We land in Southern Illinois on an abandoned farm in the middle of nowhere and unpack our things in a little farm house.
"Is everything okay?" I hear Xander ask from behind me.
"Yeah," I reply, "I'll be fine."
"Maybe, but you're not okay right now," He established.
"Of course I'm not okay. I miss my best friend, Lyric, and I don't mean to be rude or inconsiderate but I'm tempted to fly my ass to Juliard just to see and talk to her," I rant. "And I don't know about you, but I'm tired of running from these demons who are supposedly coming after me for some unknown reason! Seriously, I'm sick of this! I don't want to run anymore!" I start crying.
"Why me?" I sob, feeling Xander pull me into a hug.
"I know, " Xander says, comforting me.
After nearly ten minutes of sobbing and talking to Xander, we got up and found Jared in the kitchen cooking French toast and eggs with bacon. "I thought you'd want some food after all that flying," he said.
"Yeah. Thanks Jared," I said, taking the well-prepared plate of food next to Jared.
I go to the couch to eat and finally come up for air when I feel someone sit next to me. "Wow, I didn't think I was that good of a cook," Jared said, looking at me in awe.
"Nah, I'm just starving," I say sarcastically.
"Well, then I'll have to work on that, won't I?" Jared smiled and nudged me slightly with his elbow.
"Yeah," I giggle, beginning to eat again. Jared's so sweet and kind to me. I don't know what I'd ever do without him here with me.
"Hey, what's on your mind?" Jared asks me, stealing an inch of space from between us. I swear that if I were to lean forward at all, I'd be literally on top of him.
"Umm," I say, trying to find a trace of any and all words, "Why are the demons after me?"
Jared sits back, stretching his arm across the back of the couch, "Well, it's complicated."
"I think I can handle complicated, Jared," I say softly, leaning back into his outstretched arm.
"Maybe you can handle it, but can you live it?" Jared challenged me, believing that I'd back down.
"But I'm already living it," I say. Checkmate.
"Ugh. Fine. You and your brother are the children of the highest order. You're Michael's kids. Lucifer has been after you because there's a famous prophesy about either you or your brother in which one of you will kill Lucifer and close the gates of hell forever and rid the earth of all demons. But, once again, I will say that this could be about either you or your brother unless Michael had another kid in which we're all screwed," Jared says nonchalantly.
"But it's okay because you're protecting me, right?" I ask, hoping he'll say yes.
"Of course. I'll always be here for you no matter what, Meg," Jared says, kissing the top of my head lightly and rubbing my arm.
All of the sudden, all the windows in the house break at the same time accompanied by strong-looking men with midnight-colored wings. My head starts pounding in waves and my vision begins to blur, but not before I can see someone beating Jared while three guys pick me up and take me away, but not before I can scream one single name, "Jared!"
