A/N: Be prepared for a sort of AU and possibly OOC fic. I'm in the mood to write something silly and smutty. I'll keep it as classy as possible, but I'm not making any promises. ;)

Her legs burned and each breath she took was harder than the last. She was slowing down and the sound of her pursuer was getting closer. The light from the full moon was fading as the trees around her grew denser. She hoped the dark would make it harder for her pursuer to find her, but it also meant she'd have a harder time avoiding obstacles in her way.

A thick branch bit at her neck and she cried out in pain almost stumbling to the ground. They couldn't catch her. She wouldn't let them. Another burst of adrenaline coursed through her veins and she took a sharp left hoping to shake them. The sound of their pursuit died down and she felt a small wave relief. She might make it out of this after all. Moonlight illuminated ground ahead of her giving just enough time for her to catch herself at the edge of the black abyss that stretched in either direction for miles.

The angry sounds of her pursuer were growing louder again. Her legs had grown heavy as the adrenaline in her veins ran its course. She could see their ominous shadow walking toward her from the edge of the trees. She had nowhere else to go and they knew it. The sound of rushing water far below gave her the smallest shred of hope and in her desperation she stepped off the edge into the dark unknown.

Her pursuer lunged at her and she smiled victoriously. His angry gaze followed her into the dark filled with another emotion that made her question her decision too late.

Mina's heart was pounding in her chest and sweat made her pajamas cling uncomfortably to her. She slowly opened her eyes and was relieved to see that she was safe in her room alone. She had fallen out of her bed and her legs were tangled in her blanket still halfway on her bed. She stayed that way, trying to calm her racing heart. Teague was a fixture in her nightmares that couldn't escape. She closed her eyes again but quickly opened them again. His eyes from her nightmare were burned into the back of her eyelids. They had seemed almost gray.

She pinched her eyes together and sighed. She didn't have time to think about this. Glancing at her alarm clock, she saw that there was still almost an hour before her alarm would go off at 7:00. She had a long day ahead of her after an already long night—the image of the explosion that destroyed GM headquarters flashed into her mind. It felt like an eternity ago, not hours.

There was little time to plan their next move. She couldn't even afford to mourn Mei's death. They, which included Nan, Brody, and Ever, decided that they should get a few hours of sleep and regroup in the morning. Teague wanted the dagger, but she would be damned if she was going to give him a weapon that could make him even more evil and powerful than he already was. She was convinced that somehow it held the answer to removing the small piece corrupting his heart.

Mina untangled herself from her blankets and threw it and the pillows she had apparently flung across the room during her restless sleep back onto the bed. Running a shaky hand through her hair, she realized just how unnerved she really was with everything that has happened and could happen. She needed a hot shower.

The heat and steam were exactly what she needed. She walked back to her room with her towel wrapped around her feeling calm and relaxed. She flung open her curtains to let in the morning as the sun's first rays peaked over the horizon. A fine morning mist still hung in the air. Turning away from the window, her breath caught in her throat. Her nightmare manifested was leaning against her closed door with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Mina sneered once she found her breath again. She clung tightly to her towel that suddenly felt entirely too small for her.

"Good morning to you, too, Mina," Teague smirked and stepped toward her. A chill went down her back at his dark gaze that roved lazily over her towel clad body.

"I've already told you I don't have the dagger," she spat. She figured if she skipped a few steps and told him what he really wanted to know she would be rid of his unnerving gaze sooner. "Now leave me alone."

"You're awfully rude today. We haven't even gotten past the formalities yet," he stepped even closer as he spoke until he was standing barely an arm's length away from her.

"You don't deserve my courtesy. So, like I said, leave. Now," she said through clenched teeth. Of course he would decide to show up while she was so vulnerable. It was his specialty and with her mirror he could time everything perfectly. Her mirror…he couldn't have been watching…no. No, not even he could be so low as to go there, would he? The very possibility made her stomach roll.

"I don't plan on leaving until I get what I want, Mina," he placed his hands on either side of her pinning her against her open window. Her heart began to race at his nearness and she could feel her body temperature rise. The sun was starting to show itself, its light illuminating Teague's stormy blue eyes. "And what I want is that dagger."

"I don't ha—," she began, but he cut her short.

"When are you going to stop lying?" he growled. He roughly grabbed her bare shoulders and brought his lips to her ear. She suddenly found it hard to breathe and tightened her death grip on her towel to keep it in place. After taking in a breath he whispered, "I know you have it and you will give it to me. If you don't, you can expect your precious friends to pay the price next."

Her heart was pounding, but now it was out of fear for her friends and anger for Teague's malice. He pulled away from her but didn't move his hands from her shoulders as he gazed into her glaring eyes. He ran the back of his hand down her cheek and gently cupped her chin. "You have until nightfall to make your choice."

Mina pushed his hands off of her and turned her back to him hoping he would be gone when she turned back around. He was. Letting out a shaky breath she didn't realize she had been holding she flung herself onto her bed and screamed into her pillow.