Kes had screwed up once, but now that he'd found Ashley again, he was never letting go.

High school was a tough time for most kids, and Ashley was no exception. Every day she walked down the halls, she wondered what new torment he had in store for her. Would today be the day she just couldn't take it anymore? When that day did come, things changed. He changed. For the first time in years, she allowed herself to feel safe.

However, being safe was a lie. Safe didn't exist in her world, not even when high school ended and Ashley moved on with her life. Now it was a sickness running through her body, taunting her, and worse yet...

He was back.

Kestrel understood the true meaning of hate at a young age. His demanding father controlled his life. When he was sent away, Kes escaped the only way he could and enlisted. The bonds he formed ran deeper than he ever expected. Even in death, he could hear their voices calling out to him. Even the crowd on the streets he decided to call home couldn't muffle their cries.

When Kes joined The Righteous, he found another brotherhood. A group that sought vengeance for the innocent, but it wasn't them that pulled him out of the dark. No, he was saved by a little girl that knew far too much for her young age and his high school love, Ashley. The one thing he could never have in high school. This time his father wasn't here to stop him.

One way or another he'd have the girl that was always meant to be his