"C'mon fugitive, ya've already made enough trouble fer us," the sweaty meathead clutching my arm grumbled. I rolled my light tan, almost orange eyes. The rope cut into my wrists, biting my flesh. I trudged along the uneven path, stumbling form time to time.

"I bet yer friend Dante told ya to hide in this forest eh?" meathead said. I continued to look at the ground, silently wishing that he would shut up.

"Heh, heh. Right before we caught him, he said that ya'd give us a good ol' fight. O'course, that Dante fella wasn't no genius," meathead laughed. My amulet burned against my chest. I focused on the burning flame that I could clearly see in my mind.

"Ahhh!" I yelled in pain as the rope cut into my wrists and scalded me. Meathead just laughed.

"That fancy fire power of yers won't work with that rope 'round yer wrists," meathead leered. I shrugged.

"That's fine," I said. With a yell, I sprang. I caught a branch and swung into a tree. I ran along a thick branch, concentrating on not slipping on the slick moss roping about the trees, and sprang from tree to tree. Bullets whizzed by me, I rolled my eyes and dodged them easily.

"Come back here!" meathead huffed. I quickened my pace and soon his heavy footsteps and breathing was out of my earshot. I finally jumped down and landed on the edge of a steep hill.

"Ahh!!!" I screeched as I pitched backward. I rolled down the hill bouncing off of branches and sharp rocks. I fell through a freezing mist and finally landed in sharp rocks.

"Ow," I muttered looking at my cut up and bleeding arms. I shuddered and tried to imagine my flames. The mist blanketing me was freezing.

"Ouch!" I yelped as the rope cut and scalded me again. By then, my wrists were bleeding from the rope.

"Who are you?" a boy' voice called. My head whipped up. I swept my eyes swept through the mist. I didn't see anyone.

"Woman, who are you?" the voice called out again. I summoned my courage.

"Who's askin?" I called. I gasped. A tall teen, barely older than me, came out of the mist and into my sight. His shaggy black hair fell messily to his shoulders and into his ice blue eyes. When his cold eyes met mine, my amulet burned against my chest again.

"Are you going to tell me your name or not?" I asked. The teen smirked.

"I suppose I could tell you my name before you die," he drawled. I saw his hand twitch at his side. Strapped to his side, was a very sharp, very shiny sword.

"Great," I mumbled. The teen began to circle me.

"My name is Bliss," he finally said. I took in a deep, ragged breath. I watched him circle me.

"What is your name woman?" Bliss asked. Suddenly, he lunged. The blade sliced the rope around my wrists as I stood on my hands. As I flipped over him, Bliss's eyes grew wide.

"They call me the Black Widow," I said.

The girl flipped over me with surprising speed and landed with her feet spread apart and one hand on the ground.

"They call me the Black Widow," she said. In fact, she did resemble the deadly spider. Her long black hair made her pale skin almost ghost-like and her eyes were almost the color of the spider's hourglass. She moved with the surprising speed of a hungry smile and was as graceful in movement as she was when she was still. She smiled at me in a purely smug fashion.

"I bet you thought that I was just some poor lost girl that was easy prey hm? Well, get a load of this!" she laughed. My eyebrows rose as a bright blue fireball formed into her palms.

I jumped away as she sent it sailing toward me. I dodged two more. Out of breath, she stopped and leaned against a dead tree. Though it was my duty to kill anyone that came into my Mist, that could exploit our world, this girl was different to me.

I ran at her. She jumped into the tree and flipped over me. As she landed, I tackled her to the ground.

"Hey! St-" she yelled as I covered her mouth with my hand. I picked up the leftover rope and bound her wrists behind her. I picked her up and threw her across my shoulder.

"Let me go!" she screeched. I ignored her and walked toward my castle. She squirmed and tried to kick away from me.

"Let me go!" she screeched again.

"Calm down," I ordered. She ignored me and continued to squirm. I walked to my chambers. I touched the wall and it slid back. I tossed her onto my bed. She scowled at me, her chest heaving. I smirked.

I gaped as Bliss threw off her white shirt. His shorts clung to his tawny, well-toned waist. He put the sword on a wall hook and then flopped onto the bed beside me. He stretched his arms behind his head and closed his eyes, as if waiting on something.

Minutes passed in silence.

"My real name is Skye Endo. Black Widow is the name my Master gave me," I muttered. Bliss opened one eye and looked at me. I looked away. If I looked back, I wouldn't be able to tear my eyes away from his tawny six-pack.

"Why are you here?" he asked me, while sitting up to face me. I said nothing. I sucked in air as Bliss took my chin in his hand and forced me to look at him.

"I don't know! I ran, and fell down into the mist, right onto those rocks. Then you came," I explained. I froze as Bliss pulled out a sharp little dagger. He cut the rope binding my wrists. I had trails of blood and angry burn marks on my wrists. The cuts from the rocks had bits of gravel in them. I inhaled sharply as Bliss ran a freezing, wet leaf up and down my arms and wrists.

"Why did you do that?" I asked.

"The leaves in this castle have special healing properties. They gravel will come out of your cuts and will be healed also," he explained. Bliss stared at me, as if trying to figure me out.

"Why did you run away?" he finally asked. I sighed.

"Where I'm from I…I'm different. A lot of people want my Master and me dead. My Master was captured in the end and he ordered me to run. So I did as I was told, but I got caught," I explained.

"How are you different?" Bliss wanted to know.

"Not everyone can produce fire where I'm from," I muttered. Bliss's eyebrows rose.

"Really?" he asked dumbfounded. I nodded.

"We use to have a Guardian here that could do what you can. But he disappeared. Your ability is one reason why I didn't kill you," he said. I looked at the sword hanging on the wall, and shuddered.

"Are you a Guardian?" I asked. He nodded.

"I am the Guardian of the Mist. Whoever comes into our world through the Mist, I must kill. That is my duty," Bliss said. Suddenly, he stiffened. The tattoos on his chest that ran up to his left eye glowed an icy blue.

"Stay here. I must go," he ordered. He grabbed the sword and disappeared through the hole in the wall. My eyes widened as the wall slid back together. I was trapped, just like a spider getting ready to be killed.

I got up and looked around the room. It was a bare gray stone. Cautiously, I walked over to the wall. With shaking hands, I touched it. I jumped as it grinded open. I ran through the doorway and headed down the hall, completely lost. I came to a halt when I heard voices. Two teenage boys rounded the corner.

"Well look here! Isn't she a pretty little thing, huh Ross," one said. He had dark brown, spiked hair and cold black eyes. The other boy, Ross, had white blond hair and the same cold eyes.

"How'd you get in here?" the first boy asked. My heart thudded in my chest. They, like Bliss, had swords at their sides and were much bigger and stronger looking than me.

"Aw, Jack I think you're scaring her," Ross laughed. They walked toward me. I tried to run, but my feet felt like they were rooted to the floor. Jack grabbed one arm and Ross grabbed the other.

Flames licked my insides like a heated inferno.

"Aw, don't you want to play with us?" Ross chuckled. I shook my head vigorously.

"Ross! Jack! What the hell do you think you are doing?" Bliss yelled.

Bliss's P.O.V.

Skye looked at me, relief shined on her face. Jack and Ross snapped into attention.

"Well?" I asked. They looked at Skye, and then me.

"Is she yours sir?" Ross asked. Skye opened her mouth to protest.

"Yes, now leave!" I snapped in annoyance. They scurried away. Skye was glaring at me. I walked over and grabbed her arm. I dragged her into my chambers. Once inside, I pushed her onto my bed. I leaned over her, placing my hands on either side over her. My face was inches from hers.

"How did you get out?" I hissed. Her eyes widened.

"I-I just touched the wall," she spluttered. I growled.

"Are you stupid? If I hadn't come along when I did you would have become their…their…their toy!" I spat. Her eyes turned stormy.

"I think I'd rather be their 'toy' than yours," she retorted. I laughed.

"You are amusing. Do you really think that I want you?" I laughed. Her eyes narrowed.

"If you don't want me then why did you claim me as 'yours'?" she asked. I shrugged.

"I said it to get rid of my men," I said absently. Silence took over the room. I jumped slightly as Skye's finger traced my Marks.

"What are these?" she asked. The gentle tone was back in her voice. An odd feeling fluttered in my stomach.

"These are my Marks. Every Guardian has them. When a person wanders into our territory, they glow. Mine glow blue," I explained. Skye continued to trace them.

"I'm sorry," I finally muttered. Her eyes found mine.

"For what?" she asked.

"Firstly, for trying to kill you. Secondly, for almost letting them almost claim you," I said.

I'm okay, so don't worry about it," Skye shrugged. I froze. My Marks tingled and glowed. They illuminated Skye's face in a blue glow. I straightened up.

"I'll be right back. Please, don't try to escape again," I said.

"Wait, will you show me around your world after you get back?" Skye asked. I looked at her and smiled.

"If you wish," I said. I turned and walked out the door.

Skye's P.O.V.

As Bliss left I sat up. I was sure that I looked like a mess. I glanced around the room. A basin of water sat on a table in the corner of the room. I went over to it and peered into it. I screamed. In the water, I could see Bliss, stabbing the man who had captured me earlier. The softness in Bliss's face was now gone and replaced with a merciless and frightening glare. I backed away from it, my heart pounding loudly. I stood, pressed against the wall, scared senseless. I jumped as the wall slid back and Bliss walked through. His face was soft and gentle again.

"H-how could you d-do that! How c-could you k-kill someone?" I spluttered. He looked at me in alarm. His eyes flicked to the basin and then he sighed.

"It's my duty Skye. Didn't you realize that earlier when I attacked you?" he said.

"I guess I never thought that anyone could do it so easily. I mean when I look at you now, you seem so gentle and kind but when I saw you in the basin you were so scary and merciless. It was like you were a different person," I said. He smiled. It was so sad and hurting.

"Being a Guardian does that to a man," Bliss said.

"But you aren't a man! You're barely older than me and im only seventeen," I cried. The sadness in his eyes made tears jump into my own.

"Really? I am too. Skye, I have a world that I have to help protect. I had to grow up faster than everyone else my age," Bliss muttered. I almost knew what he meant. Until Dante had found me, I had been alone and taking care of myself.

"Are all of the Guardians as young as you?" I asked.

"No. Breeze is twenty-seven, Cade is thirty-four, and Sage is forty-nine," Bliss explained.

"Which Guardian is which?" I asked.

"Breeze is the Guardian of the Fields, Cade is the Guardian of the Shadows and Sage is the Guardian of the Winds," Bliss told me.

"Wait, isn't that like some of the elements?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yes, Earth, Air, Wind, and Darkness. I told you earlier that the Guardian of the Flame, or Fire, disappeared," Bliss said.

"If you aren't going to kill me, then what are you going to do with me Bliss?" I asked. Bliss smiled and brushed a lock of hair off my forehead.

"We are going to go and visit the other Guardians. I'm sure that they are ready to kill me and want answers," Bliss declared.

"Why?" I asked puzzled.

"Because I kept you alive," he said. I smiled.

"Let's go then," I exclaimed. He grinned.