Before I got the chance to react, Aiden leaped in front of me and fell on the imposter. He pinned him down as he yelled, “Marshall! Get your ass over-" He yelped before finishing. A knife slid it's way into his right lung. I screamed in fear, and he just kinda laughed, “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a scratch.” 

He was weezing out his words when the man twisted the knife counterclockwise, sinking it deeper into his flesh. Strips of dark red, raced it's way over to the base of the knife like raindrops racing to touch the window seal. 

"Aiden!" Another girl with a unfamiliar face cried as she crawled her way over. "Move out the way!" She shoved me away from the two and placed her hands on the killer's head and jerked it to the left making a twig snap sound. His limbs went heavy and made a thud against the green round floor. "Aiden, can you hear me?" She took his head onto her lap.

He coughed out blood smiled, and chuckled, "Nice to see you too."

"Aiden," she said, "you dumbass! What were you thinking?"

"I don't think Cass. I do."

"What do you mean you don't think?"

"She was in trouble, and I had to help. I don't need to hesitate and think to help someone."

"So, you didn't know you were going to be stabbed?"

"Nope. Shot maybe, but not stabbed."

“Oh my god Aiden, you’re crazy!” She exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around him. She was unbelievably gorgeous. Her brown curls rested on her left shoulder, and her green eyes sparkled like apple cider. She had light skin, and freckles scattered around her face. Her lips were thin and pink, her voice as smooth as silk, and her australian accent was thick.

She glared at me and asked, "Who the hell are you?" I just stared at her absorbing in her beauty.

"This is Adriana. She's new." Aiden answered as he took in deep breaths of air.

"Shouldn't we take him to the hospital or something?" I blurted out without thinking.

"Wow. You're dumb." What she said somewhat took me by surprise. "You really are new. We heal. Slowly, but we heal." What do you expect Ade? It's usually pretty face, ugly heart.

"Sorry, Ms. Know-It-All." I replied. 

She scoffed, "Shut up. Don't act tough. You aren't. I can see it in your eyes."

My anger began to light in my eyes as I retorted, "Wow. Ms. Australia can talk. Who knew she could even blink without having to think about it."

 Aiden groaned, "Not now guys."

The girl ignored him, "You're all talk, no bite. Thanks for mistaking me for Ms. Australia though. I get that a lot." Now what do you say? It’s true. You’re just bluffing. Before I got a chance to sass her back, the older guy from earlier was next to us. 

"Hey!" He said in the same bossy voice, "Knock it off both of you!" We both obeyed his command and kept our mouths sealed shut. "Aiden! You still with us, man?" 

Aiden did the same smirk that made me shrink down a little again and replied with a smile, "Still feelin' great boss."

"Get that smile off your face!" Cassy said to Aiden. "You're hurt!" 

"I'm fine. I've been through worse."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Talking to you that's for sure.

"Well for one, I had one of my fingers cut off!" My eyes wandered to his hands and without realizing it, I was trying to look for a missing finger. However, all ten fingers sat in their appropriate place and position.

"Luckily it grew back." He said looking at me. When I looked back up at him, he was staring at me with those ocean colored eyes. 

"Sorry." I mumbled under my breath. I didn't mean to stare. He smiled at me, regardless and managed to speak a few words, "Don't worry, I know you want to marry me. He didn't cut off my wedding finger." 

He gave me a smirk and I rolled my eyes. "In your dreams."

He smiled and chuckled, "Every night, same time." Cassy seemed to turn red in frustration, and I have to admit, I liked seeing her that way. She’s pretty, but she’s a bitch. I kid you not. SHe gives the word a whole new meaning. 

“Can you both stop flirting?” Marshall interrupted my thoughts. “Let’s get you out of this small space.”

“What about his body?” I asked as I pointed to the shooter. Marshall shrugged.

“We probably should handcuff him to one of the poles around here.”

“But he’s dead!” I argued.

“No he isn’t. Well, he is, but he isn’t. Um...how do I explain this?”

“He’s temporarily dead.” Aiden answered.

“‘Temporarily dead’?” I asked.

“Um.” Aiden propped himself up on his elbow and looked at me. “When people like us kill mortals, the mortals temporarily die.”

“For how long?” I wondered out loud.

“Sometimes a few minutes. Some up for weeks. The longest was a month.”

I was still trying to except the fact I couldn’t die, now we can kill others and they don’t die? “But how?”

Aiden shrugged at me. “Don’t know the science between that, but who knows the science of being able not to die?” He had a point. I can’t die? I can kill others and not suffer any consequences? Vampires, witches, werewolves? God, what world do I live in? 

“Can we please get Aiden some air?” Cassy asked impatiently.

Marshall nodded his head, “Good idea.” I backed away as Cassy and Marshall helped Aiden out of the cylinder. Everyone else met us out on some colorful-play-mat. 

When everyone was on the carpet Marshall spoke. “Okay. Aiden, Lola, Cassy. Gather around. It’s meeting time.” They all seemed anxious. 

“This must be important.” I heard a guy behind me whisper to someone next to him. “He usually doesn’t pull a meeting out of the ordinary.” 

After all four of them gathered around in the center, everyone else stood in a circle around them. Marshall grabbed my arm, pulled me next to him as he pulled up a chair and said, “First order of business. What do we do with Adriana?” The question took my by surprise.

“How is that even a question?” Lola asked. 

“Yeah!” Aiden agreed with her.

“Well, her immortality costed Nick’s life.” Marshall barked.

Cassy nodded her head. “I agree with you Marsh. For all we know Adriana here could be a troubled kid. She could cause chaos.” A troubled kid? If I was a troubled kid then I would’ve killed the shooter on the spot or even worse, offer my help to him.

“Cause chaos? Really Cassandra? That’s your best argument?” Lola asked her. 

“This is crazy Marshall!” Aiden said. “If it was anyone else, you would accept them without any hesitation. Some how Ade’s different?”

Marshall sighed, “Well for one she’s different. She’s proved a myth to be true.” 

“How is that a bad thing exactly?” Aiden questioned again.

“Because it shows she’s dangerous.” Cassy replied.

“No. She didn’t do anything.” Aiden said loudly. “She was a victim. Nick was the one that tested on her. He asked me to kill him once someone was killed. So I did. In result, Ade became immortal.” 

“You killed Nick?” Marshall questioned. “He was in our group!”

“Yeah and what? He was depressed as fuck. He didn’t even want to be immortal. He didn’t even want to live in the first place. The only reason he joined this stupid group was because you dragged him into this mess!”

“Hey!” Lola yelled surprisingly loud. “Let’s get back on topic. Ade was a victim. She didn’t ask to be here just like all of us. She’s just like us. The only thing that sets us apart from her is how we got here. That’s all. Nothing more and nothing less. It’s not her fault and that’s final.” Her boldness shocked me. She didn’t seem to be the one that made a scene like that. 

Cassy scoffed. “I can’t believe this. Purpose or not on purpose, Nick is dead.”

Aiden walked up to her and looked down on her. “Your point being what exactly?”

“My point being Nick is dead and it’s her fault.”

“No, it’s my fault.”

“It’s nobody’s fault!” I finally said. Everyone stared at me. Oops. I guess I don’t have a choice, but to speak now. “Look, I’m sorry for your loss and everything, but in the end of the day it was his choice. He didn’t want to live anymore, and he solved his problem. I didn’t force him to do anything. Aiden was just being a good friend and obeyed his friend’s command. Is that such a bad thing? When I saw him, he was happy. He walked into the light, and he was happy. He moved on and left us with this mess, but he’s happy. Even if it was my fault, what are you going to do? Kill me?”

“We’re going to torture you!” Cassy replied. 

“Cassy.” Marshall said. “Let her finish.” Cassy was about to argue, but he shot her a look.

“My point is, I don’t think I did anything wrong.” I finally said.

Everyone was quiet for a few minutes before Marshall announced, “Aiden. Should she stay or leave?”

“Stay.” Aiden said without any hesitation.

“Lola?” Marshall asked. 

“Stay. No question about it.” She said firmly.

“Cass-”

“Leave. I have a bad feeling about her.”

“Okay. That leaves the final vote to me.” He looked at me. “So you’re staying. Welcome to the group.” 

Before I got the chance to react, Marshall continued, "Second order of business, how do we make her family believe she's dead?"