boy." Jack growled at him.

Blaise glanced at Kin as he turned his head away from her to look at Jack. He was definitely smaller and leaner than the football player, who was all thick muscle. But Kin was Night World.

Jack wouldn't stand a chance at all.

Kinshiro narrowed his eyes at Jack. His head bowed, shadows appearing on his face.

And Blaise didn't see his eyes flash silver.

Jack recoiled backward, ramming into Brian. His face was suddenly pale and a faint trembling took over his body. "I'm...I'm sorry." He stuttered, staring at Kin. Then he turned and practically flew, Brian following.

Blaise frowned.

Kin turned a bit in her direction, head still bent, and he seemed to be examining the ground. "You ok?" he asked, finally glancing at her.

"Yeah," she nodded uncertainly, staring at his black eyes. Then her usual 'exasperated-at-the-world' expression was back. "I could've handled him."

Kin smiled. "You're welcome."

She allowed her own smile. "Thanks."

Parts Nine and Ten

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