Chapter 18

Alaric could feel Zane's heated glare drilling into the back of his head, making him fight the urge to sigh. He hadn't meant to interrupt—hell, he didn't even know what exactly he'd interrupted—but judging from Mia's slightly pink cheeks and Zane's less-than-thrilled expression, he had walked in on something.

Even peeking behind him stylishly, he caught the faintest hint of a flustered expression on Mia's face, which surprised him more than anything. He had always assumed she'd never find a partner—not because she wasn't wanted, but because she never let anyone close. Mia had always been a mystery, even to him.

She was beyond talented, the best Shadowhunter in the base, maybe even in the entire order. She preferred to work alone, never taking a team, never trusting anyone to watch her back. He had once tried assigning others to follow her for backup, but she always knew. She always found them out. And then, after putting them in their place, she would disappear again, handling things her way.

It was a miracle that Zane had managed to get this close to her.

Thankfully, that same miracle was also the reason he was still standing here, staring at Alaric like he wanted to kill him.

Clearing his throat, he got straight to the point. "A massive energy spike was detected not too far from here. Strong, chaotic, and entirely unnatural. It happened a few minutes ago. We believe it has something to do with the girl."

Mia's entire body tensed. Zane's expression darkened instantly.

"We reached out to the Apostles," Alaric continued. "They confirmed it."

Zane's eyes narrowed. "Confirmed what exactly?"

Alaric took a measured breath. "It was Eve. She was taken by a high-tier demon."

The words settled like a bomb between them.

Mia's fingers twitched, barely restraining her anger. "A high-tier demon? Where? How?"

Alaric pulled out a holographic map, projecting it in front of them. A red dot pulsed aggressively near the outskirts of the city. "She was last detected here. But before we could pinpoint the exact entity that took her, the signal vanished. Whatever demon it was, it's powerful enough to hide its presence entirely."

Zane's fists clenched. His mind was already running through every possibility. Eve was alone. Confused. Still trying to understand what she had become. Now she was in the hands of something beyond dangerous.

Mia exhaled sharply. "Do we have anything else? Any sign of where they went?"

Alaric shook his head. "Nothing. We don't know if she was taken into another realm or if the demon is just suppressing its energy."

Zane sighed rubbing his palm on his face. "So once again we lost her"

Alaric hesitated but ended up sighing "Yes, we did Zane but don't worry we'll find her"

Zane took notice of how he didn't mention what will happen once they found her. He didn't ask too he didn't want to strain his relationship with the new group he had found himself in, not yet at least.

Meanwhile, an hour ago,

Eve stumbled as she landed on the pavement, her knees nearly gave out on impact.

 Her wings shot back into her back making her stumble forward again but at least she couldn't feel it's weight on her back anymore, but her whole body still trembled with exhaustion.

She didn't know where else to go.

She barely even realized she had been flying until she had reached halfway to her destination.

Her house, the only place her instincts led her.

Her fingers shook as she fumbled with the door handle. Everywhere was so quiet, so normal, she smiled knowing her mum and dad would probably be asleep. 

She had told them she was staying out with some friends after all. Friends that were supposed to be trustworthy and protect from danger.

How ironic.

The door shook and groaned but refused to open, in her annoyance she shoved the door with all her strength.

CRASH!

The wooden door slammed against the wall, rattling the entire house.

"Who's there?!"

Her mother's voice.

Eve flinched at the sharpness of it, but God, she just needed to hear it. She needed to hear it telling her everything would be okay.

Her mother's hurried footsteps came from down the hall, but Eve didn't wait—she rushed past, heading straight for her bathroom.

She felt dirty, she knew it wasn't a physical reaction, no she just wanted to wash away everything that had happened this night.

The moment she shut her bedroom door behind her, she turned to the mirror.

And her stomach dropped.

Glowing, golden irises stared back at her.

Not her eyes.

Not human eyes.

Her breathing turned ragged. Her fingers hovered near her face, but she couldn't bring herself to touch her own skin. The reflection felt foreign, like a stranger wearing her flesh.

A monster.

She staggered back, gasping, but something else caught her attention—a mark.

A thin, dark tattoo etched along her collarbone.

She clawed at it desperately, her nails scratching against her own skin as if she could scrape it off. It didn't budge.

It was part of her.

A violent frustration clawed its way up her throat.

"Get off me… Get off me!"

She slammed her hand onto the sink.

CRACK!

The ceramic shattered beneath her fingers like fragile ice.

Eve stared at the ruined sink in horror, her hand still hovering above the rough remains.

No. No, no, no, no....

Her veins burned. Her arm itched. She clutched at it, rolling up her sleeve, and....

Another mark.

A second mark, curling along the inside of her forearm like a freaking brand.

She suddenly had an ominous feeling about these marks.

Like her body wasn't hers anymore.

A muffled voice from outside made her jolt.

"Eve?" Her mother's voice carried through her bedroom, tense and cautious. "Sweetheart is that you? Did you break something?"

Her father's heavier steps followed. "Something's wrong," he muttered. "Stay behind me."

Eve swallowed hard.

She had to calm down.

She forced herself to step away from the sink even with her legs shaking. It was fine. She was home. Her parents would understand.

She just had to explain.

She moved towards the door just as it swung open.

Her father stood there, a gun in his hands.

For a brief second, relief flooded his face and his gun lowered.

Then, his gaze met hers.

His breath hitched. His hands trembled but he didn't raise it back up, she was his daughter after all.

Eve's heart pounded.

"Dad, it's me," she said quickly, stepping forward.

"Honey, what ha...."

And that was when it happened.

The moment she moved, her wings emerged abruptly.

They shot out from her back on instinct, silver feathers glowing faintly under the bathroom lights.

Her mother scream was the first thing she heard.

The sound cut through Eve like a blade.

Her father staggered back, his entire expression twisting with horror.

"No," he whispered, his voice cracking. "No, that's—"

Her mother clutched onto him, her face pale. "Demon from the pits of hell. That's not our daughter....."

Eve's stomach plummeted.

"What?" she croaked.

Her mother shook her head violently, her eyes closed shut as though fearing to even look at her. "It's a demon!" she shrieked. "It's playing tricks on us"

Her father's eyes hardened. The barrel of the gun rose.

Eve's blood ran cold.

"Dad, Mum"

BANG.

The first bullet tore into her chest.

Eve choked. The pain was instant and overwhelming.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

More shots. Each one ripping through her sending her stumbling back.

"How dare you demon masquerade with my daughter's face! I'll send you back to Satan myself!" 

Her legs gave out, but her body wouldn't fall.

Her wings kept her upright.

The bullets hadn't killed her.

Her father's hands trembled violently. "No," he whispered, his voice cracking. "That should have—"

Eve turned and ran.

Her body moved on pure instinct. She threw herself at the window, the glass shattering around her as she took to the sky.

The air was cold against her skin.

But her chest burned.

The pain of the bullets and the pain of her father's words were too much for her to handle.

She didn't know where she was flying.

She just needed to get away.

She barely made it five miles before the next attack came.

The only thing she saw was a flash of white light.

It pierced through her shoulder, missing her heart by inches.

She let out a strangled cry as she spiralled downward, crashing into the ground.

Pain exploded through her body.

She gasped for air, but it was getting harder to breathe. Her vision blurred.

Boots crunched against the gravel.

A glowing female figure stood over her, analysing her with a hard to read look.

She wore a white leather outfit and she held a glowing bow.

Behind her, a guy scoffed but this one seemed to have a twirling light on his head. "Don't tell me you missed a kill shot because of pity?"

The girl didn't respond.

Eve could barely focus. Her body was failing.

The girl took a deep breath, then raised her bow again.

The light gathered at the tip of her arrow, brighter than before targeting her head.

A killing shot.

Eve wanted to run.

She couldn't.

The beautiful girl's fingers tensed against the string.

Eve sucked in a sharp breath—

Then the world went black.

"Get back!" She could hear the male voice but it sounded far away from her.

A sudden, suffocating pressure filled the air then a dense, inky wave of darkness erupted from nowhere and swallowed the light.

It vanished soon after taking Eve with it.

Beatrice's arrow vanished from her bow.

The Apostles froze.

Elijah's face darkened. "What… was that?"

Beatrice exhaled sharply. Her fingers tightened around her bow.

"…Demonic interference and a very powerful demon for that matter."

Her eyes narrowed into the empty void.

Someone had taken the girl.

And that meant something very, very dangerous had just entered the game.