9 --- 1

Amber's mind woke up a lot faster than her body. Her eyes fluttered open and closed, the lighting of the room was too bright for her waking eyes and her body was numb.

She struggled to remember what happened and when she did, the memories came a little too fast.

Her heart started slamming against her ribs as soon as she remembered passing out after fighting Minx and she also remembered not being not being able to feel her legs.

She turned her head down so fast it hurt, her legs still felt numb. She tried to wiggle her toes but got no reaction, her heart started to beat faster.

Did Minx damage her back beyond repair? Will she ever walk again?

Just as she was thinking of possible immobility, a shiver ran down her spine and her toes flexed. She gasped in surprise and happiness as her legs began to slowly respond to her.

"Are you having an orgasm?" She yelled in surprise at the voice, she did not realize she was not alone. "It is totally cool if you are."

She turned her head to the right at the voice. It was a familiar pink haired face smiling at her. The terror was back in her mind as she looked at the smirking face of the girl that just tried to kill her.

Minx seemed to sense her fear. "Relax princess, I am not going to hurt you, not that I could if I wanted to." She brought her hand up to show that she was shackled to the bead. Amber remembered the manacles and how they blocked her powers but she didn't still feel fully at ease.

"We haven't been properly introduced, I am Minx."

"H..hi." she stuttered, wondering if the girl was being playful or genuinely friendly.

"Is your hair real?" Amber nodded weakly. "Wow, it's so red. I have to dye mine every week just to keep it extra pink."

"How long was I out?" She changed the topic.

"Over sixteen hours, you kind of snore by the way. I banged you pretty much but Helen fixed you up as much as she could."

She was about to ask who Helen was before she realized she was not handcuffed. "So we won?"

Minx shrugged. "Nobody is telling me shit but I think so."

Wow, so Nate managed to kill Victor after all. She felt guilty for the warm feeling that spread through her. Someone died, someone evil but still a person, well her life was no longer in danger, so that was a win.

The door jerked open and a familiar girl walked in. "Hey, the doctor told me you were awake and asked me to check on you. You must be Amber, I am Anna." She wanted to ask how the doctor knew she was awake but didn't.

Minx snorted. "What a stupid name. You should change it." Anna scowled at the other girl but Amber had to agree with the Minx. She didn't look like an 'Anna'. She was tall with raven black hair with ash eyes. The sleeveless shirt she was wearing exposed her lean muscles and commented her fit body. She looked like an Amazon if Amazons were teenagers in tight leather pants.

"So, are you here to let me out of this?" Minx said, gesturing to her handcuffs.

"Why the fuck would I do that?"

She smiled sweetly at Anna. "C'mon, we are all on the same side."

"Same side?" Amber croaked in disbelief. "You kidnapped us and tried to kill me."

She craned her head further to look at Amber, the movement looked like it hurt her more than she would admit. "That is all in the past and baby, if I wanted to kill you, you already be dead."

Amber's breath hitched as memories of the fight with Minx began to floor her brain.

"Don't worry, she can't hurt you." Anna said soothingly. "Can you stand? So I can get you out of here."

"I think so." Amber pulled herself out of bed, ignoring the shards of pain digging into her back. Anna helped her get to get fully to her feet.

While standing, Amber could see the charred black skin just below Minx's breasts.

"I am asking you to remove the handcuffs for a few handcuffs so that I can heal a little, this thing hurts like a bitch."

"No way, stop asking. God, I wish the healer had left you to die."

Amber hoped she didn't mean that.

"Can I at least talk to Nate?"

Anna ignored her and helped Amber out of the room, her back screamed at her with every step but she kept moving.

"Where are we going?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"To meet the others." Anna replied.

"Others?"

"Yeah, those who were kidnapped with us just arrived."

On the way, they met several people cleaning the carnage of bodies and edefaces. Amber tried hard not to look at the destruction until they reached their destination.

They stopped at a large dining with four people seated around what could only be called a late breakfast. The aroma of the food floated to Amber and her stomach rumbled. She looked up at Anna in embarrassment.

Anna tried and failed to hide her smile. "It's okay, c'mon let's get you seated so can dig in."

Anna seated her next to pale blonde woman in a black coat.

The woman reached over to Amber and touched her cheek, immediately a nice warmth spread all over body, alleviating her pain.

"Huh." The woman said. "Your severed spine seems to have healed nicely." She withdrew her hand and the warmth ceased, the dull pain returned to her back but a little more bearable.

"And what of Nate?" Anna asked with a noticeable emotion in her voice.

"I have healed him as much as I can but he is not going to wake until he replenishes the energy he lost."

"What are we doing here? Victor is dead. Shouldn't we be going to our homes?" A blonde girl from across the table asked."

"No Samantha, we have to wait for Nate to wake up." Anna answered vehemently.

"Why do we have to? The people hunting us are dead. Why do we have to wait again?"

"Anna's right." The healer said. "As of the moment, New York City is without a leader, every willer in the city will be on high alert. It's better to wait for a while."

"How long is a while?" Samantha asked.

"Until Nate wakes." Anna answered with frustration seeping in her voice.

"And how long will that take?"

"What is the rush? It's not like you have somewhere better to be."

Samantha eyes turned hard like pebbles. "That is none of your business."

"I don't mind staying here." A blonde boy said among spoonfuls of pie.

Samantha scoffed. "I wonder why?" All eyes turned to her. "I mean, we were in your apartment, I don't think anyone would want to go back there?"

The boy turned red but said nothing and continued to eat.

"Wow, you are such a bitch." The last boy at table said and Amber couldn't help but agree with him.

"Ok, that's enough." The healer intervened before the conflict could get any worse. "Samantha, why don't I show you where you where you will be staying?" She stood up and Samantha grudgingly followed her.

As soon as they left, the blonde boy scooted over to her side. "So you were here when all the fighting started?" Amber nodded, unsure of how to respond.

"Were you there when Nate killed Victor? Did you kill anyone? How did you hurt your back?" He chattered off questions after questions excitedly without giving Amber a chance to answer any.

Anna came to her rescue. "Lay off her, Brian. She just woke up from her coma."

Brian scampered back to his seat without another word. Amber thought she saw a little bit of fear on his face. She couldn't blame him, Anna didn't look like someone you want to get on the bad side off.

She muttered a silent thanks and finally settled to eat before wondering what her life would be like from now on.