“How?” Zayne reached out, clasping the back of an empty chair. “How is this possible? I thought that...”

“You thought that all Trueborns were gone? Hunted out of existence by demons and Wardens alike and nothing but myth and legend?” Matthew supplied for him. “That is true.”

“But...but she’s standing right here.” Zayne took a step toward me and then stopped short. “How?”

“She is the last of her kind,” Matthew explained. “And we’ve been charged with keeping her hidden and safe in our community since she was a young child. That is how she’s lasted this long.”

“That’s not the only reason,” I said, feeling the wet warmth start to drip from my nose. Reaching up, I wiped my hand under my nose. When I looked down, my finger was dotted with blood. I sighed. “It’s why I’ve been trained.”

“And...you’ve just been kept here?” Zayne asked.

“Until my father summons me.” I shrugged as Matthew strode toward me, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. “End times, I guess, or something like that. But I’ve been safe because of Misha.”

Matthew slowly lifted his hand, making sure I saw him before he dabbed the handkerchief under my nose. “Oh, Trinity,” he murmured, handing me the fabric.

“Why is she bleeding?” Zayne demanded.

“It’s the grace,” Matthew said, stepping back. “She’s always had nosebleeds afterward and it weakens her. Trinity may be a walking, breathing myth, but she is still half-human. Using the grace is hard on the human side of her. She’ll be curled up asleep somewhere soon.”

I smiled a little at that, because he made it sound like I was child who tuckered herself out.

“I think I know Misha’s role in this,” Dez said, speaking for the first time since I’d decided to do the whole show-and-tell routine. “If I remember correctly, when there were many more Trueborns, they were...bonded to Wardens. Their strength helps... How do I say it? Cancel out some of the human setbacks? And vice versa? The angelic side powers the Warden, makes them stronger and faster?”

I nodded. “He’s my Protector. If you take me with you and help me look for him, I will help you with your problem. I will stay with you as long as it takes, even after we find Misha.”

“That’s how you know he’s not dead,” Zayne said. “Because you’re bonded to him?”

“Yes. I’d feel it.” I put my fist to my chest, crumpling the handkerchief in my grasp. “And I haven’t felt it. Not yet. Until I feel that, I cannot give up on him. I won’t. Would you?”

A muscle flexed along Zayne’s jaw as he looked away.

“Unbelievable,” Nicolai murmured. “Who all knows what she is?”

“Very few,” answered Matthew, dropping down in the unoccupied seat. “If it were to get out, demons would be trying to breach these walls every day to get to her. Demons think she’s human unless they smell her blood.”

“That’s why you all reacted the way you did to her blood,” Zayne said, cursing under his breath. “They can sense it and it will tell them she’s half-angel? Hell. They wouldn’t be able to stop themselves from coming after her. She’s the closest thing to Heaven that they’d ever get to.”

“Yeah, and they tend to get a wee bit nom-nom,” I said, shivering. “Demons believe that if they consume a Trueborn, they’ll be able to enter Heaven.”

“Holy Hell,” whispered Dez. “Is that true?”

“We have no idea,” Matthew said. “But the demons believe it, and as long as they believe it, it’s a threat.”

“And not the only one,” Thierry said. “Trueborn blood, bone, hair and even their muscles are coveted for incantations and spells. Every part of her is considered valuable in the dark market.”

The dark market was sort of like the black market for organ donors...except the dark market was frequented by witches and demons and a whole slew of supernatural baddies.

“I’m special.” I lifted my shoulders again. “Very special.”

Zayne stared at me, opening his mouth and then closing it.

“Is that why you can see ghosts?” Nicolai asked.

“Oh, now people care about seeing me?” Peanut sighed dramatically from his position near the ceiling fan.

I shook my head at him. “Yes, it’s because angels can see spirits and the souls of those who have died. And other humans that can do it, they have watered-down angelic blood. Probably from a great-great-great-grandmother times a thousand who got a little freaky with an angel.”

“I think it goes without saying that you must not tell anyone what Trinity is, not even your other clansmen,” Thierry said, and something flickered across Zayne’s face, like he was putting a puzzle together in his head and he’d found the missing piece. “We were charged with keeping her safe until she is needed—”

“And I’m needed now,” I told Thierry.

“I know Misha is like a brother to you, but you cannot expose yourself to demons,” Thierry tried again, speaking softly. “You going after him is a risk that he wouldn’t even want you to take, and this could be a trap.”

“I don’t care,” I said. “I could’ve stopped that demon. I should’ve used my grace to do so, but I didn’t. I can control it. You know that. I cannot sit around and do nothing, Thierry. I’m sorry. And if you forbid it or forbid them helping me, I swear to God, I will leave on my own. You will not be able to stop me. You know that.”

Thierry did know that.

Sitting back, he ran his palm over his face as he slowly shook his head.

“This was coming,” Matthew said to him. “We knew this deep down. She’s right. We can’t stop her. Only her father can.”

“Who is her father?” Zayne asked.

“You don’t want to know,” Thierry muttered under his breath, and I snorted at that. They really didn’t. He lifted his head as he dropped his hand. “Trinity is a weapon, and whatever problem you’re having in DC, she will be able to help you. That is true. But are you willing to help her?”

My breath caught as understanding roared through me. Thierry was relenting. Holy crap, he was.

“Yes.” It was Zayne who answered, surprising me. “Yes, we will help her. You’re right,” he then said to me. “I couldn’t walk away from this, either, if this was someone I knew and cared about. So, I understand that. I do.”

Feeling a little bad for being suspicious of him, I ducked my chin. “Thank you.”

Nicolai’s gaze shifted from me to Zayne and then to Thierry. “Yes, we will help her.”

I almost fainted, right then and there. Part of me couldn’t believe this was happening. They would help me find Misha and I...I was leaving the community, really leaving it, for the first time since I was a small child. We’d be leaving in the morning and I would need to pack.

I was still stunned when Peanut spoke. “I’m going with you.”

Surprised by Peanut’s statement, I forgot that I was around other people when I turned to him. “What?”

Peanut was fully corporal, his eyes wide. “I’m going with you. To DC.”

“But you haven’t left the community since you came here with me.”

“Who...who is she talking to?” asked Dez.

“Probably Peanut.” Thierry sighed. “He’s a ghost.”

“You have a ghost here?” Nicolai’s voice was strangely pitched.

“Yes,” answered Matthew. “Apparently he followed her here about ten years ago...”

As Matthew explained who and what Peanut was, I focused on my ghostie roommate. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “I’m positive. If you’re leaving, I’m going.”

“But I’ll be coming back,” I told him.

A look of doubt crossed his pale face. “If you’re leaving, I’m going with you. Don’t even try to argue with me. You know it’s pointless. I’ll just follow you, anyway, and haunt you. You know I will.”

I did. He would totally do that.

“Okay.” I turned back to everyone. “Well, apparently you’re getting a two-for-one special. Peanut’s coming with.”

* * *

Saying goodbye to Jada and Ty the following morning was harder than I ever could have imagined, even if it was temporary.

“I wish we were going with you,” Jada said, her beautiful vivid blue eyes glimmering. “I’m going to be so stressed out with you being out there and me stuck here.”

“Don’t,” I told her, squeezing her hands. “You know I can take care of myself and I’m not going to be alone.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to worry any less.” Ty reached over and placed his hand on my shoulder. “You promise to call us every day.”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“FaceTime,” Jada said. “You have to FaceTime us even though I know you hate it.”

“I will even though I completely hate it,” I said, laughing. “I won’t be gone that long, and I’ll be back before you know it, with Misha.”

“Yes.” Jada squeezed my hands. “With Misha.”

Jada and Ty hung out while I finished packing, which consisted of me throwing all the leggings and tops, along with a few lightweight sweaters, I could pack in an oversize luggage. It was just the start of summer, so I figured there could still be some cool nights. Upon Jada’s suggestion, I added a few pairs of jeans. After they left, I shoved all the undies and bras I owned into a small suitcase, because I really didn’t know how long I was going to be. I was trying to be optimistic, but even with the DC clan’s help, it wasn’t like I was going to show up and find Misha immediately, and that was if—