Embracing The Shadows (Shadow Series #5)

01 - France

Paris was beautiful. The moon was high up in the sky with the moonlight shining down on The Eiffel Tower and the little street life down below. The tower was closed for the night, too late for it to be open. That didn't stop me from climbing it to stare out at Paris from the top. I loved to look out over Paris when most people were asleep in their beds. Everything was peaceful. 

Two months have passed since I've been in France. The city had a special place in my heart. I loved France. This was the place that I could always go to to help clear my head, to find myself. This trip was exactly what I needed to figure everything out. These past two months have helped me figure out who and what I really am. I knew what I was in the supernatural world. For once, everything made sense in my life. 

The wind gently blew through my hair as I lean against the railing and peered at all of Paris down below. I needed this last minute trip up here. The climb wasn't hard for me. It's actually a lot easier when there are not a lot of tourists all around. There was times during these two months, where I would climb to the top just for some time alone. I never got caught. 

"Are you ready?" Isaac spoke up from where he was leaning against the railing somewhere behind me. 

I kept my gaze on the city down below. I nodded once, "Yeah, I am." 

He shuffled forward to stand beside me. Isaac's kept his head straight to stare at the world down on the ground. "Does anyone know?" His left arm gently brushed across my own arm. 

"Stiles is telling everyone." I smiled at the thought of my best friend. 

Six months was a long time to be gone. The trip was important to me, though. My time here helped me learn exactly what I was and why I came back to life. If anyone else had tried to come back to life, it wouldn't have worked. The blood was in my veins. I was the Protector that Beacon Hills and my friends always needed. 

Keisha and I worked day and night to discover what I was. When we figured it out after a month of searching, everything made sense to me. The answer had been in front of me this entire time. I was a Protector; someone who could not be made, but born with the blood in their veins. Someone that cared so much for the ones in their lives and would do anything to keep them alive. These days, Protectors were rare. 

No one had pure and good intentions, but I did. When I died, the Protector blood was in my veins and it brought me back to life. The real me was brought to the surface. I would always protect my friends and everyone knew that I would be there to save them no matter what. In my first life, I was born to be a Protector and, when I died, I was brought back to continue with that life goal. Keisha learned that my kind tend to have a supernatural ability- my was the ability to change my appearance and senses. There was nothing about myself that I couldn't change.

"Do they know about me?" Isaac asked. 

"Lydia does." 

"So, it's basically going to be a surprise to everyone when I show up?" 

I nodded, "Do you want me to tell them before we get on the plane?" I peered up at him, waiting for his answer. 

Our first flight back to Beacon Hills was in five hours. We were going to head to the airport right after our trip to the Tower. I just needed one last view of Paris before we took off. I was excited to go back home. France was my home, too, but Beacon Hills would always come first to me. Beacon Hills finally accepted that Clara Argent was still alive and just faked her death. Dad worked hard to convince everyone, but he did it. I wouldn't have to look like Claire anymore. 

"No," Isaac shook his head. "Let them be surprised." 

"A lot has happened these past two months." I said, looking back at the city.