Live free. Run free. Die free.

My Flame, my tortured boy, had broken through the last of his defenses. He had found his voice. Flame, my always and forever, had found his song, like I had found mine. And through our love, he had finally found the courage to sing.

We are Flame and Maddie. And we have survived.

Forever always

The Ten Commandments of the Fallen1. Thou shalt not kill an innocent2. Thou shalt not stray from the Fallen's righteous path3. Though Shalt not bring prey back to Eden Manor4. Thou shalt not kill in Eden Manor5. Thou shalt not betray, injure, or kill a brother of the Fallen6. Thou shalt kill only the Chosen7. Thou shalt not put any other above the Fallen8. Thou shalt not kill another brother's prey9. Thou shalt only kill within the realms of one's desire10. Thou shalt practice self-restraint

And tomorrow night, my two loves-one pure yet broken and the other so dark that I now realized I didn't know him at all-they would fight to the death.

A small smile transformed his normally hardened features and he took my hand and ran it across his ribs. "Are they all there?"I frowned. "What?""My ribs. Is there one missin'?My hand smoothed up and down his sides. "Okay, I think you've lost it. You think you're missing a rib?"He exhaled a quiet laugh. "Just thought God took one of mine when he made you.

Because, even though love created wrecks of us all, it had to beat the barren wastelands that was utter loneliness.

You're mine, Maria, my little rose." He leaned down and pressed a single gossamer kiss on her cheek - the forbidden, foreign touch sent shiver's down Maria's spine. "And I will break you. I will make it so you can't breathe without me. Can't awaken without seeing me face in your mind. You'll dream of me...and I'll consume you. And when it's all said and done, I'll own you. You'll never be rid of me. You'll give me all I've ever wanted. Dreamed of. Finally...my little rose.

Why the war paint, Pix?Because I can't stand the girl underneath...."Why the tattoos ?"Because I can't bear seeing the scars of my past.