• Kevin poked his head outside, "Hey, are you coming in or what?" Jane nodded. Kevin grinned, "You should bring something on your way in." Jane reached for the last bag in the car and headed inside the building. Jesse shook his head when he saw the bag in her hands.
    "Did Kevin make you bring this inside?" Jesse asked.
    Jane shrugged, "He said I should." Jesse sighed and took the bag from her.
    Kevin appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He whispered in her ear, "You didn't have to, love. It was merely a suggestion." Jane shrugged. Kevin chuckled, "I guess you wanted to feel like you helped." Jane nodded. Kevin sniffed the base of her neck. Uncomfortable with the intimacy, Jane tried to step away, but Kevin held her still.
    "Am I making you uneasy, love?" he asked. Jane just nodded pathetically. He stepped back and took her hand, "You need to speak with the Heralds. I cannot come in with you, but I will be waiting for you outside of the door. Tell the truth, okay? Don't let me down." He pulled her towards a door and pushed her inside, closing the door behind her. It was very dark inside, but when her eyes adjusted, she saw four cloaked figures sitting on a couch. She walked slowly towards the loveseat across from them and sat down.
    The first person spoke. She had long purple hair and sharp teeth, which was all Jane could see.
    "My name," she said, "Is Arial. Kevin and I are on... difficult terms. He seems very intimate with you, but you don't look as interested. Is that so?"
    Jane gritted her teeth, "In a way. I just don't know him so well, so I would call him my friend while he would call me his girlfriend."
    "So does that mean you're using him? Or are you a spy?" Arial asked.
    Jane scowled, "I don't use people like they aren't human beings! How dare you accuse me of such a thing?! I'm not my father! And I am not a spy!"
    Arial grinned, "Then you are in love with Kevin if you are neither."
    Jane struggled with her emotions. Did she love Kevin? Is that why she cared? Or was he just someone she felt bonded to? What was he to her?
    "I... I don't know," Jane said at last, "how I feel about Kevin."
    "So when and where did you and Kevin meet then?" Arial asked.
    Jane sighed, "The other day on the subway. He just started to randomly talk to me after we stared at each other for a while."
    Silence followed.
    The man on the end of the couch shouted as he stood, "She's a spy! We can't trust her!"
    Arial sighed, "Octavian, shut up. You don't know what you're talking about. Oh, I've been rude. That is Octavian, beside me is Gantor and beside him is Felix." Octavian had a red beard sticking out of his hood, and Gantor had a strong jaw.
    Gantor spoke, "Jane, I believe you are something different. Something special. I don't think you're here to spy on us, or use anyone. I'm not sure about your feelings toward Kevin, but I think something about you is useful. Do you think you could tell us anything that might be useful in figuring out why you're different, or even how you're different?" Jane shook her head. Gantor sighed and sat back.
    Arial spoke, "I'm sorry, Jane, but if you don't give in, we can keep you here and starve you until you tell us the truth. I'm also sorry you had to meet me like this. I'm actually a very gentle person, but my job is to be rough and strong. Please, just tell us why you're here and we don't have to necessarily kill you."
    Jane twitched under Felix's stare. She couldn't even see the tip of his chin, but she could feel his stare. She sighed, "I don't know why I'm here or what I am to you guys! How can I help if I don't know?!" Felix leaned forward: the first movement he made since she entered the room. Jane froze. Something about him creeped her out; scared her. She could feel his smile in the darkness under the hood. The feeling was so familiar... to what?
    Jane suddenly remembered and looked at Gantor, "When I was little, I had dreams- I mean, I thought they were dreams. It was so real. I was always at my mother's house. I can only remember two dreams clearly. One was when I was seven. There was a swoosh by the window. When I looked outside, there was an angel- I swear that's what it was, and a creature that was definitely evil. They were arguing, and their voices sounded funny, but I understood what they were trying to say, although I can't remember what they said. The angel saw me and disappeared into the afternoon sunrays. The creature screetched and flew away. The other dream was weird, too. There were vampires, just like the one in the elevator. They were eating people and running about, and fighting amongst themselves. Suddenly, a great light smashed into two great buildings and they fell on top of the vampires, killing nearly all of them." Silence once again followed her last words.
    Three of the Heralds exchanged glances. Felix's eyes were glued to Jane, as they had been since she entered the room. Arial stood and helped Jane up.
    She smiled at Jane, "I'm glad you will be able to know me as the gentle person I was born as. Go to Kevin. He's waiting outside of the building." Jane sighed and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her, to cut off Felix's presence from her mind. She went outside and saw Kevin, watching the sun set. He turned and smiled at Jane. He held her hands in his.
    "You did amazing. I'm so glad you'll be able to stay," Kevin whispered, "I love you so much." Jane blinked a few times. Beautiful sunset. Her hands in his. Sweet words coming from sweet lips. It was so romantic... but... she barely knew him and she was head-over-heels for him.
    Jane sighed, "I don't even know you."
    Kevin frowned, "Of course you know me. I'm Kevin."
    "I know, but..." Jane looked down, "I've only known you for so long, and I'm already drooling over you like a love-sick puppy."
    Kevin chuckled, "Jane, dear, you don't understand. Have you ever heard of love at first sight?" Jane snorted. Kevin grinned, "That's what this seems like, but it isn't. I've known you your entire life. You know me just as much as I know you."
    "How?" Jane asked, "We only met the other day, and..." Kevin just chuckled again.
    "You'll remember me, in time. You know me, and I love you," he whispered.
    "How do I know you? When did we meet?" Jane asked.
    Kevin laughed, "Why don't you tell me about your last boyfriend? If he could keep you for more than five seconds, I'd love to hear about him."
    Jane scowled at the subject change, but went along with it, "Okay, you asked for it..."