Samantha Cassidy

From the moment that that familiar panther had crept out of the shadows, Samantha had been so relieved to no longer be alone with the cruel Were who she'd previously thought of as a friend. There had been nothing but comfort in the sight of her boyfriend. But then... but then Aiden had attacked the man - no, horse - and any ease she would have felt for his presence was gone from the very moment she felt the rage from both men. Aiden had pressed her far enough back to keep her safe, and the horror of the whole situation kept her frozen where she was. She wanted so desperately to do something to keep Aiden safe, and yet there was nothing she could do. Besides, Aiden seemed to be doing well enough on his own. Frost was bleeding significantly more than Aiden was. Aiden was winning. Aiden would keep her safe.

Or at least, she thought so until that diamond armor shattered and Aiden... didn't move. Samantha reached out with her power, trying desperately to find some hold on his emotions. To make him stronger, braver... anything that might help him. But there was nothing. Nothing at all. The girl shoved herself to her feet, taking two quick steps in the direction of her boyfriend before he, suddenly, burst into flames. "A-Aiden!" She called out, halting her steps as she watched the man she loved quite literally blow away in the wind. Her eyes fell then upon the other male. She watched as that horse skin gave way to his human one, and where there had been horror and fear just seconds before... now there existed a kind of despair that Samantha had never felt before.

Frost was bleeding and clearly struggling to hold himself upright. Samantha merely stood there frozen as he struggled to his feet and started to move. His words hit her suddenly, and she let out a choked, gasping noise. She should want to kill him. She should actually kill him. But no, instead it was her knees that buckled and found her on the pavement. The Faerie Queen was left into a sobbing mess as she looked at that pile of ash that had once been her boyfriend. Aiden... no. No. He couldn't be. He couldn't be dead. No. This was all her fault. This was all... Aiden was dead, and it was her fault.

It took her several minutes - who knew how long it could possibly have been she was unaware - before she was able to push herself up to her feet. Where would she go? What would she do? She wanted to go home. She wanted Dorian and to cling to the safety that perhaps only he could give her. But... But Aiden's pack. His pack would have felt him die and Samantha was the only witness. Samantha alone could tell them what they needed to do to avenge his death. For a second, she stood on that street and felt out for the bond that she held with Dorian. She didn't know how to call upon it, and yet she could only hope that what she had done was make him come for her. She needed him. She needed him now more than she ever had.

Samantha turned then, bolting down those Western streets and in the direction of the Ark. She had to get to them. To Tobi and Raven and Nadya...

No. Not Nadya.

It was because of Nadya's love for Frost that had painted that target on Samantha's own back. Frost had toyed with Samantha and her fears and it was Frost's love for Nadya that had Aiden...

God, she was going to throw up.

Jackal wasn't at the door when Samantha sprinted up the dock. And why would he be? It was well past closing time and there was no reason for him to be collecting money or whatever it was he did at the doors. But as such, there was no one there to go get the people she wanted. No, she was alone to walk through the fighting rings and up the stairs. She kept her eyes off the throne that Aiden should have been sitting at. That he would have been at tonight had it not been for her. God... what had she done.

It seemed like she had been walking for miles when she finally pushed herself to the door she was looking for. Tobi... She leaned her body against Tobi's door as she knocked. "Tobi... Raven..." She called out, her voice entirely weak. It was only when she said their names did a fresh wave of tears start and the girl allowed her knees to buckle and her body to sit outside their door. "Tobi... please..."