

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

The Ambrose Beacon

By Alena Gouveia

Copyright © 2013 Alena Gouveia

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or part in any form.

Cover illustrations by Krista Vaughn

Cover design by Giovanni Auriemma – contact: giovanniauriemma.it

Snowfall image courtesy of Stock Exchange / Nossirom – sxc.hu

For Mumsy and Luis

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my circle of readers for taking the journey with me and for keeping me motivated. Tracy, Scotty, Ka'eo, Tina and Frank, I couldn't have done it without your constant encouragement and support. To my husband, Luis: thank you for always being there to listen to my ramblings and for always pushing me to follow my dreams. Thank you to my friends and family for believing in me. And to my mother, Gail, thank you for helping me with the entire book from start to finish. The support you gave, from feedback to editing, to suggestions on plot points, helped to make this book something that we can both be proud of. I couldn't have done it without you.

# Prologue

Boston, November 1st

Colin's head snapped up as he heard the noise again. It was the sound of footsteps when someone was trying to move quietly. He had heard the sound twice before, but had dismissed it as a manifestation of his paranoia. But this time he wasn't so sure. He strained his ears to listen for the sound again, holding his breath for a moment, the sound of his heart pounding in his head. The noise had come from the first floor of the building, down two flights of stairs, and through two solid and solidly locked oak doors. But he had heard it just the same. The soft creak of the carpeted first floor hallway gave away another sound of a nearly-disguised footstep, followed by the hush of whispered voices. The sound of a key being inserted into a lock and the subsequent click of the tumblers turning told Colin that it had, in fact, been paranoia. The young couple who lived in one of the downstairs apartments had returned from an evening out. They were unusually considerate for people their age, and Colin had mistaken their attempt to keep the peace with their neighbors as something more clandestine and sinister.

He looked down at the digital time displayed in the lower right-hand corner of his computer monitor. It was nearly midnight, though when he had checked it just a moment before, it had been a few minutes past ten o'clock. He had been poring over the results of his internet searches for the better part of two hours and still hadn't found what he was looking for. He knew from the sense of dread that he had carried with him for over a week that what he had feared more than anything had finally happened. It had been inevitable, and yet a part of him that clung to innocence in spite of his long life had held out hope that this time things would be different - that this time goodness and decency would prevail. But the surge of dark energy that had assaulted him while he had been walking through Boston Common late at night less than a week ago left no doubt in his mind. They had come again.

The surge had been strong enough that he had nearly tumbled into Frog Pond as he walked along its edges, and only the strength and speed that were the gift of his people kept him from being soaked. He had knelt on the cement, breathing heavily as he fought against blacking out. When the surge had finally passed, he had opened his eyes to see his reflection in the still water of the pond. Though the moon shone dimly through a layer of clouds, he could clearly make out the details of the frightened face that stared back at him. It was the handsome face of a man who appeared to be in his late twenties, with bright blue eyes, hair the color of midnight, and a face that looked a few shades paler than normal. He knew immediately what had happened, and he was terrified. He had hurried home to his apartment, nearly running in his haste to warn the people he knew would be in danger.

He looked at the screen again, the frustration at not being able to find what he was looking for making him want to stand and pace the room to release it. No one had believed him. And the people he needed to warn the most couldn't be found. He needed to find some sign that would verify his belief. With some proof, no matter how small, he could call upon the other Sentinels to find his cousins and ensure their protection.

He scrolled down the list of search results, his mind numb from endless hours of searching and barely registering what was displayed. And then there it was. A small-town paper from northern Maine, The Aroostook Republican, had a feature article about the unexplained and unusual growing pattern of a section of uninhabited forest. Local hikers had stumbled upon the nearly five acre section three days before.

"Authorities from the Environmental Protection Agency have been dispatched to the area to determine the cause of the pattern, though early reports suggest that it is caused by an unidentified fungus. The affected trees no longer grow in typical patterns. Instead, they seem to be growing toward each other, as if competing for space."

Colin had seen something similar over sixteen centuries before in the forests of central France, though at that time it had been known as Gaul. He remembered the trees that had grown so close to each other that they were literally smothering each other to death. He had heard the sounds of their life force and it had sounded chaotic and corrupt, and full of a frightening vitality. He had burned each one of the twisted trees to the ground, hoping to never see such a thing again. Only later had he and another Sentinel discovered that a gate lay nearby, and that it had been the cause.

This was the proof that he'd been looking for. Most of the Sentinels who still lived remembered the last battle and would know that these trees were a sure sign that they had returned. Now, the others would believe him. He opened his e-mail account and started the coded message that would send out his warning.

The loud crash of something hitting his front door had him out of his chair in a flash, the dagger strapped to his hip in his hand and ready to throw. He cursed himself for not leaving his sword next to the desk. His breathing slowed as his mind entered the calm state of a battle trance, running through the list of ways out of the apartment and barring that, the best places to mount a defense. He waited for the second, stronger crash to come, but after several moments, nothing happened. Finally, he heard whispered voices of a different kind. They were the slurred voices of his less-considerate neighbors who lived across the hall. They giggled and shushed each other as they moved across the landing toward their own front door.

Colin sighed loudly and relaxed as he lowered himself back into his chair. He had had enough of the two young men who shared the same floor as him. They were arrogant, thirty-something bachelors who didn't care what anyone thought of them. Colin had seen them do everything from failing to hold the front door for the elderly woman who lived on the second floor, to stealing a parking spot as one of his other neighbors had been pulling in. Each of the neighbors had said something to them at some point, but they were tall, muscular men and their intimidating nature ended any discussion quickly. So far, Colin had kept from getting involved, wanting to keep as low a profile as possible. It was best that the least amount of people as possible remember him. But at that moment he decided that he was going to say something to the men in the morning with less than his usual charm. He suspected that he could be persuasive enough to make them see reason.

He placed his hands on the keyboard and resumed typing his coded message, his fingers flowing over the keys. He was still amazed by the ingenuity of mankind, creating something as amazing as e-mail. It gave him the ability to instantly send messages around the world, that as little as a hundred years before would have taken months. A trickle of sweat ran down his ear, and for the first time he noticed how hot it had become in his apartment. He made a mental note to lower the thermostat after he finished the e-mail. He typed the last line and made ready to sign his message with the usual farewell, when a breeze caressed the back of his neck and ruffled the longish hair next to his ears. He rested his fingertips on the keys as he laid his head back and welcomed the coolness that it brought.

Suddenly, his body tensed as his mind screamed a warning that something was wrong. He sat up in the chair, searching for the reason for the warning. And then he realized what it was: he hadn't left any of the windows open. His apartment was always tightly locked, with each opening carefully warded against intruders. If someone had broken into his apartment, a nasty surprise would have awaited them. And an alarm of sorts that he had setup would have notified him immediately, as long as he was within a one hundred mile radius. But nothing of the sort had happened. He slowly reached for the dagger again, silently cursing himself for once again failing to retrieve his sword. He turned in the chair, looking toward the door to the small study behind him. The breeze had come from that direction.

The door was slightly ajar, and through the opening he could clearly make out the details along one wall of the dark room. Nothing looked to be out of place, and no one was there. He stood slowly, moving with the quiet grace of a cat toward the door, placing each foot carefully to give himself the best balance and to keep from making any noise. He extended his mind beyond the door, carefully feeling for any sense of another mind. There was nothing, which only heightened his feelings of tension. He should have been able to sense the minds in the building around him. But there was nothing. And he knew that could only mean that someone was blocking his senses.

He pulled his mind back into itself, closing it off to any possible attack. The room ahead of him beckoned silently. The likelihood that his death was waiting inside made Colin hesitate. He had lived for well over three thousand years and for the first time, he was afraid to die. He took a deep breath as quietly as he could before slowly moving forward.

He reached the threshold and threw himself forward, through the narrow opening, and into a forward roll. He came up, facing the side of the room that had lain hidden, and looked around him. No one and nothing was there. He scanned the room again, carefully searching every inch until he was sure. The slight breeze that had first screamed a warning to him returned to caress his cheek. He looked over at the bay window of the study and saw the curtains dance as the wind pushed through the opening. It was completely open, the inside panel raised to the top of the frame. It was more than enough room for a fully-grown man to fit through.

Colin walked slowly over to the opening, his physical senses alert for any sign of movement, inside the room or out. The sounds of the city drifted past his ears as he leaned his head out. The rushing noise of tires on pavement and the squeaking of brakes, along with a siren in the distance suggested a sense of normalcy. It was cold outside, the November air crisp. Colin looked out at the sidewalk below, the dim glow of the street lights nearly as bright as the afternoon sun to his eyes. A young couple walked hand-in-hand to his right, away from his building that faced the street. Across the street, most of the lights along the paths of the park had already gone out for the evening. Colin could see no signs of movement within the park. Nothing looked to be out of place.

He found it hard to believe that anyone could have entered his apartment without someone from the street witnessing it. But when he looked down at the bottom sill of the window, he saw the thin layer of ash that covered it. Someone had disabled the powerful traps that he had set. And it stood to reason that that someone was now inside his home.

Colin turned around and looked back at the empty room. The door to the small closet in the room was open, showing the blank wall at its back. He could clearly see every niche within the room and no one was there. And that meant that someone had entered his apartment before he had come home from his evening walk. He had been sitting in his apartment for more than two hours, unaware that a stranger was there with him. Even worse, he knew there could be more than one intruder.

He moved back toward the door to the living room, moving cautiously. The tension that had temporarily been released at finding the empty den had returned. He focused the energy coursing through his body to heighten his senses and reflexes. His hearing extended to the point that he could hear the sound of a squirrel scampering up the tree outside the window from which he had just peered. He tuned out the sounds that he was hearing one at a time, eliminating the sounds that he could identify as routine. He stepped across the threshold of the door to the living room as he ignored the hum of the refrigerator. And then he could hear it. It was the slightly labored breathing of a person who had just performed strenuous exercise. And it was coming from the living room.

He whipped his head to the left, his eyes focusing on the target and registering the foreign face there in a fraction of a second. Colin's hand rose of its own accord, preparing to hurl the knife there as his brain processed what he was seeing. The vicious grin on the unrecognized face triggered his brain to command his hand to release the knife. It flew from his hand with a speed that no human could match, streaking toward the intruder's forehead. Colin tracked the dagger's flight until it buried to the hilt, right where he had meant it to fly.

But at the last minute, the stranger's head had tilted to the side. The movement was so quick that Colin had barely registered it. The knife had buried itself harmlessly in the plaster and wood with an impact that shook the wall. Colin knew that no human could have dodged such a throw, confirming the identity of the stranger. They had found him.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think that my visit was both unexpected...and unwelcome." The stranger's voice was smooth and pleasant, but Colin could hear the undercurrent of power that flowed through it. It was a power whose only purpose was to persuade and corrupt. The stranger pulled the knife from the wall with little effort, turning it in the light to examine it. He smiled as he looked back up at Colin. "Your people have always done such magnificent things with metal. I imagine that had my reflexes not been what they are, I would be very uncomfortable right now," he said, his emerald eyes staring back at Colin.

Colin lowered his hand as he relaxed his stance. "You'd be dead," he replied with steel in his voice. "Then again, the night is young."

The man raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow as he lowered the knife to the couch, placing it next to his thigh. He nodded briefly. "Yes, I suppose I would be." He reached up and brushed off the plaster dust that had fallen on his shoulder.

His skin was dark, only a shade lighter than the black, tailored suit that seemed to fall perfectly even as he sat. His features were finely sculpted, each one perfect on its own. And yet the overall effect was to create a face that would have been forgettable to anyone who saw it. It was a face that could move through a crowd with near-invisibility, one that people would never be able to describe had anyone asked. Even the piercing beauty of his green eyes would have been forgotten, for no one could have looked at them for very long. The power of his stare was too intense. Even Colin found them hard to look at, but he forced himself to hold the stranger's stare and meet it with the power within him.

The stranger squinted slightly as he looked up at Colin, almost as if seeing him for the first time. "You're Nuada's whelp, aren't you? I recognize you from the last battle," he said, his eyes narrowing further with what Colin suspected was anger. "Well, well. Maybe the time we spent tracking you down was worth it, after all."

It wasn't the first time that Colin had been mistaken for his younger cousin. They were nearly identical in appearance. And Colin had no intention of correcting the stranger's mistake. He knew that keeping them away from his family was the only way to protect them, even if it meant his own death.

"Why are you here?" Colin asked. The question was one that they both knew was only meant to buy Colin time. He extended his senses toward the back of the house, where the bedroom was. His chances of surviving this encounter without his sword were slim. He breathed a short sigh of relief when he felt nothing. There was no one back there. Maybe he'd be able to survive, after all.

The stranger's eyes moved to the left, looking down the long hallway toward the bedroom, as if sensing Colin's thoughts. He smiled slightly as he looked back at Colin.

"I think you know why I'm here," he said as he looked down at the nails on his right hand.

His eyes rose again, locking with Colin's as he asked, "Where is the Solas?"

Colin shivered as the word left the stranger's mouth. It was the name of something so special to his people that hearing it from such a foul source made him want to rip the stranger apart with his bare hands. He stared back in silence, refusing to answer.

The stranger's eyes tightened as he glared at Colin. "The last Sentinel we found was silent at first," he said, smiling. "She didn't stay silent for long, though. It was how we found you, in fact."

Colin felt a momentary pang of loss for the unknown comrade whose life had been taken. But he couldn't mourn for long. Unless he could get his sword and get out of the building, he'd be sharing the same fate. He knew what he had to do.

He let his shoulders slump in apparent defeat. "I can't tell you where the Solas is, since I don't know." He looked up, his eyes wide with what he hoped looked like fear. "But I still might be able to help."

The stranger nodded slightly as he smiled. The satisfaction at seeing Colin capitulate was evident in his grin. "I'm glad you're being reasonable." He crossed his legs and folded his hands. "Now, why don't you have a seat here and we'll talk." He pointed to the chair across from the couch, his palm raised as if he were a host guiding his guest to his table.

Colin inhaled and made as if to move toward the chair. As he placed his left foot forward, he summoned the energy within his body and hurled it from him, willing it to take the form of fire. The wall of blue flame flew at the stranger, the roar of its passage thunderous. The couch disappeared completely a moment before the stranger as the fire engulfed them both. The solid plaster walls redirected the fire along the living room wall, sending a billowing inferno back toward where Colin had stood just a moment before.

But Colin was already sprinting down the hallway and toward the closed door of his bedroom. He sent a wave of force against the door before he reached it, blowing it off its hinges. It smashed against the far wall as he jumped on the bed, reached down, and snatched the sword in its scabbard from under the pillows. The roar of the fire grew louder and Colin didn't have to look back to know that the azure flames were pounding down the hallway, filling each room as they passed. The last and most dangerous of his booby traps had been sprung by his magical assault. The fire would engulf the entire apartment in seconds, blowing out anything within its walls through the nearest open window. But the fire would not touch any other part of the building, including its occupants, thanks to the wards that he had placed.

Colin leaped from the bed and through the bay window of his bedroom that faced the road to the north of the building. The shattering sound of the glass filled his ears as he fell to the sidewalk, thirty feet below. He landed on his feet, dropping to a crouch and looking back as flames erupted from every window in his apartment. The sound was terrible, the shockwave flying away from the building before hitting the invisible shield around it, the glass and debris in its wake seeming to hit a wall before falling to the earth.

Colin had been very careful when erecting that wall. He hadn't wanted any innocent bystanders to be hurt and he said a silent prayer of thanks that his plan had worked. The power of the explosion had surprised him as much as it had his enemy.

He stood up slowly, trying to appear nonchalant in spite of the conflagration behind him. He stared at the sword in his hand, the metal of the scabbard cool against his palm. He focused his mind for a moment and the metal bended slightly, taking the shape of a walking stick. He knew that they were no longer as commonly used as they once were, but walking down a street in Boston with a sword in his hand was the surest way to get noticed. And a night in jail was not something he could afford right now. He looked up and down the street. Nothing.

He turned right and headed down the sidewalk, the click of his heels marching a counterpart to the snap of his walking stick as it struck the sidewalk. He thought again of what the stranger had said prior to Colin's magical assault. The thought that they had found one of his fellow Sentinels was bad enough. But what worried Colin more was the fact that he had received no warning. The emergency communication channels had never failed them before, even during the last war. And yet he had received no word of any danger, much less the death of one of his own. The Sentinels had guarded the two previous Solas, going back six thousand years. And though they had ultimately failed to save either, it had not been because the Sentinels had failed. Both had been sacrificed to protect life on their world, their power returned to the earth to wait for another chance.

That chance had come. But those who would do anything to kill that chance had returned, as well.

Colin increased his pace, heading toward the busy intersection ahead, where he would flag down a taxi and head straight to Logan International Airport. From there, he would take a flight to Shannon, Ireland. He had delivered his warning, but he knew that there was a chance his warning would be ignored if he didn't deliver it in person.

He briefly thought of calling someone else, someone who could protect his family better than anyone. But he had burned that bridge long ago. He doubted that he would even answer the phone. His pace slowed for a moment as the ache of regret struck him. Colin wondered how it was possible to be so close to someone that you couldn't imagine your life without them, and then to have that person gone from your life, even though that person lived on without you.

The view of the street ahead blurred for a moment as unshed tears filled his eyes. He shook his head and picked up his pace, heading toward the street that was now less than fifty yards ahead.

The skin on the back of his neck tingled with the feeling that someone was watching him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw two people walking quickly behind him. A man and a woman, both of average height, with fashionably nondescript clothing, kept pace with him. They followed behind, keeping a steady distance of twenty yards. Had it been any other night, Colin would have thought they were any other Bostonian couple, out for a late-night stroll. But the blank, yet determined expressions on their faces as they walked behind him left no doubt as to whom they were.

Colin quickened his pace, knowing that his enemies wanted to draw the attention of onlookers no more than he did. The busy intersection ahead was his escape, where they would be hesitant to attack him in front of so many people. One more block, and he would be there. As he crossed the last alley before the street, a sudden and fierce wind blew across his path. The debris that it carried, leaves and assorted trash, pelted the side of his face with such force that he raised his arm and stopped momentarily, unable to see for a moment.

When the assault of the wind stopped, he opened his eyes to see two more people standing ahead of him. They blocked the sidewalk leading to the intersection and his only way to pass them would have been to go through them. They stood there, staring at him with the same expression he had seen on the two behind him, though these were both men. They wore the same type of clothing and had the same type of forgettable faces.

Colin looked behind him to see the couple from earlier, standing twenty yards behind him, staring with the same expression as the two in front of him. He was trapped.

He looked to his right, at the alley that led between apartment buildings. While Colin knew that he could eventually get to a main street through the numerous alleys that backed up against each building, he knew that there were several blind corners and surprise dead-ends. Unless he made each choice unerringly, he could easily be led to a confrontation with no option for escape.

To his left lay Boston Commons. This late at night, the park would be virtually empty. While this meant that his foes would be free of restraint and able to attack him openly, he knew the park like the back of his hand. If he could work his way through quickly enough, they wouldn't have a chance to stop him. And Colin was fairly confident that he could fight his way past four enemies with relative ease.

Colin feinted to his right, waiting until the two in front of him made to follow. Then, he channeled his energy into his muscles, sprinting to his left and toward the park. His running steps barely touched the ground as he sped into the park at a pace that a running deer could not have matched. He knew that his enemies could not keep pace with him. But he also knew that he could not keep such a pace for very long. And it was a very big park.

He considered the possibility that he would not reach safety and immediately thought again of his cousin. He wasn't even sure that he would take his call, but he had to try. He felt the fatigue build up in his muscles and knew that he needed to slow his pace for a bit. He slowed to a fast walk, taking a bearing of his location within the park. He was nearly through to the other side, where he could take refuge in the crowds along a busy thoroughfare.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed the number that he had been given by one of the Sentinels nearly three years before. He doubted that his cousin would answer a call from an unknown number, and yet the call was picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?"

Colin was struck momentarily speechless by the familiar voice. Emotions that he had thought long-buried suddenly came to the fore again.

"Who is this?" The voice on the other end asked. Colin knew that he had to answer or the call would be ended. And he doubted that he could find the strength to make the call again.

"It's Colin," he said into the phone, his eyes continuing to scan around him for signs of pursuit.

The silence on the other end of the line was like a crawling along his brain. He wanted to break it by saying something else, but he also knew that were he to say the wrong thing, his cousin would hang up.

There was a soft exhalation before his cousin answered. "What do you want?"

Movement at the edge of his vision made him turn his head to the left and pause for a moment. He stared at the trees along one of the pathways and his eyes locked on the source of movement.

A stray cat sauntered into the light of a lamppost, stopping for a moment to stare at Colin before continuing on.

"Colin, did you call to hear the sound of my voice? If so, I could have sent you to voicemail and given you your satisfaction." The biting sarcasm in his cousin's voice was something he had been familiar with, but still could not get used to it being directed at him.

"Sorry," he said as he continued walking toward the copse of trees ahead. He knew that the path leaving the park lay just beyond.

"I called you because I need your help." Colin tried to keep his voice even, but his rapid breathing and the fatigue prevented it.

Again, silence greeted him from the other end of the line.

"They've returned, cousin." Saying it aloud, to another of his people, made it more real than it had been so far. His hand trembled as he held the phone. "They've returned. And they are searching for the Solas."

The silence that greeted him this time had a different quality to it. Colin knew that he had his cousin's attention.

"Are you certain?" he asked.

"Yes," Colin responded. "Several of them are chasing me through Boston Commons as we speak." Colin tried to keep the fear from his voice, but he was sure that his cousin could hear it.

"Colin, are you alone?" The concern in his cousin's voice surprised Colin. He stopped walking again, his eyes drifting down to the concrete path at his feet.

"Yes," he finally answered. "I'm trying to make my way to the airport and am being pursued."

Colin felt some of the tension within him melt away as he was able to confide in his cousin again. Though Colin was older by nearly five hundred years, his cousin had always been his protector. His strength and determination had saved Colin's life more times than he could count.

"Colin, listen to me," his cousin said, the slow manner of speech belied by the obvious tension in his voice. "I want you to get out of that park now. As soon as you get to the airport, I want you to take a flight to New Orleans immediately."

"New Orleans?" Colin asked. "What's in New Orleans?"

"I am," his cousin answered. "Promise me you'll get on the first flight."

"I promise," Colin answered.

The lightening of tension increased as he thought of arriving in New Orleans to his cousin's presence. And then he realized that he hadn't moved in nearly a minute.

He looked up and into the eyes of the stranger who he had incinerated just moments before in his living room. The stranger looked back at him with undisguised malice. His only features that were not ravaged by the fire Colin had hurled were his eyes. The rest of his face had been burned so severely that Colin could see the muscle, tendon and bone beneath the withered skin.

"Now who could possibly be in New Orleans?" the stranger asked with a grin. Colin did not think his face could have been made more gruesome, but the smile did just that.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Colin said as he lowered the phone.

Movement around him made it clear that the four enemies who had been chasing him had caught up to him. He looked around to see them form a loose circle around him, making any escape attempt into a guaranteed fight.

The voice from the phone blared again. "Colin? Colin, what's happening?"

Reluctantly, Colin folded the phone closed, ending the call and any possibility of a reunion with his cousin. The sadness of that realization struck him with a shock that elicited a sob from his frame.

The stranger smiled at his display of emotion, mistaking his reaction for one of true terror. But strangely, Colin felt a sense of peace that he hadn't felt in decades. And anger. He felt it burn through him, a sense of indignation that these invaders had come again to try to destroy his world. And everything in it that he loved.

He crushed the cell phone in his right hand, obliterating it so that no leads could be garnered from it by his enemies. And then he drew his sword, smiling slightly as he saw each of his enemies crouch and draw swords of their own.

Their swords were of the blackest color, seeming to absorb the light around them. Colin's sword glowed brightly in response, fighting against the blackness of his enemies' blades. He looked at each of those who had drawn swords. There were four of them. He had fought as many before, but he knew nothing about these adversaries, though he would soon learn more than enough.

He knew there was still a chance for escape, if he could manage to break through and sprint for the busy road ahead.

He charged for the female, hoping that she would have the least strength and that he could power his way past her. She raised her sword, prepared to meet his. The two blades, light and dark, wove in a flurry of strikes and parries. Sparks flew with each meeting of the swords, casting an eerie glow against his enemies' face.

Colin realized with dismay after the short exchange that the woman he faced was nearly his equal in skill. Though she couldn't match his strength, she nearly matched his speed. He disengaged, falling back several steps as he looked around him.

The other three enemies hadn't tried to engage him. They held back, their swords at the ready, but otherwise aloof. He picked his next target, the man he sensed to his rear. He remembered that he had been the biggest of the four, but seemed to move the slowest.

Colin spun on his heel and launched himself at the man. At the last minute, he ducked his head and fell to the ground in a roll. He flew under the big man's strike, though he could feel the wind of the sword's passing behind him. The shock of the man's sword as it met the concrete ground caused enough of a tremor that Colin nearly lost his footing when he got back to his feet. He couldn't believe the strength that had been behind that strike. If Colin had been just a split-second slower, he would have been cloven in two.

He ran forward, pouring on as much speed as he could muster. Twin blurs on either side of him told him that the other two men were nearly keeping pace with him, though he managed to increase the gap as he ran toward the line of trees to his left. His course was parallel to the street he so desperately needed to reach, but he hoped that the trees would aid him against his enemies.

As he ran, he allowed a portion of his mind to reach out to the trees around him. It was a skill that he had possessed since he was a child, the ability to speak to trees and have them do his bidding. He had used this ability all his life to coax trees to grow in areas that would otherwise have been inhospitable. But now he reached out to them in supplication, begging for them to aid him by slowing his enemies. They responded immediately, and he saw the branches of several in his path reach down as he passed. He heard the grunts and shouts of surprise as his pursuers were attacked.

He sprinted ahead, pouring his strength into the final dozen yards before finally breaking free of the tree line. But his momentary sense of triumph was broken by the three figures waiting for him, swords drawn.

He stopped completely, staring at the enemies blocking his way to freedom, dismayed at and yet accepting his fate. The crashing sounds behind him, punctuated by inhuman screams told him that the trees had done all they could and eliminated two of his foes. But it wasn't enough. The three enemies left were each nearly a match for him individually. Facing the three of them together, he didn't stand a chance.

He thought briefly of giving up, the possibility that his surrender would buy him some small mercy and lessen his suffering sounding tantalizing. But he knew there would be no such mercy from the monsters ahead of him.

As he gripped his sword and prepared to make his final stand, he whispered a prayer of thanks that he did not know the location of the Solas. He knew that his enemies would torture every last secret from him before they killed him, and that his death would be slow and painful. At least I can't betray any of them, he thought.

The three figures in front of him, so different in stature and appearance, and yet eerily similar at the same time advanced as one. And Colin saw his death in their eyes.

# Chapter 1

Several Years Later

Thursday Evening, January 6th

Jeremiah Ambrose stared at the computer screen, his eyes unfocused as his mind tried to follow a thought to its conclusion. The thought was one that had been in the back of his mind for the better part of a week. It was one that he couldn't finish and at the same time one that he couldn't let go of. He knew that this thought was the key to the investigation that had occupied most of his time for the past month. It was the key to solving the case.

But something about it kept eluding him and no matter how hard he tried to concentrate, that last piece, the piece that would make everything else fall into place, continued to flit away from his mental grasp. He sighed loudly, sitting back in his chair and rubbing his eyes.

"Maybe you should put your head down and take a nap."

Jeremiah looked up at his partner, Lorenzo Bianchini and knew by the slight tilt at the corners of his mouth that he was up to something.

"A nap?" he asked, not sure if he had heard him correctly.

"Sure, Sid. People your age always take naps," he said as he looked down and smiled condescendingly.

Jerry snorted and looked back at the screen. "You're two years younger than me, Larry." Sid, he thought. He hated that nickname, even after all these years. Larry thought Jerry looked like Sidney Poitier and, much to Jerry's annoyance had started calling him Sid shortly after they had met. The name stuck and Jerry didn't have the heart to tell Larry to stop using it. They had been in the same year at the FBI academy and had become best friends, requesting that all of their transfers since then be to the same city. Their ability as partners to solve nearly every case assigned to them in record time hadn't been missed by the decision-makers and their requests had been granted. Their last transfer had been to the Denver office ten years before.

Larry looked down at Jerry with pity and placed his hand on Jerry's shoulder. "Physically, I'm two years younger," he said. "But mentally, you're over the hill, buddy."

Jerry looked at his partner's substantial gut and then back up at his face. "Don't get me started on our physical differences," he said, ignoring the look of mock indignation on Larry's face. Jerry watched as Larry raised a large donut to his mouth. "Seriously, I thought you were going on a diet," he said, thinking about how much weight Larry had gained in the past year.

Larry had a slightly wounded expression on his face as he answered, "I am on a diet. I stopped eating dairy."

Jerry pointed at the donut and the cream filling that was seeping out the side. "Cream is dairy, Larry."

Larry looked at the cream in consideration for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "Well, I stopped drinking milk!"

Jerry shook his head and turned his attention back to the computer screen, though the display had already switched to an aquatic scene with virtual fish swimming lazily back and forth. A vibrating sensation buzzed through his hip and he reached for his cell phone with his right hand as he hit the space bar with his left, banishing the electronic fish and bringing back the set of pictures he had been staring at. He looked at the number on the cell phone's display and saw that it was his house. He made a mental note to call home when he had a free moment and placed the phone next to his computer keyboard. His kids liked to call him occasionally at work, which he was normally okay with. But he didn't want the distraction of such a conversation to further derail his train of thought.

Jerry stared at the computer screen as Larry stood in front of a large whiteboard, poring over the same photos, looking for the same elusive clue as Jerry. The photos were of a number of banks that had been robbed throughout a three-state area, including Colorado in the past six months. The FBI had been called in for assistance because of the similarities in the crimes, which suggested that they had been committed by the same person or people. Jerry agreed with this assumption and was analyzing the photos to see if he had missed something, some crucial clue that would put them on the trail to finding the criminals. But these criminals were good, covering their every track, ensuring that every trail that should have led to them pointed to a dead-end, instead.

A sudden, loud vibrating noise made him jump slightly in his seat, his right hand reflexively reaching for his pistol in its shoulder holster. Larry chuckled at Jerry's reaction as Jerry reached for the phone and looked at its display. It was his home number again. Jerry pressed the button on the side of the phone to stop the vibration and placed it back on the desk. He was starting to get annoyed. His children knew that he was working on a tough case and he had asked them not to bother him at work this week. He would have to remind them when he got home.

Jerry sighed loudly and looked back at the screen, still sure that he was missing something that should have been obvious in one of the pictures displayed there. His eyes scanned the pictures one at a time, searching for that one elusive clue that would lead his mind in the right direction.

The phone vibrated again, though this time it didn't scare him. He had expected it to ring again and had prepared in his head the scolding that he would give whichever of his five children was the culprit.

He pressed the green send button and then held the phone to his ear. "Hello?" he said with the irritation obvious in his voice.

"Dad, it's Cole," the whispering voice on the other end of the line answered. Cole was his oldest child, sixteen years old and a junior in high school. Jerry relied on Cole to help his brother-in-law, Harper with the other Ambrose children, since his wife Arianna had died four years earlier. Cole was mature for his age, responsible, an excellent student and the one child of Jerry's who always did as he was told. Jerry had expected it to be one of his other, less obedient children.

"Cole? Why are you whispering?" Jerry asked, his curiosity at Cole's behavior piqued further by this oddity.

"Dad, something weird's going on," Cole whispered back.

Jerry could hear the tension in Cole's voice in spite of the whisper and he sat forward in his chair, his senses instantly on full alert. "What do you mean? Where are you and where are your brothers and sisters?"

Cole hesitated for a moment on the other line, as if he had been listening to something. When he answered, his whisper was even softer than before. "We're all down in the basement. The electricity went off and Uncle Harper freaked out and told us to get down in the basement. He told me to lock the door and wait for him to come back." Cole paused again and Jerry knew that he was trying to keep his cool in spite of the fact that he was obviously frightened. "That was half an hour ago and I'm starting to worry."

Jerry frowned in confusion. Why would the electricity have gone out? And why would Harper send the children to the basement? His brother-in-law, who lived with them and with whom Jerry had a strained relationship, was odd in many ways, but took excellent care of the children. "Why did he send you down to the basement?" Jerry asked. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up to see Larry standing next to him, a questioning look on his face.

"I don't know," Cole answered. "He just freaked out and..."

Cole's voice disappeared and Jerry heard the two-tone signal that his phone made when a call had ended. He lowered the phone and brought up the list of recent calls, hitting the button to redial his home number.

"What's going on, Sid?" Larry asked with concern.

Jerry shook his head as he waited for the call to connect. "I don't know. Something's going on at the house and Harper made the kids go down to the basement."

"The basement?" Larry asked. "Were they acting up or something?"

Jerry shook his head again as the repeating tone of a busy signal rang in his ear. He hung up and redialed the number, but the resulting tone was the same. Now he was starting to worry. As he pressed the button to redial again, he looked up at Larry. "Call the phone company and have them run a status check on my home phone."

Larry nodded and hurried to his desk, picking up the phone and dialing a number from memory. Jerry heard the busy signal again and swore softly as he ended the call. Larry's voice drifted over to him from the other desk, but Jerry didn't hear the words as his mind ran over the list of possible reasons for Harper to do something so odd. Maybe he had been punishing the children, but that was unlike him. Harper almost never had to discipline the children. They always did as he asked them and all five of them had a close and easy relationship with him.

Larry hung up the phone and stood up, grabbing his jacket. "They said the line's dead and that it looks like the problem's coming from the house itself." He held out Jerry's jacket to him and said, "Let's go."

Jerry led the way out the door to their office and downstairs to the parking garage. Larry always drove, but he didn't say a word as Jerry climbed behind the wheel and started the car. Instead, he climbed into the passenger seat and the car was moving before he had even closed his door.

The drive from the FBI office near downtown Denver to Evergreen, where the Ambrose family lived, typically took up to forty-five minutes. But Jerry's concern for his children made him ignore the posted speed limits, pushing the car up to nearly ninety miles an hour; a dangerous speed during winter conditions on I-70. The possibility that he could cause an accident and injure himself, Larry or some innocent driver crossed his mind more than once, but he kept pushing the thought to the back of his mind. The safety of his children was more important than that. Jerry looked over at Larry's seat and saw his hand braced on the dashboard. His body was rigid with tension and Jerry knew that Larry must have the same concern about an accident, but Jerry was grateful that he didn't say a word. He took the exit to Evergreen and started up the winding mountain road that led to the few properties bordering the national forest, the banked curves barely keeping the unmarked sedan on its course.

Jerry made the turn onto his property and looked down at the clock in the dashboard. They had made the trip in twenty-five minutes. The car skidded briefly in the snow, but quickly regained traction as the all-wheel-drive kicked in. The moon was bright overhead, casting a pale glow over the snow that blanketed the treeless expanse fronting the Ambrose house for nearly a hundred yards. Something instinctive told Jerry to turn the headlights off and slow the car down as he approached. The crunching noise of the tires in the snow softened slightly, though the noise seemed thunderous to Jerry in the still winter air. The house was completely dark, as were the lights along the driveway, confirming what Cole had said about the electricity being out.

The house was large, even by Evergreen standards. Just ten minutes from the interstate and nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Evergreen was a quiet town with a small town center. Many of its affluent residents lived in large, sprawling homes on even bigger properties. The Ambrose house was on the very fringe of the town, and their nearest neighbor was nearly a mile away. Jerry still wasn't used to living in such solitude. He had grown up in New Orleans, where you could hear your neighbors using the bathroom.

He brought the car to a complete stop and shifted it into park. The sight of his own house shouldn't have given him such feelings of anxiety, but all of his senses were on high alert. He looked over at Larry and the steel in his gaze as he looked at the house told him that he wasn't the only one feeling it.

Jerry opened the door and slowly got out of the car, pulling his pistol from its holster under his left armpit as he scanned the front perimeter of the house, looking for signs of a break-in. He heard Larry exit the car and looked over to see him holding his own pistol, the barrel pointing forward.

Jerry took a few deep breaths to relieve the tension and the cold air that burned his lungs also cleared his head. He felt a chilling numbness start to creep into his hands and he put his gun down for a moment as he pulled on the pair of gloves that he kept in his jacket pocket. He looked over at Larry to whisper for him to do the same, but saw that he was already wearing his own gloves. Jerry should have known better. Larry seemed lazy and even sloppy most times, but he was always ready when it mattered.

Larry looked back at him and nodded, signaling that he was ready. Jerry moved forward, his eyes sweeping the house as Larry moved to his right, slightly ahead of him. Jerry felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck as he thought of the tree lines to his left and right and what could be hiding there, quietly stalking them from behind. But there was nothing they could do about it and he knew his focus had to stay on the house.

Most of the curtains on the windows were closed, but Jerry could see a few feet into Cole's room as they neared it, the pearlescent glow of the moonlight casting its light across the outline of Cole's computer and desk. But beyond that, the house was completely dark. Larry signaled to his left and Jerry nodded. They would circle around to the back of the house first and check the door that led outside to the back deck.

Jerry's heart pounded in his ears and his breath sent clouds of steam from his nose as he and Larry moved around the house, his eyes constantly scanning the windows for signs of movement. Phantom shapes seemed to drift back and forth behind each of the glass panes, but his training and experience taught him to ignore them. Years of conducting surveillance and raids at night had taught him to trust that his eyes would focus on any true movement, even in virtual darkness.

Larry peeked around the corner leading to the back of the house before nodding quickly. He crept forward slowly, while Jerry followed behind a few steps, cringing inwardly at every crunch of their feet in the snow. If someone lay in waiting on the other side of the back door, they would hear them coming. Larry stepped up onto the back deck and Jerry could see his eyes darting from the ground to the back door, constantly checking his path for obstacles. He was familiar with the clutter that Jerry's children left everywhere in and outside of the house. Tripping over a discarded toy or piece of sporting equipment would have caused such a clamor that any element of surprise still left to them would have been erased.

Jerry looked back to the house, his eyes focusing on the space beyond the glass door just as sudden movement burst into view. He felt his finger clench on the trigger in response for a split-second before the moving shape resolved itself into the recognizable shape of Cole, waving frantically at them. Jerry hadn't realized that he was holding his breath until he released it with relief. His eyes refocused on the gun in his hands that was pointed at his son. He tried to command his heart to stop hammering as he lowered the weapon to point to the ground in front of him. A heavy sigh next to him told him that Larry had probably come just as close to shooting Cole as he had.

"Jesus, that scared the crap out of me," Larry said with a wry chuckle. Jerry looked over at him and grinned as he reached for the handle to the French door. Larry's look in return was completely mirthless. "Seriously, I think I need to change my shorts."

Jerry cringed slightly and shook his head as he opened the door. "Nice image, Larry. Thanks."

Cole stood just inside the door as the two men entered. Jerry pulled his son aside and away from the door as Larry closed the curtains, leaving only a few inches open, enough for him to see outside. His eyes continued to scan the moonlit vista outside as Jerry quickly scanned his son for any sign of injury.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Cole nodded in response, his dark eyes looking huge against his skin that was several shades lighter than Jerry's. "Is someone in the house?" Jerry asked, knowing that Cole would understand that he meant an intruder. Cole shook his head and Jerry relaxed a little, though the tension remained as he asked his next question. "Where are your brothers and sisters?"

Cole sighed with relief as his father's comforting presence finally hit him. "They're in the basement," he said, nodding his head at the closed door behind him. "Uncle Harper still hasn't come back yet and I wanted to see if I could see him from the back door."

"What happened?" Jerry asked, knowing that Harper would never have left the children unless he had a good reason. "Did he say anything before he left?"

Cole shook his head. "No, he just told us to get downstairs and lock the door." A look of fear crossed his face, creasing his brow. "Dad, I've never seen him look like that before. He looked scared!"

Jerry looked over at Larry, who looked back at him with a blank expression. But his eyes told Jerry that he was thinking the same thing. Nothing spooked Harper. The guy was completely unflappable and always in control. He was the only other person besides Larry with which he would trust his children's lives. Cole put his hand on his father's shoulder and Jerry looked into his eyes. "I'm worried about him, Dad."

Jerry nodded in what he hoped was a reassuring way. "Don't worry, son. We'll find him. Let's check on the kids, first."

Cole nodded as his handsome features hardened slightly with determination. Jerry was so proud of his son at that moment, the maturity he was showing only a glimpse of the man that he was becoming. Cole walked over to the basement door as Jerry followed behind. Curiously, he knocked instead of opening it. "Dinah, it's me," he said with his mouth near the door. He looked back at Jerry and smiled sheepishly. "I told her to lock the door behind me and not to open it for anyone but you, me, Uncle Harper or Larry."

Jerry smiled and nodded. He thought of something suddenly that was probably irrelevant, but made him curious enough to ask. "Why didn't you wait until we got here to come out of the basement?"

Cole looked down in shame for a second before meeting his father's eyes. "We heard loud noises coming from the back deck. It sounded like a bunch of animals fighting or something. And I swear I heard Uncle Harper shouting something, but I couldn't hear what he said." Cole looked away again before adding, "It sounded like he needed help."

"I'm sure he's fine, son. Your Uncle Harper's a lot tougher than he looks," Jerry said. And he meant it. He had seen feats of strength and endurance from Harper that had amazed him and that belied his somewhat delicate appearance.

"Cole, is that you?" asked a whispering voice from the other side of the door. Jerry recognized the voice of Dinah, his oldest daughter.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm with Dad and Larry," Cole answered.

The clicking of the lock being undone sounded a moment before the door creaked open. Jerry made a mental note to have Cole oil the hinges and almost laughed at such an incongruous thought. Dinah looked up at her father and brother, her face unreadable, as usual. Dinah's personality was the most like her Uncle Harper's, in that very little, if anything could bother her. "Where's Uncle Harper?" she asked, looking at each of them in turn. Cole shook his head and was about to answer when an eerie howl split the silence instead.

Jerry's eyes shot toward the back door and met Larry's gaze. Larry looked perplexed as he said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that sounded like a wolf!" Jerry nodded as he rushed over to the door, pulled back the curtain and looked outside. A layer of clouds had covered the moon since they'd been inside, but there was still enough light to see the fifty or so yards to the tree line. Nothing moved outside. "Have you heard anything like that before?" Larry asked, his brow still furrowed with confusion.

Jerry shook his head as he tried to pierce the curtain of darkness that started just past the first row of tree trunks. His view blurred as his breath fogged the glass and he moved his head to the side, thinking for a second that he had seen movement next to one of the trees.

"Jesus!" Larry said loudly, as Jerry felt him jump. Jerry's reflexes took over as he turned and dropped to one knee, raising his gun to point in the direction that Larry had been looking. A silver-gray shape materialized out of the darkness of the nearby living room. Jerry shook his head and sighed as the shape resolved itself into that of the family's dog, Cody. The dog walked over to Cole, who absently stroked behind its ears as he whispered something to Dinah.

Jerry looked up at Larry before standing. "A little jumpy, aren't you?" he teased, though for a moment he had wondered if the sound they had heard just a moment before had come to life in his home. Cody was a male dog that was large enough for his shoulders to reach the waist of Cole's six-foot frame and his resemblance to a wolf was more than passing. Harper had inexplicably brought him home less than six months ago, telling Jerry that all children needed a dog. The animal had bonded instantly with all of the Ambrose children, but Cole in particular. He very rarely left Cole's side.

As if echoing his thoughts, Larry muttered, "I swear he can hear what that dog is thinking." Jerry nodded absently as he watched Cole kneel down and look into Cody's eyes, still scratching behind his ears. Cole looked up at both of them and smiled awkwardly, likely hearing Larry's comment. Jerry did think that the bond between them was a little strange, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Cole didn't have any true friends at school, preferring to keep to himself, so Jerry liked the thought of him having any companionship, no matter how strange he thought it was.

Jerry looked over at Larry. "Keep an eye out up here, okay? I'm gonna check on the rest of the kids," he said to his partner, who nodded in response. "Cole, you stay up here near the door and shout down if Larry sees anything," he said quietly to his son as he passed by. He headed down the stairs behind Dinah, who held a flashlight in front of her, its light creating a small pool ahead of her feet in the otherwise pitch-black stairway. She looked back briefly and some of the light spilled back against Dinah's face. Her skin was as dark as Jerry's, providing almost no contrast between it and her dark, tightly curled hair, which was pulled back into a ponytail. Though she couldn't see it in herself, she was beautiful, with strong features and an athletic body that still managed to look feminine. They came to the bottom of the stairs and she turned right, toward the only bathroom in the basement.

Dinah knocked three times in quick succession and held her mouth to the door. "Open up, Vaughan. It's me and Dad."

The door opened and the light from Dinah's flashlight illuminated the face of Jerry's middle child looking back at him. For a split second and probably due to a play of the light, Jerry thought it was Arianna staring back at him. Vaughan's face was nearly an exact duplicate of his late wife's. The only differences were the color of his skin and eyes. Where Arianna's skin had been an alabaster white and her eyes the blue of a summer sky, Vaughan's skin was the color of caramel and his eyes a brown so light that it was closer to amber. Those eyes wouldn't meet his for more than a second, but he smiled shyly as he opened the door. Jerry felt a moment of frustration at his son's behavior. There had been some unknown – at least to Jerry – strife between the two of them lately and Vaughan rarely spoke to his father anymore.

As he pulled the door completely open, two childlike voices screamed in unison, "Daddy!" Jerry was nearly knocked over by the two diminutive forms that flew into him, locking their arms around his waist. He looked down to see his youngest son, Louis smiling back at him through the gap where his front teeth used to be. His skin was nearly as light as Vaughan's, but he had the dark eyes and hair of his father. Next to him was a face as alike to his own as Vaughan's was to Arianna's, with one notable exception: the bright blue eyes of his wife. Those were the eyes of his youngest child, his daughter Billie.

"We were so scared, Dad. We didn't know what was going on!" Louis said, looking up at him. Louis was short for his eight years and barely reached his father's waist. Jerry hoped that he would hit a growth spurt soon.

Billie was the only one of his children who looked like she had been crying. "Daddy, where's Uncle Harper?" she asked, with fresh tears welling in her eyes.

Jerry kneeled down and lightly caressed her cheek as he said, "We'll find him, honey. Don't worry." He picked Billie up and walked out of the laundry room before heading up the stairs. The rest of his children followed quietly behind him.

When he reached the top of the stairs, he wordlessly handed Billie to Dinah and walked over to stand next to Larry, who was still staring outside. Dinah took the other children into the kitchen, with only Cole staying in the dining room. "Still nothing," Larry said without looking at Jerry.

Jerry felt something nudge his knee and he looked down in curiosity to see Cody's nose pressed up against the glass. He was making a sniffing sound and Jerry wondered if he could smell something through the glass. Another mournful-sounding howl broke the silence and it was quickly joined by a chorus of other throats, each one rising a split-second after the one before it. Jerry thought he counted seven in all, though he couldn't be sure that he hadn't missed one or two. He looked over at Larry, his brows furrowed with his unspoken question.

Larry shook his head. "I've never heard of them this far south, at least not recently. You think that's what Harper went after? A bunch of wolves?" The tone in Larry's voice suggested that he didn't think it was likely and Jerry agreed. Harper would never have abandoned the children for simple curiosity and no matter how unusual their presence would be; even a full-fledged pack of wolves was no danger to the family as long as they stayed in the house. And Harper would have known this as well as anyone.

Jerry shook his head as the howling continued. He looked down at Cody, whose body was rigid as his gaze stayed focused on the trees outside. His weight shifted suddenly in the doggish gesture of impatience and Jerry looked up to see something straight out of a nature film.

He heard Larry's sharp intake of breath and knew from the sudden pressure in his chest that he had done the same thing. From the tree line to the north emerged the unmistakable canine shapes that Jerry knew were the source of the chorus of howls. They ghosted across the snow, moving across the open space and toward the fence on the southern side of the property which marked the entrance to the forest reserve beyond. They loped along with an easy grace, their quick steps barely sinking in the snow, though one of the animals moved with a slight limp. Jerry couldn't be sure if their thick coats were different shades of gray or if the light cast by the shrouded moon made it appear that way. Cody's gaze never left the animals, though he gave no other visible reaction to them, which Jerry thought odd. He would have expected Cody to become agitated at the sight of such a potential threat. But he just watched them.

Just before the wolves reached the fence, the large animal in the lead paused and swung its head toward the house. It was the largest of the group and clearly the leader, as all of the others stopped to look in the direction in which it stared. He couldn't be sure at such a distance, but he guessed that the animal was nearly as big as Cody. He felt a chill along his spine as he realized that the animal was looking directly at them. Confusing Jerry even further, Cody shifted his weight and sat down, though he continued to stare at the animals staring back at him. The silent exchange continued for a few seconds before the animals turned as one, as if at some unspoken command and ducked under the fence, one at a time. Crossing the barrier last was the large leader, who turned its head one last time and looked directly at them for a moment before turning and moving past the fence.

Larry exhaled loudly, dispelling the tension that had formed in the room at the unusual sight. "Man, that was something," he said, shaking his head.

Sudden movement just outside and to his left and Larry's flinching reaction made Jerry jump and reach for his gun, which he hadn't remembered holstering. In a split second, it was pointed at the glass and the shape that had appeared suddenly on the other side. The barrel of Larry's gun was next to it almost immediately after, pointing in the same direction. Larry swore loudly as they both realized what had appeared before them. It was Harper.

He stood on the other side of the glass, no more than five feet away, though Jerry hadn't seen anything near that spot just a moment before. He chalked his lapse in observation to the unreliability of peripheral vision and the gray darkness around him. Harper held his hands up and in front of him, showing that he could see the weapons pointed at him. But Jerry could see the mocking half-smile on his face that made it clear that he didn't consider himself to be in danger. It always amazed him that Harper could manage to infuriate him so quickly and with almost no effort.

If Vaughan resembled Arianna strongly, Harper could have been her twin. He had the same angular, but well-proportioned features, the same pale skin and the same bright, blue eyes. Even his build was slight, as his sister's had been. And like his sister, he was rather tall, a few inches over six feet. It was freezing outside, but he only wore jeans and a t-shirt and didn't appear cold at all.

Larry opened the door and moved out of the way as Harper stepped in. He cuffed Harper lightly on the shoulder as he passed and shook his head, chuckling. "Crazy bastard! I could've blown you away, jumping out at us like that."

Harper smiled wryly as he moved to one of the dining room chairs and sat down. "Lucky for me that your aim's as bad as your breath."

Larry chuckled louder as he nodded. "Heh, good one, Harper!" He closed the door and locked it, though he continued to stare outside.

Larry and Harper had one of the strangest relationships Jerry had ever seen, one in which they constantly traded barbs that would have made just about any person cry. In spite of this, Jerry sensed that Harper had a sort of grudging respect for Larry. And inexplicably, Larry seemed to genuinely like Harper.

As Harper shifted slightly, the moonlight illuminated the side of his torso. Jerry noticed the tear in Harper's shirt for the first time. Underneath it, he saw what he suspected to be a long gash running down the side of Harper's pale skin. The shirt was dark, but Jerry could just barely make out several dark stains near the edges of the tear, stains he knew must be blood.

Jerry turned to Cole and said, "Go and grab some towels and some peroxide from the hall bathroom." Harper opened his mouth as if to protest, but closed it wordlessly a moment later. "Let me take a look at that," Jerry said to Harper as he kneeled beside him.

"It's just a scratch," Harper said. "A tree branch caught me on the side as I ran by." He didn't flinch as Jerry's fingers lightly brushed the shallow wound.

Jerry frowned in confusion as he looked at the perfectly straight line of the cut. "A tree branch, huh? This looks like it was done by a knife, or a scalpel." Jerry's nose wrinkled as a faint odor similar to rotten eggs hit his nose. "And what's that smell?"

"Maybe you should ask Larry that question," Harper said as he nodded his head toward Larry.

Larry held his empty hand up, though he continued to stare out the door. "It wasn't me. I would claim it if it was."

Harper smiled and shook his head as he looked down at Jerry, who looked back at him, expecting some kind of explanation from his enigmatic brother-in-law. But Harper just shook his head. "I don't know, maybe it's the new detergent I'm using or something. Really, it's just a scratch. I'm fine."

Jerry's response was stifled as the children came rushing from the kitchen, swarming over Harper, kissing and hugging him. Harper's smile was wide and genuine as he listened to them individually voice their concerns for him and their relief at seeing that he was okay. Seeing him like that reminded Jerry of just how much his wife's brother loved his children. Those were the images that Jerry would store in his mind, bringing them out again whenever he felt like his patience with Harper was at an end.

Cole walked into the dining room as Jerry stood back. He held one of the towels he had brought with him over the top of the open bottle of peroxide, upending it before gently cleaning the gash on Harper's side. Harper didn't flinch as the towel rubbed along his side. Jerry looked more closely at the wound, blinking to be sure that he wasn't seeing things. He thought that it must have been a trick of the light, but the wound that was bleeding lightly just a moment before looked like it had closed completely. He opened his mouth to ask Harper again what had happened, but Harper spoke first.

"Larry, you can put your gun away. It was nothing, just some wolves running along the back of the property." He smiled down at Cole and nodded. Cole stopped his ministrations and took the soiled towels and peroxide from the table before leaving the room. Harper looked back up at Jerry before turning and speaking to Larry's back. "They must have come across a deer carcass or something, but I think I scared them off. There was nothing in the woods besides them and me." Larry looked at Harper for a moment, as if weighing what he had said. He exhaled and nodded before placing his gun back in its shoulder holster.

A growing light came from the other room a moment before Cole came into the dining room, holding an illuminated, battery-powered lantern in each hand. He placed them on the table as Jerry sat down. "What happened to the electricity and phone lines?" he asked, looking directly at Harper.

Harper shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? It's probably a downed utility pole out on the road. It's one of the many hazards of living in the middle of nowhere and it being the dead of winter, and all."

His tone was even, but Jerry could hear the barb in Harper's words. He had tried on several occasions to convince Jerry to move the family closer to Denver, but Jerry loved their house. The success of his wife's jewelry designs had allowed them to live in relative luxury and the royalties from those designs still brought in enough money to make all of their lives comfortable. But it wasn't just the size and beauty of the home that made him reluctant to sell it. Every room in the house had memories of the times his family had shared in them. Looking at Harper, he could imagine Ariana's laughing face as she sat in the very same chair, gently rocking Billie in her lap as one of the other children said something funny. He knew that he would never sell their house for all the money in the world.

Jerry sighed as he stood and looked to Larry. "You wanna spend the night? It's a long drive back to the city."

Larry shook his head. "No, I'm fine. Thanks, though." He unlocked the sliding glass door and turned to wave good-bye to the kids and Harper before stepping outside.

Jerry looked at Harper. "I'm going to walk Larry out to his car. I'll be right back." Harper nodded in response before turning his attention back to the children, who were continuing to replay the excitement of the night, as if Harper hadn't been a part of it himself. Harper just continued to nod patiently as Jerry followed Larry outside.

As Larry walked down the steps of the deck, Jerry could see his eyes scanning the ground to either side of his steps. He paced slowly along the path that had been tamped down in the snow and as Jerry followed him, he did the same. It was mostly by force of habit, but Harper's half-hearted explanation of his disappearance hadn't fooled Jerry one bit. Something suspicious had happened that night at the Ambrose house and Jerry was willing to bet that Harper knew more than he was pretending. And he was also willing to bet that there had been something dangerous out there in the woods, something far more dangerous than a pack of wolves that had wandered too far south. It was the only explanation for Harper sending the children down to what he knew to be the most secure room in the house and for his leaving them alone while he investigated.

"Sid, check this out," Larry said as he hunched down to look at something in the snow.

Jerry looked where Larry's finger pointed and at first, all he could see were two pairs of overlapping shoeprints that he knew had been made when he and Larry had first arrived. But when he looked more closely, he could clearly see the prints of some kind of animal pressed lightly into the snow. "These must be from one of those wolves," Larry said, rubbing his chin as he looked at the different prints. Jerry thought they looked no different than the prints he had seen Cody make in the snow and wondered if Larry was mistaken.

Larry pointed to a pair of side-by-side paw prints that were much larger than the rest. "Look at these, Sid," he said softly. "They're twice as big." He was right, though they were closer to three times as big as the smaller prints and pressed several inches deep into the snow. Larry looked up at Jerry, a thoughtful expression on his face. "What the hell do you think could have caused these? Even that big one leading them couldn't have left these." Larry looked back at the ground, his eyes scanning the snow around them for other clues to their origin.

Jerry searched the snow around them in a wider arc, thinking that they could cover twice as much ground together. His investigative instincts were taking over, pushing his mind to analyze everything around him and pushing most other thoughts, including the biting cold in the air around him aside. But one thought refused to be banished. The image of the huge prints in the snow so near to his house and his family made him tense with concern.

His eyes fell on a patch of snow that was darker than the rest. At first, he thought it was just a shadow. But as he moved closer and crouched down, he could see that something had stained the snow in two distinct colors. The first was a dark, greasy black substance. A faint smell hit his nostrils, one that smelled similar to what he had smelled earlier in the house. It was the smell of sulfur. But something familiar tinged the sulfuric odor, something metallic and unmistakable. And as the other color in the snow resolved itself in his vision, he recognized that smell. It was blood.

"You find something?" Larry asked, crouching down beside him. "Hey, that looks like blood."

Jerry nodded, murmuring his assent. He looked around him, searching for more of the strangely mixed liquids, which had begun to turn to slush in the cold of the snow. He could just make out a faint line of alternating colors, red then black, which ran across the path to the back door and toward the tree line to the side of the house. But the darkness of the trees, no more than a hundred feet away, was impenetrable beyond a few feet past the first line of branches. He looked back at the stains near him as Larry leaned in and sniffed the air.

Larry looked up at Jerry, a slight frown creasing his forehead. "It smells like that stuff that Harper had on him in the house...that black stuff." He reached out with his finger pointed, but Jerry impulsively grabbed his hand, holding it back from the oily mess.

"Don't touch it, Larry," Jerry said. Larry looked at him in confusion and Jerry explained his impulse. "I've got a funny feeling about that black stuff."

Larry looked at him for a moment, his expression unreadable before nodding. "Okay, whatever you say, Sid. But I want to get a sample of this stuff and take it back to the lab. It kind of looks like dirty motor oil, but the smell is all wrong." He stood up and headed for the car as Jerry continued to scan the ground around him. "I want a sample of that blood, too," Larry called over his shoulder as he opened the trunk of the car. Jerry couldn't see him, but could hear him fishing around for a moment before pulling the trunk closed and walking back with two flat, plastic containers in his hands.

Larry crouched down and carefully used the lids of the containers to scoop two small sections of the discolored snow into the containers; one of them holding the bloodied snow and the other filled with the mysterious black stuff. Jerry watched him fill the containers, inwardly wanting to warn Larry again not to touch it, but keeping his mouth closed. Larry knew what he was doing.

Jerry suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, causing the muscles in his back to flex involuntarily. He spun around and tried to pierce the inky blackness between the trees with his eyes, searching for the source of the unmistakable feeling that someone or something was watching him. His peripheral vision registered Larry rising and moving to stand next to him.

"Yeah, I feel it too," he said.

Jerry looked over at him and saw that he was watching the trees, too. He looked down and saw that Larry was holding his gun in his hand and when his mind registered a foreign weight in his own hand, he realized that he had pulled his own pistol from its holster. "Maybe it's another one of those wolves we saw earlier," Larry said, though there was a complete lack of conviction in his voice.

"Maybe," Jerry murmured as he stared into the trees, wishing he had a spotlight to illuminate the woods. He turned to look at Larry, trying to brush away the feeling and trying to write it off as nothing more than anxiety over the safety of his family. "And maybe we're both just a little jumpy."

Larry looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, because we're both the jumpy type, right?" He holstered his pistol, but continued to stare at the trees. "Maybe I should spend the night," he said.

Jerry's first instinct was to agree, but he was trying desperately not to give into his fears that his family was in danger. The logical side of him said that there was no evidence so far that this was the case, other than Harper's bizarre reaction to what amounted to little more than an unusual wildlife sighting. But Harper was strange to begin with and had always been so. Jerry sighed and shook his head.

"Nah, we'll be okay," he said to his partner. He walked Larry over to the car and waited for him to get in, start the engine and buckle his seat belt. He leaned in and looked his partner in the eye. "Do me a favor," he said as a fresh wave of anxiety hit him. "Give me a call when you get home, alright?"

Larry grinned back at him. "Yes, mother." His grin faded when Jerry didn't grin back. "Hey, no problem," he said, trying to reassure his partner and friend. He opened his mouth to say something, but seemed to decide against it. "You sure you don't want me to stay? Or call someone over to watch the house?" he finally asked.

Jerry smiled as he responded, "No, we're fine. Besides, I've got Harper here to back me up." He said the last ruefully, knowing that Larry would appreciate the jab at Harper.

Larry snorted as he shook his head. "I don't know, Sid. I think your brother-in-law's a lot tougher than he looks. All I know is I don't think I'd want to meet him alone in a dark alley. I wouldn't be too worried to have him looking after the kids."

Jerry nodded as he thought the same thing. There was something about Harper that made you look at him twice, something other than his good looks. The quiet confidence he possessed and the way that all of his movements seemed so controlled, yet so fluid at the same time had made Jerry wonder on several occasions if there was something about Harper's past that he didn't know. He smiled at Larry as the car was shifted into reverse. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right," he said as he looked briefly at the house. He reached in and patted his partner on the shoulder. "Get home safe," he said.

Larry nodded and backed up before turning the car around and slowly heading down the driveway. Jerry watched the car pull away until it made the turn onto the main road. He turned around and looked back at his house, the windows still completely dark. He walked toward the garage, where their emergency generator was kept. He didn't know how long the power was going to be out and it was a cold night. They could go without lights for one night, but going without heat was out of the question. He made a mental note to call the power and phone companies to report the outage from his cell as he walked to the side door of the garage.

As he turned the corner of the house, a twinkle of light in the distance drew his eyes. Nearly a mile in the distance, where the land sloped into a valley between the hills surrounding his home, he could see the lights of his neighbor's house shining brightly. The home belonged to James McCallister, one of Vaughan's teachers at the local middle school. Jerry respected him and hoped that his stern, yet fair personality would have a good effect on Vaughan, who Jerry thought was just a little too soft for his own good. He worried that he was being picked on at school, but didn't know what he could do about it. He thought of his middle son for a moment, feeling a sense of helplessness at how far their relationship had deteriorated and not knowing how to repair it. His moment of self-pity was broken as he looked at the lights and realized why the sight was so strange. All of the homes in their area of Evergreen were on the same power grid. If the electricity was out at the Ambrose house, it should have been out at his neighbor's, too. Jerry walked over to where the utility box was mounted to the side of the house. The lines running to the Ambrose house were mounted on telephone poles, as were all of the lines in the neighborhood. But his wife had insisted that the lines running from the street be buried when their home was being built.

Jerry traced the lines running up from the ground to the point near the box where they had been severed. At first, he thought that something must have hit the wires but there were no signs of damage around the box. He leaned in and grabbed the wire near the box, careful not to touch the line leading from the ground, suspecting that it was probably still live. As he turned the wire away from the box and into the moonlight bathing the area around him, he saw the clean cut across it. It looked like it had been a deliberate cut with a very sharp knife. There was also a line of what appeared to be soot where the lines had been, and the paint there blistered as if it had been burnt. He looked around him, looking for any signs of intruders near the house, though the feeling that he was being watched had long since disappeared. He thought briefly about calling Larry and asking him to come back to spend the night, but decided that he was being a little paranoid. It was dark and he couldn't see clearly. Something could have severed the lines in some kind of freak accident, he told himself, though that didn't explain the blistered paint. He released the wires and opened the door to the garage, bypassing the electric opener. After starting the generator and checking to be sure there was enough gas to run through the night, he took a roll of electrical tape and walked back outside, where he taped off the ends of the severed wires. The lights in the house were now shining brightly, but there were no outdoor lights that shone on this side of the house, so he couldn't get a good look at the wires. He would get a closer look in the morning. He walked back into the house through the garage, locking all of the doors behind him as he went and as he entered the kitchen, he set the alarm, which was unusual. They always locked the doors at night, but never set the alarm unless no one was going to be home. Jerry thought that he was still being a little paranoid, but the thought that the alarm was set made him feel a little better.

He walked through the garage and into the brightly-lit kitchen, but the children weren't there. He moved into the adjoining dining room and saw Harper sitting alone in the darkness, staring out the sliding glass doors. "Did the kids go to bed?" Jerry asked, trying to decide whether to sit down or stand. Harper's presence always made him feel slightly ill-at-ease.

Harper nodded, though he didn't look up at Jerry. He raised a mug to his mouth and Jerry could see the steam rising from within. Harper drank more coffee than anyone Jerry knew and he wondered how he could sleep after so much caffeine. Although Jerry had never actually seen Harper sleep, which was strange, his appearance suggested that what little sleep he did get was more than enough. Jerry thought for a moment of telling Harper of the severed power lines, but decided that it wasn't worth worrying anyone else until he could be sure of what had happened. On an impulse he moved to the opposite end of the table from his brother-in-law and sat down.

Harper had removed his shirt and Jerry could see the tight muscles of his upper torso clearly as his skin glowed faintly in the moonlight spilling through the glass of the doors. He had never seen Harper do any kind of regular exercise and yet he was in perfect physical condition. Jerry thought of his own softening middle that had once been firm and wondered at the fluke of genetics and how certain people could be so blessed while the rest of humanity had to actually work at being healthy. He suddenly realized the reason for Harper removing his shirt and asked him, "How's that cut healing?"

Harper turned to look at him, his expression blank before answering, "It's fine, thank you. It really was just a scratch."

Jerry stared back for a moment but finally had to avert his eyes, looking down at his hands, instead. He looked so much like Arianna that it was hard to look at him for very long. He thought again of Harper's torn shirt and the oily black substance that had coated it, the same black substance that he and Larry had found in the snow. "You said your shirt tore because of a branch?" he asked, tensing in preparation for Harper to become defensive.

Harper's expression remained neutral as he stared at Jerry for a moment. "Yes," he finally answered. "That's what I said happened." He was quiet for a moment before asking, "Is there something you'd like to ask me, Jeremiah?"

Jerry clenched his hands at Harper's use of his full name. In spite of him asking several times to be called Jerry, Harper refused to call him by any other name than his given one. He had said that Jeremiah was a name full of honor and should not be shortened to anything simpler. He had said it sincerely, but Jerry always thought that it was another one of Harper's ways of trying to antagonize him.

He wanted to tell Harper that there was something he wanted to ask him and that he suspected he wasn't telling him the truth, but he was tired and didn't want another fight with his wife's brother. He shook his head. "No, Harper. I just wanted to be sure I understood. That's all."

Harper continued to stare at Jerry for a moment before taking his hand from his coffee cup, standing up and walking toward the living room. Jerry watched him go, wondering as he always did what Harper was thinking. As he neared the threshold of the arch leading to the living room, he stopped. Jerry looked at his back, which rose slightly with each slow breath that he took. He turned his head slightly, though he didn't look at Jerry. "You know that I would never do anything to place the children in danger, don't you?" he asked, and the genuineness in his voice surprised Jerry.

Jerry was so surprised by the question that he forgot to answer. "Of course," he finally said. "I know you love my children, Harper. I know that you'd do anything for them." Though he meant every word of what he said, he was glad that his sincerity had come through in his voice. He truly appreciated everything that Harper did for his children and didn't want him to think that he took it for granted.

Harper nodded his head and smiled slightly. "Good," he said softly. He paused for a moment before adding, "Good night, brother."

"Good night, Harper," Jerry responded, though he couldn't believe what Harper had said. He had never acknowledged their familial bond before and Jerry had not doubted the sincerity in Harper's voice when he said it. It had been a strange night all around.

Jerry looked out the window, thinking of his relationship with each of the members of his family. He doubted that he and Harper would ever be more than cordial to each other, though he admitted that it had been a sort of breakthrough for Harper to call him brother. Vaughan's reluctance to speak more than a few words to him was a source of constant worry and frustration, but he hoped that it was just the enigmatic troubles that seemed to plague many children his age. Cole had always been on the shy side, but Jerry doubted that he had anything to worry about with his oldest child, who was steady and constant. Dinah was a whirlwind of focused energy, but excelled in school and sports and never gave him problems. Louis, on the other hand constantly caused problems at school with his often wicked sense of humor and need to be the class clown. And then there was Billie. She really was her daddy's little girl and even the thought of her made Jerry smile. The same bright blue eyes that had been the twin of his wife's still looked at him as if he was the greatest person in the world. He knew that would change eventually, but until it did, she could do no wrong in his eyes. He knew that his problems were no greater than any other parent's, but he wished again that he could share those problems, and the rewards that came from fixing them with his wife.

He sighed as he stood up and checked to be sure the glass doors were locked. He went through the main living area of the house, checking doors and shutting lights before sitting down on the couch in the family room, which stood at the center of the sprawling structure. He pulled his pistol from its holster and held it in his hand, checking to be sure the safety was on before resting it on his knee. If anyone or anything entered the house while his family slept, they would have to get past him first. He sat there for less than an hour before his eyes grew too heavy and he fell asleep, his gun still held tightly in his hand.

# Chapter 2

Friday Morning, January 7th

Jerry knew he'd fallen asleep when the image of his wife danced across his vision. He watched her with the faint awareness that what he was seeing couldn't possibly be true. The logic of his conscious mind intruded upon the fantasy of his subconscious, reminding him that the image before him, which gave him such happiness, would disappear when he opened his eyes. He had dreamed of his wife being alive and with him at least once a week since she had died, and each time that the harsh reality of his awakening was thrust upon him, the accompanying pain and loss left him feeling empty for the better part of an hour. And though his conscious mind now kept screaming at him that what he saw could not be real and must therefore only be a dream, he ignored it and enjoyed the dream for what it was - the chance to be with Arianna again.

He stood on the edge of a large, moonlit meadow in which the grass grew to his knees. Above the grass, a canopy of deep blue began at the horizon and seemed to go on forever. It was dotted so thickly with stars that Jerry imagined that this was what he would see if he stood at the edge of the Milky Way and looked into its center.

What he at first mistook for movement among the stars resolved itself into the dancing of hundreds of fireflies, moving in a silently coordinated dance around one object that outshone everything around it. That object was his lovely wife, Arianna. She stood in the center of the meadow, her arms outstretched, her eyes closed and a mysterious smile on her face. The air was cool, but completely still. And yet her long, dark hair moved gently around her face as if the tiniest breeze caressed it and nothing else around it. The fireflies formed into great, swirling lines that slowly wrapped around her body, gently brushing against the gauzy white fabric of her strapless gown that reached down to her knees. As the lines of glowing creatures spun around her, some of the lines disappeared, their tiny constituents moving out of formation before merging into existing lines or creating new ones. Jerry heard Arianna's throaty laugh as the speed of their dance increased, her arms slowly rising from their outstretched position until they were directly above her, her wrists joining together as her hands formed a V over her head.

He saw her bosom heave as she drew in a deep breath and then suddenly exploded into movement. With only the slightest crouch to ready itself, her body launched into a leap of superhuman height, one leg ahead and one behind her in the classic pose of a ballerina in flight. As if they had been privy to her planned leap, the fireflies moved with her, continuing their dizzying lines about her body and somehow managing to stay the exact distance from her skin as they had before she had moved. She remained aloft for an impossibly long time before returning to the ground and flinging her arms to her side and spinning in place as the fireflies continued their mesmerizing dance around her.

Jerry felt his heart ache as he watched her dance, the grace of her movements ethereal and effortless. Her movements were always the same in his dream, the routine unchanging. They were the steps she had danced on the night that he had first seen her. And after that first night, every time he had seen her dance the effect was the same. His heart would ache, his breath would quicken and tears would form at the corner of his eyes as the beauty of her dance touched his soul.

As if hearing his thoughts, Arianna paused and looked at him. The mirth in her eyes found its voice as she threw her head back and laughed. The sound of it was like the pealing of a bell, clear and full of joy. She looked at him again and smiled before raising her hand and beckoning to him. Though he knew what consequences his action would bring, he took a hesitant step forward. He couldn't resist the sight of her. And just as she did in every dream like this one, she turned and ran from him, her ringing laughter filling the night air.

He knew that he would never catch her, but he chased her anyway. She called his name, as she always did in this dream, but this time her voice sounded different. It was deeper and richer, yet it had the same quality of sound. But it was like comparing the gentle babble of a brook to the rushing sound of a river. The voice was not hers.

"Jeremiah!"

Jerry sat up with a gasp as he was pulled from his dream, the vision of Arianna running barefoot through the grass disappearing from his sight. He looked over to where the voice had come from and saw Harper looking down at him.

"Jeremiah, it's time to wake up. You're going to be late for work," he said, his expression, as always, neutral. Jerry could hear the children moving about the house, getting ready for school, the complaints of Louis the loudest of the noises. His youngest son hated getting up at such an early hour and it took the efforts of nearly the entire family to get him going in the morning. Louis' antics usually irritated Jerry in the morning, but for some reason it made him smile today, instead. Maybe it was the stark contrast between that reality and the falsehood of his dream, or maybe it was just the fact that they had made it through the night without further incident. He yawned, rubbed his face and sat up on the couch. He looked at his watch and it was nearly seven a.m. He needed to hurry if he didn't want to be late. There were few things he hated more than for Harper to be right.

After saying good-bye to the kids, he headed to his bathroom for a quick shower. He let the hot water pour down the back of his neck, soothing the tension that always seemed to build between his shoulder blades. As he shaved and brushed his teeth, he thought of the dream he had just had. His image in the mirror blurred as tears formed in his eyes. It had been years since his wife died, but he still thought of her every day and the ache of her absence still sat in his heart. He wiped away the tears with a towel and managed to wipe away his melancholy thoughts; at least, temporarily.

Dressed and ready for work, he headed to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee for the road. The family's calendar was mounted next to the refrigerator. It was a tool that Arianna had used to keep track of the multitude of events involved with raising five children. Harper had carried on the tradition, marking everything down in his neat, flowing script. Jerry looked at the schedule for Friday, the seventh and saw with dismay that it was his turn to take Vaughan to dance practice. He looked at the rest of the schedule to see if there was something he could trade Harper for, but the rest of the schedule had been carefully coordinated to allow Harper to maximize his time with the rest of the schedule. Jerry was stuck.

He headed out the door, wishing that Vaughan would quit dance. It had been eight years since he had started at Arianna's suggestion, but nothing else seemed to interest him. Jerry started the car and let it warm up while he called Larry's cell phone, telling him that he'd be a little late. Larry was already at the office, which wasn't unusual. He was an early riser and usually the first one to arrive at the Denver office.

Jerry backed out of the garage and headed down the long driveway, moving carefully through the powdery snow. The car slipped a few times, but the all-wheel-drive kicked in almost immediately, placing the car back on course. Jerry had lived in Colorado for so long that he was used to driving in some of the worst winter weather conditions, though he often longed for the heat and humidity of his native New Orleans. The car approached the front gate of his property and as he turned the wheel to pull onto the main road, something in the periphery caught his eye. The unmistakable silhouette of a wolf loped through the trees next to his driveway.

Jerry slammed on the brakes, the car skidding diagonally for a moment before coming to a stop. He moved the shifter into park and stepped out of the car, looking back over the roof at the trees beyond. What he was absolutely sure had been there just a moment before was now gone. The spaces between the trees were empty of everything but snow. The sun shone brightly overhead, allowing him to see for several hundred yards into their depths. Even a wolf could not have disappeared so quickly, or so he thought. A stiff breeze blew across the roof, hitting him with a blast of cold air that stole his breath away. Carried by the breeze was a faint smell that he thought he recognized, but couldn't place right away. It was a slightly foul smell, and had it been only slightly stronger, it would have made him gag.

He scanned the woods one last time as a shiver wracked through him. It was too cold to stand outside, and he couldn't see anything in the trees. He got back in the car, savoring the warmth that passed over him from the heater. He put the car in gear and pulled onto the main road, looking over a final time at the trees as he passed. He was certain that he had seen a wolf in the trees, which wasn't exactly a stretch of the imagination based on what they had all seen the night before. He pulled his cell phone from his coat pocket and used the speed dial to call Harper's cell phone. His brother-in-law answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Jerry." For some reason, he always said that when Harper answered, though he knew full well that the caller ID on Harper's phone told him exactly who had called. Had Jerry taken the time to analyze it further, he would have known that it was yet another sign of how uncomfortable he felt with his enigmatic brother-in-law.

"Is something the matter?" Harper asked.

"No," Jerry said. "Well, not exactly. I saw another wolf near the end of the driveway."

Harper was silent on the other end, as if Jerry had said he had seen nothing more dangerous than a sparrow.

"I'm going to give animal control a call," he added when there was still no response. "Be sure to keep the kids from going outside until they can get out here." He knew that the tone of his voice made his request sound more like a command, but this concerned his children. He would allow no argument from Harper, though truthfully he expected none.

"Alright, Jeremiah," Harper answered. His voice, as always was neutral. It should have made him sound reasonable, but Jerry thought it made him sound condescending. "I'll be sure to keep them inside. I'm not sure that calling animal control is the best answer to dealing with this problem, though."

Jerry was puzzled by Harper's statement. Who else would he call to deal with wild animals on his property?

As if reading his mind, Harper continued, "The animals in the woods may be dangerous. I'd hate to see someone get hurt." The words were sincere, but Jerry thought that Harper's tone made it sound like he could care less if someone from animal control or anyone else was hurt by the wolves. If it wasn't for the obvious devotion Harper had always shown toward his children, Jerry would wonder if he cared about anyone.

"Well, that's a good point," Jerry said, trying to make up for his earlier tone. "I'll be sure to tell them not to come alone and to be sure to be armed." It really was a good point, Jerry conceded mentally. He'd have to remember to actually suggest it when he made his next call. He heard a slight chuckle from the other end of the phone.

"You policemen and your guns," Harper said. Jerry was pretty sure it was meant to be a joke, though he knew well enough how Harper felt about guns. He thought they were barbaric and he took every opportunity to make sure Jerry knew how he felt.

"Yeah, well I'll see you when I get home," Jerry said. He wanted the conversation to be over. He tried to convince himself that it was because he had another call to make.

"You will," Harper answered neutrally. "Don't forget that you have to take Vaughan to dance practice this evening," he added. As if Jerry could have forgotten.

"Don't worry, I remembered." He wanted the conversation to end. "See you at home." Jerry didn't wait for a reply from Harper before ending the phone call. His brother-in-law had managed to take less than thirty seconds to annoy him. It was something he had a knack for.

Jerry placed the call to animal control, remembering at the last second to tell them to send more than one officer and to be sure they were armed. The woman who answered sounded bored with her job and assured him that they took every response to a report seriously and would be careful. It sounded like she had read the response from a card, which Jerry thought was likely. Government agencies were not known for encouraging their employees to think for themselves. It was a problem that he had started to notice with some of the younger agents coming out of the academy. He knew that he and the other agents of his generation were more cops than investigators. And while he knew that both were important instruments of justice, he had always been more of an action kind of guy. His favorite part of any investigation was the actual arrest; in getting criminals off the streets and behind bars. He saw the detective work as a means to an end and he knew his partner felt the same way.

The woman at animal control had also made it clear that she doubted the animals Jerry saw were wolves. Like a high school professor, she had explained that wolves were no longer seen so far south and that what he had seen had been either a coyote or a stray dog. He had been tempted to tell her in the same tone that coyotes didn't travel in packs, but he didn't want to risk alienating her and having the response to his call delayed.

He pulled into the garage at work at nine-fifteen and was at his desk less than five minutes later. He was never late for work, but he knew that Larry wouldn't let it slide without saying something.

"Glad you could join us, Sid," Larry said as he leaned over Jerry's desk, smiling impishly. "You weren't scared of the widdle doggies we saw wast night were you?" Larry asked in a baby voice. Jerry knew that this was Larry's attempt at making light of a situation that was bothersome, but Jerry didn't have the patience for his friend's silliness just then. The sights that he had seen both the night before and on his way to work had truly concerned him. It wasn't just the sight of the wolves themselves, which in itself was odd enough. It was the sense that something even odder lay behind both sightings. Something that made his instincts for danger scream out that he was missing something. And it was the feeling that Harper knew a lot more than what he was admitting.

"Isn't there something you should be working on?" Jerry asked irritably as Larry returned to his desk.

Larry opened his mouth to reply, but something behind Jerry had caught his attention and he stood there with his mouth open for a moment before breaking into a nervous grin. Jerry knew what had stopped Larry even before the sultry voice of Cecilia Ramirez came from behind him.

"Good morning, boys," she said as she passed, heading toward her own desk on the other side of the room. Jerry turned to appreciate one of his favorite parts of his morning ritual.

Cecilia smiled over her shoulder, first at Jerry and then, with a gaze lingering just a moment longer, at Larry. She was of medium height, curvaceous and pretty, with long brown hair that rolled down her back in waves. Though she was nearing forty, she looked ten years younger. And her smile, full of straight white teeth, always elicited the same in anyone lucky enough to be its recipient. The business suits that she wore every day as an office assistant were tailored professionally and within office standards, but she could have worn a trash bag to work and there would be no mistaking the figure beneath. But the thing that Jerry found most endearing about Cecilia was her devotion to her teenage son, Eduardo and her elderly mother. Eduardo was Dinah's classmate and friend, though the complete opposite of his outgoing and popular daughter. Jerry liked the kid, though. He was polite and intelligent, a combination that seemed to him to be all-too-rare in teenagers. But his view of Cecilia, while appreciative, was much closer to a friendship, unlike his partner's.

The attraction between Cecilia and Larry was unmistakable to everyone, though Larry was convinced that it was one-sided. Shortly after her ugly divorce and for nearly three years, Cecilia's interest in Larry evolved from a friendly, but casual one to something almost predatory in its interest. But Larry continued to miss the obvious cues that she gave on a daily basis, failing even to ask her out for a drink. Even Jerry's best efforts at coaching his friend had yielded no results. Larry continued to believe that Cecilia was out of his league and like a single wildflower in an otherwise green meadow, something that could be admired, but never coveted.

"I don't get it, Larry," Jerry said, shaking his head. "Why don't you just ask her out already and put the rest of us out of our misery?"

Larry watched Cecilia as she sat behind her desk, the crestfallen look answering Jerry's question. "Why bother?" he said. "She'll just say no or make up some lame excuse."

"She wants you to ask her out, you idiot," Jerry responded as he shook his head slightly.

Jerry started his computer, waiting for the operating system to start while he thought about what he had seen on his way to work. "Hey, I almost forgot to tell you," he said as Larry gave one last, longing look in Cecilia's direction. "I swear I saw another one of those wolves this morning, in the woods next to the driveway."

Larry looked up sharply. "You sure that's what you saw?"

Jerry nodded silently as his desktop on his computer came up. He clicked on the icon to start his e-mail, when he remembered something from the night before.

"Hey, what did you do with that blood sample that you collected outside the house last night?" he asked as his e-mail started.

Larry typed something with his two-fingered method on his keyboard as he responded, "Um, I took it down to the lab when I got in. Aaron's analyzing it for me now. He said it'll be ready by tomorrow at the earliest." He looked up again at Larry. "Why? What are you thinking?" Larry had been his partner for too long not to notice when something was bothering him.

"I'm just curious, that's all," he responded. It sounded weak, even to his ears. He sighed as he added, "It's just that the woman at animal control said that wolves aren't typically found in Colorado anymore. She said that it was probably a coyote or a stray dog."

Larry snorted as he responded, "What the hell does she know. Look, I know what I saw last night as well as you do. They were wolves. Just tell her to save the biology lesson and do her job."

Jerry chuckled and shook his head. That was Larry. Tact was not his strong point. "I'll tell her you said that."

Jerry made a mental note to check in with Aaron in the morning, even though it would be a Saturday. Not knowing what animals he had seen in his yard shouldn't have bothered him. But it did. He started the tedious task of going through the morning's e-mails and temporarily pushed the thought of wild animals that shouldn't be there from his mind.

# Chapter 3

Friday Morning, January 7th

Cole and Dinah were the last of the children to be dropped off at school. In spite of the cold winter weather and the snow on the ground, most of the student body stood congregating on the lawn in front of the entrance. This was the usual morning ritual, each student mingling with his or her group of friends, waiting until the last possible minute to walk into the seven-hour prison that was high school.

Unsurprisingly, Dinah saw her brother walk straight in through the front door without stopping, though he waved hello to several students on his way. Her brother was popular in the strangest way – known and liked by just about everyone, but with no true friends. She wondered for the millionth time why Cole couldn't be more outgoing, why he wouldn't make the effort. It would have been so much easier for him than it would have been for her little brother Vaughan, who had never had any friends besides his classmate, Sarah. Cole could have been at least as popular as Dinah if he wanted to, but he preferred to keep to himself. And yet there was something about him that drew others to him, made them want to be around him. She saw it whenever he walked into a room. Heads would turn and people would watch him for a moment, almost as if they hoped he would look in their direction, that he would smile at them or acknowledge them in some way. And she noticed that it became more pronounced the older he got. She had wanted to mention the effect he had to him, to try to encourage him to use it to make some friends. But she knew that it would only embarrass her painfully shy older brother, so she kept her thoughts to herself.

"Dinah!" a boy's voice reached her from across the lawn.

She knew who had called her before she turned around. Eduardo Ramirez, her best friend since the third grade, waved as she looked at him and smiled. He was the opposite of Dinah in just about every way possible – thin where she was athletic, quiet and pensive where she could rarely keep her thoughts to herself. His own popularity at their high school had mostly been based on his friendship with her. But Dinah suspected that his dark good looks would have made him popular eventually; even if they had they never met. He looked like a teen idol, with olive skin, straight dark hair that always fell across his eyes and the whitest, straightest teeth she had ever seen. She loved staring into his dark eyes, seeing them narrow when he smiled, which he did frequently. She had felt her feelings for him change in the past year. They had changed from a true, but simple friendship into feelings that confused her with their intensity. She constantly felt the urge to reach up and brush the hair from his eyes, but worried that even such a simple act would complicate their friendship. And their friendship was something that she cherished and wouldn't risk for anything.

He smiled as she walked up to him. "So, have you heard about the Spring Formal?" he asked without preamble. "They're calling it Oceans of Love - as if there's an ocean within a hundred miles of here." He snorted as he shook his head in mock disgust. "Who comes up with these things, anyway?"

Dinah shrugged her shoulders as she responded, "You know. It's that committee. They have nothing better to do." She didn't want to say what she was really thinking – that she wanted to go to the Formal. And she wanted to go with Eduardo.

"Still," she added hesitantly. "It sounds like it might be fun. The DJ they hired is supposed to be pretty good." She watched Eduardo's face from the corner of her eye as she pretended to look off into the trees. She hoped her not-so-subtle hint would prompt him to ask what she knew he wanted to ask. Or what she hoped he wanted to ask.

"Yeah, I guess." He looked over at her and caught her eyes. She looked away quickly at the same moment that he did. "It's just so...archaic."

"Archaic?" She giggled at his choice of words. Eduardo liked to read and his vocabulary was better than anyone she knew.

He smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah. It's like some kind of medieval mating ritual or something. All of the girls lined up on one side of the room, waiting for some terrified boy to work up the nerve to ask one of them to dance. Like all of their teen-aged angst would be resolved by that simple act or something."

She stopped and looked directly at him. It took him a moment to realize that she had stopped walking. He turned and looked at her, a question on his face as the plumes of steam from his breath wrapped around his face.

"I guarantee you that every one of those boys who works up the nerve is happy that he did," she told him, her expression completely neutral.

She smiled slightly and started walking toward the front doors. The first bell rang just as she passed him, his expression thoughtful as he watched her. She reached the front door and realized that he wasn't next to her. When she turned around she saw him watching her, his brows furrowed with thought.

"You coming?" she asked with feigned impatience.

He watched her for a moment before nodding and following her through the front door, though he didn't say a word for the rest of the morning.

Vaughan stood behind a tree near the entrance to the junior high school staring at the building as students walked through the front door. He looked at his watch nervously and saw that less than five minutes remained before the first bell would ring. He didn't want to be late for class, but he also knew that walking up to the front door at that moment could bring about something worse. Would bring about something worse, he corrected himself silently. Leroy Wigen, the bully of their junior high, would be waiting. He always seemed to know just where Vaughan would be. And for reasons completely unknown to Vaughan, he had recently become Leroy's favorite target.

Vaughan had known Leroy since elementary school, but had never had any problems with him until recently. Vaughan liked to keep to himself and that had always kept him from everyone's notice. But a month earlier, Leroy had suddenly taken notice of him. And he had begun tormenting Vaughan relentlessly, calling him names and shoving him each time he passed him in the hall or in the cafeteria. It had gotten so bad that Vaughan had started hiding in any place he could find during lunch and between classes.

He scanned the area near the front doors again, but saw no sign of Leroy. He did see his best friend Sarah, though. She stood near the front doors, watching the line of cars that came down the driveway. Vaughan knew that she was looking for him. Their walk into school each morning had been a ritual of theirs since elementary school, and it was Sarah's friendship that was the only thing that made school bearable.

He shivered in the cold air, in spite of the heavy jacket and scarf that he wore. He searched again for signs of Leroy or any of his friends, but saw none. He hoped that he would be able to walk in with Sarah, since he hadn't been able to lately. But he wasn't willing to risk being noticed by Leroy to do it. He glanced at his watch again and saw that it was nearly time for the final bell, and he decided that being late was worse than running into Leroy.

A knot formed in his stomach as he made ready to move toward the building. He exhaled loudly, his heart hammering in his chest. He said a silent prayer that Leroy had called in sick, though he knew that his luck could never be that good. He took a step from behind the tree and happened to glance to the right of the building just as Leroy and his band of thugs came around the corner. He stopped in his tracks and slowly backed behind the tree again and watched them from its cover.

The group of boys sauntered around the corner, Leroy at their center, talking and laughing loudly. They had a bravado that exceeded the normal level of adolescent boys because they knew they could. They owned the school and no one would say otherwise.

Vaughan heard the first bell ring and groaned softly with dismay. There was no way that he'd be able to make it down the driveway, up the front walkway and through the doors without Leroy seeing him. He knew that he was going to be late for class again, but as he watched the bully and his friends walk through the door, he didn't care. Being late was the lesser of two evils at that moment, so he waited in the cold for the coast to be clear.

Ms. Waverly turned the page of the book she was reading out loud. The group of kindergarteners sitting around her on the carpet looked up at her, hanging on every word. Billie loved when her teacher read to the class. Ms. Waverly had a voice that reminded her of someone, though she couldn't say for certain who it was. It was the kind of voice that made her feel safe and warm, like when her daddy held her on his lap. But it wasn't exactly the same. It reminded her of the dreams that she had of mommy.

She knew the woman in her dreams was her mommy, though her mommy had died when Billie was almost too young to remember her. All she knew of her beside vague memories were the pictures around the house and the stories that her brothers and sister told her. But she had been having more dreams of her mommy recently. And in her dreams it seemed like she was trying to tell Billie something, something important. Billie could tell by the look on her face that this was the case. But each time that mommy tried to tell her, her voice would disappear. It was like someone speaking to you from the other side of a thick, glass window. Billie could see her mommy shouting and gesturing urgently, her hands held out in front of her. And then she would wake up.

All of her dreams of her mommy before had been pleasant ones. She would be sitting in her mommy's lap as she stroked her hair and sang to her. Billie didn't know the songs that her mommy would sing, but she always remembered the tune when she woke up. Billie would hum the tune as she played with her dolls and it would make her feel safe. But the dreams that had started a month before had been less pleasant. Not only did it seem like she could never hear what her mommy had to say. It seemed like something was nearby. It was something that made Billie feel scared and alone. It made her want to run into her daddy's bed when she woke up and tell him about her dreams.

But Billie didn't tell her daddy about her dreams with mommy anymore. It made her daddy sad to hear about them. His eyes would fill up with tears and he would look away from Billie. She hated to see her daddy sad.

She knew that she had to tell someone. It was harder and harder to sleep at night since the newer, scarier dreams had started. And lately she had always been tired at school. Even Ms. Waverly had noticed and asked her if she was staying up late. But she had shaken her head and refused to say anything more to her teacher. But she had to tell someone.

She thought of her brothers and sisters and knew instantly who she would tell. Cole always listened to her and never made her feel like she was just six years old. He talked to her like he talked to daddy – like she was an adult. She loved that about Cole. And he always made her feel better, no matter what she told him. Billie knew that Cole would worry that she wasn't sleeping. But she also knew that if anyone could help her figure out her dreams, it was Cole.

As she refocused her attention on the room around her, the soothing sound of Ms. Waverly's voice wrapped her in its arms and pushed aside the thoughts of her dreams and the worry that they brought. She listened as Ms. Waverly told of the little boy and his big red dog and the trouble he always got into. Billie knew that there was no such thing as a dog that big. And she had never seen a dog that bright shade of red. But she loved the story all the same.

She put her hand in her chin and listened with a smile as the dog got into trouble yet again.

Louis stared at the chalkboard, the numbers that Mr. Holt had written across it barely registering in his mind. It wasn't that Louis didn't like math. He loved it. But the problems that Mr. Holt was discussing with the class were so simple. Louis could have done them in his sleep. He laughed at the thought of doing math problems in his sleep. He had never understood that expression. How you could do anything in your sleep, while you were unable to move, didn't make any sense to him. All you could do when you slept was dream...and sleep.

"Is something funny, Mr. Ambrose?" Mr. Holt looked at him over his shoulder, the chalk poised against the board.

Louis shook his head. "No," he answered. "Sorry."

Mr. Holt smiled slightly as he continued to write on the board, his voice droning the meaning behind the numbers as Louis' attention drifted again.

"Does anyone have any questions, so far?" Mr. Holt asked as he continued to write. No one answered, so he continued.

"Does anyone have any questions, so far?" the voice asked again.

The voice was Mr. Holt's. There was no mistaking it. But it hadn't come from the chalkboard. Mr. Holt turned around in surprise, scanning the faces of his students with obvious confusion on his face. "Who said that?" he asked. But no one responded.

The students looked around in confusion. They had heard the echo of Mr. Holt's question as well as he did, but it was obvious that no one knew where it had come from. Mr. Holt scanned the room one last time before returning his attention to the chalkboard, the chalk scratching and creaking as it continued to cover the board in numbers. He finally finished the equation and turned to the room.

"So, based on what we've learned, can anyone tell me the value of x?" Mr. Holt looked at the room full of raised hands, searching for someone to pick to give the answer. He pointed his finger at Lana Thompson, who eagerly waved her hand. "Yes, Ms. Thompson?" Mr. Holt never called any of his students by their first name. He said it was a sign of respect and that respect was something you gave everyone until they had given you a reason to no longer deserve it. If he hadn't been his teacher, Louis' suspected that he would have actually liked the guy. At least, he wouldn't have minded him as much.

Lana answered his question, "x is equal to seven, Mr. Holt."

"Very good, Ms. Thompson," Mr. Holt responded. Lana's face broke into a smug grin. She had the highest grades in the class and imagined herself to be the teacher's pet in each of her classes. But Louis suspected that Mr. Holt didn't like her all that much. The guy was too smart not to know a suck-up when he saw one.

Mr. Holt returned his attention to the board and continued writing.

"And seven is equal to your I.Q., Ms. Thompson" the mysterious voice said.

Again, the voice had been unmistakable as Mr. Holt's. He turned around in shock, the chalk falling from his hand as he demanded, "Who said that?!"

The class chuckled at what had been said, but Mr. Holt just looked angry. Louis stared back at Mr. Holt, trying to make the most innocent expression that he could. Mr. Holt's eyes scanned the room again, his eyes landing on Louis and resting there for a moment longer than anywhere else. Louis hoped that he was just being paranoid.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Thompson," Mr. Holt said as he looked back at Lana. "It appears that someone is playing a very poor joke on the both of us." Lana looked miffed and crossed her hands as she looked around at her giggling classmates. But no one, including Louis looked back at her.

The bell rang loudly and the shuffle of books closing mixed with the screeching of chairs being moved signaled the students' eagerness to leave. Louis closed his book and stood up, eager to get to lunch.

"Mr. Ambrose, I'd like to see you for a moment after school," his teacher's voice said. He was looking at Louis as he shoved his book into his backpack.

Louis sighed as he responded, "Okay."

He knew that he had been caught.

Cole took a bite from his apple, the crunch of his teeth against it sounding thunderous in his ears. He sat outside on the bench in front of the school, staring at the trees in the distance and enjoying the last fifteen minutes of lunch period. It was freezing outside, but he loved the cold. And he never felt it as other people seemed to. It could be below zero and as long as he had a jacket and gloves on, he was fine.

It was quiet outside, the only noise coming from the wind as it blew through the trees and across the front lawn of the school. Even the bite of the wind didn't bother Cole. And he loved the sound that it made. It was a lonely sound, but it didn't make him feel alone, at least not in the sense that most people thought of the word. He loved the company of his family, but he felt most comfortable when he was alone. But that wasn't completely true. He felt most comfortable when he was in the presence of nature. He often felt that he had more in common with their dog, Cody than with anyone else in his life.

He knew that it bothered his family that he liked to be alone so much, everyone except his Uncle Harper. Uncle Harper understood him like no one else. He understood all of the Ambrose children and always encouraged them in everything they did. Cole knew that his uncle and his father didn't always get along. And he wished that he could find a way to explain to his father that it was his uncle's presence that had made his mother's death somewhat bearable for the Ambrose children. But Cole avoided speaking about his mother in his father's presence. He knew that the pain of his mother's death still affected him deeply and Cole couldn't blame him. He missed his mother's calm, reassuring presence every day of his life. But he also knew that his mother would have been disappointed in her family if they mourned her passing too deeply. She had loved every one of them so much that it would have caused her pain to know that they suffered.

Movement to his left caught his eye and he turned his head to see a dog walking across the schoolyard and parallel to the school building itself. It headed in Cole's direction, though its head was turned toward the trees as it loped toward him. It was a medium-sized dog of an indiscernible breed, with tan colored fur, pointed ears and a coat like Cody's, thick but not shaggy. Its face was decidedly feminine, with a pointed muzzle that was mostly black.

The dog stopped and sat ten yards from Cole, but it didn't look at him. Its attention was still focused on the trees. Finally, it turned its head and looked at Cole. Cole knew that it was a female, the way he always knew things about animals. He could sense wariness from the dog, but no fear. He had never told anyone of the feelings that he got when he was around animals. The feelings had gotten stronger as he got older, and he had wanted to tell someone, since he thought it was a pretty cool thing to be able to do. But he knew that telling anyone in his family would only bring uncomfortable questions that he would be unable to answer.

He stared at the dog and she stared back, sitting and watching him. He suddenly remembered the small packet of beef jerky in his pocket and reached in for a piece. The dog's eyes followed his movement as he pulled out a piece of the dried beef, her head following his movement. She tilted her head in a question as Cole brought the beef to his mouth and took a bite.

Cole held the jerky out in front of him, making soothing noises and trying to convey a sense of reassurance, hoping the dog would come and get it. He had no fear that the dog would harm him. He would have known if the dog's wariness was true fear and therefore dangerous. It was the same way he knew what Cody was thinking whenever he looked into his dog's eyes. The dog watched him for a moment before whining and lying down in the snow. Her tail wagged once as her head cocked to the side again. She watched him for a moment more before finally standing and walking slowly toward him.

Her eyes watched Cole's face the entire time, never even looking at the jerky, though it was obvious that she wanted it. She came to within a foot of Cole's outstretched hand and slowly reached her head out and gently pulled the jerky from his hand. She lied down again, the snow crunching underneath her. She gnawed on the piece of jerky contentedly, though her eyes continued to be locked with Cole's. He had rarely seen a dog maintain eye contact for so long without looking away. He knew that it was a sign of aggression for a dog to stare at you, but he felt only curiosity emanating from her. The only other dog that he had seen maintain eye contact for so long was Cody.

He reached out his hand tentatively, hoping to stroke the side of her face. She didn't look at his hand, but continued to watch his eyes instead. Her mouth continued to gnaw at the piece of jerky as his hand caressed the side of her face, digging his fingers in to massage it briefly. Her eyes close for a moment in pleasure before opening again to stare back at him.

He was so engrossed in his exchange with the dog that he didn't hear the sound of footsteps behind him until the dog's eyes looked up and behind him. It stood up, turned and ran back along the front of the building and around the corner. He turned around to look behind him and saw Eliza Townsend walking toward him, huddled against the cold. She smiled when she saw him looking. He smiled back and waved as the familiar butterflies started their dizzying flight through his abdomen.

Eliza was the most popular girl in school and his classmate in the eleventh grade. She was even more popular than his sister Dinah, though for completely different reasons. And Cole had been in love with her since she had transferred to Evergreen High School in their freshman year.

She was stunningly beautiful and had a self-possession that was uncommon for someone her age. But she was also unfailingly kind to everyone, which made her even more attractive.

"Was that your dog, Cole?" she asked as she sat next to him on the bench.

"Um, no," he responded. He always felt tongue-tied whenever he spoke to her. And the fact that she was sitting next to him, less than a foot away made him shiver for the first time since he had come outside. He was pretty sure that Eliza liked him, but he doubted that it was in the way that he wanted. He suspected it was in the way that she seemed to like just about everyone.

She looked surprised by his answer. "Really?" she asked with her nose crinkled. It was such an adorable nose. "Was it a stray or something?"

He nodded as he responded, "I think so. She just came walking up to me, so I gave her some beef jerky."

"She?" she asked with surprise. "You could tell that it was a girl?"

He cursed himself silently for his slip of the tongue. He couldn't explain to Eliza how he knew it was a female dog without sounding like a freak. He tried to recover.

"Yeah," he answered. "At least she looked like a girl. I don't know for sure, though." Everything he said to her always sounded so lame to his ears. He hoped it didn't sound the same way to Eliza, but suspected that it did.

Cole racked his brain for something intelligent and witty to say, but his mind was blank. Eliza's dazzling smile and clear blue eyes had struck him dumb. The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and saving him from the uncomfortable silence.

Eliza stood up, still smiling. "See you later," she said sweetly before turning around and walking back into school.

"Yeah," he answered stupidly. "See you later." He stood up and headed back toward the building as she walked through the doors. He wished that he had been able to say something of interest, something that would have made her laugh. But he didn't. He was just too much of a dork.

# Chapter 4

Friday Afternoon, January 7th

Vaughan walked down the hallway and headed toward the front door, his mind preoccupied with what had happened that morning. He was still upset that he had been late for class again. His father would definitely hear from the school this time, since he had already been late three times that year. Conversations with his father were already difficult, and having to discuss school issues with him would only make it worse. Vaughan hated that it had become so hard to talk to his father. He loved his father very much. But ever since his mother had died, a gulf had opened between them. He suspected that his mother had served as a buffer between them when she had been alive, but it hadn't been obvious that this was the case until she was gone. His father was a true man in every sense of the word and Vaughan suspected that he had never been able to identify with his son's interests, which weren't manly in any sense of the word.

He opened the front door of the school building and walked out into the cold, tucking his hands in his pockets to keep them from freezing. He thought of the short car ride with his father to the dance studio with dread. It was almost the same feeling he felt whenever he ran into Leroy Wigen. He knew that it probably wasn't fair to compare his father to the school bully, but the anxiety he felt when meeting either was so similar that he couldn't help it. They both made him feel helpless, and he hated that feeling.

As if his thoughts had taken form, he looked up to see Leroy smiling at him from further down the walkway. He was surrounded by his group of goons, who all started chuckling in anticipation of the confrontation to come. They were like sharks in the water, circling some poor, helpless prey. And he was the prey.

Vaughan looked back through the glass doors and at the hallway beyond, hoping that a teacher would happen to be walking by. But there was no one who could save him.

"Vaughan!" a voice called to him.

He turned his head in surprise and saw Sarah running up behind him. He looked back at Leroy and saw him hesitate instantly. Everyone knew that Leroy had a huge crush on Sarah and she was often the only thing that saved Vaughan from having to endure his bullying.

"Wait for me," Sarah said as she came through the front door. "Why are you standing here and...oh!" She noticed Leroy and his goons for the first time and her eyes narrowed as she shifted the straps on her backpack. "What are you looking at?" she asked Leroy.

"N-nothing. Hey Sarah," Leroy responded, a crimson blush spreading across his face. A few of his friends chuckled under their breath, until an evil look from him silenced them.

Sarah pulled on Vaughan's jacket sleeve and started to walk toward the parking lot. "Come on, Vaughan," she said as she walked. "I know stupid's not supposed to be contagious, but just in case..."

Vaughan looked at the faces of Leroy's goons as he passed them and could see the identical looks of anger on all of them. He was so preoccupied by their expressions that he didn't see the foot that had been stuck in his path by one of them. His right foot caught and his forward momentum carried him until both feet left the ground. He was airborne for just a moment before hitting the ground – hard. He felt the bite of his teeth on his tongue and the salty tang of blood in his mouth before he had a chance to process what had happened. A low moan of pain escaped his mouth as he turned his head to look behind him.

There was an obvious sign of worry on Sarah's face and strangely, one of confusion on Leroy's. Laughter erupted from the other boys and when Vaughan's gaze landed on Emmitt Rhinelander, he knew who had tripped him. Emmitt was a vicious boy. He made Leroy seem like a harmless puppy by comparison, and was usually the one who took the group's bullying to a physical level.

Emmitt looked down at him with an evil grin before saying, "I hope being a retard's not contagious." He looked at Sarah, who returned a murderous gaze, but said nothing. "He can dance around like a little fairy, but can't even walk without falling."

The goons chuckled as Vaughan pushed himself up on his hands, but as he did he felt something hit the back of his right forearm. He lost his balance and this time his face hit the pavement. Pain exploded behind his eyes and he cried out.

Emmitt's voice carried down to Vaughan's ears, though he spoke softly. "Stay down, dancer boy. I wouldn't want you to hurt one of your little ballerina legs."

Sarah screamed angrily and Vaughan turned his head enough to see her pull her backpack off and swat Emmitt in the shoulder with it. "Leave him alone, you stupid jerk!" He flinched in surprise at the force behind the blow, but wasn't quick enough to dodge the second one, which hit him on the side of the face. The smug expression on Emmitt's face turned to one of rage and when Sarah swung at him a third time, he grabbed the bag and used her momentum to pull her down into the snow along the side of the path.

Sarah grunted as she landed on her side, sending a small spray of snow at Vaughan's face. He heard Leroy shout at Emmitt, but as Vaughan wiped the snow from his eyes, he could see that Emmitt was moving toward Sarah's prone form.

"Hey!" Leroy shouted. "Let it go, Emmitt."

Emmitt ignored Leroy as he reached for Sarah. Vaughan pushed himself to his feet and reached for Emmitt's arm, pulling him back from Sarah, who had sat up in the snow. She stared up at Emmitt with fear in her eyes, and when Vaughan saw the rage in Emmitt's face, he knew why she was afraid. Emmitt turned in surprise at the hand on his left arm and yanked it from Vaughan's grasp. He turned to face Vaughan, his right hand raised in a fist. Vaughan knew that he was about to be punched in the face for the first time in his life.

But something happened as Emmitt's fist flew at Vaughan's face. The movement, which had seemed so quick just a moment before, suddenly slowed to the point that it almost looked like Emmitt was standing still. Vaughan looked at the frozen rage on Emmitt's face as his fist slowly came at him. He moved to the side and watched as the fist moved by in slow motion. When he turned to look back at Emmitt, he saw him stumble past him as time seemed to speed up again. His motion carried him past Vaughan and nearly made him fall. Emmitt turned to look at Vaughan, confused and now even angrier. He quickly lifted his fist to throw another punch and it happened again. Everything slowed down.

Vaughan watched the slow progression of Emmitt's fist and moved casually out of the way. But this time, he reached out and pushed on Emmitt's forearm as it slowly moved by. As he shifted his attention from the lazily moving fist to Emmitt's face, time sped up again. This time, the motion and Vaughan's shove were too much for Emmitt. He flew sprawling onto the sidewalk, his cheek scraping the concrete as he fell. He laid there for a few seconds before turning his head in shock to stare at Vaughan. The anger and aggression that had filled his eyes a moment before were no longer there. They had been replaced by a look that Vaughan had never seen anyone's face when looking at him. It was fear.

Leroy crouched down beside his friend as he stared wide-eyed at Vaughan. He pulled on Emmitt's arm, helping him stand as the entire group of boys backed away.

"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?" a baritone voice asked.

Vaughan turned at the sound and saw Mr. McCallister, the seventh grade history teacher walking up to them. "I'm sure I don't need to remind any of you that fighting is prohibited on campus and can get you expelled," he said with a completely neutral expression. He looked at each of them in turn, including Sarah, looking for a response. He received only silence in return until finally Vaughan responded.

"Um, n-no sir," he stammered. "Emmitt and I slipped on the ice," he added. "That's all."

Emmitt looked at Vaughan, his eyes narrowed with suspicion, but said nothing. Mr. McCallister looked at each of them again before nodding. "Alright," he said as he looked around at the teenagers. Finally, he looked at Vaughan, "Mr. Ambrose, I'd like to speak with you for a minute." He looked at Leroy and his gang, making it perfectly clear what he expected them to do.

"Alone," he added when they hadn't moved.

The group moved toward the parking lot, none of them looking back for even a moment. Sarah moved off to the side, but waited for Vaughan.

"I know what happened, Vaughan," Mr. McCallister said without preamble. "I saw everything from the door."

Vaughan didn't know how to respond, or even if he should. He prepared himself for the next bit of news that he was sure Mr. McCallister was going to give. He knew that it would involve some type of detention or other punishment and that his father would definitely find out. But what happened instead stunned him into further silence and made him look up to meet his teacher's eyes in shock.

"I'm proud of you for fighting back, son." Mr. McCallister looked at him, his steely grey eyes holding Vaughan, but revealing nothing other than what was said. "I haven't seen anyone move like that since I was...well, it's been a long time. Where did you learn to move like that?"

He waited for a response, but Vaughan still didn't know how to respond. Finally, he said the only thing he could think of - the truth.

"I don't know how I did it," he finally replied. "I just saw where he was going to move and got out of the way."

He knew it sounded lame and there was no way that Mr. McCallister was going to buy it. But he just nodded slowly before saying, "I suppose that's as logical an explanation as any." His gaze shifted as he looked over Vaughan's shoulder and nodded his head in that direction. "It looks like your ride's here, son."

He didn't say another word as he turned around and walked back into the building. Vaughan turned around and waved at his father as his car came to a stop. He turned back and stared at where Mr. McCallister had been. The exchange had been brief, but very odd, and Vaughan suddenly realized why. Mr. McCallister hadn't seemed surprised by what he had seen or by Vaughan's explanation. This was in stark contrast to the obvious surprise on the faces of Emmitt, Leroy and the others. He didn't know what it meant, but thought that he had heard a note of approval in the older teacher's voice.

Vaughan turned back around and walked over to Sarah, sure that she at least would have some questions for him. He opened his mouth to give her the same explanation, but as he moved next to her, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"We can talk about it later," she smiled and said. "I'm proud of you too, Vaughan."

He could no more have responded to her than he could have to Mr. McCallister, so he just nodded dumbly and headed toward the car.

The final bell rang and Louis groaned. It was time to face the music, whatever music that was. He couldn't remember what a funeral dirge was, though he remembered hearing the term before. He knew it couldn't be happy and was probably the exact kind of music he was about to face. He thought briefly about trying to sneak past Mr. Holt's desk, hoping that he would miss him in the rush of students as they left. But he knew that a mouse in an open field had a better chance of avoiding a hawk. He sighed dramatically, hoping that it would make him look brave if anyone was paying attention, before standing up and moving to the desk.

Mr. Holt looked up from the piece of paper in front of him as Louis walked up, but didn't say a word until Louis stopped a foot in front of the desk.

"Do you know why I asked you to stay, Mr. Ambrose?" he asked, looking directly at Louis.

Louis nodded and mumbled, "For imitating you in class."

Mr. Holt was quiet for a moment, as if he was considering what to say next. "Louis, have I done something to make you dislike me?" Louis looked up in surprise as he added, "I only ask because I want to be sure I haven't done such a thing unintentionally. I know you have a reputation for being a class clown, but all of your previous teachers mentioned how respectful you were to them. I wanted to understand why I had earned the special treatment." He smiled crookedly and pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down his nose.

Louis suddenly felt very crappy. Well, he felt worse than crappy, but he wasn't allowed to use the word that described the way he felt. Mr. Holt wasn't such a bad guy, as teachers went. He was a little nerdy, but he was always fair with his grades and treated the students well. He didn't deserve to be the butt of Louis' jokes. Lana Thompson was another story, though. She was a total pain and deserved it.

"No, Mr. Holt," he answered, ashamed. "You didn't do anything." Louis actually felt tears welling in his eyes, but he pushed through it with only a slight break in his voice as he added, "I shouldn't have imitated you and I promise I won't ever do it again."

Mr. Holt chuckled as he responded, "Well, let's not be hasty. You're quite good, actually. And I'd hate to see such talent go to waste." Louis stared at him in shock as he added, "Just not in class, okay?"

Louis nodded dumbly, surprised by Mr. Holt's reaction.

"All right then," he said next. "You'd better head out of here. I'm sure your ride's waiting for you outside." He looked back down at the papers in front of him and picked up his pen.

"You mean you're not going to give me detention?" Louis couldn't believe that he would get off so easily and thought briefly that it might have been some sort of trap.

Mr. Holt looked back up at Louis and raised one eyebrow. "Do you want detention? If you insist, I'd be happy to oblige, but I believe we've come to an understanding. Don't you?"

Louis stammered, "No, I mean yes. Um, no I don't want detention, sir. And yes, we have an understanding. Sir."

Mr. Holt smiled at him and nodded. "Good. Now you'd really better be leaving." He nodded his head at the door. "Have a good evening, Mr. Ambrose."

Louis walked to the door, still so confused that he almost forgot to add, "Um, you too, Mr. Holt. Thanks."

As he walked to the front of the school, Louis wondered if Mr. Holt was really a lot cooler than he seemed.

Billie walked to the front of the school with Ms. Waverly and the other students in her class. Many of the students' parents were already waiting and Ms. Waverly held the door open for the children as they walked past. As usual, Billie's Uncle Harper was there waiting. He was never late. Billie ran through the open door and into her uncle's open arms as he lifted her up in the air, spun and kissed her neck repeatedly, which made her laugh.

Billie looked over Uncle Harper's shoulder at Ms. Waverly and saw her smiling the way she always did when she saw him. She almost looked like she was going to cry, but she was still smiling, so Billie knew it was the kind of crying that grownups did when they were happy. She didn't understand why you would want to cry if you were happy, but she didn't understand a lot of things that grownups did.

Uncle Harper waved at Ms. Waverly and then looked at Billie. "Where's your brother?" he asked. "Is he in trouble again?"

Billie shrugged as she responded, "Probably. He's always in trouble!"

Uncle Harper laughed and nodded, "You're probably right. He seems to excel at finding trouble." He looked at the front door of the school and added, "Speak of the devil."

Billie turned her head as Uncle Harper put her down and she saw Louis walking over to where they stood, but he didn't look at either of them. His head was down and he had the frown that appeared on his face whenever he was thinking about something. Billie thought he looked like he was in pain when he made that face, as if using his brain made him hurt. But Louis always made her laugh, so she was okay with him making any goofy face that he wanted.

"Trouble again, Louis?" Uncle Harper asked.

Louis looked up in surprise and then stared at Billie for a second, as if he hadn't noticed that either of them was there.

He looked confused as he responded, "Sort of. I mean, I thought I was in trouble, but Mr. Holt let me go and just asked me not to imitate him in class again." His frown deepened as he added, "But the weird thing is he didn't think I should stop imitating people totally, just not in class. He said that he didn't want my talent to go to waste."

Billie didn't think Louis' ability to imitate people was a talent. She just thought it was irritating, especially when he did it while they were watching TV.

Uncle Harper leaned down and put his hand on Louis' shoulder. "Maybe Mr. Holt's not such a bad guy, Louis. And maybe you should lay off of him and show him the same respect he's shown you."

Louis looked up and nodded, still frowning as he said, "That's just what I was thinking, Uncle Harper."

Uncle Harper laughed as he took Billie's hand in his own and walked them to the car with Louis walking next to them.

Cole walked through the front door of the school, into the bitter cold and gray light of early twilight. The sun set so early in the winter that it was already low in the sky when school let out at three-thirty. The school building blocked most of the sun's light from hitting the front lawn and walkways, casting the snow-covered ground in a half-light that would have made most people squint to see anything. But Cole could see perfectly in almost any light. Even the complete darkness that others had described to him was only a dimming of the midday light to his eyes. It had been this way since he could remember, but it was something he hadn't mentioned to anyone. Being able to communicate with animals and see in the dark wasn't likely to improve the social standing of someone who was already seen as a little odd.

As he walked, he thought of the brief exchange with Eliza earlier that day. She had seemed genuinely interested in his interaction with the stray dog and didn't seem to think it was odd. If he hadn't been so full of self-doubt, he would have thought that she might actually like him. But he dismissed that idea, especially when he thought of the fact that he hadn't been able to make an intelligible response to anything she had said. He knew that he wouldn't find someone like him interesting, so he couldn't imagine why she would.

He sighed as he slowly walked down the pathway, looking for Dinah on the front lawn. The few students who were still in front of the school were getting in to cars, but Dinah was not among them. Cole stopped and waited and within a few minutes, he was alone outside. The wind blew cold air around him and an icy tendril managed to find its way under his jacket collar. It sent a shiver down his spine, even though he never minded the cold. He realized as a second shiver struck him that it hadn't been the wind that had caused that reaction.

He felt like he was being watched.

Some hidden instinct told him that he was being watched from the trees to his left, so he turned his head and scanned the area leading to the wooded hill leading away from the school. Sitting in front of the trees and staring at him was something that at first resembled a large dog. At least, he thought it looked like a dog. As he focused on the creature, he thought that it more closely resembled a very large wolf, though something about it seemed...wrong for some reason. It looked muscular, more like the body of a bull than the sleek kind of body that wolves had. And although it was sitting, Cole swore that it looked like the muscular legs were not proportionate, as if its front legs were longer than its hind ones. They were more like arms then legs, suggesting that the creature could walk upright if it wanted to. And Cole suddenly realized that it wasn't just big. It was huge. Cole estimated that its head would have easily reached his shoulders, and he was six feet tall. He was far enough away that he should have doubted his estimation of the creature's size, but his eyes were very sharp and he had stood next to those same trees before and knew that he was right. A sudden sense of malice washed over him and he had no doubt of the direction from which it had come. Mixed with the malice was a wariness, but this was slight. Whatever the creature was, Cole was sure that it meant him harm.

He remembered that he was alone in front of the school and began walking backward toward the front door of the building. He watched the creature as he moved, but it stood completely still, other than its head, which slowly swiveled to watch him as he walked. He moved to the entryway of the building and ducked behind the wall, allowing only his head to stick out as he continued to watch it watching him. The feeling of malice was still washing over him, although it had lessened a bit with the small distance he had put between them. As he stared at the creature, it continued to stare back, no longer moving even its head. The brick of the wall between him and the creature felt solid and reassuring, but Cole still felt exposed.

He heard a sudden low growl to his right and nearly slammed the back of his head against the wall when he jumped in shock. Cole looked down, expecting to see another of the strange creatures standing there, ready to attack. Instead, he saw the same stray dog that he had fed earlier that day. He knew that it was the same dog, but it now looked transformed. Its lips curled back from its teeth in a terrifying snarl and the fur on its back was sticking up in a ridge along its spine. The shy, but sweet dog that he had met earlier now looked like a vicious attack dog. But it wasn't growling at him. It was growling in the direction of the strange creature.

Cole looked back toward the trees, where the creature was now standing on all fours, staring back at him and the dog. The dog looked briefly over at Cole and whined softly before moving in front of him, standing between him and the creature. Its growls grew louder and it crouched slightly as if ready to leap forward. And then suddenly, the dog stopped growling. When Cole looked up again at where the creature had been, it was gone. Not only was it not standing where it had been just a moment before, but there was no sign of it anywhere. Cole searched the twilit hills and trees, but couldn't see any sign of the creature anywhere. He acknowledged to himself that the creature could have moved back through the trees and Cole could have missed it, but he could see through to the back of the small, wooded area and beyond, and nothing there moved. The creature had simply disappeared.

A short bark drew his attention back to the dog, who now stared back at him with its head tilted. Cole kneeled down and held his hand out. "Thanks, girl," he said softly as he smiled at her. "That was sweet of you to stick up for me like that."

The dog looked back at him with her ears flattened against her head and slowly crept toward Cole. She moved close enough to allow his fingers to touch her muzzle before finally closing her eyes in contentment as Cole worked his fingers along her cheek and scratched behind her right ear. She moved in closer and Cole reached out with his other hand and massaged her shoulders and then along the muscles along either side of her spine. His face was mere inches from hers, but he was still surprised when she licked his cheek tentatively and just once.

He heard the footsteps from inside the building at the same time that she did. She turned and ran behind the building as Cole turned around to see Eliza push open the door. She stopped in surprise when she saw him standing there.

Eliza smiled at him as she asked, "Was that the same dog that I saw you with earlier today?"

Cole smiled back and nodded without responding. He could never think of anything to say around her, no matter how hard he tried. She was just so beautiful that he found himself speechless every time she was around.

She smiled at him for a few more seconds, as if she was waiting for Cole to say something, but he just smiled back like an idiot. Finally, she nodded slightly and said, "Well, my ride's here. I'll see you on Monday, Cole. Have a great weekend."

Cole managed to force out a "You too, Eliza," before she walked past him.

He watched her get into the car and swore softly in frustration as he punched the wall. The second time he swore was much louder when his fist erupted in pain. He looked at the brick in surprise as a piece of it crumbled from the wall and fell to the ground. He knew that he had punched the wall harder than he had intended, but he couldn't believe that he had caused it to fracture. He looked around to see if anyone else had seen him, but he was alone again. He told himself that the brick must have been cracked already and that he was lucky he hadn't broken his hand. He shook his head and walked toward the parking lot. He should have been afraid to leave the safety of the building after his encounter with the strange creature, but he no longer felt the sense of malice that he had felt before. He stared at the trees again, but there was no sign of the creature or the stray dog.

Cole wondered briefly if he should mention the incident to his Uncle Harper, but decided that it would be better not to. Uncle Harper never seemed to judge anything that Cole told him, but he sensed that his uncle worried about him and his seeming lack of interest in making friends. Sharing the strange incident would have only added to the worry that his uncle already felt. He walked up to the curb to wait for Dinah and for his uncle, trying but failing to banish the image of the creature from his mind.

Dinah waited outside of Eduardo's last class as the rest of the students streamed through the hallway and toward the front door. They always waited for each other, whoever got out first waiting by the other's last class. But today, Dinah had an additional reason for waiting. Time was running out for Eduardo to ask her to the dance and she had decided that she was going to bite the bullet and ask him herself. She wasn't exactly the shy type, so she didn't have a problem asking him. She had just wanted to give him the opportunity to do the asking, since it was typically the thing for guys to do. She only wanted to go with him and had already refused at least six requests from other boys in their class. If she didn't take the bull by the horns, she knew she would be going to the dance by herself.

Eduardo walked out of class and smiled when he saw her. "Why do we need to learn calculus, again?" he asked. "If I didn't have to take it to get into the schools I want, I swear I'd take gym instead."

Dinah chuckled at his lame joke. He was one of the best students in their school, but he had zero athletic ability. "Stick to calculus," she told him with a grin.

His mouth opened in a look of feigned hurt as he held the front door for her. She walked through, smiling at his chivalrous gesture. He always did things like that and she knew that she had his mother and grandmother to thank for his manners. His mother worked in the same office as Dinah's father and she was a kind woman, always smiling whenever Dinah saw her. She was also very attractive in an obviously feminine way, something Dinah wished she could say about herself. She knew that boys found her attractive, and she liked being athletic. But sometimes she wished she didn't have such a muscular build.

Dinah saw Eduardo open his mouth out of the corner of her eye, and she looked over expectantly, hoping that this was the moment she had been waiting for. He held it open for a moment before closing it again and frowning. "Um, are you going out for track again this year?" he finally asked.

Dinah barely managed to stifle a sigh of frustration at the change in subject to an obvious question. She went out for track every year and was arguably the best member of the team, boy or girl. "Sure. I mean, yes, I am," she answered. She opened her mouth to finally ask him, but he interrupted her by putting his hand on her arm and stopping her.

He looked at her and she stared into his beautiful light brown eyes. She was reminded yet again of how very handsome he was, though he didn't know it. "I need to ask you something, Dinah," he said to her.

She nodded, unable to respond.

He opened his mouth and she heard her name said with another person's voice. She frowned in confusion before recognizing the voice. It was Cole.

"Hey guys," he said as he walked up to them.

Eduardo smiled at Cole as he walked up. "Hey, Cole," he said to Dinah's brother. "What's up?" He glanced over at Dinah briefly before looking back at Cole.

Dinah couldn't suppress the sigh this time as her brother started relaying some ridiculous story about a stray dog in front of the school during lunch. She knew that Eduardo had been about to finally ask her and her sweet, but socially clueless brother had ruined it. She held onto hope for a minute that Cole would stop talking and then she could ask Eduardo with her brother standing there. But her hopes were dashed when Mrs. Ramirez, Eduardo's grandmother, pulled up to the front of the school in her sedan.

Cole managed to wrap up his story when he noticed the car pull up and Eduardo looked at Dinah one last time before saying good-bye and walking over to the parking lot. Cole and Dinah both waved at his grandmother as he got into her car and Dinah saw Mrs. Ramirez smile and wave back.

"Hey, did he ever ask you to the dance?" Cole asked, watching as the car pulled away. Dinah thought that he seemed rather chatty, which was unusual for Cole. It was almost as if he was nervous about something.

She smiled at her brother before responding, "No, doofus. He was about to ask me when you walked up to share that riveting Dr. Doolittle story."

Cole looked sheepish as he said, "Oh! Sorry, Dinah." He seemed genuinely sorry and Dinah's frustration dissipated. "If it's any consolation, Eliza spoke to me twice today and I barely managed two words in response. I think I might have actually grunted at her in response." He shook his head in obvious chagrin.

Dinah laughed and put her arm around him as they walked toward the parking lot. "Don't worry about it, Cole," she said to him. "And don't beat yourself up about Eliza. Girls don't talk to boys if they're not interested."

He smiled back at her as she saw Uncle Harper's minivan pull into the parking lot. She wished her brother had more confidence, but she didn't know how to help him get it. There was something she could fix, though. She was done waiting for Eduardo to ask her to the dance. She would ask him first thing Monday morning whether he liked it or not.

Jerry watched Vaughan walk up to the car and could sense his reluctance as he climbed into the front seat. He thought again of how awkward his relationship with his middle child had become and tried to put on the most genuine smile he could.

"Hey, son. How was school?" he asked as Vaughan buckled his seat belt. He tried to make his voice sound as light as possible, but knew that it only sounded disingenuous.

"Good," Vaughan answered softly as he stared through the windshield.

Jerry hoped that he was going to elaborate, but Vaughan didn't say anything else. He managed to avoid sighing in frustration as he put the car into drive and pulled out of the school parking lot. They drove in silence for fifteen minutes until they reached the dance studio in the strip mall near the interstate. As he parked the car and reached to open the door, Jerry sighed in preparation for having to watch his son dance. It was something that was always difficult for him to do. He wished again that Vaughan would take up some other activity, but he was certain that suggesting such a thing would have only widened the gulf that already lay between them. He and his son walked over to the front door of the studio and Jerry opened the door. He held it open for Vaughan and followed him inside.

One of Vaughan's dance coaches, Mrs. Thompson, greeted them both as they walked in to the small reception room. They walked through another door and entered the studio itself and saw that class was about to start. Mirrors lined three of the walls and a row of chairs was set up against the fourth wall, where several parents were already sitting. Jerry waved hello to the parents he recognized before taking one of the empty seats. He watched his son drop his bag in one of the corners and start to stretch with the other students. He was the youngest member of the advanced class and it showed when his slight frame stood next to the other boys in the class. Each of them stood at least six inches taller than him and had muscled frames that contrasted sharply with Vaughan's. Jerry was surprised at the fact that there were nearly as many boys as girls in the class. He didn't realize that dance had become so popular with boys. It definitely hadn't been the case when he was Vaughan's age. He watched all of the boys moving with the unconscious grace that truly skilled dancers possessed. The girls seemed to possess even more grace than the boys, but as he watched his son starting to move in some warm-up dances, he thought that his movements were just as arresting as theirs, if not more so. The only difference was that there was a kind of strength in Vaughan's movements that the girls didn't have. It made him stick out in such a way that everyone – including the other parents couldn't help but stare.

He briefly made eye contact with Vaughan but looked away just as a hesitant smile had begun to cross his son's face. He felt uncomfortable in the small room, watching something he admired, but didn't understand. Again, he wished his son would find another interest and wished that there was some way that he could tell him this without hurting him.

Vaughan saw the look on his father's face as he turned his head to look at an empty corner of the room. He stopped his warm-up dance for a second as a pang of hurt and anger hit him. It was always the same whenever Vaughan danced in front of him. He would turn away and a look that Vaughan could only guess was frustration would cross his face. Although truthfully it was more appropriate to say that the looks had only started since his mother had died.

His mother used to love to sing and dance with all of her children, but she especially loved to dance with Vaughan. It was the one thing more than any other that he and his mother had in common. She had been a teacher at his dance studio until shortly before she became ill and had taught many of the students there for nearly fifteen years. She had been loved by everyone and he still overheard some of his fellow dancers speak of her occasionally, though they would always stop speaking when they saw him.

He was able to hear things that most people couldn't, but he had never told anyone. Sometimes he heard things when he was out in public that he knew were deeply held secrets by the people speaking. And he was embarrassed by the fact that he could hear them, so he tried not to listen. But it was sort of like when a song kept playing in your head and no matter how hard you tried to stop thinking about it, it just kept playing. It was the same way with his hearing. If he tried not to listen to what people were saying quietly around him, he only heard them more clearly. He had thought about telling Dinah about it on several occasions. Dinah was easy to talk to and never seemed to judge anything that Vaughan said. But Vaughan had never told her anything so strange and he worried that even his normally-unfazed older sister would have no choice but think he was some sort of freak if he told her that he possessed super-human hearing.

He finished his stretching routine just as his dance teacher, Mr. Collins walked to the front of the group. Vaughan thought it was funny that he made his students call him Mr. Collins, since he was barely into his twenties. He had been a student of Vaughan's mother and had taken over her duties when she could no longer teach. Vaughan liked him, but hated when he tried to force the students to show him respect. He didn't realize that he already had it.

"Vaughan, will you get us started with the routine we worked on?" Mr. Collins held his hand out toward the middle of the floor.

Vaughan nodded and then walked over to the center of the room before assuming his starting position. He was normally a painfully shy person and even the thought of any type of public speaking would make his heart race and his palms begin to sweat. But he never felt that way when he was dancing. He had never told anyone but Sarah how he felt when he danced – that it was like no one else was there, unless they were dancing with him. He would go into a sort of trance where no one else around him existed and only the music and his movements to its rhythmic beats mattered.

The music started and Vaughan's movements matched its slow, easy pace. There were no words to the score that was playing, but the dance that he moved through, that he had choreographed himself, represented the words and feelings that the music evoked in his mind. He knew that all of the eyes in the room were on him, but he didn't care. They would all tell him later how amazing his dancing was, how it had touched each of them in different and unique ways. But none of that mattered. He appreciated the compliments, but it wasn't why he danced. He danced because it was the only time that he felt completely comfortable in his skin. It was something that he wasn't just good at. It was something he was great at.

The tempo of the music began to climb and his movements became stronger and more forceful. As it built to a crescendo, he began to use the entire dance floor as he spun and leapt to its now-frenzied pace. Just before the final climax of the score, he crouched to the floor and quickly curled into a ball. He held that pose for a second as the music paused, and he could feel the silence of the people around him. Everyone held their breath and leaned forward as they waited for what would happen next.

The music soared in a leaping bar as a multitude of instruments joined together in a complex harmony, and Vaughan leaped from his crouched position, his body opening as his arms and legs stretched to their limits and he soared across the floor. His head nearly brushed the fifteen-foot ceiling as his jump hit its apex before he landed lightly on the other side of the studio.

The music slowed suddenly to a more relaxed pace for the last few bars of the piece and Vaughan slowed to a final stop as it ended, his breath coming in great heaving gasps. As he stopped moving he heard the collective sigh as the room full of people released their breath. And then he saw movement near the door to the lobby.

His father rushed from the room with his head down and the door slammed loudly behind him. Vaughan was able to brush back the sudden tears of his frustration and shame by mixing them with the sweat that had formed on his forehead. No one seemed to notice his father's departure or Vaughan's reaction as the room erupted into applause and cheers. He smiled back at them as he bowed and thanked them, but he didn't really hear any of it.

He hoped that no one could tell that the drops that fell to the floor as he bowed were made of more than just sweat.

# Chapter 5

Friday Evening, January 7th

Vaughan said good-bye to his father before the car pulled away and down the driveway. The car ride home had been even more awkward than usual. This time, instead of an uncomfortable silence, there had been a palpable tension between them. At least, Vaughan had felt the tension. He wasn't sure if his father had noticed anything different between them, and this only added to his frustration.

He watched the car turn onto the road and heard the crunch of the snow beneath its tires fade into the distance. His breath steamed in the air and he noticed for the first time how cold it was, though he barely felt it. Lately, he hadn't felt the cold as keenly as he had when he was younger. Even temperatures in the teens caused him little discomfort, as long as he was warmly dressed. He thought it was odd that he hadn't noticed it before, but decided that it wasn't surprising considering all of the other things that he had on his mind lately.

He turned around and walked through the small door next to the large garage door, his mind still preoccupied with what had happened at the studio. His family typically kept the garage door closed in the winter to avoid having the cold air seep into the house. But the small door to its left was always unlocked when his uncle was home. He walked through the garage and paused for a moment before the door that led into the kitchen, taking a deep breath to compose himself.

Uncle Harper was cleaning the kitchen when he walked in. "Hello, Vaughan," he said pleasantly as he emptied the dishwasher. "How was dance practice?"

Vaughan saw the plate that was waiting for him on the kitchen table, so he sat down and removed the foil covering it. The other Ambrose children would have already eaten and would now be doing their homework, except for Billie, who was probably watching TV. Uncle Harper kept all of the children on a regular schedule, which Vaughan liked. He always knew what to expect with his uncle.

"Practice was okay," he finally responded before digging into the plate of homemade lasagna.

He heard his uncle pause in what he was doing, but only for a brief moment before continuing. He had likely heard the undertone in what Vaughan had said, but he didn't say anything, for which Vaughan was silently grateful. His uncle had a way of sensing when he wanted to talk and when he didn't, and Vaughan wished that his father had a tenth of the intuition Uncle Harper had.

After finishing his dinner, he walked back to the large bedroom that he shared with Louis. His brother was at his desk, working on his homework, though he looked over his shoulder and smiled when Vaughan walked in. The only lights on in the room were the lamps on each of their desks that cast a warm glow that didn't quite reach the corners of the room. Vaughan walked over to his own desk and took out his homework. Before he had a chance to start reading his social studies assignment, he heard Dinah's voice from the doorway.

"Louis, go watch TV for a minute, please," she said. "I need to talk to Vaughan alone for a minute."

Vaughan looked over at Louis to see him look back at Dinah. His mouth opened, as if to argue, but he quickly closed it again. He didn't have to look back at Dinah to imagine the look she had given their little brother. Dinah had a rather imposing air about her and she could be very...persuasive when she wanted to be. Although, Vaughan thought that intimidating was probably a more appropriate word to use to describe Dinah when she wanted something.

Louis sighed loudly before saying, "Fine." He left his books open on the desk and walked out of the bedroom.

Dinah closed the door behind him and Vaughan turned in his chair to face her.

"What's up?" he asked, though he thought he could guess what she was about to ask him.

She sat down on the edge of his bed before saying, "I heard about what happened at school today. Are you okay?"

Vaughan exhaled loudly as all of the tension from the day's events suddenly released. He felt his eyes well with tears and when he tried to answer, his voice broke. "N-no. I mean, yes. I mean, I will be okay," he said between sobs.

Dinah moved quickly over to him and kneeled in front of his chair. She threw her arms around him and he cried against her shoulder for a minute as he hugged her back.

When he finally stopped crying, he sat back in his chair and used the bottom of his shirt to wipe his face. "Sorry for being such a baby. It's just been kind of a rough day," he explained.

She moved back to the bed and sat down as she looked back at him. She wiped away her own tears as she smiled at him. "It's okay, honey. You don't ever have to apologize for crying," she told him. Dinah couldn't watch anyone else cry without crying herself. She was the worst person to watch a sad movie with, since she always ended up sobbing so loudly that you couldn't hear any of the words. It was an endearing sign of vulnerability in a person of such obvious strength.

"Vaughan, I don't want you dealing with Emmitt, Leroy or any of those boys anymore," she said resolutely. "I'm going to meet you after school tomorrow and have a talk with them. This has got to stop."

The determination in her voice was so strong, that Vaughan almost didn't say anything in response. But he knew that any interference from Dinah would only make the situation worse. Emmitt and the others would listen to his sister and likely even apologize to Vaughan if they thought that was what she expected, but Dinah couldn't be at his school every day. And they would make Vaughan pay for any humiliation they received at the hands of Dinah, whether it was her intention or not.

"Dinah, please don't do that," he pleaded. "You'll only make it worse. I promise it's okay." He didn't tell Dinah the full story of what had happened, since he wasn't really ready to talk to anyone about the bizarre encounter with Emmitt. Although he had been able to fight Emmitt off on his own for the first time in his life, he secretly hoped that the strange time-slowing thing that had happened was a one-time deal and wouldn't happen again. He had too much on his plate already.

Dinah shook her head and crossed her arms in front of her as she responded, "Vaughan, it's not okay. And not doing anything about it is what's going to make it worse." She held up her hand to silence him when he opened his mouth to respond. "Just listen for a minute, okay?"

Vaughan nodded silently as his sister continued, "It's one thing having to deal with Leroy and the others, but Emmitt's been like this since he was in elementary school. I remember him picking on other kids in his grade from the time that he was in kindergarten." Like the Ambrose children, Emmitt had grown up in Evergreen. Dinah was a year older than him, so she had known him most of her life. "When he was in fifth grade, I caught him beating up a first grader. He had the poor kid pinned on the ground and was slapping him in the face while he called him names."

Vaughan couldn't remember something like that happening at school, but he could certainly imagine Emmitt capable of such a thing.

Dinah answered his unspoken question, "I don't think you were at school that day, but I saw it. The guy's nuts, Vaughan. The only reason he finally stopped hitting that kid was because I tackled him and pinned him on the ground long enough for one of the teachers to come and break us up." She shook her head as she added, "I almost got detention for that, but a lot of the kids saw what happened and stuck up for me."

She looked at him and her eyes held his as she added, "He won't stop, Vaughan. He'll keep doing it until he really hurts you. It's the kind of guy he is. Please let me handle this."

He smiled slightly as he thought of the best way to respond. He had made a decision during the car ride home and now thought that it couldn't hurt to share it with his sister. "Dinah, please just let me try a little longer. I know I can handle this and I know how I'm going to do it."

Dinah looked at Vaughan, waiting for him to continue.

"Karate," he said simply.

She frowned at him for a moment, as if she wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. "Karate?" she asked. "Are you serious? That's how you're going to handle this?"

Vaughan nodded and was about to explain, but she cut him off by saying, "Vaughan, it takes people years to learn enough in karate to be halfway decent in a fight. You don't have that long, trust me."

"Please, Dinah," he answered her. "Just trust me."

There was something in his voice that gave her pause. It was a kind of determination that she rarely heard in her younger brother's voice, and it made her want to believe him. She was quiet for a minute before finally responding, "Okay. I'll give you one week, Bruce Lee," she said with a bit of sarcasm. She raised her finger at him as she added, "But if it's still going on after a week, we handle this Dinah-style, okay?"

Vaughan chuckled as he answered, "Okay."

As she stood up to leave the room, Vaughan asked her, "Do you think dad will be okay with me wanting to take karate?"

She turned around and smiled at him before snorting. "Are you kidding me? He'll take you there to sign you up himself and will probably be at every practice."

Vaughan smiled as she turned back around and walked out of the room. He had been thinking the exact same thing – there was probably nothing their father would enjoy more than Vaughan taking up any other activity than dance.

Cole closed his books as he finished the last of his homework. He stopped for a minute to listen to the Billie Holiday song that was playing through his iPod speakers. He loved listening to jazz, especially Billie Holiday. She had been one of his mom's favorite singers and listening to her music always reminded him of her. He remembered how she would sing softly to the songs, loud enough that you could barely hear her, but not enough to overpower the voice of the singer on the track. She had a beautiful voice, but always said that it wasn't suited to jazz. He had always disagreed.

The song ended, and he turned the music off before walking from his bedroom and into the kitchen. He could hear Uncle Harper still cleaning the kitchen, so he walked in and asked him if he needed any help.

"Thanks, Cole," he answered. "Can you take out the trash and then grab some firewood from the shed? I was thinking we could light a fire and pop in a movie for everyone to watch."

"Sure thing," he answered as he grabbed the full trash bag and headed into the garage.

He thought of what an unusual person his uncle was. He had an unmistakable air of sophistication and intelligence that always made him seem out of place in Evergreen, especially considering the domestic role that he had taken on with their family. Even the way he dressed and his good looks made him seem like he should be a Hollywood actor or model in New York, instead of taking care of five kids that weren't even his in the foothills of the Colorado mountains. But Cole was certainly glad that he had left whatever previous life he had for them. He knew there was no way that they could have made it as a family after his mother had died if his uncle hadn't come to live with them.

Not for the first time, he wondered what his uncle's life had been like before he had shown up a few months before his mother's death. They had known nothing about him prior to that meeting and he had shared almost nothing about himself in the years since. Cole had wanted to ask him on numerous occasions, but didn't out of respect for his privacy. Uncle Harper never pried with any of them, always waiting for each of them to come to him for help on anything. It was a form of respect that he knew a lot of adults had a hard time showing, so he returned that respect for his uncle by not asking him about where he came from, what he had done before he met them, or even why they had never heard anything other than his name from their mother before he had suddenly appeared.

Cole threw the trash in the large bin in the garage and grabbed the small sled next to it. He carried it through the small garage door and then placed it in the snow. The shed was thirty yards from the house, and carrying that much wood through the deep snow would have been exhausting. The small sled made the trip easier.

He walked through the snow, which was deeper than he thought. It had piled up during the last snowfall and was undisturbed by footsteps. He glanced briefly at the tree line to his right, which was another fifty yards from the house. He loved walking through the trees during the day, but at night his childish fears of the dark made them seem sinister and dangerous. It always seemed like they were watching him when he was outside at night, and the cloudy sky that had obscured the moon made the night even darker. He could still see reasonably well in the near-complete darkness, but even his eyesight couldn't penetrate beyond the first or second rows of trees.

He reached the shed and started piling wood from the large pile onto the small sled, his back to the trees. When he had loaded half of what he planned to bring back, he suddenly got the same feeling that he had gotten earlier that day at school. Someone or something was watching him.

He slowly turned around to face the trees and dropped the wood in his arms when he saw what had caused the feeling. The wolf-like shape that he had seen earlier that day was now in the trees surrounding his house. He couldn't make out the creatures eyes in the darkness, but Cole knew that it was staring right at him. The sense of malice that he had felt earlier that day rolled over him again and this time it was so strong that he stumbled back a few steps. He looked over at the house and thought briefly about shouting for help. But he worried that if any of his family members came to his aid – and he knew that they would – they would be in as much danger as he might be at that moment. He also suspected that it wasn't likely that he could run through the deep snow to the house before the creature could chase him down.

He continued to back up until he felt the hardness of the wood pile behind him. Cole suddenly remembered the small space between the pile and the shed and thought that it might be enough space for him. He doubted that it could protect him from the creature for very long, but at least he'd have a wall at his back. And he could use one of the longer pieces of wood as a weapon if a confrontation seemed inevitable.

The unmistakable howl of a wolf split the night air and made Cole jump. The sound had come from the trees to the left, which were only slightly farther than the ones in front of him. The space behind the wood pile suddenly sounded very safe, so he made his way behind it, being very careful to keep the creature in the trees in his sight the entire time. He felt like he was surrounded, with the creature in front of him, and at least one wolf to his left. He briefly looked at the wood at the top of the pile and picked a piece that had a short, thick branch sticking out near one side. That will be a nasty surprise if either of them gets too close, he thought.

"Cole, come out from there and bring the wood to the house," a familiar voice said suddenly.

The voice was his Uncle Harper's and Cole was so relieved to hear it that he almost cried. His uncle walked slowly toward the shed from the house. He had spoken to Cole, but his eyes were on the trees where the creature was – or where it had been. When Cole looked over to the trees, the creature was gone. He shimmied his way out from behind the wood pile, still clutching his makeshift weapon in his hand.

Uncle Harper looked over at the piece of wood and smiled. "Were you just going to bring the one piece back? That wouldn't be much of a fire."

Cole smiled back, though his heart was still racing. He searched the trees again for some sign of the creature, but he could find none. He moved to place the piece of wood on the sled, but as he did the air was split with another howl, though this time it was further back in the trees and sounded like it was moving away from the house. He stood back up and clutched the piece of wood tightly while brandishing it before him, facing the direction of the howl.

Uncle Harper walked over to him, ignoring the howling and looking at Cole. He placed his hand on the piece of wood and gently pried it from Cole's grasp. "It's okay, Cole. It's moving away from here," he said soothingly. "Let's get back inside. It's too cold to be outside for so long."

Cole nodded and noticed for the first time that his uncle was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. But he wasn't shivering and didn't even look uncomfortable. Cole looked down and saw that Uncle Harper was wearing tennis shoes and thought that his feet must be soaked from the snow. But his feet barely sank in the snow, where Cole's feet were in above the ankle. Cole looked at his uncle and was about to ask him how he did that, but noticed that he was staring at the trees, his eyes moving back and forth as if he was searching for something.

And then he felt it.

It was the same feeling that he had felt the night before, right before Uncle Harper had flipped out and the lights had gone out. He hadn't told anyone what he had felt, mainly because he was worried that they would tease him, but also because he had brushed it off as something he had imagined. But there was no mistaking the feeling as merely imagined the second time.

"You felt it too, didn't you?" he asked Uncle Harper.

He looked back at Cole intently, but didn't respond.

"And you felt the same thing last night, before the lights went out," Cole added.

Harper continued to stare at Cole, but waited a few seconds more before finally asking, "What is it that you think you felt?" He hadn't denied Cole's suspicion, but hadn't confirmed it either.

Cole tried to think of how to explain what he had felt. It wasn't exactly a feeling. It was more of a sense, a sense that seemed to be coming from someone or something else. And while the sense hadn't been specific enough to describe exactly, he was pretty sure that he knew what it was. "It felt like something or someone was looking for something."

Uncle Harper nodded. "And?"

Cole thought for a second more before adding, "And it felt like the search was very important to them. And I got the sense that whatever they were searching for, they...I think they meant to do it harm."

Uncle Harper stared back at him for a moment before sighing. "Yes, Cole. I've felt it too," he said.

"What is it?"

Uncle Harper looked at the trees for a moment and then back at Cole. "It's something that I've feared for a long time," he said quietly.

Cole stared back at him, waiting for him to explain, but he said nothing.

Instead, Uncle Harper asked, "Have you...sensed things before?"

Cole thought for a moment before responding. He wanted to tell his uncle everything, but a tiny, irrational part of him kept worrying that his words wouldn't be accepted. But he also knew that something he didn't understand was happening, something dangerous, and that withholding anything could put him and his family in danger.

He nodded as he stared back at his uncle.

Uncle Harper nodded slightly as he answered, "It looks like we need to have a longer discussion, but not out here - and not now." Another howl split the air, seeming to underscore the need for them to return to the house. Uncle Harper turned his head in the direction of the sound and then held it cocked to the side, as if listening for something.

He looked back at Cole and reached out to take the rope lead of the sled. "Let's get back inside," he said to his nephew. He started to walk back to the house, and Cole followed. "And Cole, let's not say anything about this to the rest of the family. Just for now," he said while looking over his shoulder. Something seemed to have caught his eye when he did this, because he stopped and looked behind Cole. "It looks like you've found a friend," he said as one corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile.

Cole turned around quickly, startled and wondering what was following him. Standing in the snow ten feet behind him was the stray dog that he had met earlier that day. As he stared at the dog, she began to wag her tail. He crouched down and held out his hand, but she at first refused to come, looking warily behind Cole at Uncle Harper.

"It's okay, girl. He won't hurt you," he said in a soft, high-pitched voice.

The dog hesitated for a moment more before slowly walking up to Cole, who immediately started scratching behind her ears. He stared at the dog in amazement, wondering how it could have found him. The Ambrose house was more than five miles from the high school, through heavily wooded and hilly terrain. And there was no way that the dog could have followed his scent, since he had ridden home in a car.

Cole told his uncle the story of his meeting with the dog earlier in the day, including its protective nature toward him. He thought it was a pretty amazing story, but Uncle Harper didn't seem surprised by it, which Cole thought was strange.

"Can we bring her inside?" Cole asked

"I don't think that's a good idea, Cole," he answered with a look of skepticism. "We already have one dog, and your father wasn't very happy with me when I brought that dog home. I can't imagine he'd be too happy with another one in the house."

Cole looked back at the dog, which was shivering in the cold. "But she'll freeze out here, Uncle Harper. Can't we just leave her in the garage?" He looked up at his uncle before adding, "We can take her to the shelter in the morning. I promise."

Uncle Harper looked at the dog for a second before shaking his head in mild exasperation. "I suppose it won't hurt for her to stay in the garage for one night. Come on, let's get her inside." He smiled at Cole and then turned around, heading for the garage with the sled in tow.

Cole stood up and headed for the garage, the dog following at his side. He realized as they walked that she had almost made him forget the frightening encounter with the creature in the woods just moments before.

Jerry got home from his dinner with Larry a little after nine that evening. It was their weekly ritual to have dinner and a few drinks at a different restaurant in downtown Denver. They usually picked one of the taverns near the area called Lower Downtown, or LoDo. It was near the baseball stadium and most of the buildings were brick and over a hundred years old. Tonight they had gone to a nicer restaurant in the same area and discussed the case they were working on. It had been a welcome break for Jerry from the uncomfortable time spent with Vaughan earlier that night.

He waited until the garage door closed before walking in to the kitchen and then the living room. Harper and the kids were sprawled out on the couches in front of the TV, watching one of the younger kids' favorite movies for at least the tenth time. Jerry didn't know which movie it was, but recognized the goofy, animated characters. Louis and Billie had already fallen asleep. Cole and Dinah waved back at him, but Vaughan just gave him a sort of half-smile. As he often did, Harper stared and said nothing.

Jerry waved back as he walked back to his bedroom, eager to change out of the suit that he wore to work. When he had finished changing, he walked back into the living room to see the credits rolling across the screen. He walked over to pick the sleeping Billie up from the couch and saw from the corner of his eye Harper doing the same with Louis. They walked down the hallway and took each of the children to their bedrooms.

As Jerry softly closed Billie's bedroom door, he looked over to see Harper closing the door to Louis and Vaughan's bedroom. Jerry remembered the unfinished conversation from the night before and decided that it was time to continue it.

"We didn't finish the conversation from last night," he said softly to Harper.

Harper stared back at him for a moment before responding, "No, I suppose we didn't. Kitchen?"

Jerry nodded and then followed Harper into the kitchen. They sat at opposite ends of the large table that had a banquette seat along one side. Harper had slid into a corner near the window, and folded his hands, staring back at Jerry and obviously indicating that it was Jerry's responsibility to start the conversation.

He bit his lip in frustration while he tried to moderate his voice. "You still haven't told me what happened last night," he said while looking down at his hands.

"No, I haven't."

Jerry looked up at him and was ready to say something scathing in response, but he could see from Harper's expression that he was about to say more.

"How much did Arianna tell you about our family?" Harper asked.

The question at first seemed to be an obvious attempt to change the subject, but the way that Harper stared at him made it seem like the question was not only relevant, but important. He thought of how to respond, not wanting Harper to stop talking. This was the longest conversation that they had ever had that wasn't about the children. He decided to play along to see where Harper was going.

"She never said much, just that she had one brother – you." He tried to think of other things that she had said about her family, but he couldn't recall ever hearing anything about his wife's family while she was healthy. She had said several things shortly before she had died, but Jerry had discounted most, if not all of these things. They had been so far-fetched that he could only believe that they had been delusional ramblings due to her illness. The fact that she had seemed so lucid during every other conversation didn't seem to support this, but Jerry simply couldn't accept many of the things that she had told him.

Harper watched him intently, as if he knew that Jerry was holding something back. But he was too cool of a character to press Jerry. He would have stumped even the most skilled interrogator, which was something that Jerry only grudgingly admitted. Finally, he nodded slightly, clearly coming to a decision on something.

"Last night, the power went out and I heard what sounded like wolves howling near the house. I went outside to check on the power and that's when you and Larry got here," he explained.

He said everything with a flat expression, though he sounded sincere enough. And yet Jerry knew that he was lying. Not lying, he decided. Harper wasn't telling him everything. Cole had told his father that Harper had sent them to the basement before the power had gone out. He had known something was happening and wanted the children in a safe place while he checked it out. It was the only explanation that made sense.

But what had Harper known was happening? Why would he have left the children in the house and gone outside if he had known there was some kind of danger? And Jerry also remembered that there had been more blood on Harper's shirt than could have been caused by the small scratch that he had seen on his side. He wondered if sharing the things that Arianna had told him near the end would have garnered a more honest response. But he had played his hand and Harper had played his. There would be no further dealings that night.

Jerry stood up from the table and tried not to let his frustration show. "Alright, then, thank you for explaining, Harper." He walked toward the living room, but added before he left the kitchen, "Be sure the kids don't stay up too late, okay? Good night."

"Good night, brother," Harper said to Jerry's back. Again, he sounded sincere, as he had the night before. But it did little to lessen Jerry's frustration.

As he walked through the living room, Vaughan stood up and walked with him into the hallway.

"Dad, can I ask you something?"

He looked nervous, and Jerry wondered what new reason for tension his son was going to share with him.

"Sure, Vaughan," he answered. "What's up?"

"Um, I was thinking that I wanted to sign up for karate lessons," Vaughan said hesitantly while looking up at him.

Jerry stared back at his son in shock. He could have said that he wanted to join the army tomorrow and Jerry would have been less surprised.

"Um, sure Vaughan. Do you know where you want to sign up?" He tried to think if there were any karate studios nearby and remembered one in the same strip mall where Vaughan had his dance lessons.

Vaughan nodded and smiled shyly. "Yes, and I looked them up online. They're open tomorrow and I'd really like to go, if you wouldn't mind taking me."

Jerry smiled back at Vaughan, so surprised and happy by this request that he almost forgot to answer.

"Of course, I'll take you. We'll go first thing in the morning," he said. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He wasn't sure why he asked, but he wanted to be sure it was what Vaughan wanted and not what he thought his father wanted.

Vaughan's smile grew bigger and again, the resemblance to his mother was striking – so striking that he had to fight the urge to look away.

"Thanks dad," his son answered. "Good night." He turned around and walked back into the living room.

Jerry smiled dumbly for a minute and stared at the spot where his son had been just a moment before. He realized that Vaughan had called him dad for the first time in months. It represented a new possibility for repairing the strained relationship with his son, and it nearly cancelled out the difficult conversation that he had just had with Harper.

He walked back to his bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, thinking of everything that had happened that day. He had gone from another difficult encounter with Vaughan, to an even more difficult one with Harper. But now he had an opportunity to try to reform the bond with his son that had been there before Arianna had died. Maybe such an opportunity would appear that would help to create a bond with Harper. Jerry laughed to himself and shook his head. He knew that there was a greater likelihood that Larry would actually lose more than ten pounds and keep it off.

Jerry looked at the small picture of his wife that sat on his nightstand. She smiled back at him, almost as if laughing at his private joke.

"You would have known what to do with both of them, wouldn't you?" he asked the smiling picture. "Of course you would have."

He smiled back at her and then kissed the glass before carefully returning it to its place on the nightstand.

# Chapter 6

Saturday Morning, January 8th

Jerry stirred in bed as light appeared through his eyelids. As his mind awoke, he detected a familiar scent that made him think of home, no matter where he was. It was bacon. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, wondering what time it was. The clock on the nightstand displayed seven-thirty in the morning. He wondered why Harper was making breakfast so early on a Saturday. The family usually slept in on the weekend until around nine, unless one of the children had some kind of activity to attend.

As Jerry walked to his bathroom, he remembered his promise to Vaughan that he would take him to sign up for karate lessons. He knew immediately that this was the reason for such an early breakfast and he couldn't help but be silently grateful to his brother-in-law. His constant devotion to the family made it difficult for Jerry to stay angry with him, in spite of his infuriating nature. Jerry felt guilty for doubting what Harper had told him the night before. He had no logical reason to doubt what Harper had told him. The story had not been implausible. Had the lights gone out when Jerry had been home, and if he had heard the same sound of a wolf howling, he would have done the same thing. Sending the children to the basement made sense. It was the safest area of the house. But why send them before the lights had gone out? His guilt at doubting his brother-in-law was overruled by his instincts. Harper's story didn't add up.

After brushing his teeth and washing his face, Jerry changed from his pajamas and walked down the hallway to the kitchen. A steaming cup of coffee was waiting on the table and Harper was finishing up a pan of scrambled eggs. Jerry yawned as he set the table with three settings and looked over as Harper brought the food to the table. He noticed that Harper seemed completely awake, as he always did. Jerry realized suddenly that in the years that he had known Harper, he had never seen him sleep. He was always the last to bed after the rest of the family had turned in and he was always awake and bustling about no matter how early Jerry rose.

He thought of Arianna and how he had never seen her sleep. He remembered waking up to see her smiling down at him, bright-eyed as if she hadn't slept and hadn't needed it. She would tell him how she loved to watch him sleep as if she thought sleeping itself was peculiar. He had always wondered how she had been able to seem so energetic with what could only have been a few hours of sleep each day. Her brother appeared to have the same sleeping habits and it had no more effect on his energy level than it had on her. Then Vaughan walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and Jerry's thoughts returned to breakfast.

Jerry sat down and made himself a plate as Vaughan began to shovel food into his mouth. Harper served himself a small portion of each dish and began to eat slowly. That was another trait that he shared with his sister. Both of them ate sparingly, but seemed to relish each bite. It was as if they ate for the sheer pleasure of the food and the nutrition of the food itself was secondary. He had accepted this trait in his wife as just one of the many idiosyncrasies that made her unique, and he ignored it in her brother because of what he did for Jerry's family. But he knew that it was unusual. And with everything that had been happening in the past two days, he wondered if there were other things about his brother-in-law to which he should pay closer attention.

"Dad, are you going to stay at the practice with me," Vaughan asked.

Jerry stared back at his son for a moment before he processed what had been asked. He hesitated for a moment, wondering what he should say. His renewed communication with Vaughan was precarious and he didn't want to do anything to damage it, even if it was unintentional.

"Do you want me to stay?" he finally asked in response.

Vaughan looked back at his plate as he answered, "Only if you want to. If you have something else to do today, it's cool."

Jerry thought that he sensed the true meaning behind what Vaughan had said and hoped that he was right as he responded, "I'd actually like to stay and check it out with you, if it's okay with you.

"That's cool," Vaughan said.

Harper wasn't able to hide the brief smile that crossed his face and Jerry couldn't help but do the same.

Cole heard his name being called as his shoulder was shaken gently. He opened his eyes to see Billie staring back at him, her bright blue eyes huge but still red-rimmed with sleep.

"I had a bad dream," she said without being asked.

Cole held up the blanket without saying anything and Billie crawled under it and snuggled up against him. The thermostat in the house kept the house colder at night, and though the cold didn't bother him, he still felt it. The warmth under the blanket made him sleepy in the best possible way, and he hoped it would erase the memory of whatever dream Billie had. He kissed the back of her head and wrapped his arms around his little sister, feeling her shiver slightly.

"Do you want to talk about your dream,?" he asked as he held her tightly.

Billie nodded and then started to share her dream. Cole's slight concern that he would fall back asleep was quickly pushed aside as he listened to his baby sister's disturbing nightmare.

"Mommy was in the dream again," Billie said. This wasn't unusual, as Billie had fairly frequent dreams about their mother, in spite of the fact that she had barely known her. What was strange to Cole was that Billie always described their mother perfectly. And it wasn't just the physical description, which Billie could have gotten from any of the numerous pictures of her throughout the house. What was strange was that Billie always described their mother's personality as if she had known her, and had even used some of the phrases that their mother had regularly used. She had died when Billie was barely two years old, so she shouldn't have remembered such things. But Billie was an odd little girl in some ways. She could be far more serious than most children her age, and seemed to understand things that should have been beyond her maturity and experience.

"But this time there was someone else in the dream with us," Billie continued. "It was a man – a really scary man." She got quiet for a moment and Cole felt her shiver just once before continuing, "His face was blurry, so I couldn't see who he was. He was like a giant, but he was normal-sized, like you."

Cole wasn't sure what she meant by this at first, but then realized that she was trying to describe someone whose presence was powerful. He had seen people like that before and thought the description fit.

"What is the man doing in the dream?" Cole asked.

Billie sighed before answering, "He just looked at us at first. But then he started to chase us. And then you and Dinah, and Vaughan, and Louis were running with me and mommy. And the man kept chasing us." Cole felt Billie pull into herself and he pulled her closer to him.

"And then Uncle Harper tried to stop the man, but the man ripped him like a piece of paper and there was blood and stuff all over the place," she said quietly.

Cole winced at the graphic image and wondered where Billie could have seen such an image that it would appear in her dream. He wanted to ask her if she had been watching scary movies with someone, but he didn't want to interrupt her.

She was silent for a moment before continuing in a whisper, "And then Daddy tried to stop him. And the man grabbed Daddy and threw him hard and I heard a noise like when you crack your knuckles. And then Daddy didn't move."

Cole felt his heart start to race at the description of his father being murdered. He knew that this was far too graphic of a nightmare for such a small child and worried again about where she could have seen such images.

"We all kept running, but the man kept chasing us. Mommy told me that I could stop the man, but that I would have to do something that was going to be very hard."

Cole felt wetness on his arm and realized that Billie was crying. He wanted to stop her and to tell her to go back to sleep, but he wasn't sure if it was better for her to get everything out or if it was doing more damage for her to recount the terrifying dream. He felt powerless to help her. But she continued before he could decide on the best course of action.

"I told mommy that I'd do whatever she told me, but she wouldn't tell me what to do." Billie sobbed a little before she continued, "She kept yelling at me and she was crying, but she wouldn't tell me what to do."

Billie grew still suddenly and Cole thought for a moment that she had fallen asleep. But then he heard her whisper, "And then the man caught mommy. And he twisted her neck and she fell down. And then I woke up."

They were both quiet for a minute as Cole tried to think of something to say. He was deeply disturbed by what Billie had described. No six-year old child should have such dreams and he worried about the effect that it could have on her.

"Billie, have you had this dream before?" he asked quietly.

He felt her nod before she answered, "The night the lights went out."

Cole thought suddenly of his conversation with his uncle the night before out by the wood shed. He had felt the searching presence then and once before when the lights had gone out. And Billie had had her nightmares on both nights. He knew without a doubt that the two were connected and decided that he had to share Billie's dream with his uncle.

He heard the deep breathing that told him that Billie had fallen back asleep and he prayed silently that her dreams would be untroubled. He wanted to tell Uncle Harper immediately about her dreams, but didn't want to disturb his baby sister. Before long, he had fallen back asleep and his breathing became as deep as hers.

Dinah finished the last set of pushups in her morning routine and looked at the clock above her bedroom desk. The hands indicated that it was a few minutes past nine, which meant that her siblings would be waking up soon. She had awoken when she heard Vaughan and her father leaving and hadn't been able to go back to sleep. As she did every morning, she had begun her series of exercises that got her blood running before breakfast. Her stomach growled and she realized suddenly how hungry she was.

She stood up and saw her reflection in the full-length mirror on the wall. She liked the effect that her exercise regime was starting to have on her body. Her muscles were toned under her ebony skin and she could see them flexing as she turned one way and then the other in front of the mirror. But the change to her body hadn't only been one that she could see. Her strength had increased a great deal, as well. While the increase was normal from such regular exercise, she knew that the degree to which her strength had increased was not.

She thought of what had happened at school that Monday when she had gone to the bathroom during history class. She had gone to the single, unisex bathroom that was closest to the class and tugged on the handle. At first, it hadn't budged, but she remembered that this was the door that frequently stuck. She had braced one hand on the wall next to the handle and pulled harder on the door. It refused to budge for a second, but then suddenly flew open with a loud cracking sound. Dinah had stared in shock as she saw the gaping hole above the handle where the deadbolt had been. It was then that she had noticed the yellow maintenance sign on the door that said it had been out of order. She had released the handle in shock and hurried back to her class, hoping that no one had seen her.

Up until that point, her strength had seemed to be gaining steadily, at a pace that was to be expected from the regular exercise in which she engaged. But the incident with the door made her worry that something else was happening. She sat on the edge of the bed and tried to think of a logical explanation for what had happened, but could find none. And it had troubled her mind since it had happened. Hoping that it had been some kind of fluke, she stood up from the bed and turned around to face it. The bed was a hand-carved, four-poster wooden bed that weighed several hundred pounds. It had taken several men to assemble it when her father had given it to her a few years before as a birthday present. She seldom vacuumed under it, since it had been impossible to move and wasn't high enough from the ground to fit the vacuum underneath it.

Sure that she knew what would happen, she bent down and reached under the footboard. She flexed her legs and prepared for the resistance that she would feel from the weight of the bed. Instead, she lifted it easily. She could feel the weight of the bed and knew that there had been no inexplicable change in its mass that had resulted in her ability to lift it. She had just grown stronger somehow.

She held the bed for a moment before deciding to test her theory a little further. She released one of her hands and felt the weight of the bed transfer to her right arm alone. This time she felt a slight strain, but not enough that she couldn't have held it with one arm for several minutes. She slowly lowered the bed to the ground before moving to sit on its edge again to try to process what was happening to her. The first thing that went through her mind was the worry that she wouldn't be able to control her newfound strength. If this was the case, she could easily, even if accidentally, hurt someone. This possibility was unacceptable to her.

As quickly as her concern had started, Dinah pushed it aside with the determination that she would learn to control her strength. She had never been someone who could worry about things for more than a moment. Worrying was Cole's thing, not hers. She had never failed at anything if she had truly given it her best effort and she decided that there was no reason to believe that this situation would be any different. If she was going to control this new power, she would have to train herself to do it. She was not foolish enough to believe that it was going to be easy, but she had little doubt that she would succeed.

Dinah tried to think of a plan of attack and the first thing she thought of made perfect sense. If she was going to control it, she had to test the limits of her strength. She looked around her bedroom, trying to think of the best way to test just how powerful she had become. Her eyes landed on the empty barbell that she used to lift weights. It was about four feet long, weighed forty pounds and was solid metal. She thought of the characters in movies that she had seen bend steel bars as displays of their superhuman strength and decided to see if she could do the same.

She picked up the bar and felt the coolness of it in her hands. It was solid and heavy, though its weight was nothing to her. She wondered how it was possible that something so heavy could bend by the strength of a person and decided that it probably wasn't. But there was only one way to find out for sure.

Spreading her grip to near the end of each side, she began to press down with each hand while staring at the center and looking for a sign that it was working. At first, nothing happened. But as she continued to increase the amount of pressure on the bar, she could see the middle start to bow upwards slightly. She smiled in triumph as she flexed her muscles as hard as she could. The bar began to bend quicker and she heard a faint creaking sound. It wasn't the same sound that she had heard in the movies, but she knew that the solid metal was being reshaped by her strength.

A loud snapping sound broke her concentration a split-second before the bar split into two pieces. A flashing piece of metal flew toward her face and she instinctively closed her eyes just before she felt a sting on her left cheek. In spite of her shock, she managed to hold on to either end of the bar that had been ripped in half. Her ears were ringing from the snapping sound and she hoped that no one in the house had heard anything. It would have been hard to explain something that even she still couldn't believe had happened.

As if on cue, her bedroom door flew open and Cole ran through, followed closely by Louis. "What happened?!" Cole asked with obvious worry on his face.

She saw Louis standing behind Cole and his eyes were huge as he stared at the pieces of the barbell still clutched in her hands.

"Did you break that, Dinah?" Louis asked in disbelief.

She looked down numbly at the bars and then gently placed them on the ground while she tried to think of how she should answer.

"Um, it broke when I was working out," she finally answered.

Louis looked back at her in confusion. "You were working out without any weights on the bar? I've seen you lift it with tons of weight like it was nothing." He pointed at her cheek as he added, "Hey, you're cheek's bleeding!"

Dinah reached up and felt her cheek, which stung when she touched it. She pulled her hand away and looked at it. A bright red spot of blood was smeared on her fingers. Cole walked over to her and looked closely at her face.

"It's not deep, but we should clean it out," Cole said as he looked at her. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he knew something was going on. He could always sense those kinds of things without being told anything.

Louis looked up at her with suspicion and asked again, "How could it have broken with no weights on it?"

Dinah looked at Cole, hoping that he would save her from Louis' questions.

It must have been obvious that she needed help because he gently pushed Louis toward the door as he told him, "Louis, go watch TV. I want to talk to Dinah alone."

"But there's nothing on TV, Cole," Louis whined.

Cole looked down at Louis with a look that said not to argue. "Then put on a DVD. Just go. Now."

Louis' shoulders slumped in defeat as he turned around and walked from the room, complaining the entire time. "Everyone's always telling me to leave like I'm a little kid or something. I can keep a secret just as good...."

Cole closed the door behind him and they could no longer here the whining of their little brother. He looked at her and she couldn't look away. "That story was too lame for even Louis to buy it. What really happened?" he asked.

Dinah tried to think of some kind of lead-in that would prepare Cole for the implausible story that she was about to tell. But she could think of nothing that would make him more likely to believe her, so she decided to just get it out.

"I wanted to see if I could bend the bar, but I couldn't," she said while looking at him from lowered eyes. "It didn't bend, but I broke it in half." She looked him fully in the face, waiting for him to respond. He just stared back at her as if he was waiting for her to say something else.

"Very funny, Dinah," he said while shaking his head. "You didn't want Louis to hear this? He at least would have appreciated the joke."

His tone made her feel defensive. She didn't like being called a liar. "I'm not joking, Cole. I tried to bend the bar and it broke in half," she said adamantly. She looked around the room for something else to use to prove to him what had happened, but there was nothing else in the room that would make the same point. And there was nothing that she wanted to break just to prove a point.

She leaned back against the bed and thought about how she had tested her strength before breaking the bar. "Watch this," she told him as she leaned down and gripped the foot of the bed. She lifted it easily, just as she had the first time. She held it in one hand for a moment and looked at him to prove her point.

Cole frowned in confusion as he watched her place the bed back on the bedroom floor. "Big deal, Dinah," he told her. "And what does lifting your bed have to do with how your barbell broke?" She could hear in his voice that he was losing patience, which was rare for Cole. She wondered what had put him in a bad mood so early on a Saturday morning. His bad mood seemed to be making him a little dense, as well, so she explained.

"You try picking it up," she said, daring him not to.

He looked at her in silent frustration for a moment before he finally sighed and answered, "All right. Get off of the edge first, though. I'm not that strong."

Dinah rolled her eyes at him as she stood up and made space for him along the foot of the bed. Cole was strong – stronger than he liked to admit. She had seen him carrying loads of firewood that made his father struggle. And she knew that her father was a very strong man. Cole bent down and reached under the front of the bed. She saw him brace himself and then try to lift the bed. It didn't move at first and he looked over at her, the confusion obvious on his face. He braced himself again and she could see his muscles straining as his face turned red. But all that he could do was lift the bed a few inches before he dropped it back down again.

He was breathing hard as he asked her, "How...how did you do that?" He looked suspicious for a minute and looked at the bed as if expecting her to reveal some kind of gimmick or trick. He looked back at her with narrowed eyes. "Do that again."

Dinah walked over to the bed and looked right at him as she easily lifted it again, held it with one hand and then gently lowered it to the ground.

Cole stared at her with his mouth open slightly before closing it. "Okay, seriously. How did you do that?"

She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "I've just been getting stronger...," she said as she looked up at him. "...a lot stronger." She looked down at her hands as she told him the story of the door at school. When she had finished, she looked back up at him and asked, "What if I can't control it? What if...what if something like the door happens again? Or, what if I accidentally hurt someone, Cole?"

Cole moved over to the bed, sat next to her and put his arm around her. "Don't worry, Dinah," he said soothingly. He was quiet for a moment before he seemed to come to a decision. "You'll just need to learn to control it," he told her. "I know you can do it." He looked at the pieces of the barbell on the ground and sighed. "Now, what are we gonna tell Louis? You know he has a big mouth."

For the first time since her brothers had entered her room, Dinah smiled. "Don't worry about him. I'll remind him that I caught him watching that rated R movie that he wasn't supposed to watch." She looked at Cole with a completely neutral expression. "I don't think he'd want Dad to know about that, do you?"

Cole's expression was disapproving as he told her, "Dinah, that's blackmail."

She widened her eyes in mock indignation. "It's coercion, which is totally different! Besides, he needs to start to learn when to keep his mouth shut. He blabs too much." Her expression became serious again and she looked at Cole in silence for a second. "Don't tell Dad or Uncle Harper, okay?" she pleaded. "Please?"

Cole thought about refusing his sister's request. He didn't think the problem was serious enough to bring to his father. Not yet, at least. But he worried about keeping something like this from Uncle Harper. He couldn't help but think that this was related to the strange things that had been happening lately. Everything seemed to be happening at once, or at least escalating at once. He suspected that his sister's strength had been increasing for some time and he had been able to sense Cody's thoughts since his uncle had brought him home years before. But his senses had grown stronger lately, especially during the past week. And he guessed this to be the same case with Dinah. She continued to look at him with eyes widened in supplication and he realized that he hadn't answered her.

"I won't say anything unless you let me," he told her finally. Dinah's secret wasn't his to tell. At least, not yet.

Jerry stared at his son in amazement. He had watched Vaughan stretch with the beginner's class and then start to learn some of the basic moves. Each time the sensei, Mr. Tanaka demonstrated, Vaughan copied it exactly the first time. Within twenty minutes of the beginner lesson, Mr. Tanaka had begun to notice how quickly Vaughan was learning. He had called over one of his assistants to lead the class and had pulled Vaughan aside to the edge of one of the mats. He had then walked Vaughan through a series of increasingly complex moves, which Vaughan performed flawlessly.

Mr. Tanaka walked over to Jerry and introduced himself. "Mr. Ambrose.."

"Please, call me Jerry," he told him.

Mr. Tanaka nodded before continuing, "Jerry, your son shows an amazing aptitude for karate. I've never seen anyone learn as quickly as he does." He looked slightly uncomfortable for a minute before adding, "I would not normally ask this, but I want to test how far Vaughan can go. I'd like to do some light sparring with him to see how he reacts to me actually throwing punches and kicks at him. I assure you I will be very careful."

Jerry wasn't sure how to respond. He was a little worried about the thought of an actual sensei sparring with his son on his first day of karate lessons, but he had to admit that Vaughan looked to be a natural. And for some reason he trusted Mr. Tanaka and knew that he would be very careful with his son. "As long as Vaughan's okay with it and you're careful, it's okay with me," he answered.

He looked over to see his son looking at him expectantly. Jerry smiled and flashed him a thumbs-up as Mr. Tanaka walked over to him. Vaughan smiled back and nodded, his back straightening in what Jerry hoped was confidence. Mr. Tanaka showed Vaughan some moves that Jerry recognized from academy training as defensive moves. When Vaughan had demonstrated that he could do each of the moves, Mr. Tanaka assumed a fighting stance and said something to Vaughan that Jerry couldn't hear. Vaughan nodded at him and assumed a similar stance, though where Mr. Tanaka looked solid and immovable; Vaughan looked like a jungle cat ready to pounce.

Mr. Tanaka started throwing a series of punches at Vaughan that he easily blocked. Jerry could see instantly that the sensei was holding back, but as Vaughan continued to easily block each of the blows, his level of effort appeared to increase. But he could also see that Vaughan was holding back, as well. He hadn't made any offensive moves and Jerry suspected that his son's sensitive nature was making him hold back. He knew that Vaughan didn't want to accidentally hurt his sensei.

As if he had sensed the same thing, Mr. Tanaka said something to Vaughan. He hesitated briefly and that momentary lapse nearly allowed one of the sensei's kicks to land. But Vaughan moved aside at the last minute and then he began to attack between blocking. What had begun as a friendly sparring match began to intensify as they both threw punches and kicks at an increasing pace and with increased ferocity. They dodged around each other and both of them blocked the few attacks that weren't evaded.

The other activity in the room stopped as everyone watched the sensei and student spar each other. It was like watching two masters fighting and reminded Jerry of some of the martial arts films he had seen. Mr. Tanaka was clearly more experienced and had a larger repertoire of moves, but Vaughan seemed to be able to guess what his sensei was going to do before he did it. The fight continued to intensify as both combatants began to sweat and their breath quickened.

Finally, Mr. Tanaka yelled, "Stop!" He and Vaughan both stopped and stepped apart from each other. The sensei was breathing hard as he looked at Vaughan for a moment with a look of wonderment and then bowed deeply to him. Vaughan hurriedly did the same as the entire class erupted in applause and cheers. And then he looked over at his father and gave him the biggest smile that Jerry had seen on his son's face in a very long time. Jerry joined in the applause and smiled back at him in amazement. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. Vaughan had sparred with an expert in karate and held his own. But that thought was quickly overruled by the realization that he and his son had managed to create a bridge to repair their relationship in the most unexpected way. But how it had happened didn't matter to Jerry. For the first time since Arianna had died, he felt like he was getting his son back.

# Chapter 7

Saturday Afternoon, January 8th

The car ride home from the karate studio had been the complete opposite of nearly every car ride that Jerry had shared with Vaughan in recent memory. There had been no tension between them and they had talked easily about the morning lesson as they picked up lunch at one of the local fast-food drive-through windows. Jerry still couldn't believe what he had seen at the karate lesson and he hadn't been the only one.

"I've never seen anything like it," Mr. Tanaka had told him. "You say he's never had a lesson in his life?" When Jerry shook his head, Mr. Tanaka continued, "He fights at the level of students I've had for ten to fifteen years. It was like he knew what I was going to do – like he had seen the moves before and knew how to respond. But if he's never had a lesson in his life, that shouldn't be possible."

"I can't explain it either," Jerry answered. "He's never really participated in any type of athletics. Other than dance, I mean."

Mr. Tanaka frowned for a minute before he responded, "Dance. That would explain the way he moves. It's far more graceful than someone who's practiced karate for a long time. But it doesn't explain how he's able to learn the karate moves so quickly and how he was able to use them to react to everything I did." He rubbed his chin and looked at the floor for a minute before adding, "He could easily compete, you know. The way he fights and how quickly he learns - I could have him ready for a tournament in a month."

Jerry's hesitation was obvious as he responded, "I'm not sure about that. A month doesn't seem like a very long time for someone who just started."

Mr. Tanaka held up his hands. "It's just something to think about and to discuss with your son. For now, I'd like him to join the advanced class, if it's okay with both of you." Jerry had told him that he would discuss it with Vaughan.

He finished recounting his conversation with the sensei to Vaughan as they turned onto the long road leading up to their house. "So, what do you think?" he asked his son. "Are you up for joining the advanced class?"

Vaughan nodded, "I think that would be cool, as long as it doesn't interfere with my dance lessons." He looked over at Jerry hesitantly, as if he was worried about bringing up the topic.

"I agree," Jerry said, the excitement in his voice obvious. "I honestly think Mr. Tanaka would hold a private class just for you if it meant he could teach you," he said with a chuckle. "Vaughan, how did you do that? It's like you knew what he was going to do before he did it."

Vaughan thought for a moment about what had happened during his sparring match with his sensei. The exact thing had happened in his encounter with Emmitt Smith the day before. As Mr. Tanaka had attacked him with either kicks or punches, everything had seemed to slow down. Vaughan had been able to see where the attack was going and either move out of its way or block it. The only difference with Mr. Tanaka had been that time hadn't slowed down nearly as much as it had with Emmitt and it had taken a moment before happening, so he had had less time to react. He suspected that it had something to do with the fact that his sensei was a much more skilled fighter than the school bully, but he wasn't sure. His father was silent, and Vaughan realized that he hadn't responded to his father, so he decided to tell him a version of the truth.

"I just watched him carefully and could tell what he was going to do," Vaughan finally said.

Jerry smiled at what he mistook for humility. "Well, whatever you did, it sure was something to watch. The only time I've ever seen you move like that is when you're dancing."

Vaughan looked over in surprise at what his father had said. He knew that he had seen Vaughan dance before, but had always assumed that he hadn't been paying attention. Watching his son dance had never seemed important to his father. "You know what I look like when I dance?" he asked softly.

It was Jerry's turn to seem surprised, "Of course I do." He was quiet for a moment before he added, "You're amazing when you dance, Vaughan. You look like your mom anyway, but when you dance it's like I'm watching her again." Jerry stared out the windshield as the automatic climate control kicked on the heater. He spoke softly then, "I'm sorry that I haven't come to watch you dance more often. It's been really hard for me to see you dance, since it reminds me of your mom so much."

He looked over at Vaughan, "But that's not fair to you." He chuckled wryly as he added, "Or to your mom. She wouldn't be too happy with me if she knew that was why I was missing your dance recitals." He looked over at his son and his voice broke only slightly as he said, "I promise I'll start coming to your dance recitals, Vaughan."

Vaughan was silent as he processed what his father had just told him. He suddenly felt very ashamed of himself. He had always assumed that his father didn't attend his recitals because dance wasn't a manly activity – that it was too girly for him to appreciate. But he had unfairly misjudged his father in this assumption. His father always seemed to be so solid and strong that Vaughan forgot that he was dealing with a kind of loss that Vaughan was unable to comprehend.

"Thanks, Dad. I'd like that a lot," he answered dumbly. He wanted to apologize, to say something more, but he wasn't sure what to say. He decided that it was best not to say anything at all. He and his father had resolved their relationship issues unintentionally, but the bottom line was they were being resolved. He thought of something suddenly and asked, "I want you to come to the karate tournaments too, okay?"

Jerry smiled over at him as they pulled into their long driveway. "Of course, son."

Cole sat against the wall in the garage and stroked the strange dog that he had befriended behind the ears. She closed her eyes in pleasure and leaned against him. They were both sitting on the pile of blankets that Cole had used to create a makeshift bed for her the night before. He couldn't believe that his father had failed to notice her the two times that he had been through the garage, but she was a quiet dog and he had built the bed in the corner next to the spare refrigerator. He figured the warmth the appliance produced from its bottom would help to dispel the slight chill that was ever-present in the garage.

Her quietness wasn't the only thing that was strange about her. Her reaction to Cody was one that he had never seen between dogs. She just completely ignored him. Cody was in the garage with them, but he had refused to sit near them. He just sat on the other end of the garage and stared quietly at her. Cole at first mistook Cody's aloofness as dislike for the new dog, but when he listened to Cody's thoughts, the only thing he could understand was curiosity. Cody didn't like or dislike the stray dog – he was just curious about her. And the stray continued to pretend that Cody wasn't there. He had expected them to behave as normal dogs by going over and sniffing each other's butts, or even to be aggressive toward each other, but nothing had happened.

Cole hated thinking of her as "stray dog", but he hadn't decided on a name for her. He had decided that he was going to ask his father to keep her, though he hadn't yet told Uncle Harper. There was something about her that seemed so familiar and she had proven herself to be extremely protective of him. He remembered his father's reaction when Uncle Harper had brought Cody home and cringed at the thought of asking him to keep another dog. But he had planned a speech in his head on how he would do everything to care for her so that his father wouldn't have to do anything. He just hoped that it would be convincing enough.

The dog opened her eyes and stared up at him and Cole was struck again by the sense of familiarity. She had pretty, if rather typical dark brown eyes. They had the look of liquid sadness that the eyes of nearly all dogs had and that convinced potential owners to make impulse purchases at pet stores. But there was something deeper in her eyes. It was the kind of depth that he saw when he looked into Cody's eyes, but this was different. When he looked into Cody's eyes, the depth there was alien to him. He was looking into the mind of a creature that he could never fully understand because it was of another species. When he looked into the stray dog's eyes, the depth there was familiar. It was like looking into the eyes of another human being. The thoughts that were running through the mind behind those eyes were unknown to him, but would have been fathomable if he could see them.

She continued to stare back at him and he thought again of what he should name her. He wondered if she already had a name, since she seemed to be relatively clean and well-fed, as if she had belonged to someone before. He looked into her eyes and smiled before saying, "I can't keep thinking of you as stray dog. So, I need to give you a name, unless you already have one." She cocked her head to one side as he spoke. "Do you already have a name?"

Aidan

Cole sat back slightly in shock. He had heard the name loud and clear in his head. It was a name that he had heard before, but never for a dog. As he looked into the dog's eyes...into Aidan's eyes, he knew that this was indeed her name. He wasn't sure what Aidan meant, but she even looked like an Aidan to him. He wondered what kind of name Aidan was and what it meant.

He felt a thought coming from her as if she were responding to his thought. He saw a small, but bright single flame, similar to the flames on the hurricane lamps that his mother would light during power outages before they had purchased the generator. He had always been amazed as a child at the ability of such a small flame to cast so much light. It was as if the darkness gave way willingly to it and the warmth that it gave off.

"Does it mean flame?" he asked her. He got the sense from her that he was close, but not exactly right.

The garage door opened and he decided that he could look up the meaning of the name later. It was time to convince his father that they needed another dog.

The car pulled in to the garage and he could see Vaughan waving from the passenger seat. Cole waved back and saw the surprised look on his brother's face. He had seen Aidan. The somewhat darker look on his father's face told Cole that he had seen the dog too. His brother got out of the car first and hurried over to see the new addition to the garage. She wagged her tail at him as he leaned down and reached out his hand for her to sniff. She licked his hand warmly and he smiled.

"Where did it come from?" Vaughan asked, still smiling.

His father walked up behind Vaughan and looked down at the dog. "Yes, Cole. Where did it come from?" he asked with barely-veiled disapproval. Vaughan must have detected the tone in his father's voice, because he stood up and walked into the kitchen without another word.

"Her name's Aidan and she followed me home yesterday," Cole answered as he stood up. He was as tall as his father, so he was looking him in the eyes. He could tell from the look in those eyes immediately that it was going to be difficult at best to convince him that they should have another dog.

"Cole, you know how I feel about dogs," Jerry said. "They require a lot of work and we already have a full schedule as a family with one dog. Having two is going to make it that much harder." He suddenly realized something that his son had said, "What do you mean she followed you home?" The only place Cole had been the day before was school. He knew that Harper had taken Cole home and the distance from the school to the house made it unlikely that such a thing could have happened. He looked down at the dog in confusion. It looked like it was well-fed, which meant it wasn't likely to have been wandering in the woods in the middle of winter. He wondered if Cole's story was an attempt to hide the fact that he had brought the dog home. He even thought about asking Cole if he was telling the truth. But Cole always told the truth and Jerry didn't want to insult him by questioning him. "She followed you home from school?" he asked simply.

Cole nodded as he answered, "Yeah, Dad. She came up to me at lunch yesterday and again after school." He purposefully left out the ominous encounter with the wolf-like creature that same day. He didn't want his father to worry unnecessarily and knew that the story didn't sound plausible. He had already told his uncle, and he had asked Cole not to mention it to anyone else. He felt guilty for keeping part of the story from his father. It felt like lying. "When I was grabbing some firewood from the shed last night, she just...showed up."

Jerry knew that his son was telling the truth, in spite of the fact that the story was pretty far-fetched. He tried to think of another reason not to let the dog stay. It wasn't that he disliked the animals, but he hadn't been raised around them like most people had. He tolerated Cody because of the obvious connection he had with Cole, but that dog made him slightly uneasy. He always felt like there was too much thought behind his crystal blue eyes. Arianna had loved dogs, but knew that her husband thought them an unnecessary burden. When Harper had brought Cody home, he had felt a strange compulsion to allow him to stay. He thought that he was feeling the same compulsion about Aidan, but tried to fight it.

"Two dogs mean twice as much work, Cole," he finally said. It was a lame attempt since they both knew that Harper was home during the day. And Cole never shirked responsibility, so Jerry honestly couldn't worry that the dog wouldn't be cared for.

"Dad, I promise I'll take care of her too," Cole responded. "Uncle Harper won't mind taking care of her either. I'll even pay for the extra dog food with my allowance."

Jerry knew that he meant what he said, though he also knew that he would never allow his son to use his well-earned allowance on something as mundane as dog food. He felt his resistance waning and was about to say yes when Billie came running through the door.

"A new dog!" she squealed with delight before running up and hugging the dog. Cole and Jerry both tensed at such a boisterous greeting, hoping that the dog wouldn't mistake it for aggression and bite her in response. But Aidan just rolled over on her back and licked Billie's face repeatedly. Billie giggled infectiously before looking up at her father. "Thanks, Daddy! She's really pretty." She looked over at Cole and asked, "What's her name?"

Cole smiled at his little sister. He knew that there could not have been a more convincing reason to keep the dog than her reaction and was now sure what his father's response would be. "Her name's Aidan," he answered his little sister.

Jerry looked down at the dog as it licked his daughter's face. The dog finally looked up at him and met his stare. He noticed for the first time that she had the strangest eyes that he had ever seen on a dog. They reminded him of something, but he couldn't put his finger on what that was. As Billie smiled up at him, he nearly swore out loud as he knew his decision had been made. They had a new dog.

"What does Aidan mean, Cole?" Billie asked.

"It means little flame in Gaelic," Harper responded in a quiet voice. None of them had realized that he was standing in the doorway to the kitchen until they heard him. He looked at Cole and asked, "What made you choose that name?"

Cole was immediately uncomfortable. He couldn't tell them that he hadn't chosen it and that the dog had told him her name. Even the thought of it sounded crazy, much less saying it out loud. "Um, it just seemed like a cool name."

Uncle Harper stared back at him for a second before looking at the dog with an expression of obvious curiosity. He looked back at Cole for a second more before finally nodding.

"Dinner's ready," he told them as he turned around and walked back into the kitchen.

Cole suspected that his uncle hadn't believed him for a second.

Jerry walked into the kitchen after changing out of his winter clothes. Harper was readying dinner, which smelled delicious as it always did. His brother-in-law had the same flair for cooking as Arianna had and they continued to have gourmet, but healthy dishes for every meal. This was another reason Jerry had to be grateful for Harper's presence. Jerry was a terrible cook and the transition from his wife's amazing cooking to the slop that he was able to produce would have been another difficult change for the children. Though he would never admit it to anyone, Harper's cooking was even better than Arianna's, if only by a small margin.

Jerry asked Harper if there was anything he needed help with, but he said that he didn't. So, he walked into the family room to see if there was anything interesting on TV. He walked up to the back of the couch that faced the TV and saw some kind of action movie playing. It was one of the newer films that was based on some sort of comic book characters that Jerry could never remember the names of. The scene changed to a more subdued one in which two of the superhero characters were having a conversation. It was then that Jerry noticed something odd about the sound. He realized that the words the characters were saying were all being repeated half a second later.

At first he thought that he was hearing things, but when he stopped and listened there was no mistaking it. Everything the characters said was being repeated. He swore silently at the thought that something was wrong with the TV. He had just bought it six months before and had spent quite a bit of money on it. The thought of having to take it back to the store or have a repairman come out to fix it irritated him. He had been assured that it was a quality brand and that he shouldn't expect any issues with it.

The scene shifted again to an action-packed fighting scene and the strange echo stopped. Jerry listened closely but it had disappeared completely. He wondered if the movie playing was a DVD and if there was something wrong with the disk. As if answering his unspoken question and ruling out the disk as the problem, the scene shifted yet again to a commercial for a local car dealer. The man had a gray pompadour-style hairdo and what looked like a spray tan. As he animatedly described the amazing deals he was offering, you could see the numerous rings on his hands. He actually looked like a car salesman, which Jerry always thought was funny.

Halfway through the commercial, the strange echoing suddenly started again, suggesting in his mind that there might be something wrong with the cable. But this time Jerry was able to discern the fact that it wasn't actually coming from the TV. It sounded like it was coming from the couch. He leaned over the console table and noticed the back of Louis' head. He was sitting low on the couch so Jerry hadn't seen him at first. The echo started again and Jerry realized that the sound was coming from Louis.

"Louis, is that you?" Jerry asked.

Louis turned his head in surprise and looked up at his father, "H-hey, Dad."

The echoing immediately stopped. "Were you talking to yourself just now?" Jerry asked.

Louis immediately had the look that he made when he was caught doing something wrong. It was a look that he made pretty often since he was frequently up to something, so Jerry recognized it instantly.

"Um, no. I wasn't talking to myself," he answered.

Jerry could tell that he was hiding something. He didn't think Louis would actually lie to him, but he got the sense that he had carefully chosen his answer.

"That's strange," Jerry said as he looked at his son. "I swear I heard something echoing the TV just a second ago."

Louis shrugged his shoulders unconvincingly before answering, "Maybe something's wrong with the TV."

Jerry stared at him a minute more to make him squirm. He knew Louis was up to something, so he wanted him to know that he knew. That was usually enough of a deterrent to keep him from doing something he shouldn't. "Hmm, maybe there is. Turn the volume down a bit, will you? I bet the neighbors can hear it."

Louis smiled as he said, "Okay." The nearest neighbor was so far away that the TV could have been on full blast and they wouldn't have heard anything.

Jerry turned around and walked back to his bedroom to read for a bit before dinner. He heard the volume lower and could hear that the echo had stopped. He still wondered what had caused it and suspected that Louis was somehow involved, but he was still too happy with the breakthrough with Vaughan to worry about it further.

The children cleared the table after dinner and wiped down the stove and counters before heading into the family room to watch a movie. Harper started loading the dishwasher as Jerry put away the leftover food. It was a nightly ritual in the Ambrose house and one that had started when Arianna had still been alive. It was another example of how easily Harper had managed to fit in with the family in such a short time. Jerry assumed that the ease in which Harper had fallen into the routine was because he and his sister had been raised in the same house. But he had a hard time imagining Harper growing up in a household that had required him to do chores. There was something almost...aristocratic about him and while there was no doubt that he knew what he was doing in any domestic duty, Jerry got the sense that it was not something that he had been accustomed to prior to coming to live with them. But Jerry had to admit that he had gotten the same sense from Arianna when they had first moved in together. She had watched him load the dishwasher as if he had been assembling a rocket or something equally as complex. He thought it likely that his wife and his brother-in-law had grown up in very privileged surroundings. It was something Arianna had alluded to on several occasions, but never outright said.

While it had always been obvious to Jerry that both Arianna and Harper had come from a different class than him, he had never felt uncomfortable around his wife. She had always seemed to relish doing things around the house and never cared about getting dirty. She had never seemed aloof with anyone, even though the way she had carried herself had made her seem wealthy and even regal in a sense. Harper had the same way of carrying himself as his sister, but Jerry had always sensed a faint disdain that accompanied it. He couldn't decide what the disdain was for, but he knew that he had been one of its chief causes when he had first been introduced to Harper. And the feelings of dislike had been mutual, causing an instant rift between Jerry and his brother-in-law. The only people that Harper had always seemed genuinely warm with were the children and surprisingly, his partner Larry. It was during his interactions with them that he reminded Jerry the most of Arianna.

Over the years he and Harper had arrived at what appeared to be a grudging, but mutual respect for each other. But recently even that had changed. He had sensed a softening in Harper's demeanor toward him in the past six months, though he couldn't understand why. Out of habit, Jerry had mistaken the change to be the usual sarcasm that he had grown accustomed to. But he had realized recently that this was not the case and that Harper seemed to be making a genuine effort to get along with him. And he knew that he had not been making the same effort, which he inwardly acknowledged was unfair. Harper had saved his family from what they could have become after Arianna's death. He deserved better treatment than Jerry had been giving him lately, especially considering how his demeanor toward Jerry had changed. He wondered if there was a way to let Harper know that he appreciated him and thought that the best way was the simplest.

"Harper," he said quietly as he stopped wiping the counter.

Harper looked at him as he placed another plate in the dishwasher. "Yes, Jeremiah?"

"Thank you," Jerry answered. "For dinner, I mean." He felt like a coward for not even being able to genuinely thank him, but didn't know how to put what he felt into words that didn't sound disingenuous.

Harper smiled and Jerry swore that his smile indicated an understanding of what Jerry was trying to say, in spite of his inability to say it.

"You're very welcome, brother. As always," Harper said, and there was no mistaking the genuineness in his voice.

Jerry nodded and continued wiping down the counters as his brother-in-law continued to load the dishes. As he finished the last of the counters, he realized that a change had come over the room – fort the first time in his relationship with Harper, he no longer felt tension between them.

# Chapter 8

Saturday Night, January 8th

Cole had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, as he usually did each night. His dreams were jumbled at first and had the lack of clarity and shifting quality that was typical of all dreams. But after a while they shifted into something clearer. His subconscious recognized instantly that this was no typical dream. Everything was as clear as if he was physically there and wide awake. The gray, twilight quality of most dreams was absent, but the light wasn't the brightness of daylight. It was nighttime and the greyish darkness was similar to what Cole's eyes saw at night.

Shapes moved quickly past him as his mind tried to resolve what he was seeing. The smell of pine and of wintry air hit his nostrils and he realized that the rushing shapes were trees. He was moving through a forest. The lighter gray along the ground resolved itself into snow and the shapes moving ahead of him into the forms of running wolves. The perspective seemed wrong, until Cole realized that it was what another wolf running behind would have seen. He was experiencing everything – sight, sound, smell, even taste – through the eyes of one of the running wolves.

His mind was assaulted by a series of images that didn't make sense at first, but that he eventually realized were the thoughts of the wolf. The images were at first difficult to understand, like watching a foreign movie without the subtitles. But eventually he began to decipher what the images meant. They were the actual pictures of what the wolves were saying to each other. Instead of using words to communicate, the wolves sent each other images to communicate. It was through these images that Cole realized that the wolf pack was on the hunt.

He also realized that he was not actually the wolf in the dream. He was just an observer, watching everything through the wolf's eyes as he experienced it. He had no control over what was happening, though he sensed from the wolf's thoughts that it knew Cole was there, but didn't seem to care. The male wolf was focused on the hunt, which was going to be a dangerous one. The pack had detected an intruder in the area they were protecting and were moving to intercept it. Each member of the pack hoped that the intruder was a human that had lost its way, in which case the wolves would not bother it, or even an animal that could be brought down to feed the pack. The third option was the one that each of them feared to be true, but would face anyway.

Cole felt his mind merge completely with the animal until he believed that it was him hunting in the woods with his pack. He smelled something suddenly and nearly stumbled as the potency of it assaulted him. He could tell from the shift in direction of the mating pair that led the pack that they had smelled it too. As one, they turned and continued to run in the direction of the smell.

Cole tried to identify the smell, but it was nothing that he had encountered before. It smelled dirty and greasy, like the loud metal boxes that the humans rode around in on the black patches of earth, but fouler. It reminded him of the chaotic thoughts of their pack-mate that had gotten the foaming sickness. He had wandered off to die alone, which was the only thing he could have done to protect the pack. This smell was like that scent. It was unnatural.

In spite of the foreignness of the smell, a part of him recognized it instantly. The collective thoughts and memories that were passed down to each of them at the time they were born knew what it was. It was an ancient enemy against whom they had been fighting since the humans had first started to build their closely-packed many-houses of stone. It filled him with anger and he could sense the same feelings coming from the rest of the pack. He wanted to sink his teeth into this enemy and shake it until it no longer moved.

They continued to run toward where the smell had originated, toward the large den of the humans they were protecting. Inside that den was a treasure greater than the lives of the entire pack. It was something that had to be protected at all costs and the ancient enemy now threatened it. They would chase the enemy down and attack it as one. And then it would be dead and could no longer threaten the treasure.

As they closed on the enemy, the pack sensed that it had come to a stop just ahead. They slowed to a trot and entered a clearing in the middle of the trees. The pack fanned out to face the enemy, each of them taking a place instinctively based on their individual strength or speed. He had received images of the enemy from the collective thoughts of all wolves, but those images had been hazy and tinged with anger, fear and suffering. What he saw in front of him now was even more terrifying than all of those images combined.

The enemy resembled wolves in the most basic of ways only. It was crouched on all fours in front of a tree, though he knew that the creature could run on two legs almost as easily as four, though not as quickly. It was covered in shiny, thick fur the color of the complete darkness at the back of a cave. The sheen that covered the fur wasn't the same that covered the fur of his kind during summers when the pack was well-fed. This was the greasy sheen that was left when a living creature had been consumed by a forest fire. Its eyes were a glowing yellow that held an unhealthy light and its huge teeth gleamed whitely in its open mouth.

Where a wolf's body was lean and built for speed, this creature was covered in huge muscles that could only have one purpose – to rend and tear other living beings for no purpose other than to take the life from them. He could understand killing for food. It was the way of things that some animals died to feed the lives of the ones who had killed them. But to kill for no other purpose than to end a life was the worst kind of evil.

The moon glowed brightly overhead and spilled its light across the clearing, but where the creature stood, its rays were absent. Though he could clearly make out every detail of it, the creature seemed to pull at the light around it and create darkness in its place.

He heard the growl coming from his throat before he knew he had made it. It was quickly joined by matching growls from the rest of the pack as they crouched down slightly and began to slowly move forward. Each member of the pack knew what the creature had to have known – it was no match for the pack's ability to hunt as one. Death had closed on it and was about to take it.

A slight breeze blew up from behind him and he smelled the greasy smell of the enemy again. He paused in confusion as he realized that this could not be. The enemy was in front of him and the pack, and yet the breeze had come from behind him. There was no way that its smell could have come from behind him, unless... A slight movement above him drew his eyes to the trees on either side of the pack and what he saw filled him with dismay. Several of the enemy were crouched among the tree branches above them and were moving behind them as the pack moved forward. It was an ambush.

He frantically sent the images of the creatures in the trees to the rest of the pack, but he knew it was too late. The lone creature that they had first caught charged forward and the pack responded by surging toward it as one. If they broke off the attack to take on the creatures individually, they wouldn't stand a chance. The creatures were stronger than they were and would pick them off one at a time. Only by attacking as one would they stand a chance. But he also knew that the pack stood no chance at all if the creatures behind them attacked while their attention was on the creature in front of them.

He made the decision to attack the creatures behind them, knowing that it would mean his death. But the fact that the pack might be able to live because of it made the choice an easy one. He spun to face the other creatures, quickly counting five of them. As they stalked forward, he charged toward the largest of the creatures. He was the fastest member of the pack, so he closed the distance quickly. The other four creatures ignored him, but the creature he had targeted rose on two legs to meet him.

At the last second, he dove between the large creature's legs and sunk his teeth into its ankle as he flew past. A large chunk of its flesh tore loose in his mouth, which he quickly spit out in disgust. The taste was so nauseating that he was nearly overcome and swooned for a split-second. He shook his head to clear it, ignoring the howl of pain from the creature he had attacked. A cry of pain from one of his pack mates was quickly followed by a second howl from one of the creatures. The pack had begun its attack and had seen its first casualty among its own.

He sprinted forward toward the reinforcing creatures and past the one that he had hamstrung, which hobbled off to the side in obvious pain. He felt a brief moment of satisfaction knowing that it was removed from the fight, even if temporarily. But that moment was pushed aside as he picked his next target and charged toward it. The creatures had ignored him as he had passed them the first time, so he had the element of surprise. He ran up behind the creature furthest on the right and leaped on its back, digging his claws into its fur for a second before sinking his teeth into the back of its neck.

The creature screamed in pain and rose on two legs as he kicked his hind legs repeatedly to scratch the flesh from its back. The creature's arms reached behind it and he released his jaws to dodge them as they waved wildly, trying to get a hold of him. He bit down in the same spot and heard the creature howl in agony as he pulled at the flesh between his teeth. His mouth filled with a foul fluid that he guessed to be the creature's blood. Just as he thought that he would retch from the taste, a chunk of the creature broke free in his mouth. He spit the vileness from his mouth as he retracted his claws to jump from the creatures' back. He sprung with his front legs just as a searing pain erupted from his side. He landed on the ground and nearly collapsed as a fire consumed the side of his body. He knew before he looked at it that its claws had found their purchase as he had jumped free.

He looked back at the creature and saw it collapse as blood poured down its back. He had taken another one out of the fight, which was a fair trade for the wound he had taken. The sound of the creature hitting the ground was louder than he expected and drew the attention of the other creatures and it was this sound that finally accomplished his goal. They turned as one and began to advance toward him, ignoring the rest of the pack and giving them the chance they needed to survive.

He looked behind the advancing creatures and saw the crumpled form of the first one that the pack had cornered lying motionless on the ground. The pack had eliminated it, but not without cost. His litter-mate and sister was dead on the ground not far from it and he knew that she had given her life to destroy it. Sorrow filled him at the loss of his sister, but he pushed it aside to the same place that he had pushed the pain in his side. He couldn't waste the opportunity that he had been given, so he stepped forward slowly and growled loudly as he tried to make himself look as large and intimidating as possible.

He heard a strange chuffing sound come from the creatures that he at first mistook for them speaking to each other. But then he realized that they were laughing at his display. They knew as well as he did that he stood no chance against three of them.

A long howl of pain followed by a loud snap behind him and to his right told him that the pack had eliminated the creature that he had hamstrung. The odds were now better, but the strength of the creatures still made three of them a difficult battle. He had to do what he could to cripple at least one more and then he knew they could win. The creature on his right turned his head at the sound of its comrade's death and he became the next target.

He charged toward it and it crouched to meet him in response. Expecting this move, he instead jumped over it and twisted his body to leap off the tree behind it. Before it could turn, he landed on its back, digging in his claws and reaching to bite its neck. But this creature was smarter than the last one. As soon as his claws had met its back, it hunched its shoulders, protecting the back of its neck. His teeth closed on hard, solid muscle on its shoulder instead, but didn't penetrate very deeply. Just as a piece of its flesh tore free, the creature rolled to its right, carrying him with it. He tried to spring loose, but he wasn't fast enough. The creature rolled over him and its weight was unbearable. The wind was knocked from his lungs and he heard a sickening, wet crack as it rolled away from him.

He stumbled to his feet briefly, but this time the explosion of pain was too much for him to bear. He collapsed to the ground as consciousness threatened to slip away. He used what little strength he had left to seize it at its edges and to force his broken body to its feet. He looked back at his other side and could see the white of bone sticking out of his flesh. He had seen such wounds before and knew that they meant his death was not far away. He turned his head back to face the creatures. His death would not sneak up behind him. It would have to face him and whatever strength that he had left.

The intelligent creature that had caused his death faced him for a moment before stumbling. It got back to its feet, but with confusion obvious on its face. His own confusion matched the creature's until he saw the blood pouring from the wound on its shoulder. He stuck his tongue out in a wolfish grin as he realized that he had struck an artery with his missed bite. The creature had killed him, but it wouldn't live much longer than he did with such a wound.

The rest of the pack came up behind him, facing the three remaining creatures. As they spread out on either side of him, he could see that all but two of them had suffered some kind of injury, but none were life-threatening. They each cried in distress as they saw what they knew to be the mortal wound on his side, but they quickly refocused on the enemies before them. With only three remaining and one mortally wounded, they were sure to win, in spite of the great cost to the pack.

And then he saw the movement in the trees behind the creatures and the pack's sudden surge of confidence was dashed. More of the creatures were coming in to view. They were outnumbered again. The single thought that was sent by each member of the pack made it clear to him that it didn't matter. They would fight to the last to defend the treasure that they protected. And they would take as many of the creatures with them as they could.

The shapes continued to materialize and it was then that their final hopes died. Twelve of the hideous creatures loped casually into view. With the death of his sister, eleven of the pack remained. It was a large pack that had handled every challenge that he could ever remember them facing. But this was a battle that they could not win. They would be destroyed to the last wolf, and the treasure would be taken from its den.

Cole woke to a strange wetness swiping repeatedly across his face. He finally shook off the last of his sleep and looked up to see Cody staring down at him. He pushed Cody off of him and sat up in bed, looking around in confusion at his bedroom. The dream had been so real that he had expected to awaken in the forest. He wondered what could have caused such a strange dream.

Cody jumped back on the bed, whining loudly before leaping from the bed and running to the bedroom door. He scratched wildly at it for several seconds before turning back around, whining and staring at Cole. The noise of his scratching at the door seemed thunderous in the silence. Cole looked briefly over at his nightstand and saw the digital clock there. It was three o'clock in the morning.

"Be quiet, boy," he whispered loudly at Cody. "You're going to wake everyone up!"

Cody ignored him and scratched at the door again. Cole jumped out of bed and shooed him away from the door and though he jumped back a few feet, he continued to whine. Cole had never seen him so distressed.

"What is the matter with you?" he asked with exasperation.

An image hit his mind so forcefully that he fell back against the bed and sat on it. A pack of wolves stood in a forest clearing, facing the black demon-like creatures from his dream. One of the wolves was gravely injured along its side and could barely stand. He was confused for a moment before he realized that this was the same wolf from his dreams. He wondered how it was possible for Cody to have sent him such an image, for he knew Cody to be its source. And then he recognized something from the image that sent a chill down his spine. A dead tree stood off to one side of the clearing. Its shape was the same as one that stood on the edge of a clearing two hundred yards from the house. The battle in his dream had taken place a small distance from his home.

Cody whined again and Cole realized that he wanted to go to the place in the image. He wanted to go to the wolves. He realized that it hadn't been a dream at all. He had been witnessing the battle as it took place. He thought for a moment about what he should do. The wolves were protecting something, and he tried to remember from his dream what it was. There was something about a den of humans and a treasure within. He thought for a second before finally translating the thoughts of the wolf to what a human would think. They were protecting Cole's house and his family within it.

We've got to help them, Cole!

The voice in his head stunned him. He knew it was Cody the moment he heard it, but he had never before heard Cody's voice in his head. They had always communicated through the use of imagery, never by actual words. He looked over at his bed and saw Aidan sitting there, staring at him. She seemed calm, but alert.

Please, Cole. They won't stand a chance if we don't help them!

The distress from Cody came through clearly in the words that he sent to Cole's mind. But it wasn't the frantic pleading from his friend that made up his mind. The animals in the woods were giving their lives to protect him and his family. If he and Cody could help in any way, they had to do it.

He ran to his closet and pulled his aluminum baseball bat, his snow boots and a heavy sweater out. He threw on a pair of jeans and then quickly put on the boots and sweater. He opened the door and quickly, but quietly walked from the room and out the sliding glass door near the dining room. Cody bolted as soon as the door had opened and sprinted from the trees. As Cole moved through the door, he jumped as something brushed against his leg. He looked down to see Aidan staring up at him expectantly.

"Alright, then," he told her. "I guess three's better than two."

He ran down the stairs at the end of the deck and then started to jog through the deep snow leading to the trees. He could barely see Cody ahead of him as he plowed his way through the same snow. Aidan hopped along behind him, using his footprints to make her way. The snow started to thin near the trees and his pace quickened. He could no longer see Cody, but his eyes quickly grew accustomed to the darkness as he entered the forest. He knew the clearing was a hundred yards ahead. He ran toward it with Aidan at his side, hoping that they could get there in time to help the wolves, though he wasn't sure what help he could offer against such creatures. He thought that he should have been terrified of such an encounter, but all he felt was rage at the creatures who had invaded his family's home.

He slowed his pace as the sound of snarling reached his ears. The fight was just ahead. He came to a stop and decided that he would come up behind them, if he could. He crept around the edge of the clearing, but couldn't see inside. A group of low-growing evergreen trees blocked his view of the clearing. As he snuck around the other side of the small copse, he saw into the clearing for the first time.

The wolves that he had seen in his dream faced him, though a quick count made it clear that there were now less of them. Cody stood in front of them and Cole had never seen him look so frightening. His teeth were bared in a snarl that promised death and he looked to be twice his normal size. Between him and them, the creatures from his dream crouched in the light snow. They were even more terrifying in person, but he felt no fear when he saw them. Instead, the rage inside of him grew. A small gray shape on the ground near him moved slightly and drew his eyes. He cried in dismay as he recognized the wolf from his dream.

He ran from the trees and to its side, carefully crouching in the snow. He realized his mistake too late as the creatures turned as one to look at him. They turned to face him, ignoring Cody and the wolves. But Cody and the pack moved quickly around the clearing to move between him and the creatures, creating a barrier of teeth and fur. He saw Aidan run up to his side and her growling was nearly as terrifying as the wolves.

The creatures stopped when they saw Cody and stared at him intently, ignoring the wolves. Cole couldn't be sure, but he thought that they appeared to be almost afraid of his dog, whose silvery fur glowed faintly in the moonlight. He wondered why they would be so wary of Cody, when a pack of wolves didn't faze them.

He heard a soft whine next to him and realized that the injured wolf was still alive. Aidan whined once in response and then looked up at him. Her eyes looked very sad and tears had formed at their edges. She looked like she was crying, even though he knew dogs didn't cry as humans did. He saw the injured wolf move its head and look up at him. He could feel the pain and fear coming from it and it wrenched at his heart. He kneeled down, ignoring everything else around him and reached for the wolf that had given its life to save him and his family.

"Cole, no!" Uncle Harper's voice boomed across the clearing. "It's too dangerous when it's injured!"

Cole turned in surprise at the sound of his uncle's voice and saw him jog into the clearing, moving near the wolves and Cody, who continued to form a line between him and the creatures. But a soft whine drew his attention back to the injured wolf. Ignoring his uncle's warning, he gently kneeled next to it and lifted its head to place in his lap. His vision swam as tears filled his eyes. He was overcome with gratitude for its sacrifice and his sadness deepened when he realized that the sacrifice of the pack had grown. The wolf had lost another sister and one brother in the fight before they had arrived.

The wolf looked up at him and one thought was clearer than all of the images of pain and fear – it didn't want to die alone. Cole held the animal closer, knowing from its thoughts that it could no longer feel the pain of its injuries. He felt recognition from the animal and then gratitude as he leaned in and buried his face in the fur of its neck. He sobbed softly as the animal's thoughts started to fade. He still didn't know why the wolves had given their lives to protect the Ambrose family, but he was grateful for their sacrifice.

Cole finally pulled his head away from the wolf and looked from a few inches into its eyes. It stared quietly for a moment and then licked Cole's face once with just the tip of its tongue. And then it closed its eyes and Cole could hear its thoughts no longer.

He was numb with grief for a moment as the realization that the wolf had died sunk in. But his grief quickly turned to anger. It built inside him as he thought of these creatures that had come to his home and violated it. They had come to the woods through which he walked during the summer and killed four animals that had chosen to protect his family. It wasn't only his home that had been violated. His feeling of security in his own home had been taken from him, as well. And now he was angry.

A thought came unbidden to his mind. It was irrational and completely unlike him, but it felt right for some reason. He wanted to sink his teeth into the necks of each of the creatures and tear their throats out. He wanted their thick, black blood to pour from them until their lives poured out with it. He wanted them dead and he wasn't satisfied with the thought of them merely dying. He wanted to kill them all himself, one at a time.

What had started as a vibration of anger in his body quickly became a tingling along his skin as he gently lowered the dead wolf and stood up. It traveled down his arms and his legs and across his entire body until he was sure that he could hear it humming. He felt powerful, as if nothing could stop him from exacting vengeance on these invaders. A bright light began to fill the clearing, but he ignored it as he walked toward the creatures, the tingling of his body continuing to grow.

One of the creatures stepped forward as Cole slowly walked toward them. It watched him intently for a moment before its grotesque features moved into what Cole knew was a smile. This only made Cole angrier. He was going to rip this creature to pieces while its companions watched. As he stepped forward, the lead creature stood on its hind legs and then it seemed to shift in the strangest way. It looked like it was melting into something smaller and Cole at first couldn't figure out what it was becoming. But then the shifting stopped and his Uncle Harper faced him.

Cole stopped dead in his tracks. He was certain that this was some kind of trick from the creature, but he couldn't make himself move to attack even something that merely had the shape of his uncle. But then Cole looked closely and could see that the man only resembled his uncle, though the resemblance was strong. It was like looking at a twin brother of his uncle. Even twins that were nearly identical had minor differences in their features, and the man in front of him had such differences. Cole's anger was renewed and he stepped forward to meet the man. It was time to exact payment from him for what he had done. Taking the form of his uncle was just another thing for which he would pay. As he moved forward another step, something moved in front of him.

"Stop, creature!" Uncle Harper shouted as he blocked Cole's path, facing the man who looked so much like him. His voice was booming and the trees surrounding the clearing rattled with its force. He turned back to look at Cole. "Stay back, Cole. Please."

His uncle was glowing with a light that seemed to be coming from his entire body. Even his clothing shone with it. Cole thought that this was where the light he had seen had been coming from. He looked over at Cody and saw that he was glowing with a light just as strong, but with a more silvery cast to it.

The man who looked like Uncle Harper smiled at him as he said, "I would think that you would find this form pleasing, son of Nuada. Is it no longer dear to you, cousin?" Even the voice was similar.

Uncle Harper's shoulders slumped for a moment but then straightened. "Taking his form does nothing but honor him, dog. I'm sure he made you pay for your encounter dearly."

Cole heard the biting sarcasm in his uncle's voice that had so frequently infuriated his father. It seemed to have the same effect on the man as his face twisted into an expression of anger. He stepped forward and the darkness around him seemed to grow in strength. It pulled at the light from his uncle as if trying to devour it.

But instead of shrinking from the darkness, the light emanating from his uncle intensified to the point that Cole had to look away. It shone brightly for what seemed like several minutes before diminishing slightly. When it finally dimmed, Cole looked through the spots in his vision to see that the man-creature had backed several feet away from his uncle.

Uncle Harper stood with his feet spread, facing the creatures, with Cody and the wolves spread in a line behind him. "These woods and the house nearby are under my protection," he said to the creatures. He hadn't spoken loudly, but his voice now seemed to be tinged with a power that made it seem bigger. "Come near this area again and you shall face me."

The man-creature seemed to hesitate for a moment. It looked back at its companions, obviously looking for support, but they had begun to shrink back into the trees in obvious fear of Harper. Cole suspected that the man-creature had no desire to face his uncle alone, but was unwilling to concede. He seemed to find some courage and stepped forward to meet his uncle.

Seemingly from nowhere, a large silver spear appeared in Harper's hand. It was taller than he was by nearly two feet and glowed with the same inner light that he did. Cody and the wolves each took another step forward and Cole sensed Aidan move to stand beside him. The man-creature hesitated for just a second more before finally bowing his head once to Harper.

"Very well," he said softly with a half-smile. "We shall leave for now. But you know as well as I do that this is only the beginning." He began to back away slowly as the darkness between the trees flowed out and around him. The other creatures melted into the shadows of the trees, as well and within seconds all of them had disappeared. Cole looked over at the bodies of the slain creatures and saw them melt into piles of greasy ash.

Cole felt the tingling of his skin diminish with his anger and it was quickly replaced with exhaustion. The wolves around him visibly relaxed and the injured ones began to lick their own wounds. He saw Uncle Harper move around the clearing and pick up the bodies of the slain wolves one at a time and move them to the center of the clearing. Uncle Harper didn't touch the last wolf, the one that had died in Cole's arms and he knew what his uncle was asking him to do.

He sank to the ground as his exhaustion fed the grief that he already felt for the animals. The low whining from many of the wolves reminded him that he wasn't the only one who was grieving. Several of the wolves lied on the ground with their heads on their paws, staring with sad eyes at the bodies of their pack mates. He gently picked up the body of the brave animal and carried it to where the rest of its family laid. Tears flowed freely down his face as he placed him next to the others and then leaned in to kiss its muzzle one last time before standing. The surviving wolves, Cody and Aidan moved to form a ring around the fallen and stared quietly for a second. The two largest wolves, which Cole recognized as the pack leaders, raised their heads and let out a mournful howl that was quickly joined by the rest of the back. Cody and Aidan joined in a second later and Cole felt an uncontrollable impulse build inside of him. He threw back his head and joined in the howling, letting it carry away the pain and anger that were left inside him.

He saw his uncle crouch down and place his hand on one of the wolves as he whispered something that Cole couldn't understand. The wolf glowed briefly for a moment before it disappeared. The only thing left was the imprint that its body had made in the snow. Uncle Harper moved to each of the wolves in turn and repeated what he had done, with each wolf disappearing after glowing briefly. The last wolf to disappear was the one to which Cole had been briefly connected.

When he had finished, Uncle Harper stood up and put his hand on Cole's shoulder. "Come on, Cole. Let's go home."

Cole nodded numbly in response. He looked over at the wolves, who were watching him intently. "Good-bye," he said to them softly. "And thank you."

None of them moved or responded in any way, but a series of images flashed through his mind. At first, he didn't understand them, but then he realized that they were thanking him for bringing help when he did. And then they turned around and melted into the trees, a few of them limping slightly as they moved.

Cole watched them until they had all disappeared and then turned and headed toward the house next to his uncle, with Cody and Aidan beside them. They reached the house and once inside, Cole headed straight for his bedroom with Aidan at his side. He had never been so exhausted in his life and his only thought was of collapsing on his bed. He kicked his boots off before lying down with his clothes still on, but was surprised that sleep wouldn't come. His mind was spinning with everything that had happened and he finally accepted that he had to speak with Uncle Harper about what had happened if there was any hope that he would sleep.

He stumbled from his bedroom and down the hall. His sensitive hearing picked up the sound of voices coming from the deck along the back of the house. He couldn't make out the words, but recognized his uncle's voice having a conversation with someone. His uncle sounded agitated or upset, but the other voice, which was not familiar to Cole, was calm as it responded. Cole moved closer to the sliding glass door, which was closed tightly. He could see through the curtain, but was sure that he couldn't be seen by the two people outside.

Uncle Harper was standing in the snow, still wearing only a t-shirt, sneakers and jeans. It was freezing outside, but as Cole had frequently noticed, it didn't seem to bother him. When Cole saw who his uncle was speaking with, he nearly gasped in surprise.

A young man that couldn't have been much older than Vaughan stood across from his uncle. His skin was extremely pale and seemed to glow slightly in the moonlight and his face was handsome in an angular sort of way. A long mane of silvery-white hair spilled past his shoulders. But what had surprised Cole was that he was completely naked. He wasn't even wearing shoes as he stood in the snow. He was much shorter than Uncle Harper, and slighter of build, but managed to somehow seem larger.

"You had no right putting his life at risk like that," Uncle Harper whispered fiercely. "You agreed to protect all of them and that doesn't mean taking Cole out to face them!"

The naked young man was silent for a moment before he responded in a raspy voice with a strange accent, "I do not need to be reminded of our agreement, son of Nuada. The pack needed me and I did not take him out with me. He merely followed me and I chose not to stop him. I don't think I need to remind you of my obligations to the others who have agreed to protect the Solas." He looked out into the woods then, and his voice sounded distant. "Without their help, you and I alone will fail. You know this to be true."

Harper's voice sounded slightly calmer as he responded, "I mean no offense by what I say, but he could have been killed."

The young man turned his head to look at Uncle Harper again. "We all could have been killed. But we weren't." He shrugged his shoulders as he added, "We were stronger and those foul invaders knew this. Besides, I believe Cole was in much less danger than you believe. From what he showed tonight, he's at least as dangerous as you or I are, if not more so."

"You're probably right about that," Uncle Harper conceded as he glanced out into the woods. "But we can't take such chances. He is not ready to face them. And because of tonight, it is likely that they know what we're protecting."

"That may be true, but he will never be ready to face them if he is sheltered constantly by you," the young man said. There was no accusation in his voice. It sounded like he was simply stating a fact. "You cannot teach the pup to hunt by keeping him in the den. He must face his enemies to learn how to fight them."

Harper shook his head in frustration, but didn't say anything in response.

The young man looked at the house and Cole froze for a second, hoping that he couldn't be seen through the blinds. "Do you think he is the one, then?"

Harper sighed before answering, "I don't know. He's the first one to show any signs, but what we saw tonight doesn't say for certain that he's the Solas." This time it was Harper whose voice sounded distant as he added, "I don't want it to be any of them, but if it has to be, Cole's certainly the strongest. He could handle the responsibility better than the others."

The young man nodded slightly. "He is certainly strong, but don't underestimate the other children. The strength of their mother is in each of them, if in different ways. And don't forget the strength of their father. It is slower to build in his race, but it is there nonetheless."

Something brushed against Cole's leg and he jumped in fright, his hand brushing against the blinds and rattling them loudly. He looked down to see Aidan standing at his side, looking up at him. He held his fingers to his lips and sent her a mental request to stay quiet. In response, she walked over to the glass door and looked outside.

Cole looked through the blinds and knew that it no longer mattered if Aidan was quiet or not. His uncle was looking right at him and he didn't look happy. The young man was nowhere to be seen and Cody, who hadn't been there a minute before, was now standing next to Uncle Harper. Cole looked around in confusion, wondering how the young man could have disappeared so quickly, but could see no sign of him. Cole reached out with his mind to Cody, asking him if he had seen a naked young man, but the only response he received from his dog was something that Cole could only identify as amusement.

Uncle Harper was definitely not amused. "Get to bed, Cole. Now."

Cole turned around and headed back to his room. The exhaustion that he had kept pushing aside was back again and he stumbled down the hallway before collapsing on his bed. He had forgotten to close his bedroom door, but he didn't care. Aidan curled up at the foot of the bed and looked at him with those familiar eyes. Before long he felt Cody jump up on the bed and when he opened his eyes, Cole saw that he had curled up next to Aidan. He thought it odd that they were suddenly so comfortable, but guessed that it had had something to do with the encounter in the woods. They were both asleep in minutes and Cole fell asleep not long after.

The rest of the night, his dreams had a normal quality to them, unlike the dream through the eyes of the wolf. But the wolf was there in his dreams nonetheless. Cole could see him running through a forest in spring, the trees covered in green leaves, with patches of wildflowers littered throughout. At his side ran his brother and sisters who had also given their lives to protect Cole's family, and the thoughts he could hear from them were joyous.

# Chapter 9

Sunday Morning, January 9th

Jerry tried to keep his voice under control as he explained to the woman on the phone that he had heard wolves howling outside his house the night before. She was an operator for animal control who was clearly inexperienced, but Jerry knew that she was trying to be helpful.

"I'm very sorry that he didn't come to speak with anyone at the house, sir," the operator said. "But according to our records, the agent was out there on Friday. It doesn't look like he's filed his report, but it should be in there by tomorrow."

Jerry sighed, but managed to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "Is there anything in there at all about what he might have found? This was a large group of animals that we saw the other night. If they're wolves, I'd imagine a pack that large can be pretty dangerous."

There was a sound of typing on the other end for a moment before she responded, "I don't see anything in there other than the time that he was heading over Friday morning."

He sighed before saying, "Ma'am, I don't mean to be pushy, but I have five children in this house and we're sort of out in the boonies. If there's a pack of wolves living in these woods, I need to know."

"I am very sorry, sir," she answered after a brief pause. "I have three of my own and I understand your concern," she added sincerely. "I'm here tomorrow morning, and I promise you I'll give you a call as soon as that report is in. In the meantime, it might be a good idea to keep the kids from being outside unsupervised."

There was nothing else he could say. The operator was clearly doing everything she could, but she just didn't have the report. "That's not a bad idea," he told her. "Thank you for your help. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome, sir," she said before Jerry hung up the phone.

He walked into the living room from his bedroom and saw Billie and Louis sitting on the couch watching cartoons. He told them both not to go outside without either him or Harper until they could figure out what was going on with the wolves. They both looked sufficiently frightened by the mention of wolves that Jerry was sure they would obey him. Next, he walked past the room that Vaughan and Louis shared and saw Vaughan still asleep in his bed. Jerry smiled and shook his head. His middle child was definitely becoming a teenager based on the amount of sleeping he did. He vaguely remembered being that age himself, and most of those memories were of eating and sleeping. He moved on to Cole's room, which was empty, but so was Harper's. Jerry guessed that they had probably gone to the grocery store, which was Harper's Sunday morning routine. He looked into Dinah's bedroom and saw that it was empty too, which likely meant that she had gone to the store with them.

Jerry walked back into the living room and asked his youngest children if they had eaten breakfast and they shook their heads. He walked into the kitchen to fix them each a bowl of cereal, but noticed a pan covered with foil sitting on the stove. Even before he had peeled back the foil, the smell of cinnamon and cream cheese wafted up at him. Harper had left some of his famous cinnamon rolls for breakfast before he had left, which made Jerry smile. He called Billie and Louis into the kitchen and fixed them each a plate while he put on a pot of coffee.

The doorbell rang just as he pushed the start button on the coffee maker. Jerry frowned as he headed to the front door. They rarely had visitors this far out and never on a weekend in the middle of winter. He wondered if one of the children had invited a friend over and forgotten to tell him. He opened the door to see a pretty young blond woman standing on the porch. She was warmly dressed and had a beanie pulled over her head that had braided pigtails sticking out of either side.

The woman smiled as she made eye contact with him. "Good morning. My name's Anna and I'm a student here in the U.S. visiting from Russia." She had an obvious accent, but spoke perfect English. "I'm on a work scholarship and am selling magazines to help pay for my expenses." She held up something that looked like a catalog as she said this, still smiling brightly.

Her breath steamed and Jerry noticed how cold it was outside for the first time. "I'm sorry, but that's not really something we're interested in," he told her politely. He had a standing rule that no one in the house was to buy anything from solicitors. He had seen enough cases of burglars using solicitation as a means to get in the house to look for valuables that they would come back later to steal.

"Oh, I see," Anna said, slightly crestfallen. She looked past him and her gaze grew distant for a moment, as if she was seeing something in the house.

Jerry turned around to see what she was looking at, thinking that perhaps one of the children had walked up to the door, but when he turned around, the foyer was empty. He turned back around in confusion, but she was looking at him again. The bright smile had returned and she was tucking the catalog back in her jacket.

"Well, thank you for your time, sir," she said as she shrugged her shoulders. "You have a wonderful Sunday."

She turned around and walked down the porch steps and around the corner of the house near the driveway. He closed the door as he lost sight of her and headed back for the kitchen. He had only taken a few steps before he felt guilt tugging him back to the door. She had seemed like a nice girl and he had let his prejudices make the decision to turn her away. He knew that he had no need for a magazine subscription, but it wasn't like he couldn't afford to indulge in one to help a starving exchange student. He opened the door and hurried down the porch steps and around the corner of the house.

Jerry looked around in confusion. The young woman was gone. He looked up the driveway, thinking that she had gotten into a car, but the driveway was empty. He knew that there was no way that a car could have made its way down the long driveway that quickly unless it had been going very fast, which in the snow wasn't likely. What was stranger was that he could see no signs of tire tracks in the parking court near the front of the house, where the snow looked to be undisturbed. He walked over to the driveway near the garage, but the many sets of tire tracks there told him nothing. Both his car and Harper's had been through the snow there enough times that he couldn't have picked out individual sets if he tried. As he walked back to the front porch, he noticed two sets of footprints besides his own leading away from the porch. They were both slightly smaller than his, which could mean that one was from the young woman. One set moved down the driveway, but the other had moved past the garage and toward the forest near the house. He knew that they couldn't be from Harper or his two oldest children, since they would have gone out of the house through the garage.

He looked down the driveway again, but it was empty of anything other than snow. He supposed that there was a chance that the young woman had run down the driveway before he had come back outside. He didn't think that he had been inside long enough for such a thing to happen, but it was the only logical explanation that he could think of. That she had walked off into the woods toward James McCallister's house was another possible explanation, but he hoped that wasn't the case.

"Dad? What are you doing out here?" Louis' voice drifted down from the porch.

Jerry turned around to see his son standing on the porch in his house slippers and pajamas. His arms were crossed and he was shaking in the cold, which Jerry suddenly felt. Thoughts of the strange young woman were pushed aside then as he ran back up the porch and guided Louis back inside.

"I was looking for something," he answered. "But it's too cold out here. Let's get back inside."

He walked back into the house, ushering Louis ahead of him, before heading into the kitchen. Louis sat down as Jerry looked at Billie, who sat at the kitchen table, finishing her cinnamon roll while staring blankly at the table in front of her. She looked exhausted.

"Billie, are you still tired?" he asked.

She nodded in response, but continued to stare at the table as she chewed absently.

"Did you stay up late last night?" He had gone to bed before the children and Harper, so it was possible that she had stayed up past her bed time to watch the movie with the rest of the family.

She shook her head and swallowed the bite that she had been chewing. "I had a bad dream last night."

He poured a cup of coffee and sat next to her at the table before using the spatula to serve himself a cinnamon roll. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head again, "That's okay, Daddy. I think I'm just gonna go back to sleep for a little while."

"Okay, honey," he said as she climbed down from her chair. She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek before heading out of the kitchen. Bad dreams were a part of parenting that he had handled with all of his children. Arianna had often sung the children to sleep when any of them had awoken in the middle of the night, but Jerry suspected that his singing would only make his daughter's dreams worse.

Louis finished his roll and cleared his and Billie's plates from the table before heading back into the living room. Just as he left, Vaughan walked into the kitchen, yawning hugely. His curly hair was in complete disarray and his eyes were still sleepy as he sat at the table and served himself.

"Good morning, Dad," he said with a smile.

Jerry couldn't remember the last time that Vaughan had smiled at him first thing in the morning. He thought again of how grateful he was that things were changing between them. He had been worried that Vaughan had fallen in with a wrong crowd at school or gotten involved with drugs. But now he knew that it had been his failure to communicate that had been the chief cause of the problem.

"Good morning, son," Jerry said with a matching smile. He took a sip of his coffee, which was delicious, and thought what a good day it had started off to be. The encounter with the young woman on the porch had been a little odd and as he thought of her, he worried again that she had walked off into the woods that were possibly harboring a large wolf pack. He decided that he would call James McCallister a little later to see if she had gone by his house, just to be sure.

The phone rang at that moment and Jerry thought it would be ironic if Mr. McCallister was calling. He stood up and picked up the cordless headset from the counter.

"Sid, it's me," Larry said from the other side before Jerry could say hello.

He looked down at the base of the phone and the caller ID said the call was coming from the office. "Larry, what are you doing in the office on a Sunday?"

Larry chuckled. "I'm dedicated to my job, partner. You really should take a lesson from me and stop slacking and taking all of these days off, you know."

Jerry sighed as he answered, "It's the weekend, Larry. Just because you have nothing better to do, doesn't mean that I don't."

"Well, I was calling to tell you that I got those lab tests back," Larry said with mock indignation. "But, if I'm bothering you on your precious day off, you can wait until tomorrow to see them."

"You're a jackass, Larry," Jerry said with a short laugh. "I'd like to hear the results. Please."

"As you wish, oh relaxing one," Larry answered. "So, the results came back in an e-mail and it said that there were three distinct fluid types. The first one was blood and definitely canine, which they sent to one of the labs at Colorado State University. They identified it as coming from a wolf – specifically, a gray wolf."

"That makes sense," Jerry interjected.

"Stop interrupting me," Larry said before continuing, which made Jerry shake his head. "The other two samples couldn't be identified positively, but the report said that one of them was similar to human blood."

Jerry interrupted before Larry could continue, "Larry, how can something be similar to human blood? It's either human blood or it isn't."

"I came to the same conclusion, professor," Larry answered. "The report says that it matched human blood in every way except for two – there was no identifiable blood type or RH factor. They think the sample must have been contaminated somehow, so they asked if we wanted further analysis on it, so I responded that we did. I know what you're thinking and I thought the same thing – it was a clean sample. But maybe they can find something if they dig a little deeper."

"Good idea," Jerry said. The only thing around the blood spots had been snow, which shouldn't have contaminated either of the samples. He and Larry both knew how to identify possibly contaminated samples at crime scenes, but he acknowledged that it had been outdoors in the middle of the night. There was a chance, albeit a small one, that Larry could have missed something when he collected it. "I'll take a look at the report tomorrow. Thanks for calling, Larry."

"Wait a second," Larry said as Jerry was pulling the phone away from his ear. "Don't you want to hear about the third sample?"

Jerry had almost forgotten about the third fluid that they had collected, which had been the oily black substance. "Sorry, I forgot about that one. What did it say?"

"Well, that one's the strangest one," Larry said. "The report said that they couldn't identify what it was. They asked the guys at Colorado State about that one, too and they couldn't identify it either."

Colorado State University had one of the best biology colleges in the country. Jerry found it surprising that there was anything they couldn't identify.

"They said that it appeared to be biological in nature, but couldn't identify if it was plant or animal in origin," Larry continued. "They said that...wait a minute, let me read it to you." He paused for a minute before continuing, "The sample appears to be biological in nature and in its structure appears to serve the same function as blood, namely nutrient delivery and metabolic waste transport. However, its cellular structure is completely different than any known type of blood. Concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the cells are similar to human blood, but it also contains rather large quantities of sulfur dioxide." He paused for a moment before adding, "They want to know where the sample came from."

Jerry snorted as he answered, "So do we." Jerry wondered how they could have gotten such a clean sample with the wolf blood, but contaminated the other two to the point that they couldn't even be identified. "Okay. I'll take a look at it in the morning. Thanks, Larry."

"No problem, Sid. See you tomorrow," Larry said before hanging up.

Jerry ran through Thursday night again in his head to see if there was something that he was missing that would explain the things that he couldn't figure out. He knew that Harper was still keeping something from him, but he couldn't imagine that anything his brother-in-law told him would shed any light on the mystery lab samples. But the fact that one of the samples had been positively identified as wolf blood actually caused him the greatest concern. He thought about calling animal control again, but knew that there would be nothing they could do unless they could confirm the presence of the animals themselves. He decided that he would forward the lab result to the animal control office in the morning and be sure to use his FBI e-mail address. That tended to get results quicker and he would take no chances when the safety of his children was in question.

He looked over at the clock and realized that it had been over an hour since he had first checked on the children and wondered where Harper and his oldest two were. He heard Vaughan clear his plate from the table and watched him walk from the kitchen. He decided to be helpful and clean up the kitchen before Harper and the kids got home.

Harper parked the car in the empty parking lot next to the Evergreen Lake House. He had woken up early that morning and made breakfast for the family before waking Cole up and telling him that they needed to talk. They had gone to breakfast and eaten in silence before driving over to the small lake near the center of town. After parking, Harper left the car running so that the heater would stay on. Cole knew that his uncle didn't seem to feel the cold, and it rarely bothered Cole either, but he liked the feel of it on his face. The heat and the gray sky outside made him slightly sleepy, so he sat up straighter in his chair. The temperature gauge on the dashboard said that it was fifteen degrees outside. The sky was slightly overcast, but the air had been otherwise still when they had walked to the car after breakfast.

Cole had a list of questions that he wanted to ask his uncle, but wasn't sure where to start. The events of the night before were still fresh in his mind and they had been so unusual in their entirety that he couldn't think of one thing that stood out more than anything else that would serve as a good starting point.

"Cole, we need to talk about last night," Harper said, breaking the silence.

Cole stared back at his uncle, waiting for him to say something else. When he didn't, Cole nodded in response. "Yeah, we do," he answered as he continued to stare at his uncle.

"Where should I start?" Harper asked softly. It was clear that he was asking himself this question, but the question echoed Cole's thought at that moment. So much had happened in the past few days that the list of questions in Cole's mind seemed endless.

"What were those things in the woods last night?" Cole asked. In his mind, it was the logical place to start. It was the only thing that had happened so far that couldn't have some other explanation that he had overlooked. The encounter with the creatures that had been so obviously...alien that it had made all of the unusual events of the past few days seem normal by comparison.

Harper nodded, acknowledging Cole's question and seeming to agree that it was the best place to start. "Before I answer that question, I must ask one of my own," Harper said as he looked at Cole. "Why did you go outside last night – what made you go to that spot in the woods like that?"

Cole stared back at his uncle and was surprised that he could meet the intensity of his gaze. He could sense that there was more to his uncle's question, more that he was searching for than what he had asked. "Cody woke me up," Cole answered, not sure what it was that his uncle was looking for. "And I followed him out to the woods. And then...you saw what happened after that."

"Yes, I did," Harper answered. "I think I'm not being clear in what I'm asking, though." He was quiet for a moment before asking, "Cole, when we were out by the wood shed the other night and I asked you about the things you had been feeling recently, you told me you felt like there was something nearby that was searching for something. Do you remember that?"

Cole nodded in response. He had felt the feeling he had described to his uncle.

"What I'd like to know is...," Harper asked, frowning in thought. "...has anything else happened recently that you would consider to be...unusual?"

Cole nearly laughed out loud as he considered his uncle's question. Just about everything that had happened to him in the past few days had been unusual. At the same time, he knew exactly what his uncle meant. And yet a part of him was still reluctant to share everything that he had experienced. It made no sense for him to feel that way, but he did. He knew that his uncle only wanted to help him, as he had in the woods the night before. And based on what he had seen his uncle do while facing the creatures, how he had seemed to know what they were and what they wanted, he doubted that anything he said would surprise him. Finally, Cole decided that the only way he could fully understand what was happening to him and his family was to be as honest with Uncle Harper as he could. He opened his mouth and told his uncle about his encounter with the creature at school, how he had first met Aidan and his dream of the wolf pack that had eventually led him to the woods with Cody. When he finished, he looked at his uncle in silence.

"Have you always been able to hear the thoughts of animals?" Harper asked intently.

Cole nodded, but didn't say anything as his uncle appeared to be deep in thought. Finally Cole asked, "What does it mean, Uncle Harper? Why am I able to hear what they're thinking? And you didn't answer my first question. What were those things we saw last night?"

Harper looked out the windshield at the lake for a moment in silence before responding to his nephew. "To answer your questions, there are some things that I must tell you," Harper said as he looked at his nephew again. "These things aren't going to be easy for you to hear, Cole. But in order for you to understand what happened last night, you must hear them."

"Okay," Cole answered hesitantly. He was suddenly afraid of what his uncle was about to say even though he had asked the question.

Harper sighed softly before speaking, "Cole, there are things about your mother...things about who she really was that you and your siblings don't know." He continued to stare at Cole, and the discomfort was obvious in his eyes as he spoke, though it was matched with determination. "Your mother wasn't who you think she was...rather not exactly who you think she was."

Cole stared back in confusion, not sure what his mother had to do with anything that had happened the night before. He wondered briefly if his uncle was trying to change the subject. But then he remembered that it had been his idea to come out to the lake that morning, and Cole knew that however irrelevant Uncle Harper's words seemed to be, there had to be a reason for them.

"What are you trying to say?" Cole asked softly.

Harper stared back in silence for a moment before answering, "Did you ever notice anything unusual about your mother...or about me for that matter?"

Cole wasn't sure how to respond. Of course he had noticed unusual things about his uncle. His uncle was unusual. But in Cole's eyes, his mother had been perfect in every way – more loving and caring of her children than any mother he knew.

"Sure," Cole answered. "I mean, I guess I've noticed some things about you...but what does that have to do with anything?"

"It has everything to do with it," Harper answered with a slight smile. "Cole, your mother and I are...different from your father," he added as he nearly squirmed with discomfort.

Cole felt a flush of sudden anger as he realized what his uncle was so clumsily trying to say. He knew his father believed Uncle Harper was racist, but Cole had always assumed that his father's belief was based on their strained relationship. But now he had heard from his uncle's own mouth that his father had been right.

"I know you and mom are different," Cole answered with frustration. "Anyone can see that. It's a stupid thing to say and definitely has nothing to do with what we're talking about!"

Harper looked back at him in surprise for a moment before recognition filled his face. "You think I'm talking about race?" he asked, his voice rising slightly in anger. "If so, then that is a stupid thing to say, Cole. This is much bigger than that, and for your information, I have nothing against any one race of humans!"

Something about the way his uncle said any one race of humans caught Cole's ear. But it wasn't just what he had said; it was how he had said it. For the first time in Cole's life, he had made his uncle angry. He suddenly felt embarrassed by what he had said.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Harper," he said softly. "I thought you were trying to say something bad about my father."

"I suppose I deserve that," Harper said as he looked down at his lap. He was silent as he stared down at his hands. And then he spoke, "I care about your father a great deal, Cole...though I haven't been very good at showing it." He looked up again, staring out the windshield again. Cole looked in the same direction and saw a breeze blow snow across the frozen lake. It blew in eddies that made the snow look like steam rising from the ice.

"Cole, it's important that you understand what I'm trying to tell you, and perhaps I'm dancing around the subject when I should be direct." He looked over at his nephew again, and Cole couldn't look away.

"Cole, I'm not human," he said simply. "And neither was your mother."

Cole stared back at his uncle, waiting for some sign on his face that what he had said was a joke. But his expression was completely serious and Cole knew that he was telling the truth. He thought of the creature that had turned into a man the night before in the woods...a man who had looked just like his Uncle Harper. Sinister thoughts of shape-changing and body-snatching aliens popped into his mind; irrational thoughts that made the car feel very close and confining all of a sudden. He quickly dismissed these thoughts as he looked into the blue eyes of his uncle, eyes that were the duplicate of his mother's, and eyes that he had known since he had been a small child.

"Well, what are you if you're not human?" Cole asked as he stared wide-eyed at his uncle.

Harper stared back at his nephew as he gathered his thoughts. Finally, he spoke, "I am...the name we call ourselves is Aes Sidhe."

It had sounded like es shee, and Cole couldn't remember ever hearing such words. He stared back at his uncle, waiting for him to continue. "What's an Aes Sidhe?" Cole asked when his uncle didn't say anything.

Harper thought for a moment before responding, "The closest thing in English that describes what I am is fairy."

Cole couldn't help but smile as he asked, "A fairy? Like the ones who use magic and have wings? Or, are you trying to tell me you're gay? If you are, that's cool; though I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to use that word for it."

Harper smiled as he answered, "I'm not trying to tell you I'm gay, though your approval is appreciated. And we're not exactly as you described. None of us have wings, though how you would otherwise think of faeries is a fairly accurate description."

Cole stared back at his uncle in silence. At first, he thought Uncle Harper was joking, trying to make light of the situation before telling Cole what he really meant. But as he looked into his uncle's eyes he saw that he was telling the truth – at least, he believed what he was saying was the truth.

"And mom was one of these...these Aes Sidhe?" Cole asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Yes, your mother was Aes Sidhe, as I am," Harper answered. Before Cole could say anything in response, he spoke again, "There's more, Cole. To truly understand what's happening to us right now, you must understand more about my people."

Cole nodded, though he said nothing in response. He was so intrigued by what his uncle was saying that he didn't want to interrupt him. He wasn't quite sure yet if he believed what Uncle Harper was saying, but he wanted to hear all of it before he decided.

The wind blew against the car hard enough to rock it slightly as Harper continued, "Though we look just like humans, there are many differences between us. We are stronger and faster than most humans, and have an innate power that humans do not have. This power allows us to do things that humans would consider to be magic, though some humans have a similar kind of power." He paused for a moment as he reached over and took a sip from his cup of coffee before replacing it in the cup holder at his side. "And we do not age as humans do."

He said the last thing so casually that Cole wasn't sure at first that he had heard him correctly. "Are you saying that you're immortal?" Cole asked hesitantly.

"We can be killed nearly as easily as humans can," Harper answered as he tilted his head. "But we do not grow old or get sick as humans do."

Cole thought of what his uncle was saying and thought of how he had never known how old he was. He had always assumed that his uncle was in his late thirties, though he looked much younger. He knew that he was younger than Cole's mother, but he realized suddenly that he had never known how old his mother was either.

"How old are you, Uncle Harper?" Cole asked quietly.

Harper smiled before answering, "Let's just say that I'm much older than I look, as was your mother."

Cole stared back at his uncle, hoping that he would elaborate, but he didn't. And Cole knew that his single most important question had still not been answered. "Let's just assume that I believe everything you've told me," he said as he looked down at his hands. "You still haven't told me what any of this has to do with what happened in the woods last night."

Harper nodded before he spoke. "You're right. To understand that, I must tell you something else about my people," he said. "We are not from this world, though your mother and I were both born here. Our world was destroyed long ago, before humans on this world had even begun to gather in their early towns and villages. We fled here when our world could no longer support us, and at first we believed we had come alone." He looked down in silence for a moment before continuing, "But we were mistaken."

"Those things I saw in the woods last night...they followed you here?" Cole asked.

Harper nodded as he answered, "Yes, though followed is not the right word. It was those creatures who destroyed our world, and when they found the world where my people had gone to seek shelter from their destruction, they came here to finish what they had started. They found us here before your mother or I was born, and it started a war that has continued for thousands of years."

"Why do they want to destroy you?" Cole asked as he thought of the creatures he had seen. There had been an aura of wrongness about them, and hearing that they were invaders of Cole's world made sense. He realized with a start that his uncle and mother were members of a race of invaders, as well. But then he remembered the more accurate word for what they were. They were refugees.

"Why they want to destroy us, where they came from..." Harper said softly as he looked out of the windshield. "...these are all questions that I cannot answer because I do not know. But to understand why these creatures have taken an interest in our family, I must tell you about an ancient prophecy that affects both of our races. To understand the prophecy, you must understand that while there are many similarities between humans and Aes Sidhe, our peoples do not...mix."

Cole looked at his uncle in confusion, not understanding what he meant by the word mix. He sensed a sort of disdain in Uncle Harper's voice whenever he used the word human and wondered if he meant that the two peoples didn't get along.

As if answering his unspoken question, Harper continued, "What I mean is that our peoples do not produce children. At least, it is extremely uncommon for this to happen. In fact, it has only happened three times during our history on this world." Harper took another sip of his coffee before continuing, "When a child is born of human and Aes Sidhe parents, this child is special."

As his uncle spoke, Cole realized that he was speaking of him and his siblings.

"The child of such a union inherits the best qualities of both races," Harper continued, his tone becoming that of a teacher. "And this child also inherits a power that is unlike anything else in this world. When they accept this power, they embody everything the creatures you saw despise. The child represents light, order and life, where the creatures represent darkness, chaos and destruction. It is the destiny of the child to struggle against these creatures...these demons. And it becomes the mission of the demons to capture this child and use its power to eliminate the barriers between this world and the world from which the demons came. And if the demons were to succeed, this world and everything you know in it would be gone."

Cole stared back at his uncle as he digested what he was saying. He felt like he had stepped onto the pages of some kind of fantasy novel with fairies, demons and prophecies. It required a suspension of disbelief that he would have found impossible to do if he hadn't witnessed what he had the night before.

"The child is also able to draw others to them to aid them in this struggle," Harper continued. "And it is for this reason that the child is known in our language as the Solas. It means light in our tongue, or more appropriately beacon."

"And you think one of us is this...Solas?" Cole asked as he realized what his uncle was saying. The thought that he or any of his siblings could be what the demons were looking for terrified him.

"I think it's you, Cole," Harper said simply as he stared intently at him.

Cole stared back at his uncle in shock, though there was little doubt left in his mind that what he was saying could be true. He remembered his conversation with Dinah the day before and wondered something.

"Could there be more than one Solas?" he asked. "I mean, can there be more than one at a time?"

Harper thought for a moment before he answered, "I've thought about that, and I don't know the answer. There have only been two other children who were the Solas in the history of the Aes Sidhe." He looked suddenly suspicious and asked, "Cole is there something you know...something about one of your siblings?"

Cole thought about his promise to his sister and there was nothing he wanted less than to break it. But he also worried that his refusal to say anything could put her in danger. Cole knew that his uncle had saved his life in the woods the night before, that there was no way he could have stopped the demons if they had tried to take him. And he also knew that his uncle was the only one who would be able to protect Dinah in the same way.

"Cole, if you know something, it's very important that you tell me," Harper said sternly.

Cole wanted to tell his uncle, and opened his mouth to do so, but suddenly thought of something his uncle had said just moments before. "What happened to the other two children who were the Solas?" Cole asked.

Harper looked surprised by Cole's question, and looked down briefly before raising his head again to look into his nephew's eyes. "They died," he answered softly. "The first one was killed before he could accept his power."

"And the second?" Cole asked when his uncle grew silent again.

Harper sighed before responding, "The second sacrificed his own life when he was betrayed and taken by the demons."

Cole heard the pain in his uncle's voice and asked, "Did you know him – the Solas who gave his life?"

Harper looked down again and nodded before answering, "Yes, I knew him. His name was Harald." He looked at Cole again, and the pain in his eyes was obvious as he added, "And he was just about your age when he died."

Cole looked away from his uncle and out the passenger window as he thought of everything his uncle had told him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask his uncle, but he didn't know where to start. And he didn't know if the answers he would have received would have mattered anyway. It was too much for him to digest.

The sky over the mountains was darkening as he stared out the window and Cole looked over briefly at the clock on the dashboard before looking outside again. It was too early for the darkness to be anything other than an approaching storm, and he wondered if they would be getting a dumping of snow. The clouds looked ominous and seemed to add a negative portent to what his uncle had told him. He thought of Harald, a boy his age making the decision to sacrifice his own life to save the lives of so many others and he wondered if he would have had the strength to do the same thing if it had been him.

"Cole, you didn't answer my question," Harper asked softly, interrupting his train of thought. When Cole looked over at him in confusion, he clarified, "Is there something about one of your siblings that you're not telling me? It's very important that I know, Cole."

His voice was calm and sincere, and Cole knew that he only wanted to know so that he could protect Dinah. Cole opened his mouth to tell him and was suddenly assaulted with a series of images that flashed through his mind – the sight of fur-covered legs flashing through the snow...the rushing of snow-covered trees...the shapes of wolves running through the trees ahead of him...and then from the other side of a road, the shapes that he recognized instantly as the demons. He had no idea where the images were coming from, but felt a sense of familiarity that reminded him of the dream he had had the night before, just before Cody had woken him. And then he knew the origin of the images – the wolf pack was trying to tell him something. When the final image hit him, he realized that he was being given an urgent warning. The image was of Dinah running through the woods and he realized with dread that she was in danger.

"Cole, what's wrong?" Harper asked with concern as he saw the look on his nephew's face.

"Dinah's in danger!" Cole answered breathlessly as the images left his thoughts. He looked at his uncle and knew that the fear must have been plain on his face.

Harper slammed the gear shifter into drive and sped from the parking lot as Cole told him what he had seen.

Dinah ran along the road at a pace that even experienced runners would have been hard-pressed to match. The asphalt that was free of snow seemed to flow beneath her as her breathing settled into a steady rhythm. She had been able to run faster and faster in the past few months, though she rarely did so when people were around. She knew that she could maintain her current pace almost indefinitely, which would have caused too many people to notice if she had done it in public. But on the isolated road leading to her house there was little chance that anyone would see her. She had timed herself on just such a run the week before and had been stunned to realize that she had easily kept a pace of a five-minute mile for the entire five mile run between her house and Mr. McCallister's house. For a runner her age to be able to keep such a pace was unheard of.

She loved pretty much any form of exercise, but running was her favorite. It was the one thing that cleared her mind better than anything. No matter what worries she had when she left the house, she knew that they would all be gone by the time she got back. The rhythmic pounding of her feet on the pavement and the counterpoint of her breath were a form of meditation to her that allowed her to push all other thoughts aside and focus on strictly moving forward.

She was grateful that the snow plow had been through recently, since it was impossible for her to run after a snowstorm. The air was bitterly cold, but she had barely felt it when she left the house and as her body warmed with exercise, she didn't feel it at all. Even her breathing, which used to be difficult in the cold, was now no different than if she were running on a warm spring morning.

As she ran near the right side of the road, she noticed something moving in the trees to her right. At first, she couldn't make out the shapes as they moved along at the same pace. But as the shapes moved closer to the road, she realized that they were some kind of animals running through the woods. When she slowed her pace a bit to try to make out what they were, she thought that the shapes were those of several large, running dogs. But when she realized at last what they were, she quickened her pace again. The shapes moving through the trees were wolves.

She couldn't believe her eyes. It was as if a nature show had come to life and was running beside her. But this wasn't a show and she realized that they were dangerous animals that could behave unpredictably. She remembered that Uncle Harper had mentioned something about wolves being in the woods the night that he had sent them all to the basement, and this only heightened her fear. Her uncle had been frightened that evening, something which she had never seen before. If these were the same animals that had caused such a reaction in her normally-unflappable uncle, then she had reason to fear them too.

She looked around her as she increased her pace slightly. She was more than halfway to Mr. McCallister's house, so turning back now would mean a longer distance to run to safety. She knew that her best bet was to head for her neighbor's house and hope that he was home. She looked over to her right again, hoping that the wolves had lost interest in her, but she immediately saw them, still keeping pace with her in spite of her increased speed. It was a little more than five miles from the Ambrose house to Mr. McCallister's house, so she figured she had to run about two more miles to safety. Even at the fast pace that she was running, this was an easy distance for her and she was not worried about tiring too quickly. But the road could be uneven in patches, and she knew that if she slipped on the road or lost her footing and fell, the wolves could be on her in an instant. She tried to divert her attention between the road ahead and the road beneath her while still trying to watch the wolves through her peripheral vision.

Dinah heard a loud snapping sound to her left and she almost stumbled as she turned her head to see what had caused the sound. At first, she couldn't see anything past the shadows near the bottom of the trees on that side of the road. But then she realized that the shadows themselves were moving. As her eyes were able to focus on the moving shapes, they resolved into additional wolf-shapes, running along at the same pace as her. Faced with wolves on either side of the road and another two miles to run before she would reach safety, Dinah felt panic set in. A rush of adrenaline filled her body as she began to run faster. She was nearly sprinting now, a pace that would prevent her from being able to see anything on the road that could cause her to fall. But she also knew that slowing down at all would put her in even greater danger.

She looked to her right and swore silently in frustration. The wolves there were continuing to keep pace with her. She looked to her left and felt a brief moment of hope as she saw the wolves there falling slightly behind. They moved closer to the edge of the trees and Dinah saw for the first time that these creatures were slightly different than the ones on her right. They were much larger and more heavily muscled and surrounded by a blackness that blotted out the forest behind them as they ran. She felt a stronger sense of fear of these creatures, as if she could sense their malicious intent toward her. They made the wolves on her right seem almost friendly by comparison.

When she turned again to her right, she could see the wolves there, running with their tongues hanging out. She wondered what the endurance of wolves was like and hoped that her newfound strength would help her outrun them. She glanced again to her left and could see no sign of the creatures that had been there just a moment before.

A scrabbling sound on the asphalt behind her made her look back briefly. What she saw there made her actually cry out in terror and she stumbled briefly before regaining her feet.

The creatures that had been in the woods to her left had moved their chase to the road and were now running no more than thirty yards behind her. She had counted three of them when she had looked back and all of them were creatures out of a nightmare. Their mouths hung open as they ran, with tongues hanging out of their mouths and yellow eyes seeming to glow with evil intent.

Dinah didn't think she was going to make it and wondered briefly if she should stop and confront them. She knew that the predator drive in animals made them chase after something that ran away, and that many animals chose instead to stand their ground. This often gave them a greater chance for success in avoiding becoming their predator's meal. But something told her that this would not be the case with the creatures behind her. She suspected that they would continue their chase until they brought her down. And the heavy muscles that she had seen covering each of them made Dinah doubt if even her phenomenal new strength would stand a chance against them.

She saw the opening in the trees ahead that marked the start of Mr. McCallister's driveway. It was about a half-mile ahead, which she would cover quickly. But like the Ambrose house, the McCallister house had a long driveway that meant another quarter-mile for her to run before she could reach the house itself.

Movement to her right made her turn her head as she increased her speed yet again. She was now running as fast as she could, and the trees on either side of her seemed to blur as she flew past. She saw the wolves on her right leave the cover of the trees and run toward the road. It looked like they were running as fast as they could to catch her as they moved in behind her. They were closer to her than the creatures, but still at least ten yards behind her. Their labored breathing made Dinah wonder if they could keep such a pace for much longer. Her breath was coming quicker now and she knew that she could not run as fast as she was for any distance greater than her neighbor's driveway. She said a mental prayer that Mr. McCallister was home and decided that she would start shouting for help before she reached the porch that wrapped around the front and sides of his house.

For the first time since she had left the house, she felt fatigue building up in her legs. Dinah tried to push the aching aside and not let her pace lessen, but she realized that she had slowed slightly. She heard a growling noise behind her and looked back to see one of the wolves pull ahead of the others. She thought that she had counted eight of the animals chasing her, but hoped that her fear had multiplied them. The three demon-looking creatures still ran behind the wolves, but had fallen slightly behind.

The wolf that had pulled ahead suddenly closed the distance between it and Dinah and snapped its jaws near her heel. Dinah screamed and pushed her body to run faster. She quickly slipped into the best sprinting pose that she knew as she turned the corner onto Mr. McCallister's driveway. She knew that she had a quarter-mile left to reach what she hoped would be the safety of his house. She had sprinted such distances easily at track practice and hoped that her strength wouldn't fail her now.

The air grew suddenly colder as she sprinted through the light snow, hoping that her feet wouldn't slip. Luckily, the driveway had been recently plowed, so the snow was less than an inch thick. But Dinah knew that there could be numerous patches of ice covering the asphalt and hitting one of those patches would send her sprawling to the ground. If such a thing happened, she knew that she was dead. She noticed for the first time that the sky had darkened from when she had first left the house. She looked up briefly to see it covered with gray clouds, as if a snowstorm were about to hit. Dinah wondered at how such a mundane thing as her morning run could have turned in to her literally running for her life.

Dinah crossed the halfway point of the driveway and nearly cried with relief to see several lights on within the house. She hoped that it meant her neighbor was home.

She began shouting at the top of her lungs, "Help me! Please, help me!"

Dinah felt a brief moment of guilt at the thought that she could be placing her neighbor's life at risk, but she had no other choice. She decided that if he opened the door, she would push him back as she ran in and lock the door behind her.

As if reading her thoughts, the front door opened and Mr. McCallister looked out and right at Dinah, who was closing on the last twenty yards to the house. His eyes widened in shock at what he must have seen behind her.

"Dinah!" he shouted frantically at her. "Hurry!"

Dinah ran up to the porch and jumped several feet before she touched down on the wooden planks. Mr. McCallister moved out of the way as he held the door open for her to run into the house. She ran past him and nearly into the back wall of his foyer as she heard the door slam shut behind her and the deadbolt ram into place.

Dinah turned around to face the door before collapsing onto the floor of the foyer, her breath coming in great, heaving gasps. She saw Mr. McCallister run to the hall closet, open the door and reach in to pull out a pump-action shotgun and box of shells. He ran back to the door and placed the ammo on a bookshelf next to the door before grabbing several from the box and quickly loading the shotgun. Small windows ran along either side of the door, and he looked out the one on the right.

"What...what are they...doing?" Dinah asked between gasps.

Mr. McCallister was quiet for a moment before responding. "Well, the wolves are standing on my front porch, which should be strange enough." He looked back at Dinah with a half-smile on his face, which made her wonder if he was a little crazy. "But they're not watching the house. They're all facing those other things, which are pacing my front lawn." He looked back out the window for a second before turning back to Dinah. "Dinah, do you know what those things are out there?"

Dinah shook her head as she continued to try to catch her breath. "I don't know...I think they're wolves."

Mr. McCallister shook his head before looking back outside. "The ones on the porch are wolves alright, though I haven't seen any in Colorado since I was a kid. They shouldn't be this far south. Still, I'd recognize them anywhere. But those other things...those aren't wolves. I can't tell what they are, but they sure as hell don't look natural, if you know what I mean."

"Tell me...about it," Dinah gasped in reply.

"Are you alright?" Mr. McCallister asked as he returned his attention to her. "Can I get you something? Some water, maybe?"

She smiled at him as she answered, "Thanks, but I think...I'd rather have you stay there...with that shotgun for now...if you don't mind."

He chuckled before answering, "Good idea. By the way, I don't think I've ever seen anyone run that fast. It was like the devil himself was chasing you!" He looked back out the window. "Although by the looks of them creatures, that might be what was chasing you."

Dinah finally felt her breathing starting to return to normal, so she stood up, walked over to the door and looked out the window to its left. What she saw there made the strange morning seem even stranger.

Mr. McCallister was right that the wolves were standing on the porch. But what he hadn't said was that they were all standing on the front edge of the steps leading down to the lawn. They were all facing the lawn where the nightmarish creatures paced back and forth. The wolves were all crouched down, as if ready to fight and the ones whose faces she could see had their lips curled back, baring their teeth. What she at first thought was the vibration of the house's furnace turned out to be the growls of the wolves heard through the window. The demon creatures continued to pace along the front of the lawn and they were also crouched down with their teeth bared. She wondered why they hadn't charged, and noticed that there seemed to be some sort of invisible line that they refused to cross. She watched the strange behavior of the two groups and realized for the first time that it was likely that they had not been cooperating to try to bring her down as she had originally thought. As she watched the wolves completely ignore the house and the two humans within, she had a strange thought. It almost seemed like the wolves were...

"I swear it seems like the wolves are protecting us," Mr. McCallister finished her thought. "Or more likely, protecting you." He looked over at her as if expecting her to confirm his thought.

"Why would they be protecting me?" Dinah asked.

Mr. McCallister looked back out the window as he answered, "Good question."

The standoff between the creatures and the wolves seemed to last for another five minutes before the creatures grew tired of waiting and slunk off into the woods near the house. The wolves maintained their post, but each of them sat or lied down on the porch. She thought that they had to be nearly as exhausted as she was. She thought again of how it had seemed like they were protecting her, but then remembered the one wolf that had snapped at her heels and thought that she was misreading their behavior. But then she remembered how close it had been and knew that it could have bitten her if it had wanted to. It had snapped at her heels when she had started to slow and her fear had made her run faster. And further away from the creatures.

Dinah felt something vibrate in her jacket pocket and realized that it was her cell phone. She reached in to answer it, but wasn't quick enough to answer the call. The caller ID on the screen said that it had been Cole calling her, so she hit the redial button and held the phone to her ear.

It rang once before Cole answered, "Dinah, are you okay? Where are you?" He sounded frantic.

She felt a surge of relief at hearing her brother's voice. "I'm at Mr. McCallister's house. I'm okay, but Cole...something happened."

"We'll be there in five minutes," Cole said and then hung up the phone.

Dinah looked at the time on the phone and was shocked to realize that she had left the house only half an hour before.

She felt Mr. McCallister's eyes on her, so she looked over at him. "That was my brother, Cole. He said they'll be here in five minutes to get me."

He nodded before answering, "Okay. If you'll excuse me, I need to make a call." He walked into the kitchen, which had an entrance off of the foyer and pulled an old-fashioned corded phone off the wall. He quickly dialed a number and then held the receiver to his ear.

"It's James," his voice drifted over to Dinah. He spoke softly, but her sharp hearing could make out every word, in spite of the distance. "I think they've come, Mark. One of the children ran up to my front door with a pack of wolves behind her and those things behind them." He was quiet for a moment. "I don't know what it means, but it can't be good." Silence again. "No, don't come over here now. It's probably too dangerous. Her brother's coming to get her now. I'll meet you at our spot after they leave." He was quiet for a moment again. "Alright, see you in a bit."

He replaced the phone on the wall and walked back into the foyer, still holding the shotgun in his hand. The way he carried it seemed to Dinah like he knew what he was doing, which surprised her. She had always thought of Mr. McCallister as a little bookish – not someone that would be familiar with how to quickly load and handle a large firearm. She thought of the strange conversation she had overheard and began to wonder if there was more to her neighbor than met the eye.

He walked over to the window and looked out briefly before turning back to her. "There are car lights coming down the driveway. And the wolves are gone," he told her.

He unlocked the door and turned to her as he opened it. "Wait, here. I'm going to meet them at the porch steps." The way he spoke to her made it clear that he expected her to listen, so she did. He closed the door behind him and Dinah could hear the thump of his shoes as he walked across the porch.

She stood up and walked to the window and could see her uncle's minivan pull up near the front of the steps. Mr. McCallister walked down the steps and up to the van, but his head was turning back and forth as he did this, holding the shotgun pointed at the ground, but looking like he was ready to use it if he had to. She saw Uncle Harper get out of the driver's door and walk over to speak briefly with Mr. McCallister.

"Dinah, you can come out now," Mr. McCallister shouted over his shoulder a few moments later.

She opened the door and felt the cold air blast her face. It wasn't even noon, but the sky was gray and cloudy, turning the air the color of dusk. She walked down the stairs and opened the side door of the van before climbing in. She realized that she had forgot to thank Mr. McCallister and leaned her head back out.

"Don't mention it, dear," he said to her with a smile before she could say anything.

Dinah waved back at him as her uncle thanked him as well before getting back into the van. She saw Cole staring back at her and he opened his mouth in what she was sure was going to be a question, but she shook her head at him and silently pleaded with her eyes for him not to say anything. He looked uncomfortable for a second before nodding and turning around to face the front of the car.

Dinah looked out the window at the trees on either side of Mr. McCallister's driveway as the van drove along it. The gray half-light made the spaces between them seem to be full of ominous shapes. She had noticed this quality in the forests around her house before, but it had never caused her to be afraid. But today she had seen that sometimes those shapes were more than just a trick of the eye. Those shapes had come to life and she could never look at them the same way again.

# Chapter 10

Sunday Afternoon, January 9th

As the minivan turned onto the driveway leading to the Ambrose house, Cole reached over and placed his hand on his uncle's. He had seen something in the trees that had seemed out of place.

"Wait," he said urgently. "What's that over on the side of the road in the trees? It looks like a car." He had seen the lights of the van glinting off of metal as they turned.

Harper brought the car to a halt and looked over in the direction that Cole had pointed, while Dinah moved over to the right side of the car and looked out the side window. She could see what Cole had spotted. It was the back of a car, sticking out of the line of trees on the other side of the road. The sky was still overcast, so they couldn't make out many details in the dim light of the forest. But the fact that a car was there at all was odd. The only cars that used the road leading to their house were the cars of residents that lived along it. The Ambrose house was the last one on the road, but it continued on another mile before ending at state forest lands. There was a utility entrance to the forest at the top of the hill where the road ended, but vehicles rarely used it and neither Cole nor Dinah could ever remember a car being parked there. And since the road was so lightly traveled, they had never seen an abandoned car along it either.

Dinah looked over at her uncle, "Do you think they broke down or something?"

Harper stared at the car as he answered, "It's possible, though I don't know what anyone would be doing this far out."

"Uncle Harper, it's freezing outside," Cole said. "If there's someone in the car, they might need help." If the car had broken down, it was likely that the heater wasn't working. A person could quickly freeze to death in the winter air, which worried Cole.

Harper thought for a moment before pushing the shifter into park. "Wait here," he told the Ambrose children. "I'm going to take a look."

"Be careful," Cole told his uncle as he opened the door. He thought of the demons' ability to take the form of humans and wondered if they could drive cars, as well. If they could, his uncle could be walking into a trap. He unlocked his door just in case it looked like his uncle needed help.

Harper walked slowly up to the car and then along its side. The windows were frosted from the cold, which made seeing inside difficult. He reached for the handle and pulled it open quickly. Cole and Dinah both tensed when he did this, both fearing that something was going to jump out as the door flew open. But nothing happened. They watched as their uncle stood tensely for a moment before leaning in to get a better look. After a few moments, he leaned back out again, looked over at the van and shook his head. It appeared that the car was empty. He closed the door, but then something seemed to catch his eye. He leaned down and looked closely at the driver's door and brushed his finger along it before standing back up. He walked back over to the van and got inside.

A blast of cold air came in with him and Dinah shivered in response. "Did you find anything?" she asked her uncle.

Harper shook his head. "There was no one there, and no tracks in the snow, so who knows how long it's been there." He sounded slightly distant as he spoke, as if he was working through something in his mind. Cole and Dinah both knew that the car could have been there for days and they wouldn't have noticed. It had snowed lightly two nights before, which could have covered any tracks that had been there. If someone had walked away from the car or even been picked up by another car, they wouldn't have known it.

"What did you see on the door?" Cole asked as he remembered his uncle's inspection of the driver's side.

"There was a smear of blood along the door," Harper answered. He looked out at the car again and then seemed to think of something. "Cole, grab the pen and paper from the glove box and write down the license plate. I want your father to check it out when we get back to the house."

Cole did as he was asked as Harper stared at the car with his forehead creased in thought. When Cole signaled that he was done, Harper put the car back into drive and finished the turn onto the driveway. Cole and Dinah both looked at the car as they pulled away. It looked eerie in the gray light and somehow lonely.

They pulled into the garage shortly after and the two teenagers moved to get out of the car, but their uncle's voice stopped them.

"Dinah, let's not mention the thing with the wolves to your father just yet," Harper said while looking at her in the rearview mirror. "I think it might just worry him if it's said in the wrong way, so I want a chance to explain a few things to him. Okay?"

"Sure, Uncle Harper," Dinah answered as she reached for the door handle, and realized what her uncle and Mr. McCallister had spoken briefly about when he had first arrived to pick her up. She was relieved that she wouldn't have to tell her father any part of the story, especially the part where she had outrun a pack of wolves. She wasn't sure how he would handle hearing about Dinah's rapidly growing strength and she wasn't quite ready to find out. She knew that it wouldn't change how he felt about his daughter, but she worried that he would want to have her go to the doctor or something, which would only lead to more people knowing.

The three of them got out of the car and walked into the kitchen, but no one was there. The sound of the TV drifted in from the living room. Cole and Dinah walked down the hall to their bedrooms just as Jerry walked into the kitchen.

"I thought I heard the garage door," he said to Harper. "Did you need help carrying in groceries?" He looked around in confusion at seeing Harper's empty hands. He thought it odd that Harper wouldn't have carried in some of the groceries or that the children wouldn't have carried some in, as well.

"No, Jeremiah, but thank you for offering," Harper answered. He picked up on Jerry's confused expression as he added, "Cole and I went for breakfast before the rest of you were up and picked Dinah up on her way back from a run."

Jerry felt a flash of worry at the thought of Dinah running outside when the wolves were around and wanted to let Harper know about his conversation earlier that morning. "I spoke to animal control about those wolves this morning, but they haven't gotten their agent's report back yet. They did recommend that we not allow the kids outside unattended. I'll let Cole and Dinah know, but if you can make sure all of the kids listen, I'd appreciate it."

"Absolutely," Harper answered. He reached into his pocket and handed the piece of paper with the license plate number to Jerry as he told him what they had found along the side of the road. "Can you run this license plate to see who it belongs to?" He didn't mention anything about the blood that he had found. Harper thought the car being there was suspicious, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions without more information. He had enough to worry about with everything that had happened in the past few days.

"Yeah, sure," Jerry told him. He thought it was just as odd as that a car would be abandoned on the side of the road near their house, but assumed that someone had gotten lost in the winding roads of Evergreen and gotten stuck in the snow. If no one was in the car, he thought it likely that they had had someone pick them up. "Larry's at the office now," he said to Harper. "I'll call him and have him run it." Jerry used the phone in the kitchen to call his office and waited while Larry ran the plate. After receiving the answer, he thanked his partner and hung up.

"He said the car belongs to the animal control office," he told Harper. "Are you sure there was no sign of anyone nearby?" He thought of his conversation that morning and wondered if that was why he hadn't heard from the officer on Friday.

Harper shook his head, "No, but it looked like it had been there for several days. With the snow we got the other night, any tracks would have been covered. Should we call someone?" Harper thought again of the blood on the door and his first thought was that someone had been taken by the creatures. He made a mental note to ask Cody and the wolves to keep their eyes out for signs that any strangers had been in the woods. The snow fell lightly in the trees, and if someone had been walking through them recently, there was a chance that their footprints would still be visible. Even if they weren't, the scent of their passing could still be detectable. But he also knew that if whoever had been in the car had ended up walking through the trees, the creatures would surely have taken them. He hoped that the car had merely broken down and the driver had been picked up by someone as Jerry had suggested.

Jerry thought for a moment before answering Harper's question, "No, I'll give them a call tomorrow. They said that someone came by Friday morning, so I wonder if that's who the car belongs to. Maybe it broke down and the agent had to have someone pick him up."

Jerry saw Harper's eyes narrow slightly and wondered if there was more to his story. "Harper, is there something you need to tell me?"

Harper stared back at him and Jerry thought that he looked like he was about to say something. But then he just shook his head. "No, Jeremiah. Thank you for checking on the car. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to rest in my room for a bit before I start dinner." Harper had thought for a split-second that it was time to speak with his brother-in-law about everything that was happening, but he still didn't know what he would say. He had to be very careful with how he shared information with Jerry, since he couldn't guess how he would handle hearing that two of his children's lives had recently been threatened.

"Sure, Harper," Jerry said as his brother-in-law left the kitchen. His mental alarms started ringing again and he knew that Harper was hiding something from him. He felt a moment of irritation that his newfound empathy toward Harper was being replaced by distrust, but something told him that the secrets Harper was keeping were related to the strange things that had been happening in the past few days. Harper's usual strangeness was something to which Jerry had grown accustomed, but his brother-in-law had been exceptionally odd since the night the power had gone out.

Jerry looked down at the license plate number again and decided that he would call animal control first thing in the morning. It was a mystery that seemed like it could be easily solved and he needed the small sense of satisfaction that solving it would bring.

Cole sat on the edge of the bed, listening as Dinah told him what had happened during her run. He thought that he would be ready to hear just about anything at that point, but something his sister said immediately caught his attention.

"Wait a minute. You outran a pack of wolves?" Cole asked incredulously.

Dinah nodded. She saw the look of disbelief on his face and knew that what she said sounded unbelievable. But to his credit, she saw him quickly nod in acceptance. She told him of the strange creatures that had also been chasing her and noticed that Cole's demeanor changed to one that she guessed was fear when she described the creatures, but that he didn't seem surprised, which Dinah thought was strange. She had expected him to respond with either amazement or disbelief, but he hadn't even reacted.

The bedroom door opened at that moment and Harper walked in. Dinah silenced immediately and watched as her uncle sat next to Cole and looked over at her. It was obvious that he wanted to speak to them both.

"I'm sure you already told Cole what really happened on the road to James McCallister's house, so I'm sorry that you'll have to repeat yourself," he told her as he looked directly at her.

Dinah stared at Cole in confusion. The way Harper had spoken, it had seemed like he knew more than he should, unless someone had said something to him that they had sworn to keep secret.

"Cole, you promised," she said to her brother with a mixture of hurt and anger. She had always been able to trust her brother to keep a secret until now.

"He didn't tell me anything, Dinah," Harper said. "I'm leaving that up to you. And there are a lot of things that you don't know about that we need to tell you. But first, I need to know why James McCallister met me on his front porch with a shotgun in his hand." Harper knew that the wolves could have been the reason for the gun. But there was something about their neighbor and the familiar way that he had held the weapon that told Harper that it would take something other than wolves to spook him. And he had definitely been spooked when Harper spoke to him. Harper remembered the way his eyes had kept searching the trees, as if he had expected to be attacked at any moment.

Dinah looked between her uncle and her brother, trying to decide how much she wanted to share and what her uncle would think of what she did share. She thought of everything that had happened in the past few days and how Cole had reacted when she had told him about her morning encounter. He hadn't seem surprised when she had mentioned the creatures, and her uncle's demeanor made her wonder about what he had said about having things to tell her. She was still hesitant to share anything more with her uncle, since she knew it meant that he would eventually tell her father. She could count on Uncle Harper to be discreet when she needed him to be, but she also knew that anything that threatened their safety would be shared with her father.

"Please, Dinah," Harper asked her when she still hadn't spoken. He almost sounded like he was pleading, which was unlike him. It weakened any resistance that Dinah had left.

"Okay," she said as she looked at him. She told him everything, from the unexpected increase in her physical speed and strength, to the barbell snapping in half, to a complete retelling of her terrifying morning run. When she finally finished speaking, he continued to stare at her for a few moments. She worried that he was going to laugh at her, as if she had been joking. But what scared her more was that he would believe that she thought she was telling the truth and think that there was something mentally wrong with her. Finally, he looked down at his knees and sighed loudly.

"This is completely unexpected," Harper said softly. He looked over at Cole and then Dinah, as if considering something. "And it changes everything. But I promised you some information too, Dinah." Dinah wondered what he was talking about, since his reaction was completely unexpected. He had seemed as unsurprised by her confession as Cole had seemed when she had described the creatures that had chased her.

Harper's odd reaction was explained as he proceeded to tell her everything that he had told Cole that morning in the car, including the story of their mother's origins. When he had finished, and before Dinah had a moment to process everything her uncle had said, Cole shared the story of their encounter in the forest the night before.

Had Dinah heard either story on any other day, she would have thought they were both crazy. But her own encounter that morning had prepared her to accept their stories, even though she felt like she was going to fall down. She slid down the wall that she had been leaning against and sat on the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest with her arms. In a strange way, she felt relieved that there was an explanation for all of the recent upheaval in her life. While finding out that your mother wasn't human and therefore that you were only half human should have only complicated things further, it had the opposite effect instead. The words put her at ease, even if only slightly. There wasn't something medically wrong with her – some mutation that had caused her phenomenal increase in strength and speed. It was merely something that she had inherited from her mother.

Dinah thought of her mother and the fact that she had been immortal. She tried to grasp what that meant, but realized that she had absolutely no frame of reference to understand such a thing. And she realized at the same time that it didn't matter. Nothing she discovered about her mother could change the way Dinah felt about her. If anything, finding such a thing out made her feel somehow closer to her mother. As she quickly moved to acceptance of everything that she had heard, her mind moved on to what she knew to be the pressing question that all of them shared.

"What do we do now?" she asked her brother and her uncle.

Harper stared at the wall as he answered, "I have no idea." He looked at each of them in turn and then added, "I don't even know which one of you is the Solas. If I knew, we could leave and find safety somewhere else. The rest of the family wouldn't be in danger. But now..." He stood up and paced along the foot of the bed. For the first time in his long life, he was at a loss as to what to do.

Cole watched his uncle as he paced, "Are there any other Aes Sidhe that can help? Maybe if you call some of them?" He had never seen Uncle Harper so agitated. He had always been the one who was calm and collected in any situation. His obvious uncertainty worried Cole, especially since he knew the most about what was going on and was the one person most able to protect Cole and his siblings.

Harper stopped his pacing, but didn't look at either of them when he answered, "No, Cole. There are none whom I can call for help." He seemed uncomfortable when he said it, and Cole thought that there was something that he was withholding. Harper thought of the people that could have helped them, but knew that he had burned that bridge a long time ago. They were on their own until he could figure out someplace for them to go. "I would normally say that we should stay put until we figure something out, but what happened to Dinah this morning has me worried. It's not like them to make such a bold attack in broad daylight. It's a risky move that could have brought unwanted human attention." In the past, the demons' best weapon was secrecy - their ability to blend in and avoid notice.

"Can't we all just leave?" Dinah asked. "We can just tell Dad what's going on and then all of us can just pack up and...go. Go somewhere safe, I mean." It seemed to be the simplest choice to her. If the demons had found them, then go to a place where they couldn't be found.

Harper shook his head as he thought of his brother-in-law's possible reactions, "Even if your father believed us, I'm not sure how he would react. He might think that we'd be safe at some sort of safe-house for the FBI. But that would be a mistake. If we were to leave, it would have to be to someplace where no one could find us, and I'm no longer certain that such a place exists." He sat down at the edge of the bed again and looked over at Dinah. "Besides, this house is well-protected against those creatures. There would have to be hundreds of them to overcome the wards that were placed on this house when it was first built."

Dinah and Cole both looked at him in confusion and he explained, "Your mother had someone place spells of protection on the entire house. I saw the wards when I first came here and could tell that they were extremely powerful. I've added more over the years, so the house now is practically impenetrable by the demons." He knew that his sister had taken many steps to protect her family when she had finally accepted that one or more of her children could be the Solas. She had wanted to tell him everything that she had done, but he had still been angry with her for asking him to stay with the family. He had refused her request at first, refusing to have anything to do with her human husband and half-human children. When he had finally relented, she had been so far gone that she was surrounded constantly by her family. There had been no opportunity for her to discuss her plans with him. And then she was gone. But he knew that the wards on the house were currently their best bet for protection. "No, we shouldn't leave the protection of the house unless we can find someplace safer. We'll stay until I can figure something out." He was quiet for a moment again before he said softly, "I wish your mother was here. She'd know what to do."

Cole and Dinah were quiet as they thought of their mother, but Dinah wondered if her mother could have helped in such a situation. She was so gentle and kind that Dinah wondered if she would have even known what to do. Even learning that she had been immortal did not make either of them think that she could have protected them against the demons.

"What could Mom have done to help?" Dinah asked her uncle. She was starting to get frustrated with her uncle and his indecision. "Would she have known somewhere to go?"

Harper smiled slightly as he answered, "I forget how little you know about your mother's past." He motioned for Dinah to sit next to him and she somewhat reluctantly moved over and sat down. The three of them sat at the foot of the bed as he told them of their mother.

"Your mother was one of the wisest and most respected of our people," he told them. He sounded wistful as he spoke, as if he was remembering things from his past. "She knew more about the Solas and our enemies than any of us. And she could have gotten us the help that we need now." He thought of his sister's strength and how she had never been afraid of anything. And how she had always known exactly what needed to be done. She would have made the right decisions now and Harper would have been able to focus on what he did best – fighting.

They were all quiet until Dinah broke the silence, "Well, she's not here, Uncle Harper. So it's up to us to figure something out." She had made up her mind that something had to be done and if she had to push her uncle and brother until they reached the same decision, she would do it.

Harper stared at the ground for a moment before looking up at his niece, "You're right of course, Dinah. First, we have to figure out what to do about school tomorrow." He worried that the demons had decided that the Solas was in the Ambrose house and that they would attack before he could decide on their next course of action, but he still couldn't think of a safer place for them to go to, and he needed more time to think.

"Do you think it's such a good idea for us to go to school tomorrow?" Cole asked. He thought of how vulnerable he had felt at school when he had first encountered the single creature in the trees.

Harper nodded, "Yes. If both of you stay home tomorrow, your father will be suspicious. Besides, the schools are far too public for the demons to try anything there. I'd guess that besides this house, that's one of the safest places for any of you to be right now."

Cole didn't agree with his uncle's reasoning. If the house was so well-protected, it didn't make sense for them to leave it. And then he thought of his younger brothers and sister and worried about their safety, "Do you think anyone else is in danger - any of us kids, I mean?"

Harper shook his head, "No, as long as they don't show any signs like you two have, they're probably safer than you are for now. But I'm not going to take any chances. We have to be sure that all of you are protected, just in case." He stood up and started pacing again as he laid out the plan for the next day at school.

"I'll go to school with Billie and Louis and offer to help in Billie's class. Ms. Waverly's always looking for help, so it won't seem odd for me to be there," Harper said.

Dinah knew that Ms. Waverly would be thrilled to have her uncle in the class for the entire day. Her crush on him was obvious to the older Ambrose children and it was something that they frequently joked about. She felt better knowing that Uncle Harper would be with her two youngest siblings. They would be completely helpless if the demons decided to move against them, but if anyone could protect them, it was their uncle. She hadn't seen him as Cole had seen him the night before, but she had always seen the strength within him.

"I want you two to stay close to each other as much as possible tomorrow," Harper continued. "I'll have the wolf pack guard the high school, but if the two of you are together, they're even less likely to make a move." He still hadn't seen the complete manifestation of Cole's abilities, but he grudgingly admitted that Cody had probably been right about him – if he had to fight against the demons, he would be a formidable opponent. And if Dinah's description of her strength and speed hadn't been overstated – which he doubted that they were – she would be equally capable of defending herself if she had to.

"What about Vaughan?" Cole asked. He and Dinah were going to be protected by the wolves and Uncle Harper was going to protect Louis and Billie, but Vaughan was at the middle school by himself. And it was too far from either the elementary or high school to make it easy for either the wolves or their uncle to cover at the same time.

"I'll have half of the wolves guard the middle school, while the other half watches out for you two," Harper said. He worried about the distance between the schools, as well. And Vaughan was the only child that would be alone. Luckily, there was enough woodland around Vaughan's school that the wolves would be able to keep a close eye on him whenever he was outside. He thought of something else and asked Cole, "Can you ask Cody to keep an eye on Vaughan, as well? Cody's a little upset with me right now, so it might be better if the request came from you."

Dinah was confused by her uncle's question. "How is Cole going to ask our dog to protect a school? Is he the Dr. Doolittle all of a sudden?"

Cole smiled as he realized that there was one part of the story that he and his uncle had both left out. He explained Cody's true nature to his sister and then told her about his ability to speak with most animals. He left out the part about being able to hear people's thoughts as well, since he wasn't sure how she would react to hearing that she couldn't even keep her thoughts to herself when he was around. Dinah looked at her brother for a moment before nodding. It was getting easier and easier to accept such unusual stories the more she heard about them.

"Sure thing, Uncle Harper," Cole answered. "I'll talk to him tonight." He had little doubt that Cody would do as he asked. Beside the fact that Cole had such a strong relationship with the dog, Cody felt very protective of the other Ambrose children, as well. Cole had sensed on more than one occasion that Cody thought of the entire Ambrose family as his pack.

"Wait a minute," Dinah interrupted. "Why are the wolves helping us? Are they something else, too?"

Harper shook his head as he answered, "That was Cody's doing. He decided we were going to need help, so he called one of the larger packs on the continent down from Canada."

Dinah looked over at Aidan, who was curled up near the pillows on her bed. She hadn't heard or seen the dog come into the room and wondered if she had been there before she had walked in. She stared at Aidan for a moment, wondering if she had a secret identity too. But Dinah could see nothing strange about the dog other than her eyes. There was something about them that was so familiar to Dinah, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Well then, that's settled," Cole said, interrupting Dinah's thoughts. "At least we have a plan for tomorrow." He smiled at each of them and they couldn't help but smile back. He had a way of instantly putting people at ease with his smile and Dinah wondered if it was another power that he had inherited from their mother's people.

Harper stood up, then turned around and looked at them, "Let's get through tomorrow and then we'll decide on a long-term solution, okay?" He smiled at both of them for a moment before saying, "I'm going to get dinner started."

Both of the children nodded as they smiled tentatively at him. Harper knew they were scared, but their faces were filled with more determination than fear. He thought of his sister again and how each of her children had inherited her strength in different ways. They were extraordinary children and it was now up to him to figure out a way to protect them.

He turned back around and walked out of the bedroom, his mind scouring itself for an idea of what he could do to protect the family on his own, but he knew that he was overmatched. He needed help from his people, and he needed to ask for that help, no matter what had happened between him and them in the past. There was one person that he thought he could reach out to, but he doubted that he would even be able to find him. It had been nearly three hundred years since they had last spoken and even that conversation had been less than polite. But if any of his people were going to help him protect the Ambrose children, it was the Fairtheoiri – the Sentinels. And the person that Harper was going to try to reach was their leader. He hoped that his old friend and mentor could put aside his animosity for Harper and enlist the help of all of the Sentinels to protect the Ambrose family – his family. Harper thought of the Sentinels – a group that he used to belong to and knew that they would be formidable allies in the fight against the demons. But he thought of his last conversation with his cousin Colin ten years before and wondered if any of them, including their leader, were still alive.

Though he was considered fairly young for one of his people, Harper had lived for nearly three thousand years. He had seen human civilization advance to a level that still amazed him. He had felt first-hand the betrayal of humans nearly two thousand years before that had led to the deaths of many people who were dear to him. He had written humanity off after that and gone into seclusion for a long time, avoiding prolonged contact with humans or Aes Sidhe. Throughout all of it, Harper had never doubted himself. He had never worried that what he was doing was right or wrong. It was just what he needed to do, and he did it. But as he tried now to think of a means of protecting his family from the demons that had taken so much from him, he felt something that he had never felt before. He felt powerless and helpless.

Dinah watched as her uncle left her bedroom. She wondered if she was in some form of shock from everything that had happened that day and everything that she had heard. She should have been terrified of even leaving the house. But while she could easily admit that she was afraid, the feeling that she felt more than anything else was determination. She was angry that these creatures had invaded her home and threatened her family. She wondered what her reaction would be the next time she saw them, but she had little doubt that she would willingly face them if they threatened any one of her family members. She would gladly use her newfound strength to make them regret such a thing.

She and Cole were silent for a moment before he asked her, "Are you scared?"

She chuckled mirthlessly before answering, "Of course I am. I'd be nuts if I wasn't. But Uncle Harper will figure something out."

"Do you really think so?" Cole asked her. "I mean, it seems like he doesn't know what to do." Cole had sensed the indecision coming from his uncle. He wasn't able to hear his thoughts like he could often hear the rest of his family's, but he could sometimes sense what his uncle was thinking. And the sense of near-helplessness that had been coming from Uncle Harper only heightened Cole's fear.

Dinah put her arm around her brother as she answered, "He'll figure it out, Cole. He'd die before he let something happen to any of us." She knew it was true and she knew that Cole knew it. Uncle Harper would fight to protect them until he could fight no more.

"That's not what I'm worried about," Cole told her. "I know he'd give his life for any of us. But if he dies protecting us, then who's going to protect us from those things?" Uncle Harper was the only one with first-hand knowledge of fighting them. If he was no longer there, Cole suspected that they would be easy pickings for the creatures.

Dinah couldn't think of a response to her brother's question. If Uncle Harper failed, they were all dead. They looked at each other in silence, each of them thinking of the demons that even now were likely prowling the woods around their house. For the first time in their lives, their home that had seemed so safe and secure now felt like a trap.

# Chapter 11

Sunday Night, January 9th

Billie sat in her mommy's lap on the front porch of their house. The front lawn was the green of late spring in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the flower beds near the front of the house were teeming with tulips, daffodils and an assortment of wildflowers. The sun shone brightly and the air was cool, but pleasantly so. Her mind told her that this was a dream, but the way everything was so clear told her that it was going to be one of those dreams. It was the kind of dream that she would remember completely when she woke up, unlike the normal dreams that she could only half-remember in the morning. She hoped this one wouldn't be scary.

Mommy raised a mug to her lips and Billie caught the delicious scent of coffee as mommy took a sip. She couldn't understand why adults loved drinking coffee so much. She had tried it once when daddy had stepped away from the breakfast table and the taste had been so awful that she had nearly thrown up. She thought it was weird that something that could smell so good could taste so bad.

A cool breeze blew across the porch and mommy's hair fluttered across her face, tickling her nose. The flowery scent of her shampoo made Billie smile as she scratched the tip of her nose. She knew the shampoo was her mommy's favorite from some of her other dreams, since she had been too young when mommy had died to remember it from being awake. She loved the dreams where she got to spend time with her mommy, especially the ones like this where she was just sitting on the porch with her.

Mommy hummed a tune that Billie had heard a thousand times from her brothers, her sister, even her Uncle Harper. It was the first time she had heard her mommy hum the tune, but she had a feeling it was where her family had learned it. Billie loved the sound of her voice, even if it was just humming. She snuggled up against her as the porch rocker that they sat on swayed gently. Billie reached up and twirled her finger around a strand of her mommy's hair and closed her eyes as the happiness of the moment lulled her into complete relaxation.

"Oh," mommy said suddenly but quietly. "He's here."

Billie opened her eyes and saw a man walking up the driveway. He was too far away to see clearly, but Billie could see that he wore a suit like her daddy wore to work and dark sunglasses. As he walked toward the front porch, the sunlight began to fade, as if the sun was setting at ten times its normal speed. What was especially strange was that it seemed to Billie that the darkness came along behind the man as he walked. When he had finally reached the porch, it was completely dark outside, like nighttime when clouds covered the moon. The automatic porch lights turned on in response to the darkness and cast a warm glow across the entire porch.

The man stepped up on the porch and smiled and Billie could see now that his suit wasn't quite like the kind that daddy wore. It was tighter on his body and reminded Billie of the movie stars that were on the shows that Dinah liked to watch. He was tall like Uncle Harper, but skinny like Cole, with dark hair and pale skin and perfect white teeth. Billie didn't like him for some reason. There was something about him that made her angry, though she couldn't say why. She wanted to tell him to go away, but her mommy seemed to be relaxed, so she kept quiet. The man took off his sunglasses as he walked up the steps to the edge of the porch. The way he did it reminded her of Uncle Harper for some reason. As he continued to smile at them, Billie could see his eyes for the first time. They were purple.

No, not purple, she corrected herself. She tried to remember the word that she had learned at school and then it hit her. Violet...his eyes were violet. When she looked at them, she felt herself starting to like him, thinking that he looked like he was a nice man. But when she looked away and up at her mommy, the feelings of dislike returned. She looked back at the man, but this time focused on his white teeth and was able to hang onto what she knew to be her true feelings.

"Hello, Arianna," the man said as he looked at mommy. "It's good to see you."

"Hello," Arianna answered politely. She didn't address the man by name, but Billie got the sense that she knew the man somehow.

The man turned to her and smiled again, "Hello there. And what's your name?" His voice was pleasant, like mommy and Uncle Harper. But Billie didn't answer him.

"It's okay, Billie," Arianna told her. "You can say hello."

Billie didn't want to say anything to the man, but her daddy had always insisted that she answer when people spoke to her. He said it was rude to ignore someone and he wanted his children to be polite at all times.

"Hello," she finally said quietly as she looked into his eyes again. "My name's Billie." She felt her dislike of him fade again as she looked into his eyes and realized that there was something about his eyes that was making her feel differently. She didn't like the thought of someone changing her feelings about something, so she looked at his mouth again, instead. She felt the man's eyes on her for a moment before he spoke again.

"She's lovely, Arianna," he said to Billie's mommy. "And she has your eyes. But she's not the one, is she? There's nothing special about her." He said it with pity in his voice and it made Billie like him even less. Billie waited for mommy to say something to defend her, but she was silent. Billie looked up at mommy's face and saw her staring at the man with an expression that Billie couldn't figure out. If she had been a few years older, she would have known the expression to be guarded.

Billie looked back at the man and saw him looking past them at the house. She felt something coming from him as he stared. It was the same kind of thing that she felt from Cole sometimes. She called it the looking for something feeling in Cole and she knew that the man was looking for something too.

He looked back at mommy and asked her, "Which one is it then, Arianna?"

Arianna chuckled once before answering, "Come now, you don't honestly expect me to tell you, do you?" She sounded like she was teasing the man. "You can't expect me to do your work for you."

Billie watched as a look of anger briefly crossed the man's voice. She didn't know what mommy had said that had upset the man, but she was proud of mommy for whatever it was.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," the man said. "But it won't be long before I figure out which one it is, Arianna. And nothing you or Harper can do will stop that." He was no longer smiling, but his voice sounded calm and reasonable.

Billie looked up at mommy and she looked sad. She shook her head as she answered the man, "You must know that we will stop the others, just as we have in the past. There are many protecting the one, and each of those protectors is powerful and will give their lives to ensure the one's survival." Though her voice sounded sad, Billie could hear the strength and determination in it.

Billie looked over at the man and saw him smile and shake his head. "It's a shame that you were the one to bear the Solas, Arianna. I so looked forward to the day that we could have actually met." He looked down at the ground for a minute before looking back at mommy. "I imagine that our meeting would have been amazing. You were always the strongest of them, you know. I could see that even from the distance from which I watched you all. Still, I enjoy our chats together. They are a pale shadow of what could have been had we met, but I enjoy them nevertheless." He bowed to them then and smiled at Billie. "It was lovely to meet you, Billie. And Arianna, it is always a pleasure to see you."

He turned around then and walked down the steps, but turned his head when he had reached the bottom. He looked over his shoulder at them as he said quietly, "Your faith in Harper is misplaced, by the way. He will fail." Billie looked up at mommy and saw her mouth harden. The man spoke to her next as he said, "Your mother's made a mistake, Billie - a mistake that will cost your family dearly." He stood there, looking over his shoulder at them and Billie felt anger well up inside her.

"You get out of here!" Billie yelled at the man as she leaned forward in mommy's lap. "Get out of here before I call the dogs outside to bite you!"

The man smiled and Billie could hear him chuckling as he put his sunglasses back on and walked away. Billie wanted to chase him and throw a rock at him, but she felt mommy pull her in closely and heard her make a shushing noise. Billie watched as the man walked down the driveway, and saw the darkness brighten as he walked away. By the time she could no longer see him, the afternoon sun shone brightly in place of the darkness that had been there just a moment before.

She felt sleepy suddenly, which she thought was odd, considering she had to already be asleep if she was dreaming. As she drifted off to sleep in her dream, she felt mommy kiss the top of her head and heard her whisper softly, "You are special, Billie, more special than you know. And I love you very much."

Billie opened her eyes and felt something strange as she woke. It was something warm and furry pressed up against her. As her eyes focused, she realized that it was Aidan, curled up next to her in her bed. Aidan's head was on Billie's chest and she stared into Billie's eyes with an expression of sadness. She looked so sad that Billie hugged her and kissed her snout and then heard her sigh in response. As she looked into Aidan's eyes, she thought that there was something so familiar about them and wondered how she hadn't noticed before. She wondered what caused the sense of familiarity, but was too tired to think about it for long.

She kissed Aidan's snout one more time and then closed her eyes. The last thing she heard before she drifted off to sleep was the rhythmic breathing of Aidan that matched Billie's breathing exactly.

# Chapter 12

Monday Afternoon, January 10th

Cole stood outside in the cold, waiting for Dinah after the last bell. He was still tense thinking about the demons and the possibility that they would attack while they were at school. But the day was nearly over and Uncle Harper would be there to pick him and Dinah up in a little more than half an hour. They had managed to go nearly the full day at school without any signs of danger. He could sense the presence of four of the wolves in the nearby trees, but while they seemed to be alert for signs of the demons, their minds were otherwise at ease. There was a good chance that they would get home safely and without incident, which caused conflicting emotions in Cole. He was relieved that they hadn't been forced to confront the demons directly, but he was still worried that they had no long-term solution to the threat of the creatures. And his newfound lack of faith in Uncle Harper's ability to figure one out didn't help his anxiety.

He sensed Eliza's presence before he heard the front door of the school open. He turned around and saw her walking up to him along the sidewalk. She flipped up the collar of her jacket as a slight breeze blew the icy air against her, but the warmth of her smile when he met her eyes dispelled any cold that Cole felt.

"Why are you waiting outside, Cole?" Eliza asked as she walked up to stand next to him. "It's freezing out here."

Cole smiled back at her as he answered, "It's not so bad. I'm waiting for Dinah."

"Waiting for your sister?" Eliza asked. "That's sweet of you to do that."

Cole felt unusually confident as he answered flirtatiously, "Well, I'm a sweet guy." He couldn't believe it as he said it, but it seemed to have the desired effect.

Eliza seemed surprised, but smiled in what Cole could only describe as a flirting way. "Well, I think I already knew that, Cole," she said as she gently pushed his shoulder with hers. "You know, I've always liked that name. Are you named after someone?"

Cole's newfound confidence took a minor dive as he thought of how to answer her question. He and his siblings were all named after their parents' favorite jazz artists. While this was cool to most adults, it was hard to convince other people Cole's age that jazz was in any way cool. He thought of making something up to answer Eliza's question, but he didn't want to pretend to be something – or someone, that he wasn't, especially not with her.

"We're all named after jazz artists that my parents liked," he answered her. He waited for her to laugh at him or look at him like he was a weirdo, but her eyes brightened and she smiled again.

"Cole Porter or Nat King Cole?" she asked.

Cole stared at her in surprise. He couldn't believe that she would know either of those names. "Both, actually," he answered. "My mom loved Cole Porter and my dad loves Nat King Cole. How did you know?"

Eliza laughed before answering, "Most people don't think it's cool, but I love jazz. I grew up listening to it with my parents, and it always seems to make me relax when I'm stressing out about something. Is that weird?"

Cole looked at her and it seemed like he was meeting her for the first time. He couldn't believe that someone as beautiful and cool as she was could have one of the same interests as he did. With everything that had been happening to him and his family over the past few days, it was a welcome stroke of good luck.

"No, it's not weird at all," he said, mystified. "Maybe we could listen to some of my music at my house some time." He couldn't believe he was being so bold by asking her, but he figured the worst she could say was no.

She looked down at her feet for a second and then looked up at him through lowered eyelids. "I'd like that a lot, Cole."

Cole smiled back at her as he said, "Cool." He thought of something else that he wanted to ask her and thought that he might actually have a chance of her saying yes. He had wanted to ask her to the winter dance, but figured she would have preferred to go with about a dozen other guys beside him. But now he thought his luck might be changing.

Harper walked to the front door of the school building while holding Billie's hand. He stopped to the side of the glass door and waited as scores of other students hurried past them and outside to the cars of their waiting parents. They waited near the door for Louis while Harper looked out the door, scanning the trees near the school for any sign of the demons. He had seen no sign of them each time that he had gone outside during the classroom breaks and silently thanked the universe that it looked like they would make it through the entire day without meeting them. He was relieved that this was the case, but still wondered what his long-term plan was going to be.

His conversation the night before with Tragmar, the leader of the Sentinels, had not gone well. Tragmar had refused to let Harper tell him where the Solas was. He had insisted that so many of the Sentinels had gone missing that he was sure their security had been compromised. He didn't think it was safe to discuss anything over the phone and had insisted that Harper and the children use 'the usual channels' to find him. Harper knew what those channels were, but knew that it would take some time for him to find Tragmar by following them. They had been designed to be difficult for anyone who didn't know which signs to look for to find. And it meant that Harper would have to figure out a way to convince Jerry that the entire family should go on a trip somewhere to the north, which was all he knew about Tragmar's whereabouts. He was nervous about leaving the safety of the house, but wasn't sure how much longer they'd have before the demons made their move on the family.

"Harper," a woman's voice called from down the hall. "May I speak with you for a minute?"

He looked down the hallway and saw Ms. Waverly walking over to where he stood with Billie. "I'm glad I caught you before you left," she said. "I wanted to ask you about helping with some upcoming events."

Billie looked up to see Ms. Waverly fidgeting as she spoke to her uncle. She always seemed to have that reaction whenever Uncle Harper was around and Billie thought it was funny to watch her when she was like that. Billie looked at her uncle as Ms. Waverly spoke to him and she watched as he kept looking out the window, like he was looking for something. Ms. Waverly seemed to pick up on this and looked out the window, as well.

"Are you waiting for someone?" she asked. "I really don't mean to keep you, if you need to leave."

Harper looked over at her and smiled, "No, I'm sorry. We're just waiting for Louis. Do you mind if we speak outside? It's a little stuffy in here." Harper wanted to get a better look at the trees around the front of the school to be sure that there was no sign of the creatures before they walked to the parking lot where his van was parked.

"Um, sure," Ms. Waverly said. "Let me grab my coat and meet you outside."

She turned around and walked back to her classroom as Harper opened the door and stepped outside with Billie, who was already bundled up against the cold in jacket, scarf, hat and gloves. Harper still found it funny that humans were so susceptible to the cold when so many of them had chosen to live in it. His people felt the cold, but not in the same way as humans. They knew it was there, but it did not cause discomfort and was not dangerous to them as it could be for humans. He wore a heavy jacket more as a means of blending in than from actually needing its protection and warmth.

Harper scanned the trees that were on either side of the parking lot for any signs of the demons, but could see nothing other than the trees themselves and the snow between them. He reached out with his senses to see if he could feel anything, but there truly appeared to be nothing there. He thought about the other children and felt a stab of worry. He hoped that there had been no sign of the demons at either of the other two schools. Since there had been no communication from either group of wolves or from Cody, he assumed that their sentry duty had been as uneventful as his.

Ms. Waverly walked out the front door and stood next to them, her hands in the pockets of her thick winter coat. "Hoo, it's freezing out here!" she said. "So, what I wanted to ask you about is some of the upcoming school events. We need some volunteers to help out and I was wondering if you would be interested." A strong breeze blew against the school building at that moment and Ms. Waverly turned away from it. "Are you sure you don't want to wait inside where it's warm?" she asked.

"No, Louis should be out in a minute," Harper said. He used his inner strength to heat the air slightly around them. It was enough to make Tina Waverly more comfortable, but not enough to make her wonder where the warmth had come from. He saw her relax visibly as he continued, "About the events, Ms. Waverly, I'd be happy to help where I can. Please send me a list of the things that you need help with, and I'll let you know when I'm available." He felt slightly guilty for offering help when he knew that it was likely that he and the family would be gone soon, but he liked Ms. Waverly and didn't want to seem rude by just saying no.

"Please, call me Tina," Billie's teacher said with a smile and slight laugh. Harper saw movement from the corner of his eye and looked inside to see Louis leave his classroom inside the school building, followed by his teacher, Mr. Holt.

Louis stood at Mr. Holt's desk as the rest of his classmates walked past and out the door. Mr. Holt had asked him to stay behind and Louis tried to think of something that he had done to warrant such a request. He had made a conscious effort to behave in class throughout the day, since he had wanted to be more respectful of Mr. Holt after he had cut Louis the break that he had on Friday.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Louis asked.

Mr. Holt looked up at him and smiled. "Yes, Louis. I wanted to thank you for being so well-behaved today. I noticed that you were making an effort and appreciate it."

Louis smiled as relief set in, "Oh, no problem, Mr. Holt." He looked at his teacher, expecting him to say something else, but he just smiled up at him. "Was that it? I mean, can I go now? My uncle's waiting for me outside." Louis couldn't think of a time when he had ever been told that he had been well-behaved at school. The most he typically hoped for was that he didn't receive detention or other after-school discipline for being caught pulling one of his usual pranks. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he sort of liked the feeling of not being in trouble.

Mr. Holt's eyes brightened and he asked, "Your uncle's here? That's excellent! I'd love to let him know what a change I saw in you today."

"Oh," Louis said as he shrugged his shoulders. "I'll introduce you, if you want." He realized as he said this that the only thing he thought he would like better than not being in trouble was for his uncle or dad to find out that he had been good. He wasn't sure if they would believe it coming from him, so having his teacher say it was a blessing.

"Thank you, yes," Mr. Holt said as he stood up.

Louis saw something metallic glint in the light near the top of Mr. Holt's shirt as he stood up. "What's that? In your shirt?" he asked as he saw it flash again.

Mr. Holt looked down in confusion and then his eyes widened in recognition as he reached into the top of his shirt and pulled out a small silver medallion on a chain. "It's my necklace," he told Louis as he held it up for him to see.

Louis looked at the silver disc that was carved with an intricate design. It was covered in a strange pattern that seemed to have no starting point and no ending point. The style of the carvings looked familiar to Louis, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it. "It's really cool, Mr. Holt. Where did you get it? Does it mean something?"

Mr. Holt looked embarrassed as he answered, "Well, I actually made it. It's sort of a hobby of mine. The symbols are supposed to..." He chuckled as he continued, "Well, they're supposed to protect the wearer from evil."

Louis was fascinated by the medallion which continued to shine in spite of the fact that it was now in the shadow of Mr. Holt's head. "Does it always glow like that? My mom used to make jewelry that glowed," Louis said to his teacher. As he watched it, the faint light that it had first put off grew into a steady glow. "It looks like it's getting brighter."

Mr. Holt looked down at the medallion in confusion, "You know, I've never seen it do that before." He covered the medallion with his other hand, leaving a small opening between his hands. The light coming from it poured from his cupped hands as he continued to frown down at it. "Huh," he said as he finally let it go. "It must be retaining heat from my body or something." He didn't sound convinced to Louis, who continued to watch the glowing pendant. He looked at it one last time before saying, "Anyway, we'd better not keep your uncle waiting."

Louis nodded and grabbed his backpack from the ground next to Mr. Holt's desk and walked out of the classroom with his teacher following behind him.

Vaughan stood next to Sarah under one of the trees near the parking lot. It was a large pine tree that provided some protection from the slight breeze that had begun to blow across the front of the school. He wasn't very cold, but he could see that Sarah was shivering. She was waiting with him until his uncle arrived to pick him up, but Vaughan knew that her mother wouldn't be picking her up for at least another hour, since both of Sarah's parents worked in downtown Denver. Uncle Harper frequently gave her a ride home and Vaughan knew that he would offer today since it was so cold.

Vaughan had been telling Sarah about him signing up for karate lessons and more importantly, the conversation with his father in which he had discovered the reason for his father's aversion to Vaughan's dancing.

"You're kidding," Sarah said with amazement. "He actually said that?"

Vaughan smiled and nodded, "Yes, he said that the reason he had a hard time watching me dance was because it reminded him of my mom. He also said that my dancing was beautiful, just like hers." He remembered what he had felt when learning that his assumptions of why his father had avoided his dancing had been so wrong. And he remembered the feelings of guilt that came with that realization. "I felt horrible, Sarah. I didn't even try to understand what he was going through."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up," Sarah told him as she put her arm around him. He returned the gesture to try to provide some warmth as she continued to shiver. "It sounds like you two just need to learn to talk to each other about stuff."

"I know, right?" Vaughan told her with a chuckle. "We were becoming a stereotype – the kind of father and son that don't ever talk about stuff." He thought of what a huge difference there had been in his relationship with his father in just a few days and vowed not to let that go. He would talk to his father when something was bothering him, and try even harder to understand where his father might be coming from. He thought of something else that had changed in the past few days. "And how about the change with Leroy and Emmitt? They didn't say one word to me all day," he said as he looked at Sarah.

Sarah smiled, but then her expression darkened as she looked over Vaughan's shoulder. "Maybe you spoke to soon," she said as she nodded in the direction of the school building.

Leroy and Emmitt were walking toward them and Emmitt had a mean look on his face. Leroy looked upset as he walked next to Emmitt and was gesturing wildly. He grabbed Emmitt's arm and stepped in front of him. Emmitt stopped for just a moment, but then yanked his arm from Leroy's grasp and shoved him aside as he locked eyes with Vaughan.

"Crap," Vaughan said as he felt his heart start to race. He stepped in front of Sarah to meet Emmitt and prepared himself for what was about to happen. He was about to get into a fight. And this time, he was going to fight back.

Jerry sat at the diner's lunch counter as he waited for Larry to return from the restroom. The diner was one of their favorite spots downtown and they had stopped by for a late lunch before returning to the office to finish their workday. Jerry took a sip of the coffee that he had ordered while he watched one of the early local newscasts on the TV mounted high on the wall. It was a story about someone being shot in one of the Denver suburbs, something that happened more often than Jerry liked to think about. Overall, Denver was safe for a large city. But there were pockets of violence-ridden areas in some of the poorer sections of the city that had been slow to follow the trend toward public safety that most of the rest of the city had seen. It was one of the reasons that he and Arianna had chosen to live in Evergreen.

"Excuse me, but is this seat taken?" a man's voice asked from Jerry's side.

He turned to see if the question had been asked of him and was suddenly looking into the eyes of a well-dressed man who stood just a few feet from him. He wore a gray pin-striped suit with a light purple shirt and deep purple tie that made the strange violet color of his eyes nearly glow. He had dark hair, and skin that was nearly the same shade of white as his brilliant, straight teeth. Those same teeth were bared in a dazzling smile. His face was what just about anyone would consider as extremely handsome. And though he didn't really look like Harper, the man reminded Jerry of his brother-in-law for some reason.

Jerry was sitting on one end of the counter, which was otherwise completely empty. He counted eleven open seats beside his own, any of which should have been a more logical choice for the stranger. He wanted to suggest that the man take a seat further down, but he didn't want to seem rude.

"Um, sure," Jerry said instead. "Help yourself." He turned his attention back to the TV as the man settled himself next to Jerry. He felt the man's eyes on him, but tried to pretend that he didn't notice. A city the size of Denver was also filled with its share of weirdoes, and Jerry had encountered many of them in his line of work. He felt the stare continue, so he finally turned to look at the strange man. Before he could say anything, the man stuck out his hand.

"The name's DeForester," he said with another dazzling smile.

Jerry wasn't sure if it was a first name or a last name, or one of those stage names that a lot of entertainment people seemed to go by. He wanted to ignore the man, but Jerry had to admit to himself that he was most likely harmless. And he remembered that Larry was going to be back from the bathroom at any moment and they would be leaving. This meant that he would only have to entertain the strange man for a few minutes at most. He was confident that he could keep his manners for at least that long. Had his mother or grandmother been there to see his behavior, he knew they would have been proud that their frequent and consistent discipline around manners had paid off.

Jerry took the man's hand, "Jerry Ambrose. It's nice to meet you." The man had a firm handshake, but Jerry could feel the softness of skin that suggested, along with the expensive suit, that the man was wealthy.

DeForester's eyes lit up as he said, "Ah, I thought you looked familiar!"

Jerry looked back at him in confusion. Though he reminded Jerry of Harper, he was sure that he had never met DeForester before. There was no way that he could have forgotten such strangely beautiful eyes. "I'm sorry, have we met?" Jerry asked.

"No, we haven't," DeForester said with the smile still pasted on his face. "I knew your wife Arianna quite well, though."

Jerry's confusion increased as he stared back at the stranger. Jerry thought that he had met the few friends that Arianna had and again, he could find no memory of a man with violet eyes.

As if sensing Jerry's skepticism, DeForester clarified, "Well, I shouldn't say that I knew her well. It was more of a professional friendship. You see, I was one of your wife's best customers." He smiled again as he added, "For her jewelry I mean, of course." He pulled his right sleeve back slightly to expose an intricately worked, slim silver bracelet. A brilliant blue sapphire had been worked into the swirls of silver and Jerry could see the telltale sign that the piece had been created by his wife. The sapphire seemed to shine with an inner light of its own. Jerry had seen sapphires in other jewelry and only the jewels used by his wife had such a light. It was the one thing more than any other that had made her jewelry so popular and able to fetch such a high price.

As DeForester spoke, Jerry could hear a slight accent that sounded familiar and realized that it was similar to the accent that his wife and Harper both had. He wondered if the man was originally from Ireland, as well. "I'm sorry, but if we've never met, how could you have recognized me as Arianna's husband?"

DeForester's expression went flat for a second before his eyes brightened again, "Well, I recognized you from pictures of course. Arianna spoke fondly and frequently of you and the children." He smiled again and his voice sounded reasonable as he explained. But Jerry didn't believe him for a second. There was something very odd about the man and Jerry got the sense that he wasn't being completely honest with him.

"I was so sorry to hear of Arianna's passing," DeForester said with what appeared to be genuine sadness. "She was a true light in a world that can be far too dark at times. I shall miss her terribly."

Jerry couldn't remember ever hearing someone speak in such a way outside of the movies, but he had little experience with people from Europe and thought that maybe it was just the way that they spoke.

"And the children," DeForester said next, the sadness in his voice turning to pity. "How have they taken the whole thing? I hope that they've taken after the strength of their mother and are adjusting?"

Jerry didn't like hearing the stranger speak of his children and didn't like where the conversation was going. He wanted the man to shut up and leave, but Jerry's instincts told him not to chase DeForester away. He had the strange and sudden feeling that he was going to meet the man again and he wanted to see if he could learn something about him.

"The children are fine," Jerry answered him. "Thank you for asking."

DeForester smiled in response, but then his eyes grew distant and his smile faded. He looked like he was seeing something far away, something that Jerry couldn't see. It made him even more uncomfortable to watch, but Jerry couldn't tear his gaze from those violet eyes. Just as Jerry was about to ask DeForester if he was okay, his eyes refocused on Jerry's, though the smile didn't return.

"I'm truly sorry to cut our conversation short, but it appears that I must leave," DeForester said, as if he had received a phone call in his head. His gaze intensified and he leaned in as he added, "I'm sure you know this, but your children are precious. Cherish and guard them as well as you can." He blinked and leaned back and then the dazzling smile returned, "I do hope our paths meet again, Jeremiah. Until then, do take care of yourself."

Jerry smiled and nodded, but could say nothing in response. DeForester's parting words had been so strange that Jerry was completely taken aback. He watched as DeForester left the diner and walked down the street until he couldn't see him any longer. As he walked out of sight, Jerry realized something else that was strange. He had introduced himself as Jerry, not Jeremiah. And yet the strange man had called him by his given name just before he left. Most people would assume Jerry was short for Gerald or Jerome.

"Who was the movie star?" Larry asked as he walked up, dispelling Jerry's concentration. "Someone you know?"

"I'm not sure," Jerry answered after thinking for a moment. "He knew Arianna. At least, he used to buy jewelry from her." He thought again of what DeForester had said about the children and felt a moment of irrational fear for their safety.

"That's quite a coincidence to run into him in a diner in Denver," Larry observed as he looked out the door through which DeForester had left. "Does he live here?"

"I don't know, Larry," Jerry said as he finished the last sip of his coffee. "And I have a feeling that it wasn't a coincidence that I ran into him." He looked at the check and then pulled out enough cash to cover it and a small tip from his wallet before leaving it all on the counter.

"You're just being paranoid because of the whole wolf thing," Larry told him. "Don't let it bother you."

Jerry stood up and was about to respond to Larry when a familiar face flashed across the television screen. At first, he couldn't remember where he had seen the smiling young woman and then he remembered. The face was Anna's – the young woman that had come to his house the day before, trying to sell magazines. The name that displayed under her picture was Anna Bukhalo. He leaned in and heard the newscaster say that she was a student at University of Denver that had been missing for over a week and had last been seen at a tavern in the center of Evergreen.

"What's up, Sid?" Larry asked as he looked up at the TV. "Do you know her?"

Jerry looked over at Larry, trying to process what he was hearing. "She came to my front door yesterday morning, trying to sell me some magazines."

"They just said she's been missing for a week," Larry said with a frown. "You saying she's been selling magazines for a week and just forgot to tell anyone where she was?" His words sounded sarcastic, but Jerry could tell by the way that he watched the TV intently that his investigative instincts had been alerted. The story ended on TV with a toll-free number for people to call if they had seen the young woman. "Are you sure it's the same girl?" Larry asked.

"I'm positive, Larry," Jerry asked as they walked toward the front door of the diner. "And she said her name was Anna."

Larry nodded. They had been working together for so long that he knew when to take his partner seriously. "Let's take a look at the case when we get back to the office," he said as they walked out into the cold.

As he rode in the passenger seat of their unmarked sedan, Jerry couldn't stop thinking of two sets of eyes. The first set was the violet eyes of DeForester, which had been so captivating and familiar in an odd way. The conversation with the strange man had been very odd and set him on edge. He knew that he had heard the man's name before, but couldn't remember where. He decided that he would do an internet search on the name when they returned to the office. The second set of eyes that stuck in his mind was the bright blue eyes of the missing girl, Anna. She had come to his home and he had turned her away, into the cold and the potential danger of the wolves that were likely in the forests around his house. He felt guilty for not making a more concerted effort to ensure that she had been okay and hoped that she hadn't been hurt or killed because of his apathy.

Dinah walked with Eduardo down the hallway that led to the front entrance of the school. Her mind was filled with thoughts of everything that had happened the day before. She was relieved that nothing had happened that day and it made her feel a bit safer to know that Uncle Harper was right about the demons not wanting to move against them at school.

"Dinah, I have to ask you something before it's too late," Eduardo asked her suddenly. He stopped moving and she stopped with him, though she looked at him in confusion. He exhaled loudly before asking, "Will you go to the dance with me?" He looked nervous as he looked back at her and she almost laughed at the fact that something that had been so important to her just three days before could have been pushed completely to the back of her mind.

She smiled and even giggled a little before she answered, "Of course I will." She punched him lightly on the shoulder before adding, "I thought you would never ask, you jerk."

"Sorry it took me so long," he said with a smile. "It's not exactly easy asking one of the most popular girls in the school, you know. You can be a little intimidating sometimes."

Dinah was a little hurt by what he said until she realized that he was messing with her. She smiled and shook her head, "Very funny. Let's go meet Cole outside before I show you how intimidating I can really be."

They walked through the front door and Dinah spotted Cole talking to Eliza. They were both laughing and Eliza had her arm in Cole's. Dinah had never seen her brother look so easy and comfortable with a girl before and it made her smile. She had always been pushing Cole to be more social and here was the exact reason why – when he forgot about his shyness, his easygoing manner made it even easier for people to talk to him. She looked over at Eduardo and saw him smiling at the pair, as well. As they walked over to meet them, Dinah reached over and took Eduardo's hand. His hand felt tense for a moment before it relaxed and gripped hers in return.

A car pulled into the parking lot at that moment and Dinah involuntarily tensed. It was a black sedan like the ones that the agents at her father's office all drove, though it wasn't her father or Larry. She knew that her father would never send anyone for them unless it was Larry. As Dinah thought of this, she dreaded the thought of what the car showing up at school meant. Something had happened with her father.

# Chapter 13

Monday Afternoon, January 10th

Jerry looked at the search results on his computer screen again and tried to decide what to look at next. It hadn't been a difficult search, since there had been a reason that the name DeForester had sounded familiar. Nathan DeForester was a highly reclusive, billionaire industrialist that was originally from Ireland. His name was certainly well-known, but there were no pictures available of him anywhere. Jerry couldn't confirm it, but he suspected that this was the man who he had met in the diner. He couldn't find that DeForester necessarily had any connection to Denver, but he supposed that it was possible that he had been in the city on business. And yet something told Jerry that DeForester's reason for being in the diner was Jerry, and it sent a chill down his spine for reasons that he couldn't understand.

He thought again of the girl Anna and felt the same pang of guilt. He had requested a copy of the case from the Jefferson County sheriff's office, but they hadn't had much information. She was one of dozens of missing people in the Denver metro area and she had only been missing for a week. Jerry had told them of his encounter with her the day before and this had only pushed her case further down on the priority list, since there had now been a recent sighting of her. He glanced through the pictures of people that had gone missing in the past month and the faces started to blur together.

"We'd better get going, Sid," Larry said as he grabbed his coat.

Jerry looked up at Larry in confusion. "Get going where?" he asked.

Larry shook his head at Jerry as he answered, "You really need to start updating your calendar, Sid. We need to be in Colorado Springs in an hour and a half for that meeting at the Air Force academy."

Jerry had completely forgotten about the meeting. Colorado Springs was about an hour from Denver and the meeting wasn't expected to be a long one, but he hated the thought of being so far from his family for some reason. His logical side told him that it was an irrational fear and that it was due to the strange encounter with DeForester. He should have been able to let it go, but he couldn't. But he also had a job to do.

"Alright, let's get going," he said as he grabbed his coat and the car keys. As he walked toward the office door, he caught a glimpse of something on the computer. It was the face of the missing girl, Anna. The sight of her innocent smile only made the nagging feeling that something bad was about to happen worse.

Harper heard the sound of a car pulling into the parking lot and looked over to see a large black SUV with darkly-tinted windows driving up to the front walkway. The parking lot was otherwise empty, with the exception of a few parked cars which he assumed belonged to some of the teachers. The SUV stopped at the front walkway and Harper could hear the motor shut off. However, no one got out of the car. Harper often had to wait up to fifteen minutes for one or more of the children when he picked them up, especially with Louis. He was held after school so often that Harper planned on him being five to ten minutes late each day.

"That's odd," Ms. Waverly said. "I don't remember ever seeing that car and I'm out here just about every day." She shrugged her shoulders and smiled at Harper as she added, "There must be a new student in one of the other grades."

Harper's suspicion was aroused by Ms. Waverly's comment, but Louis walked out of the front door to the school at that moment, followed by a man wearing glasses who looked to be in his early thirties. Harper guessed that this was Louis' teacher, Mr. Holt. He waved at Harper as he and Louis walked up to where they were standing.

"You must be Louis' uncle, Mr...." Mr. Holt said as he held out his hand.

Harper smiled and took the man's hand, "Call me Harper, please. And you must be Mr. Holt. It's a pleasure to meet you." He had a firm handshake and looked Harper right in the eye, which many humans found difficult to do. Harper felt a vague tingling pass through his hand for just a moment and then it passed. At first he wondered what could have caused such a thing, but then passed it off as static electricity caused by the cold, dry air.

"It's Jason, please. It's nice to meet you too, Harper," Jason Holt said. "I came outside because I wanted to tell you how well-behaved Louis was in school..."

"Hey, look!" Louis suddenly interrupted. He pointed at Ms. Waverly's bracelet, which was glowing brightly. "It's glowing like your necklace, Mr. Holt."

Harper was about to scold Louis for interrupting his conversation with Mr. Holt, but then he caught a glimpse of the glowing medallion hanging from the teacher's neck. The symbols were intricate, but clearly visible as the light shone through them. Harper recognized the symbols instantly and he knew what they meant. He tensed instantly and scanned the trees around the school for any sign of the demons. Nothing moved within the trees, but he knew that the demons had to be nearby.

"I made the bracelet for Tina as a gift," Mr. Holt said with obvious embarrassment. "But I've never seen either piece glow like this. It's very strange."

Harper looked at Tina Waverly's bracelet. It was silver, like Jason Holt's medallion, but was worked with a series of semi-precious stones that sparkled as the metal glowed. He didn't have to look at the bracelet more closely to know that the symbols there were similar to the ones that covered Jason's necklace. Harper frantically searched the trees again, but nothing was there. Confused, he looked back at the school building and through the glass front doors, but nothing and no one was there either. And then he remembered the thing that had made him suspicious just a moment before.

Harper turned and looked at the large, black SUV and at that moment all four doors opened, and he instantly sensed the presence of his ancient enemies roll at him from within it. "Tina, Jason, please take the children back inside the school. Do it now, please," he told the two teachers as he stepped in front of the four men walking toward them.

"Is everything alright?" Tina asked as she took Billie's hand. She looked over at Jason in confusion, but he only shook his head slightly as he put his hand on Louis' shoulder. "Should we call the police?" she asked with obvious concern.

Harper nodded as he watched the four men approach. They all wore black suits and dark sunglasses. And though they did not look alike, they each had a face that Harper could not have picked out in a crowd if he tried. He realized that the children and the teachers had not moved.  
"Yes, call the police," he said as he looked at Tina. He knew the demons would not want to face them in front of human witnesses, so the arrival of policemen seemed like a good idea. Tina looked at the men slowly walking up the sidewalk and then back at Harper, but didn't move.

"Get them inside!" Harper told the teachers forcefully. "Now!" he yelled when they still hadn't moved.

The commanding tone of his voice finally spurred them into action. Tina and Jason pulled the two children with them and ran back toward the front door of the school. Billie looked back as they ran and saw her uncle turn to face the four men alone. They all smiled wicked smiles as they closed the distance between them and him. She saw her uncle crouch down like people in the movies did when they were ready to fight. Billie saw him start to glow as the sky darkened overhead suddenly. He looked so alone standing there and Billie was suddenly very afraid for her uncle.

"Uncle Harper!" she screamed as she tore her hand from Tina's grasp and ran toward her uncle. Louis turned at the sound of his sister screaming and ran after her, trying to reach for her hand. Tina and Jason ran after the children, shouting their names and trying to reach for both of them.

Harper turned around at the sound of Billie screaming his name and his heart was filled with dismay when he saw both children running toward him. He couldn't protect them and fight off the approaching demons in human form at the same time. He silently prayed that the teachers would reach them, but Billie and Louis were fast and Harper didn't think the teachers would be able to catch them in time. He heard the men behind him break into a run and he knew that they would be on him in a second. He had to hold them off long enough for Tina and Jason to catch the children and get them inside.

Billie had nearly reached her uncle when the men in black reached him. She screamed as the man in the lead's face shifted into something out of her worst nightmares. It looked like a combination between a dog and a man, with a snout filled with long, white teeth. And it was about to reach Uncle Harper as his back was turned to it. Just as the creature reached for Harper, he dropped into a crouch and spun as his leg swept the creatures legs. He quickly reversed his spin and his right fist snapped out and at the falling creature's chest as it fell. There was a bright flash of light and the creature screamed out in pain before it hit the ground with a loud cracking noise.

Billie and Louis both stopped in shock at seeing their uncle's reaction. He had moved so quickly that his arm and leg had actually blurred. And they couldn't believe the way he had moved. It was like he had been fighting like that his entire life. Billie felt herself being lifted up and she looked back in shock to see Ms. Waverly's huge eyes staring back at her. She looked over and saw Mr. Holt carrying Louis as the two teachers ran back toward the front door of the school. When they stopped near the door, Billie looked over Ms. Waverly's shoulder and saw two of the other men charge Uncle Harper at once. The sound of Mr. Holt frantically trying to open the door made her turn back around as the door refused to open.

"It's locked!" he screamed. "It must have locked behind me!" He was still carrying Louis in his arms and his eyes were nearly as large as Ms. Waverly's. Mr. Holt's necklace and Ms. Waverly's bracelet were now growing so brightly that they were almost painful to look at.

Louis looked over Mr. Holt's shoulder and saw the two men close with Uncle Harper. But again, he was ready. He jumped to an amazing height and over the heads of the creatures. He somersaulted and twisted in the air and landed behind them. They weren't able to move quickly enough and Uncle Harper grabbed one of the men from behind, lifted him over his head, and then turned and threw the man nearly thirty feet. The man landed on the windshield of the black SUV and was still.

The other man grabbed Harper's shoulder and Louis screamed. Harper spun and grabbed the man's wrist as he twisted. As he completed the spin, his other hand snapped out against the man's elbow. Louis heard a loud cracking noise as the man screamed in pain and fury. He was so mesmerized by his uncle's movements that he hadn't noticed the fourth man running past the fighting and up to where he stood with his sister and their two teachers.

"Behind you!" he screamed at Mr. Holt as the man slowed to a walk.

Mr. Holt turned and saw the man approaching and Louis could feel him start to shake in what he knew was fear. He put Louis down and pushed him behind him and then reached out to push Ms. Waverly, who still held Billie, behind him as well. The man in black smiled and pulled off his sunglasses and Louis flinched as a pair of yellow eyes looked at them.

"Stand aside, humans" the man said in a gravelly voice. "Give up the children and you will not be harmed."

Louis felt Mr. Holt's body trembling as he faced the man, but he refused to move. He was impressed by the bravery of his teacher, but he didn't want him to be hurt either. Ms. Waverly placed her hand on his shoulder and his trembling subsided and Louis saw him stand a little straighter. The man's smile faded and his eyes narrowed in response.

"If you interfere, we will kill you," he said to them. "And then we will take the children when you are dead." He took a step forward and though he made no other movement toward them, he seemed to grow more menacing.

"We've called the police," Mr. Holt told the man with the barest hint of a quaver in his voice. "They'll be here any minute."

"You'd better leave now, while you have the chance," Ms. Waverly added.

Louis looked back and saw her meet the man's stare and she looked completely unafraid. Billie looked over at Louis and her eyes were huge. He smiled slightly at her, hoping to reassure her in some small way, though he was terrified.

The man chuckled as he answered, "Death it is." He stepped toward them and seemed to twist and grow as his face shifted into the same demonic guise that the other man in black had taken.

The amulet around Mr. Holt's neck flared suddenly and Louis saw Ms. Waverly's bracelet flare a split-second later. Twin beams of light flew from both pieces of jewelry and merged before striking the creature in the chest. The shaft of light lifted it off of its feet and threw it back nearly a dozen feet. When the creature hit the ground, the light engulfed it completely. It then poured from its eyes and mouth and intensified to the point that Louis had to look away. Just before he had turned his head, Louis saw the outline of the demon before it disappeared in the light. When the light finally faded, there was no sign of the creature other than a patch of melted snow where it had landed and some greasy black soot.

Harper came running up to them, his eyes wide with worry. "Are you all okay?" he asked as he reached for Billie.

Louis looked behind his uncle and saw that where the two man-creatures had been there were now two patches of greasy soot, instead.

"We're all fine, Harper," Tina said as she put her arm around Jason's waist. He looked over at her in surprise, but put his arm around her in return. Tina reached out with her other arm and pulled Louis close to her. More than anything, they all needed the comfort of human contact at that moment, and it was the only thing that could dispel some of the coldness that had worked its way into their bodies, a coldness that had little to do with the winter air outside.

"Are you okay, Uncle Harper?" Billie asked as she pulled away from his hug and put both of her hands on his face.

Harper nodded and then kissed his niece's cheek before answering, "Yes, honey. I'm fine." He couldn't believe how lucky he had been. He had never expected such an attack in broad daylight and his lack of preparedness had nearly cost the lives of the people now standing around him.

Jason Holt pushed his glasses back up on his nose, but continued to cling to Tina, who clung to him and Louis equally. "Harper, what the hell just happened?" he asked while frowning.

Harper hugged Billie to him again and stepped closer to the group. He looked down at Louis, who looked up at him with unblinking eyes. "Are you okay?"

Louis nodded and then broke away from Tina and hugged his uncle. Harper looked over at Jason, who stared back at him. He was expecting an answer and Harper couldn't dispute the fact that he deserved one. But he suddenly remembered that there had been a fourth assailant and knew that he had heard Billie screaming. "What happened to the fourth man?" he asked the two teachers. "Did he escape?"

Jason and Tina looked at each other before Jason explained that the man had attacked them and what had happened when he had. Harper looked at Jason for a moment before nodding. He couldn't believe how lucky he had been that Jason had happened to be outside when the attack had happened. He wasn't quite sure how Jason had did what he did, but he had a few theories.

"You haven't answered my question, Harper," Jason said. He still sounded like he was in shock, but had managed to sound insistent at the same time. "What were those things?"

Harper was about to answer, but suddenly thought of what the demons' attack on them could mean. "The other children are in danger!" he said while looking at the two teachers, as if that explained everything. He shook his head when Jason opened his mouth to say something else. "There's no time to explain. I've got to get to the other children now. And it's too dangerous to leave you here alone. Please come with me. I might need your help."

Jason looked at Harper like this was the last thing he wanted to do, but Tina looked up at him. "Please, Jason," she told him. "If we can help, we've got to go with him."

Jason looked down at Tina for a moment before smiling nervously and nodding. He looked over at Harper, "Yes, of course we'll come."

The five of them hurried toward the van and as they passed the black SUV, Louis heard Uncle Harper swear in a language that he didn't recognize. He looked over to see what his uncle was staring at as the group stopped. It took Louis a second to realize what it was that had caught his attention, but then he saw it - the man that Uncle Harper had thrown on the windshield was gone.

"Did anyone see where he went?" Tina asked as she searched the parking lot for any sign of the missing man.

"There's no time," Harper said as he hurried over to the van and quickly put Billie in her car seat as the rest of the group piled in. He had to be careful on the icy roads, but he pulled out of the parking lot and on to the road leading away from the school as quickly as he could. He wanted to get to all three of the other children at the same time, but he couldn't. He had to choose which school to head to first, as they were equidistant from the elementary school. As he made the turn onto the main road, he headed in the direction of the junior high. Cole and Dinah were likely to be the more important targets for the demons, but at least they were together, unlike their younger brother. Vaughan was alone.

Vaughan watched as Emmitt closed the distance between them. Sarah put her hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Vaughan. Let's go inside and see one of the teachers." She moved to stand next to him as she added, "He's not worth it."

"I'm tired of hearing your voice, Sarah," Emmitt said with a snarl as he walked up to where they stood. "And if I hear it again, I'm going to punch you in your fat mouth." He looked at her the entire time, obviously daring her to say something in return.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Leroy yelled as he stepped in front of Emmitt. But Emmitt could not be dissuaded. To the complete shock of Vaughan and Sarah, Emmitt threw a right-handed punch at Leroy's face that sent him sprawling into the snow along the side of the path.

Emmitt's gaze locked with Vaughan's as he took two deliberate steps forward. Vaughan could see the rage in his eyes and knew that there was no way that the fight between them could be avoided. And he didn't care. Vaughan was tired of being picked on and he was tired of running from fights. It was his turn to fight back.

Vaughan assumed the starting position that he had learned in his one day of karate lessons. Emmitt laughed as he saw Vaughan's reaction and raised his fists like a boxer in response. "You're dead, dancer," Emmitt said with a sneer.

Suddenly, Emmitt seemed to see something over Vaughan's shoulder and he frowned in confusion. At first, Vaughan thought it was a ploy that would be used to blindside him, but when he dropped his fists, Vaughan quickly looked over his shoulder at the parking lot. A black sedan, similar to the ones that his father and his partner Larry drove was parked near the start of the walkway leading to the front door of the school. The two front doors were open and two men in black suits and wearing dark sunglasses were walking quickly toward where Vaughan stood facing Emmitt. At first, Vaughan thought that they were some kind of undercover policemen, since the car they had gotten out of and the suits they wore were nearly identical to the ones that his father used. But something about them made him suspect that they were something else, something more sinister instead. He couldn't understand why he felt it, but he was afraid of these men, and he knew that they intended to do him harm. He saw the rear two doors of the car open, and turned to look at Sarah. She turned her head to look at him and he could see that she was feeling the same sense of dread that he was.

"Who are those guys?" Emmitt asked.

Vaughan looked over at Emmitt and could see that he felt something too. He was trying to sound nonchalant, but Vaughan could tell from his widened eyes that he was afraid. Leroy stood up in the snow and Vaughan could see a bright line of blood running from his mouth where Emmitt had punched him. But he didn't seem to notice. Instead, he watched the two men now less than ten yards away. He looked at Vaughan, who shook his head at Leroy's unspoken question. Leroy moved toward Vaughan and Sarah as Emmitt backed away a few steps and stared between them and the men in confusion and increasing fear.

"Vaughan, do you know them?" Sarah asked quietly. She moved closer to him as Leroy walked up on her other side.

"No, I don't," Vaughan answered. "But I've got a bad feeling about them."

"Me too," Leroy added. He looked over at Vaughan again. "Let's go back inside the school and see if we can find a teacher or someone."

Vaughan and Sarah both nodded at Leroy's suggestion and began to back away from the men and toward the front door of the school. The men seemed to guess what they were doing and started to jog toward them. Vaughan heard Emmitt yell and when he looked behind him, he could see the bully sprinting toward the school building. Vaughan heard Sarah scream suddenly and he turned around to see four gray shapes streak toward the men. They ran low to the ground and so quickly that they were almost a blur. But Vaughan recognized them instantly as wolves.

"Come on!" Leroy yelled as he grabbed Sarah and Vaughan and pulled them toward the building. Vaughan needed no encouragement. The three of them ran toward the school and reached the front door just after it closed behind Emmitt, who turned around once the door was closed. They saw him do something to the door and as they reached the door and Leroy tried to open it, they realized that he had locked it behind him.

"What are you doing?" Leroy yelled through the glass. "Open the door!"

"No way," Emmitt said while shaking his head frantically. "Those wolves will get inside!" His eyes were huge and Vaughan saw that he was actually crying. Vaughan turned around and saw that the wolves had tackled the two men and had them on the ground, where they were mauling them like he had seen police dogs do on TV. He could hear the men screaming in pain and the snarling of the wolves, and he didn't know which was worse. The sight was terrifying, but for reasons that he still couldn't explain, he was more afraid of the men than the wolves. And a part of him was relieved that the wolves had taken the men down.

"Let's try the gym door," Sarah yelled suddenly as she pulled Vaughan and Leroy around the front of the building and along its right side.

They followed her as the sounds of the men being attacked continued. Vaughan noticed for the first time that the sky had darkened to the point that the automatic lights surrounding the building had turned on. The air grew colder and Vaughan saw Leroy and Sarah shivering almost uncontrollably as they reached the door to the gym. He didn't know what they would do if it was locked. There were no other doors on the same side of the building. But their luck had changed for the better and the door opened when Leroy pulled on it. The three of them ran inside and Sarah pulled the door shut behind her. She frantically searched along the door for several seconds before she turned to face the two boys.

"There's no lock!" Sarah cried. She was still shivering and now Vaughan could see that she was crying too. He looked over at Leroy and saw that he was shivering as he looked around the gym, his eyes scanning for something. Vaughan quickly realized what he was looking for and started to do the same thing. They needed to find a place to hide. They were safe from the wolves with the doors closed, but each of them had felt the menace coming from the men and unlocked doors would be no obstacle to them. Leroy ran across to the doors leading from the gym to the main building of the school and pressed on them, but the doors didn't budge. He looked over at the other end of the gym and his eyes widened.

"The coaches' office!" Leroy said suddenly and grabbed both Vaughan and Sarah by the arm. "Come on! We can hide in there and I know there's a phone!"

The three of them ran across the gym floor, past the bleachers and to the other side of the building, where a small door led off of the main floor. Thankfully, the door was unlocked and opened when Leroy pulled on it. The room beyond the door was nearly pitch black, with the exception of the glow from two computer screens that sat on two desks that were pushed up against each other. Vaughan ran over to one of the desks and picked up the phone that was sitting on it. He listened for a dial tone, but all he could hear was a soft static noise. He pressed the hook several times to try to get a dial tone, but each time he could only hear the soft static and some other faint sound in the background that sounded like nails tapping softly on glass.

"The phone's dead," Vaughan said as he placed it back in the cradle. Sarah and Leroy looked over at him, but said nothing. Leroy reached behind the other desk in the room and picked up a baseball bat that was leaning against it. It wasn't much, but it could help them defend themselves if the men found their way into the gym.

As if thinking of them had summoned them, they all heard the door that they had entered the gym through slam shut. All three of them stared wide-eyed through the office windows at the entrance to the gym and what they saw there sent a chill down their spines.

The two men that they had seen outside walked into the gym, one of them limping slightly and both of them with pieces of their clothing torn to shreds. The children ducked down and moved to the window, where they could get a clear view of what the men were doing. They watched as the men searched the entry hall of the gym and then moved over to the bathrooms. They split up, with one searching the boys' bathroom and the other the girls' bathroom. The children could hear the slamming of stall doors as they searched inside and what sounded like frustrated growls.

"What are we going to do?" Sarah whispered. She was no longer shivering, thanks to the warmth of the air within the gym.

Vaughan was sweltering in the heat, and the thick jacket that he wore didn't help. But he knew that there was a good chance that they would have to run back outside at some point, and he didn't want to be without a jacket. He looked at the time on his watch and wondered where Uncle Harper was. He was already running five minutes later than he usually did, which was unusual. Vaughan was torn between wanting his uncle to be there to help them and not wanting him to show up while the men were still there. He didn't want his uncle to get hurt or even killed if he stumbled across either the wolves or the evil-looking men.

"They're going to find us if we just stay here," Vaughan answered Sarah's question in a whisper. "We've got to get back outside and to the main road. Maybe we can flag someone down." The main road near the school was a fairly busy one and he knew that just about anyone would stop if three frightened and frantic teenagers were trying to get their attention.

"That's a great idea, Vaughan," Leroy said with just a touch of sarcasm. "But you've forgotten one important thing. Those guys are out there and blocking the door outside. How do we get past them? And then how do we get past those wolves outside?"

"Why don't we just run for it?" Sarah asked quietly as she looked between Leroy and Vaughan. "You saw them. One of them is limping!"

Vaughan shook his head, "All three of us won't be able to get past them if we run for it." He knew that their main concern was the men. Something about the way the wolves had run past them and straight for the men made him think that the men were their target. It was almost as if the wolves had been defending them against the men. "And I don't think we have to worry about the wolves attacking us. They completely ignored us and went straight for those guys."

"Maybe," Leroy said with a disbelieving tone in his voice. "But you're right about those men. We can't all get past them." He looked over at Vaughan and their eyes met. "Get her out of here. I'll be right behind you."

Before either Vaughan or Sarah could say anything, Leroy ran out of the office, holding the bat in one hand. "Hey, losers!" he shouted as he slowed to a jog in the middle of the gym floor.

Vaughan was speechless as he watched Leroy do something so brave and so stupid at the same time. He was going to get himself killed and Vaughan couldn't allow that to happen. He looked over at Sarah. "He can't stall them on his own, but one of us has to get help," he whispered urgently to her. "When we leave the office, you run for it and we'll try to follow you. If we can't, you've got to bring someone, anyone."

"No, Vaughan," Sarah whispered. "We've both got to run for it. We'll come back for Leroy, I swear." Tears were running down her cheek and her eyes were huge. Vaughan had never seen his best friend look so afraid.

"I'm not leaving him, Sarah," Vaughan said quietly. Leroy could have run with Emmitt, but he didn't. And when he had run onto the gym floor, Vaughan was sure he knew the danger that he was placing himself in. But he did it anyway. They both looked out the office window and saw the two men smiling wickedly as they walked toward Leroy, who stood facing them with the bat held in front of him. He looked unafraid, but Vaughan's vision was keen and he could see the bat shaking in Leroy's hands. Vaughan wanted to go to him, to let him know that he wasn't alone.

"Let's go," he exhaled and looked at Sarah. After a brief hesitation, her expression hardened and she nodded. They both stood up and walked out the door and toward Leroy.

The two men, who had until that moment had a laser focus on Leroy, turned their heads as one to look at Vaughan. He walked over to the side of the gym floor, near where the U.S. and Colorado flags hung from their poles. The men turned to watch him and Leroy now stood behind them. Vaughan returned the stares of the two men and said to Sarah without looking at her, "Go, Sarah." He saw her move slowly toward the door with his peripheral vision. After a few steps, she moved more quickly. One of the men looked over at her briefly, but seemed disinterested and focused his attention back on Vaughan.

"Now the odds are even," Vaughan said as he assumed a fighting stance. He saw both of the men cock their heads to the side at the same time, as if they were dogs reacting to a strange sound. They were no longer smiling, and Vaughan got the sense that he had been their target the entire time, and that Sarah and Leroy were just in the way. He had no idea why the men would be looking for him, but there was something about both of them that struck Vaughan as inhuman and he had an irrational thought that it had something to do with his power to seemingly make time slow down when he fought. Something told him that the two were related, though he didn't know how. He noticed the black fluid that had formed a small pool near one of the men's feet and remembered that it was the man who had been limping. He guessed that the fluid was some kind of blood, which confirmed Vaughan's suspicion that these men were something other than what they appeared.

As if at some unspoken signal between them, they both started to slowly walk toward Vaughan. He saw movement behind them and looked to see Leroy run up behind one of the men, jump up in the air and slam the bat down on the back of his head. It was a blow that should have killed the man instantly, as the man's head snapped forward. The bat shattered on impact, but the man remained standing. Vaughan looked behind the man to see Leroy staring in shock at the wooden stump that was left in his hands. The other man looked briefly at his comrade, and then continued to move toward Vaughan. The man who had been struck looked back at Leroy, who stared up at him with huge eyes. Casually, as if Leroy was no more than a fly to be shooed away, the man backhanded him in the face and sent him flying through the air and twenty feet away. He landed with a loud thump and then was still.

"No!" Vaughan screamed. He heard Sarah sob and looked over to see her waiting near the door. "Sarah, go now!" he yelled at her. She looked at him with her hands over her mouth and was frozen for a second before she nodded frantically and turned around and ran out of the gym. He heard the door slam shut behind her and turned to see the man that was moving toward him. But the other man was moving toward Leroy's unconscious form and Vaughan had a feeling that Leroy would be dead if the man reached him.

He looked around him for something to use to stop the man from reaching Leroy and his eyes landed on the flagpoles to his right. The Colorado state flag was topped with a spear-like point. It was an older flagpole and unlike the newer, plastic-topped versions, this point was metal. He reached over and pulled the flag from its base and pulled at the actual flag, hoping that it would tear loose. His body must have been filled with adrenaline, because the flag tore away easily and he let it drop to the ground.

The man was nearly upon Leroy and Vaughan knew that he had just the one chance to save him. He switched his grip on the pole and hefted it like a spear. A tingling sensation filled his body as he decided what he was going to do. He felt the tingling instill a sense of calm and strength within him. He willed the strength into the pole as he looked at the back of the man and picked a spot between his shoulder blades to aim at. And then he said a silent prayer for it to fly true and hurled it with all his might. The spear flew through the air so quickly that Vaughan heard a humming sound before it landed exactly where he had aimed. It flew halfway through the man's body and lifted him off of his feet. He flew several feet before landing on his side, the spear still lodged in his chest.

The other man stared at his comrade in shock and then anger. Vaughan couldn't believe what he had just done. Even though he was pretty sure now that the men weren't human, he knew that he had just taken a life. The very presence of the men had caused a slowly-building rage in him that he couldn't understand, but he never imagined that it could bring him to the point that he would kill one of them. Vaughan didn't try to fool himself into thinking that his intent hadn't been to hurt or kill the man to save Leroy, but the reality of it was still a shock.

He saw Leroy raise his head and he exhaled with relief to see that his classmate was still alive. But his attention was pulled from Leroy when he realized that the other man was now no more than ten feet from him. Vaughan assumed his fighting stance, thinking that the man would close with him slowly. But the man's face twisted suddenly into a mask of rage and he charged at Vaughan with his arms out as if he meant to tackle him. Vaughan was taken by surprise, but he recovered quickly enough to jump and spin at the last second before the man would have hit him. As the man passed and he was completing his spin, time seemed to slow down again. He kicked his leg out and struck the man in the small of the back. As time sped up again, Vaughan saw the man fly face-first into the wall with a loud bang and then fall to the floor.

Vaughan stared at the man in shock, marveling at the sense of strength and calm that seemed to be flowing through his body. He couldn't believe that he had been able to land the spinning kick on the running man. He had seen the move done by one of the older kids in his karate class and he had done it based on that memory. Vaughan knew that it was a move that took most people years to master. And he had done it on his first try.

He assumed his fighting stance again as the man slowly got to his feet and shook his head. A small trickle of the black blood ran down the side of the man's face, but he ignored it as he stared at Vaughan. But then his face began to change, and as Vaughan watched in confusion and then horror, the man's body began to grow. His face started to lengthen and his teeth grew within his mouth. Hair started to sprout on his face and two shapes began to grow along the top of his head that looked like the ears of a dog or wolf. His body continued to grow until there was a loud tearing sound as his clothes ripped from his body and fell to the ground next to the wasted remains of his shoes. What was left was something out of a nightmare. The thickly muscled, dog-like creature that stood where the man had stood just a moment before looked like the paintings that Vaughan had seen of demons. It was easily eight feet tall and stood on its hind legs as drool dripped from its sharp, white teeth. It held its hands out to either side of its body and each one ended in sharp, black claws.

The creature stood only a few feet from Vaughan and an inner voice screamed for him to run. But the rage that he had felt building within him at the sight of the men had grown to an inferno at the sight of the creature. Though he didn't know why, he hated this creature and everything it represented. He could not run from this creature.

"Vaughan, get out of here!" he heard Leroy shout behind him.

Vaughan had momentarily forgotten that another human being was in the gym with him. This only strengthened his resolve not to run. He would face this creature and defeat it.

The creature lunged forward suddenly, jabbing its right arm forward. Vaughan's first instinct was to duck, but as he watched the creature's advance, time slowed down again. He could tell from the creature's body posture that the jab was only a feint. And he knew that if he ducked, the creature's left arm would catch him. Instead, he jumped up as high as he could, over the incoming claw and level with the creature's head. He kicked out with his right foot and felt a shock pass up his leg as his kick connected with the creature's face. Its head snapped back and it stumbled back several feet as time sped up again.

The creature's eyes narrowed dangerously at Vaughan as it shook its head. He knew that it wouldn't make the same mistake twice. The creature lunged forward again, but this time it kept its arms near its body. Vaughan knew that he couldn't allow the creature to use its size as an advantage, which meant that he had to be careful not to allow it to get too close. As the creature's movements slowed again, Vaughan dove between its legs and rolled into a somersault. The creature turned as he came to his feet again, but before it could face Vaughan head-on, he launched a series of punches and kicks at it in rapid succession. The creature was pushed back several feet by the sheer ferocity of Vaughan's attack, but it managed to lash out with one of its claws. He was barely able to dodge the claws in time and he realized that the creature was moving faster than it had before. Even his ability to seemingly slow down time was starting to work to a lesser degree with the creature, much as it had with his sensei, Mr. Tanaka. Vaughan heard a tearing sound as the creature's claw passed through the spot that he had been standing just a split-second before. He looked down in shock to see his jacket and shirt beneath it torn to shreds. The claws had missed his abdomen by no more than an inch.

He jogged back a few feet to give himself some space and watched the creature to see what damage his assault had caused. What he saw filled him with dread. In spite of the numerous blows that he had landed on the creature, the only sign of injury on it was that one of its eyes was swollen shut. Otherwise, the creature looked like it could fight on for hours. And Vaughan knew that he could not. He wasn't tired, but he had barely dodged the creature's last attack and he knew that if even one of its blows landed, he would be finished. The thick muscles covering its body were evidence of its strength and speed. He needed a weapon to even the odds.

Vaughan quickly scanned the gym for something that he could use, and his eyes landed on the other flag that stood next to the one that he had used as a spear. It was now behind the creature, but if he could get to it, he believed that he stood a chance of defeating it. He ran at the creature and at the last minute feinted to the creature's right side. As it lunged in that direction in response, Vaughan leapt into the air and used the creature's head as leverage to somersault over its head and land behind it, a few feet from the U.S. flag. He reached out and pulled it from its base and swung it behind him, where he could feel the attack coming at his back.

As he turned, the weight of the flag pulled at the pole and slowed its speed. He saw the creature swing with its left arm, its claws out and ready to tear at his flesh. Vaughan leaned back and raised the arc of his swing slightly and the creature's claws caught in the flag as it passed, tearing it from the pole. The strength of the creature was even more evident as the pole was nearly torn from Vaughan's grasp, but he somehow managed to hold on to it. He moved a few steps to his right and even with the creature's side. He saw the creature rip the flag from its claw and throw it to the ground from the corner of his eye. He felt the tingling sensation that had continued to grow during his fight with the creature pass into the pole until it felt like it was a part of him.

Before it could recover, he crouched and swung the pole at the back of the creature's legs. Vaughan felt a shock pass through the pole and thought that it would snap in half. But it didn't and the creature was lifted off of its feet and fell on its back. He stopped the swing of the pole and shifted his grip on the pole as he raised it over his head, with the eagle at its top pointing at the creature lying on the ground. He stabbed down with all of his might, aiming for the center of the creature's chest.

At the last second, the creature rolled away and the head of the flagpole slammed into the ground, shattering the metallic eagle and sending a painful shiver up the pole that now came to a point at the tip. Vaughan cried out in shock as the impact passed through his body. He saw the creature get to its feet and face him. He threw a series of feints and jabs with the pole, but it dodged every one.

Vaughan saw movement behind the creature and could see Leroy creeping up behind it, the shattered remains of the bat in his hand like a knife. Vaughan knew that the creature would kill Leroy, but if he warned him not to interfere, the creature could turn its attention from him and attack Leroy. He had to finish the fight.

The moment of Vaughan's distraction was all that the creature needed. It grabbed the pole with its left hand and chopped down at the center of the pole with its right hand. Vaughan heard a loud cracking noise as the pole snapped in half. A searing white light poured from the broken pieces of the flagpole and the creature cried out in agony. Vaughan was momentarily blinded by the white light, but he swung the remaining length of pole at where he remembered the creature's head to be. As he swung, he willed all of the tingling strength flowing through him into the pole, hoping that it would strengthen his blow. He felt another shock of impact as the pole connected with something and he heard another howl of pain from the creature as a second flare of white light erupted.

He had managed to close his eyes before the second flash of light and when he opened them, his vision had cleared. He stopped the momentum of the swing and pulled the pole along his side and stabbed it forward and up at the creature's chest, pushing with all of his might. He felt the resistance of the pole stabbing into the creature's body, but saw the pole nearly disappear as it skewered the creature. At the same time, a searing pain erupted along his side and he cried out in agony.

He stumbled back from the creature and threw his arm across his face as white light erupted from the center of the creature, where the spear was now lodged. It looked at him with eyes widened in shock as it howled a hideous scream that sounded like a hundred voices screaming at once. The light grew until it engulfed the creature completely and then disappeared.

When he had blinked away the spots in his eyes, he stared at the place where the creature had stood. All that remained was a greasy pile of black soot and the pole, while still broken in half, was otherwise unharmed. A vile smell reached Vaughan's nostrils and he recognized it from chemistry class as the smell of sulfur.

"Whoa!" Leroy breathed. He looked over at Vaughan with huge eyes, but didn't say a word.

Vaughan moved toward Leroy, but felt a wave of pain erupt on his side. He looked down and saw blood pouring freely from the hole in his jacket along his ribcage. He couldn't believe so much blood was coming from him. He looked over at Leroy in shock before falling to his knees. Leroy dropped the stub of the bat and ran over to Vaughan and ripped his jacket off. He gently pressed it against the wound on Vaughan's side, causing Vaughan to wince at the fresh pain and pressure.

"Sorry," Leroy apologized as he looked into Vaughan's eyes. "We've got to put pressure on it."

Vaughan nodded slightly as he felt a wave of nausea hit him. He reached over and put his hand on Leroy's shoulder to keep from passing out.

"We've got to get to a phone that works. You need a hospital, man," Leroy said with obvious concern. He gently helped Vaughan to his feet while he continued to press on Vaughan's injury.

Vaughan looked down and was relieved to see that Leroy's jacket seemed to have slowed the blood flow. But he knew from his dizziness that he must have lost a lot of blood.

A sudden scream reached their ears from the direction of the doors to the outside and Vaughan recognized the sobs that followed. The doors opened and another man dressed in black and wearing sunglasses walked into the gym. He was pulling Sarah by the hair behind him. She held onto the man's wrist to lessen the pull on her hair, but Vaughan could see that she was in pain. She looked over at him and sobbed again.

"I'm sorry," she said loudly. "There were two more outside. Cody tried to stop them, but..."

The man threw her roughly to the ground and she crawled away from him and toward the boys. He looked at Vaughan and then at the jacket that was pressed up against his side. He removed his sunglasses and his eyes narrowed.

"Are you injured?" he asked as he looked Vaughan in the eye.

Before Vaughan could answer, Leroy yelled at the man, "Look, loser. We already dropped your two friends, so don't mess with us!"

Vaughan couldn't believe how brave he was. His voice hadn't even shaken when he had yelled. Vaughan wasn't sure that he could've done the same. This man had a more imposing air than the other two and Vaughan wondered if he was their leader. He thought suddenly of what Sarah had said and wondered what Cody had to do with anything, but his ability to think clearly was fading.

The man smiled slightly at Leroy in obvious dismissal and then looked at Vaughan. "We're not here for them, child. Come with us and I will spare the lives of your friends." His voice had a soothing quality to it, and Vaughan felt his mind being put at ease. But something deep inside him screamed out in warning not to trust the voice. He grabbed onto that warning and used it to pull himself from the fog that had started to cloud his mind.

Again, Vaughan wasn't able to respond before Leroy did. "We're not going anywhere, asshole!" he yelled at the stranger.

Vaughan looked over at Leroy in surprise, but he just looked back at Vaughan and shrugged slightly. Vaughan couldn't help but smile.

"Silence, human!" the man yelled at Leroy. Vaughan felt Leroy flinch at the power in the man's voice. The man looked back at Vaughan and the soothing quality returned to his voice as he said, "I can heal your wound, child." He reached out his hand to Vaughan with his palm up. "Come with me and you will be safe, and your friends will go free. You have my word."

"Don't trust him, Vaughan," Leroy whispered.

Vaughan stared at the man and then looked over at Sarah, who shook her head silently. She had climbed to her feet and looked like she was ready to run if she had to. She still looked afraid, but he knew that she would no sooner abandon him than Leroy would. He looked over briefly at Leroy, who continued to help him stand, and of how he had misjudged him nearly as badly as he had his father. The boy who had bullied him for so many years now stood beside him against a danger that could mean death for both of them. Vaughan couldn't let either of them die for him and thought about going with the man, if only to save Sarah and Leroy. But the inner voice that had screamed a warning not to trust the man was screaming again. It told him that even if he cooperated and went with him, the man wouldn't leave two witnesses to everything that had happened alive. That left him only one choice – one that could cost him his life. But it was one that could save the lives of two others.

"Hand me that flagpole, Leroy," Vaughan said quietly as he continued to stare at the man. He braced himself as Leroy moved away and grabbed the flagpole. He handed it to Vaughan and held the remainder of the bat in his hand like a large knife. Vaughan looked over at him and told him, "When I rush him, you run for it and take Sarah. Head for the road while I hold him off."

Leroy chuckled and shook his head, "No way, man. We're in this together."

Vaughan looked over at Sarah, but her face was resolute as she shook her head and then ran over to stand on his other side. He didn't have the strength to argue with either of them and truthfully, he didn't want to be left alone.

The man looked at each of them and then shook his head, "Brave, but foolish. I will take you child, when this is through. And your friends will die."

The door to the outside was suddenly blown off its hinges and flew into the entryway of the gym. Before it had completely settled on the ground, the children saw a glowing white streak fly across the floor of the gym and at the man. It had moved too quickly to identify, but when it jumped on the man's back, Vaughan stared in shock as he realized that it was his family's dog.

Cody's paws were wrapped around the man's neck and his jaws were snapping near the man's head, though they kept missing their target as the man nimbly moved his head out of the way each time. Vaughan couldn't believe Cody's ferocity as he attacked the man. He had always been a calm dog, if not exactly friendly. But now he was trying to rip the man to shreds. Vaughan saw the man's shape begin to grow and knew that he was about to change into one of the creatures. He worried that Cody wouldn't stand a chance against a creature that would soon be several times his size.

But before the man could change completely, Cody's jaws found their mark. His bite closed on the back of the man's neck and Cody began to glow with a white-hot light. The man screamed in agony as the light engulfed them both. And then the light poured from the man's mouth and then his eyes. Vaughan, Sarah and Leroy all looked away as the brightness of the light became overpowering.

When the light finally faded, they looked over and saw a new pile of greasy black soot, with Cody standing slightly to the side. He was panting heavily and the strange black blood that had been in each of the men covered his muzzle. The rest of his coat was covered with bright spots of red and Vaughan worried that he had been hurt. But he didn't look to be injured, and as Vaughan watched him, he licked the black substance from his muzzle and then sneezed loudly. He looked over at Sarah and whined.

"I'm okay, Cody," she told him with a tight smile, as if guessing the reason for his concern.

He seemed to understand her, and turned his attention to Vaughan, who walked over to meet him. Vaughan kneeled down to stroke the fur behind the dog's ears and said softly, "Thank you." But as he reached out with his other hand, a wave of pain erupted along his side. He collapsed to the ground and rolled over onto his back, his breath coming in painful gasps. Cody pushed his head under Vaughan's left arm and buried his muzzle near the gash along his ribs. Vaughan felt a warm wetness pass along it and realized that Cody was licking him. Where his tongue passed, the pain lessened immediately. Within a few moments, the pain was gone completely. Cody stepped back and looked at Vaughan with his head cocked to the side.

Vaughan sat up and felt no pain beside a slight stiffness of the muscles near the wound. He looked down at the torn remains of his jacket and at the skin beneath it. The only sign that the wound had been there was a slight redness of the skin. Otherwise, it was completely healed. Vaughan couldn't believe what had just happened and when he looked over at Sarah and then Leroy, their looks of disbelief matched his own. He looked over at Cody again, who continued to look back at him.

Vaughan laughed and then reached out and pulled the dog to him. "Thank you, Cody," he said as he hugged him close. He had never noticed before how unusual the dog smelled. It reminded Vaughan of the smell of trees and ferns and the forest floor littered with leaves. He pulled back slightly and Cody licked his face.

The three children laughed at his display of affection, but then movement caught their eyes as the shadow of a man appeared in the doorway leading outside. All three of the children tensed and Sarah whispered, "I forgot. There was a fourth man."

Cody's ears stiffened and he turned his head in the direction of the newcomer, but he didn't growl or bark, which Vaughan thought was strange. But then the man moved into the entryway and Cody's reaction made sense. It was his Uncle Harper. And Vaughan had never been happier to see anyone in his entire life.

# Chapter 14

Monday Afternoon, January 10th

Dinah watched as all four doors of the sedan opened at once. She still held Eduardo's hand in her own and felt it tense slightly as four people exited the vehicle and closed the doors behind them. They walked over to where the sidewalk met the concrete path leading to the front of the school and stopped. There were two men and two women, all wearing black suits with black ties and all wearing dark sunglasses. They stood there for nearly a minute, as if they were waiting for something. And then Dinah saw what it was.

A second, nearly identical car pulled into the parking lot and pulled up behind its twin. The people in black looked straight ahead while it came to a stop, though the darkness of their sunglasses made it impossible to see what they were looking at. All four doors on the second car opened and four more people got out – two men and two women. Though none of the people looked exactly alike, the way they moved and the forgettable features of each of their faces made it seem like they were nearly identical, or at least related. The second group joined the first at the head of the concrete path and stared ahead.

Dinah felt a chill pass through her body, though she wasn't exactly sure why. The look of the people in itself shouldn't have caused such a response, though there was something obviously odd about them. And yet something about them made her feel threatened. She looked over at Cole and Eliza, and saw them standing closer to the people in black, which only added to her fear. Her brother looked back at her and she could see the hesitation on his face, and she knew he felt it too. And then a thought that she knew didn't come from her own mind hit her.

Danger!

The thought had a sense of familiarity to it and she looked over at her brother in surprise as she realized its source. Cole had sent her the thought. His eyes searched hers for confirmation that she had heard him, so she nodded. He turned around to stare at the people in black again as Dinah stepped forward. She felt something grab her arm and turned around to see Eduardo looking in the direction of the strangers.

"I don't like the feeling of this, Dinah," he said to her before looking her in the eye. She could see the slight fear there, reflecting her own. "Let's go back inside and call the police."

It seemed extreme to call the police for something as seemingly innocent as a group of strangers in a high school parking lot, but it made sense. And Dinah knew there was one very important problem with Eduardo's plan – Cole and Eliza would be left alone with the strangers, which was something Dinah couldn't do.

"I don't like it either, Eduardo," she told him. The steam from her breath in the cold air temporarily blurred his face as she spoke. "But I'm not going anywhere without Cole."

He looked at her for a second before nodding. "Let's go get them," he told her. "But then we go inside. Deal?"

"Okay," Dinah said as she looked over at the people in black again. They still hadn't moved and just continued to stare ahead without expression. The light of the winter sun began to fade and Dinah looked up to see a layer of clouds moving in quickly. The temperature dropped sharply and she felt Eduardo shiver next to her. She and Eduardo walked toward where Cole and Eliza stood, and she saw Eliza look over at her brother and say something to him. But Cole just shook his head in response as he continued to watch the strangers in black.

Just as Dinah and Eduardo neared Cole and Eliza, the people in black started walking as a group down the path. They headed toward the spot where Cole and Eliza stood hand-in-hand. Dinah picked up her pace and she heard Eduardo do the same beside her. Just as they reached the spot where her brother stood, the strangers stopped walking. They were a few yards from where the teenagers now stood as a group and they spread out to face them in a line, completely blocking the walkway. One of the people, a man, stood a few feet in front of the others. He took off his sunglasses and looked first at Cole, and then Dinah. His eyes were very dark and his gaze piercing.

"You must come with us, children," the man said to them, his expression neutral.

His voice was soothing, and seemed to immediately put Eliza and Eduardo at ease. Dinah saw both of their shoulders droop slightly as the tension that they had held in their bodies was released. Dinah and Cole both wanted to react the same way, but both of them felt something within their minds fight against the voice and the unspoken words of trust that they conveyed.

"Who are you?" Cole asked as he moved a protective step in front of Eliza. He looked over and saw Dinah move in front of Eduardo, as well.

The man in the lead cocked his head to the side in a gesture that reminded Cole of a dog. "Your father sent us to bring you to him," he said with the same soothing, reasonable tone in his voice. "He's been hurt and is in the hospital."

Cole and Dinah looked at each other as they thought the same thing – there was no way the FBI would send this many agents to grab a couple of kids, no matter who their father was or how badly hurt he was. Something wasn't right. But they also knew that they were hopelessly outnumbered and needed to figure out a way to get inside and to a phone. They needed to stall.

"Where's Larry?" Dinah asked. "Why didn't he come to get us?"

The man looked confused for a second and that was final confirmation that the people were not who they said they were. Any agent stationed at the Denver office would know who Larry Bianchini was and wouldn't have reacted in such a way.

"Larry has been hurt, as well," the man said unconvincingly. But Eduardo and Eliza both smiled as he said this, as if what he said made perfect sense. Dinah and Cole both knew that their friends were under some sort of spell caused by the man's voice.

"Can I see your badge, please?" Cole asked politely. He took his cell phone from his jacket pocket and dialed the number for his father's office. "I want to call it in to be sure." It was something that their father had taught them from a young age – if anyone they didn't know said they were with their father's agency, they were always to ask for that person's badge and call the office to confirm that they were who they said they were. Cole knew what the answer to his question would be, but he was trying to buy as much time as he could. There was a good chance that a teacher or some other adult would come along shortly and Cole remembered what his uncle had said about the demons. They didn't like attention from humans. And if the people in black were indeed the demons in human form, which Cole believed they were, they were sure to back off if another human came along. At least he hoped that was what would happen.

The man stared back at Cole in silence for a second and then smiled slightly, "I don't think that will be necessary, do you?"

Cole suddenly screamed out in pain and dropped his cell phone, which fell to the ground next to the walkway. It quickly melted the snow around it, sending plumes of steam into the air. Cole looked at his hand in shock. The skin was red and he thought he could see the beginnings of a blister. The phone had gone from cool to searing hot in seconds. He looked over at the man as his hand started to throb.

The man smiled mockingly at Cole as he said, "It looks like you're having some trouble with your cell phone, child." He held out his hand in front of him as if beckoning for Cole and Dinah to go with him. "Now let's stop all this foolishness, shall we? I think you both know that you have no choice in this matter. We will bring you with us."

Dinah stepped forward, planted her feet apart and crossed her arms in front of her. She returned the wicked smile that the man had given to Cole as she said, "If you want to take us anywhere, you're going to have to drag us both along by the hair." She felt the inexplicable anger within her begin to grow as she decided that there was definitely some connection between them and the demons that had chased her the day before. And the fact that one of them had somehow burned Cole's hand did nothing to diminish that anger.

She saw Cole move to stand next to her from the corner of her eye. When she looked over at him, she could see the same anger in his eyes. And the challenging way that he stood made it clear to Dinah that Cole was as ready to fight these people as she was.

The man looked at them with the same smile on his face and then he chuckled, "Drag you by the hair? What a delightful suggestion, child!" He bowed at the waist to both of them and when he straightened, told them with an even bigger smile, "As you wish."

As he spoke, two of the men on Dinah's right rushed forward to grab her. But Dinah was faster. Instead of turning and running, she ran forward and threw a punch at the chest of one of the men. She used all of the strength and speed that had been growing in her body and when her fist connected, there was a loud cracking noise, like the report of a rifle. The man was lifted off of his feet and thrown back twenty feet, before slamming against one of the black sedans and then to the ground. He groaned once and then was still.

The second man reached out for Dinah, grappling with her. She was stunned at first by how strong he was, but she also knew that she was stronger. She pressed against him with all of her strength and heard him grunt with exertion. She clearly had the upper hand. She heard a short scream behind her and then heard Eduardo cry out her name. She looked back and saw Eduardo and Eliza looking at her in fear and shock.

"Eduardo, get her inside and call for help!" Dinah shouted at her friend. She saw him hesitate and could see the concern on his face. He didn't want to leave her. But she couldn't fight against the strangers and worry about him or Eliza at the same time. "Go now, please!" she shouted. She looked back again and saw him pulling Eliza toward the school. But Eliza was fighting him and trying to go to Cole.

Dinah continued to struggle against the man as she looked over at her brother. He cried out in anger as two of the strangers, one man and one woman, grabbed either of his arms and tried to pin them behind his back. But Cole was fighting against both of them and he seemed to be stronger than both. His body was shaking and to Dinah it looked like it was growing...and changing.

Cole felt a tingling sensation passing through his body, much as he had the night in the forest when he had encountered the demon-like creatures. And just like it had that night, the tingling changed into a feeling of pressure that seemed to be squeezing him from within, as if something was squeezing his bones. The pain was nearly unbearable and he worried that he was going to black out. But there was something that was stronger than the pain and it anchored his mind to consciousness. It was the rage he felt toward the people holding him, the same rage that he had felt at the demons in the forest. Cole knew without a doubt that these strangers that were attacking them were the demons in human form.

Cole felt his strength growing as the pressure continued and the people holding him pushed against his arms even harder in response. But suddenly he felt the pressure lessening. He looked over at the woman holding his right arm and could see her eyes widen behind her sunglasses. He felt the pressure on his left arm lessen at the same time as the pressure in his body increased yet again. He cried out in pain as he pushed his arms forward with all of his might. His arms surged forward, and the strangers still holding them flew forward as well, slamming into each other with a loud cracking noise. They both fell to the ground in a heap and Cole looked at his arms and hands in shock and disbelief at what he saw.

His arms were covered in thick, brown fur and where his hands had been, there were huge paws that ended in long, black claws. At first he thought he was seeing through the eyes of some animal again, like he had the night in the forest. But as he turned his hands in front of him and stared at his palms, the huge paws moved instead. He cried out in fear and horror as he realized that he was looking at his own hands, or rather what his own hands had become. But the sound that escaped his throat and filled his ears was not his voice. It was the guttural roar of an animal. Cole knew that he had heard the sound before, and the brown fur and claws that had replaced his hands confirmed what he guessed to be the sound. It was the roar of a grizzly bear.

Dinah turned her head at the roaring sound as she continued to struggle against the man that grappled with her. She stared in confusion at the spot where her brother had been just a moment before. In his place stood a huge, brown bear that seemed to be growing taller as she watched. Within a few seconds, it grew to what she guessed to be a height of at least eight feet tall as it stood on its hind legs. When it looked in her direction and she looked into its familiar eyes, she realized that the bear was in fact her brother. As the shock of what she was seeing broke her concentration, the man who wrestled with her moved his leg behind one of hers and tripped her. She fell backward and he landed on top of her, the full weight of him pushing the air from her lungs with a loud grunt. He quickly used his advantage to pin her arms to either side of her head and against the cold concrete.

She heard Eliza scream and looked over to see Eduardo running toward where Dinah was pinned on the ground. The obvious concern on his face made it clear that he was running to help her. Before he could reach Dinah, one of the strange women in black stepped in front of him and grabbed him by the throat. In an amazing display of strength for someone her size, she lifted him from the ground with one hand, as Eduardo clutched uselessly at her arm. His mouth was open as he gasped for air and his eyes were bulging as the life was being choked from him. Dinah knew that she had to do something fast or he would be dead.

Dinah felt a fresh wave of strength flow through her as her fear for Eduardo took over her mind. She pushed against the man's arms and felt them move in response. His sunglasses had fallen off during the struggle and she could now see his dark eyes widen as she quickly gained the upper hand. She moved her arms under him and pressed against him quickly as hard as she could. He flew off of her and landed several feet away. Before he could recover, she quickly stood up and ran to where the woman was strangling Eduardo.

Just as she closed with the woman, Dinah punched at her back, aiming for where she guessed her spine to be under the dark suit jacket that she wore. She channeled all of her strength and all of her fear for Eduardo into that punch, and when it connected there was a bright flash of white light and a loud cracking noise. The woman's back bent back slightly and at an unnatural angle and she threw her head back in a silent scream. Dinah couldn't believe what had happened. She had broken the woman's back with a single punch.

The woman released her grip on Eduardo and he fell to the ground, gasping. She fell to the ground in a heap with the look of shock still on her face. The realization that Dinah had just killed someone – or something caused a moment of shock, but she quickly pushed it aside. She saw a blur of movement to her right and looked over to see four wolves streaking past her. She turned and saw all four of them charge the man that she had thrown from her just moments before and who was now charging toward her. The wolves quickly brought him to his knees in a press of fur and teeth and Dinah heard him scream in pain. She rushed over to Eduardo, who had turned over and was on all fours, coughing to catch his breath. Eliza ran over and kneeled next to him.

"Is he alright?" Dinah shouted as she stood between them and the battle unfolding around them.

Eliza looked over at her with eyes that were huge with fright, but didn't answer. Dinah had a moment of panic until Eduardo looked over and nodded his head just as he seemed to be catching his breath. Dinah heard a snapping sound and then a yelp of pain from one of the wolves behind her. She turned around and saw one of the demon-like creatures standing where the man had been. The creature tossed aside the broken body of one of the wolves as the other three faced it. She wanted to help them, but she had to be sure that her brother was alright first.

Dinah looked over and saw the huge bear that was Cole roaring loudly as he swiped out with his claws, one at a time. He connected with the man and woman that had been holding him just a moment before and Dinah saw both of them fly backward as a bright white light engulfed each of them. Before they could land in the snow, they had dissolved to a greasy black ash that scattered before it drifted to the ground. It looked like Cole was okay. She moved toward the creature being held at bay by the wolves, hoping to help them and keep any more of them from being killed.

Cole felt a fresh wave of fury as he looked over and saw that two of the other men had turned into the demon creatures. He hated these creatures and wanted to sink his teeth and claws into them until they stopped moving and left his family alone. A third creature moved to join the first two, and all three of them stared at him with yellow eyes and bared teeth. They walked on all fours, and Cole dropped to all four feet as he faced them. He was at least twice the size of the smallest creature and even the largest of the demons was half a head shorter than Cole. They seemed hesitant to face him, and Cole knew that he was stronger than any one of them. But there were three of them and though Cole had felt some kind of instinct take over and guide his movements in a way that maximized his form, it still felt strange to him to move such size around. These creatures were used to their form and he was still clumsy in his.

As the three creatures moved to surround him, Cole noticed that one of them was larger than the other two. The smaller creatures kept looking at the larger one, as if they were deferring to it, and Cole knew that this demon was the leader of the group that had tried to abduct him and his sister. He thought about trying to take this larger creature out of the action first, in the hope that a lack of leadership would hamper the rest of the demons. But he knew that he had to even the odds first.

He charged at the lead creature, and it rose up on its hind legs to meet his charge. At the last second before impact, Cole changed his direction and leapt at the creature on his left, taking it completely by surprise as he barreled into it. He felt a searing pain erupt along his right side, but ignored it as he clamped his powerful jaws on the back of the creature's neck. He heard and felt a snapping sound and the creature stilled. Cole ignored the vile taste that filled his mouth. It was the taste of what he knew to be the creature's blood.

A sudden weight hit his back and Cole felt sharp stabs of pain bite into his flesh. He roared in pain as he turned his head to the side and was nearly bitten on the face by the creature that now clung to his back. It was the other, smaller creature that he had faced, and as Cole struggled to dislodge it, the creature repeatedly snapped near his face. He tried to reach behind with his paws to grab it or even knock it loose, but it was quick and managed to dodge the swipes of his paws. He remembered that the leader of the creatures was still loose and he turned his head back around to see where it was.

As he turned his head, Cole felt something slam across his face, sending it flying to the side. He saw bright red droplets of his own blood fly through the air a second before he saw what had struck him. He looked at the largest creature as it pulled its arm back for another blow and saw the wicked smile on its face. He felt his legs start to buckle and darkness close around the edges of his vision. Cole knew that he would be knocked out if he took another swipe like the first one, but he was helpless to dodge it with the smaller creature on his back. He remembered the fight in the forest between the wolves and the demons and had an idea.

As his knees buckled, he leaned backward and used the momentum of his fall to land on his back. The creature lodged there wasn't quick enough to move out of the way and Cole felt a grunt from it and heard the sound of bones snapping as his full weight crushed it. He leaned back against it one more time, just for good measure, and felt his attacker still. He rolled over onto all fours again and saw the twisted form of the creature that had been on his back and knew that it was dead. He felt a quick measure of satisfaction before remembering the lead creature.

Before he could figure out where it was, Cole felt something slam into his side with such force that it lifted him completely from the ground. He flew through the air as his body twisted and he completely lost his orientation. He hit the ground hard, and felt blood rush into his mouth. He was lying on his back, and he knew it made him vulnerable. He heard a scrabbling sound near him and instinctively threw his arm up in front of his face. His vision quickly filled with the face of the larger demon and he felt a stab of fear as he saw its jaws open wide. Cole managed to get his arm in front of him a split-second before the demon clamped its jaws shut. A wave of agony shot up his arm and he cried out in pain and fear as the demon's teeth sunk into his arm. Just as quickly, the demon released its bite and Cole felt a fresh wave of pain as its teeth tore bits of flesh and fur from his arm as its mouth pulled away. The creature reached out with its own arms and quickly pinned Cole's arms to the ground as it stared down at him. Blood dripped from its muzzle and onto Cole's chest and he realized with a wave of nausea that it was his own blood. And there was a lot of it.

The creature smiled wickedly down at him and then opened its mouth again. Cole looked into its yellow eyes and saw his death reflected in them. He no longer had the strength to resist the creature and the pain of his injuries was so great that he felt his consciousness slipping away. He closed his eyes, hoping his death would be quick.

Dinah watched as one of the wolves sunk its teeth into the demon's hamstring. The demon turned to attack the wolf and Dinah moved behind it, jumping up on its back. She threw her arms around its neck and twisted as hard as she could. She heard its neck snap before it collapsed in her arms, though she managed to throw it aside before its weight could pull her down with it.

She looked around her to see how the other two wolves were handling the creature they had attacked. The creature was lying in the snow and a pool of black blood was spreading next to the jagged wound that had been torn in its throat. Dinah saw with relief that the three remaining wolves were all standing, though each of them hung their heads in obvious exhaustion and bright spots of red covered their fur from numerous small wounds.

A blur of movement to her left drew her attention and she managed to turn her head in time to see the largest of the creatures slam into Cole's side, lifting him from the ground and throwing him several feet. She heard her brother roar in pain as the demon clamped its jaws onto his arm. He was in danger, and she had to help him.

She ran toward him, but movement to her right caught her eye, bringing her to a sudden stop. Dinah saw a creature barreling toward her and realized that she had forgotten about the man that she had thrown earlier. He had changed his shape into one of the creatures and was charging toward her full-speed. She looked over at where her brother was pinned to the ground and saw the larger demon open its jaws as it stared down at Cole. She knew that she wouldn't be able to fight off the creature running at her in time to save her brother. Tears filled her eyes and she sobbed at the thought of Cole being killed. But the despair that filled her was quickly replaced by determination as a thought crossed her mind.

She turned to face the demon that was nearly upon her and planted her feet. She watched its feet hit the pavement in quick succession and timed its speed. As the demon was about to strike her, she moved slightly to the right, just enough for it to pass by her. But as it passed she reached out and grabbed two fistfuls of the dark fur along its side. She used the momentum of its charge to spin in a complete circle, just like she did when she threw the discus for track and field. As she finished her rotation, Dinah released her hold on the creature in the direction where she remembered Cole to be. She prayed that her aim was true as the demon flew through the air with a speed that amazed Dinah. In less than two seconds, it slammed into the larger creature crouched above her brother with such force that both demons flew a further twenty feet before landing in the snow, sending sprays of white around them.

She saw the large bear that was her brother stagger to its feet and she ran to him, steadying his great bulk when he nearly fell. Dinah felt her brother's form shift and she looked at him in shock as his size diminished. The fur disappeared as he continued to shrink and within seconds, the naked form of Cole was standing beside her. He groaned softly before he fell forward. Dinah barely managed to catch him and guide him to the ground.

Cole's body was covered in several small cuts that bled freely, though not profusely. But there were two wounds that Dinah knew to be life-threatening – the jagged puncture wound on his forearm, and the clean slice across his abdomen. She quickly stripped off her snow jacket and pressed it against his middle. She heard him gasp in pain as she did this, but she ignored it with determination. She had to stop the bleeding or he would bleed to death. She saw Eduardo crouch next to her and wrap his own jacket around Cole's torn forearm as Eliza laid her jacket across Cole's bare legs. Dinah could feel the cold air, though it didn't touch her in the way that it used to. Luckily, Cole didn't appear to be cold either and she could feel the heat coming from his skin. But Eduardo and Eliza quickly began to shiver and Dinah wondered how long either of them could be outside without their jackets.

Before she could ask them if they were okay, she looked over and saw the large demon that she realized was their leader stalking slowly toward them. A smaller creature moved beside it, and Dinah realized that it was the same one that she had thrown. Apparently, they hadn't collided as hard as she had thought.

Dinah heard Eliza crying softly next to her and she looked over to see Eduardo staring at the demons with huge eyes. He looked over at her and managed a tiny smile of reassurance, which made her smile in return. He's so brave, she thought.

She looked into his eyes as she told him, "If either of them get past me, grab Cole and run back into the school. Lock the door behind you, if you can." Eduardo opened his mouth to say something but Dinah shook her head, "Please, Eduardo, you must do this for me. No matter what happens. Cole cannot die."

He looked into her eyes for a second more before nodding. She could see the sadness and concern for her in his eyes. But she remembered what her uncle had told her of the prophecy. Cole was the oldest Ambrose child, so it made sense for him to be the Solas. And beside the fact that she wasn't about to let her brother die if she could help it, there was no way that she was going to let those horrible creatures win, even if it meant that she had to give her own life in exchange. She put her hand on Eduardo's handsome face as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Dinah," he said to her as he stared into her eyes.

Before he could say anything else, Dinah leaned into him and kissed him once on the lips. She tasted the salt of their mingled tears and felt the softness of his mouth as he kissed her gently in return. For a moment, she forgot everything around her as warmth flowed through her entire body. She closed her eyes and yet she could still see Eduardo's face in her mind. She wanted that moment to last forever, but she knew that it couldn't. Far more quickly than she wanted, the kiss was ended. She leaned back and smiled at Eduardo, and saw that his eyes were closed.

"I'll be right back," she said to him with a confidence that she didn't feel. He opened his eyes slowly and nodded slightly, though she could still see the fear and concern on his face.

She stood and stepped over her brother's prone form as the two creatures stopped a few feet from them. Dinah knew that she would be hard-pressed to keep them from reaching her brother and their friends, but she was determined to try. She heard a strange chuffing sound and realized with anger that they were laughing at her. She felt a vibration run through her body and it filled her with a renewed strength.

Dinah looked the larger demon in the eye as she said in little more than a whisper, "Let's see if you're still laughing when I'm through with you."

Dinah was startled at the sudden blaring of a car horn that was followed by the screeching of tires on the pavement. She looked over in surprise to see her Uncle Harper's minivan tear into the parking lot and toward the walkway. The two demons turned in surprise and their eyes widened in shock as the van closed on them and the horn tore through the air repeatedly. They looked at each other for a moment before their forms shifted back into the black-garbed men. They turned around and ran back toward the front sedan. They quickly climbed into the front seat and Dinah heard the roar of the engine as it sprung to life. The car peeled away with squealing tires before it turned away from the parking lot and onto the road fronting the school.

Harper's van came to a screeching halt and both front doors flew open a moment before the sliding door along the side did. Dinah sobbed with relief as Uncle Harper came running down the walkway, toward her and Cole. The look of fear on his face as he looked behind her made her turn her head in worry.

When she looked behind her, she saw that Cole's eyes had closed and a small pool of blood had formed beneath him, steaming in the cold air. Eliza and Eduardo still pressed against the two most-serious wounds, but there were so many smaller wounds across his body, that Cole had continued to lose blood at an alarming rate. Dinah saw Uncle Harper fall to his knees next to Cole and she couldn't remember ever seeing her uncle look as frightened as he did at that moment. He looked terrified.

She heard running footsteps along the path and turned to see Vaughan and Louis running toward her. A woman that she didn't recognize was hurrying toward her with Billie in her arms, and a man that she recognized as Louis' teacher hurried along beside them, his arm protectively around the woman. Vaughan's friend Sarah, and Leroy, the bully from his school, stood near the van. Dinah couldn't imagine what such a group could have in common, other than the identical looks of shock on each of their faces.

Cody moved toward the three remaining wolves, who quickly gathered around him. He moved over the still form of the wolf that had been killed and she heard him whine softly. The other wolves moved near him and he seemed to notice their wounds for the first time. He moved among them, licking at their wounds and Dinah saw each one close as he did. She could sense the wolves' nervousness as they looked around them at such a large group of people, but they refused to move. Within seconds, all three sets of canine eyes were focused on the still form of Cole.

Cole moaned softly and Dinah looked over to see him move his head slightly, though his eyes were still closed. Harper gently pushed aside Eliza's hand and lifted the jacket that covered the wound on his abdomen. His face hardened briefly as he looked at the wound and Dinah noticed that Cole's skin had turned an unhealthy shade of gray. She saw her uncle close his eyes and his face relax as his skin began to glow. As the glow intensified, she saw the cut under his hands begin to close. When it had closed completely, he moved his hands over each of the smaller cuts and they closed quickly in response. But Dinah noticed that he seemed to be purposely avoiding the bite marks on Cole's forearm, which continued to bleed, albeit more slowly than they had before. She heard her siblings crying softly and felt Eduardo put his arm around her shoulder. Cole's head thrashed slightly from side to side as Harper continued to close his numerous wounds. But still the wound on his arm remained untouched.

"What about his arm?" Dinah asked her uncle.

Harper opened his eyes briefly and met hers before he closed them again as his skin continued to glow brightly in the quickening darkness. "I have to close the other ones first. That one is going to take all of my strength and I need to be sure there is nothing else that will need my attention." He opened his eyes again, but stared down at Cole's face as he added, "The bite of the demons contains deadly venom. I don't know if I'll be able to draw it from Cole's body and heal the wound at the same time." He finished with the last of the smaller wounds and rested his hands over Cole's heart. "He's already so weak," he said softly as his skin stopped glowing.

Dinah heard everyone around her grow silent as her uncle's words seemed to weigh against them all. She thought of the possibility that Cole could die – that her brother, who had been like a rock to their family after the death of their mother, would no longer be there. She thought of never seeing his contagious smile again, of never hearing the soothing sound of his voice, and they were thoughts that she couldn't bear. She felt the concern over the fate of the world that hung in the balance with her brother's life disappear completely as she thought of one thing. She didn't want her brother to die.

She moved over and kneeled next to her uncle, placing her hand on his shoulder, and willing all of her strength into him. She felt him flinch before looking over at her in surprise. But then he smiled and nodded once. He placed one hand on Cole's injured forearm, but left the other one over Cole's heart as his skin began to glow again. This time, the glow was even brighter than before as Dinah continued to will her strength into her uncle, and through him, into Cole.

When Cole awoke, it was to complete darkness. He realized that although he had heard the term used before, he hadn't known what complete darkness was until that moment. It wasn't merely the darkness of a moonless night or even the darkness of the basement when all of the lights were off. Even the basement had its share of ambient light from the various electronics in most of the rooms or the light that managed to leak under the doorway at the top of the stairs. And even a moonless night was enough for him to see by with his enhanced vision. The darkness that surrounded him at that moment was truly complete.

But the darkness wasn't empty.

Cole could hear noises coming from the darkness. They were noises that told him that he wasn't alone.

"Hello?" he yelled into it, and wasn't sure if he expected an answer or merely wanted to hear his own voice. His voice sounded small, though he felt like he had been shouting at the top of his lungs. It was as if the darkness had somehow managed to swallow the sound that it made.

There was no response other than the same noises that continued to crawl inside his head. They were scrabbling sounds, like the sound Cody's nails made against the hardwood floors of their house. And accompanying the scrabbling sound were a series of low moans. They sounded hungry, like the mindless groans that zombies made in horror movies. Cole got the distinct feeling that the hunger was for him, that whatever was making the noises wanted him. The noises were all around him and seemed to be moving, as if they were circling him slowly. He turned around several times, hoping that there would be a direction in which he couldn't hear the moaning voices. But they surrounded him, and Cole was terrified.

The darkness began to lighten to his left, and Cole turned to look in that direction. He saw several shapes retreat from the darkness, shapes that only heightened his fear. He couldn't have described what those shapes were, and they were not the shape of anything that he could identify. The lightening of the darkness continued and at its center was a pinhole of light that slowly grew, until its brightness began to hurt Cole's eyes. He shaded his eyes with his hand as the pinpoint of light became a larger circle. It reminded Cole of a tunnel, as if the light itself was tunneling through the darkness and toward him. The light brought no warmth, and Cole realized for the first time that the darkness around him was freezing. He shivered as the chill of it reached his bones.

A shape grew within the light and it seemed to be moving toward him. Cole's eyes finally adjusted to the growing light and he realized that the shape was that of a man. The man was slowly walking toward him, and the light seemed to be coming from him. Within seconds, the man was standing in front of Cole. He was taller than Cole by a few inches, with jet black hair and pale skin that glowed slightly in the darkness. Cole couldn't tell exactly where the light was coming from on the man, but it surrounded the stranger completely. He was extremely handsome, but his most striking feature were his violet eyes, which locked Cole in a captivating stare.

"You should not be here, Cole," the man said to him. His voice was a melodic baritone that made you want to trust him. But something told Cole that he shouldn't.

"How do you know my name?" Cole asked suspiciously. He noticed that the moaning voices had silenced and the scratching noises had diminished. It was as if whatever surrounded Cole and the stranger wanted to hear what was being said between them.

"That's not important, Cole," the stranger said to him. He looked back over his shoulder and when he looked back at Cole, his stare intensified. "This is a very dangerous place, especially for you. And you must leave here immediately."

"Where am I?" Cole asked as he looked around. Every time he turned his head, he caught glimpses of...things just beyond the darkness. They made his skin crawl and he felt goose bumps erupt on his arms and the back of his neck.

The man shook his head as he answered, "It is someplace where you should not be. You cannot survive here, and you must survive."

The way he had said that he must survive struck Cole as odd. It sounded conditional, as if something had been left unsaid. "For what? You sounded like there's something that I have to survive for."

The man shook his head with a sad expression, "That's not an answer that I can give you, Cole. And it's not one that I think you'd like to hear, anyway. Your fate in many ways was decided before you were born. And you must survive to face that fate, whatever the result may be." He held his hand out to Cole with a slight smile, "I know that it does not make sense for you to trust me, but in this case you must. I can lead you from this place."

Cole didn't trust the man, but he noticed again that whatever was in the darkness seemed to be held at bay by the light coming from the stranger. Cole had no such defense and had no sense of direction in the blackness. He doubted that he could have found a way out on his own. The logical side of his mind told him that if the stranger had found his way in, it made sense that he knew the way out. But the emotional side of his mind told him to be wary.

With no other option, Cole reached out and took the man's hand in his own. It was warm and the skin was soft, but there was an obvious strength in its grip, though it held Cole's hand lightly. The man smiled brightly at Cole, revealing brilliantly white, straight teeth. The silence around them deepened, as if the things that lurked in the darkness were all holding their breath at the same time.

The stranger began walking, though in which direction Cole couldn't tell. Directions didn't matter when you couldn't see anything before you. The only thing that Cole could see was the darkness that surrounded them and the light that held that darkness back. The light had moved to surround Cole, as well, but he continued to see shapes dancing at the edge of the light. Once, he thought that he caught a glimpse of gray skin covered in horrible red lesions, but it quickly pulled away from the light and disappeared.

He could hear the scrabbling sounds, which had resumed as they had started walking begin to increase. And now he could hear the low moans again. The sounds were increasing in intensity and they grew hungrier by the second. Cole stumbled as he looked frantically around the light, trying to catch a glimpse of the shapes that he knew waited beyond the light.

"It's best to ignore them, Cole," the man said without looking at him. They continued to walk hand-in-hand toward a destination that Cole could not see. "Keep your focus straight ahead while we move. We're nearly there."

It seemed like they had been walking for several minutes, but nothing in the nearly-featureless darkness around them had changed. He couldn't imagine how the stranger could possibly know where they were or where they were going. The sounds around them continued to increase and the sense of urgency coming from them grew stronger. Cole could sense the frustration coming from whatever was in that darkness and he sensed something else from it that made his heartbeat quicken. It was a sense of yearning, of mindless hunger for something. And Cole suspected that the hunger was for him. He also knew that the light that surrounded him and the stranger was the only thing keeping the darkness, and the things within it, from closing on them both.

Finally, Cole could see a second source of light growing in the distance. It seemed to be in the general direction in which they were heading, and as they grew closer to the light, he thought he could see shapes moving within it. He felt a sense of warmth caress his skin, and he knew its source to be the growing light. They continued to move closer to it, until the stranger next to him suddenly stopped and released Cole's hand.

"I can't take you any further," he said with a neutral expression. "You'll have to go the rest of the way on your own. Just head for that light as quickly as you can. I'll keep the door open until you reach it, I promise."

"Where will it take me?" Cole asked. The light reassured him and felt safe to him, but he was terrified of leaving the safety that the stranger represented.

"It will take you back to where you belong, Cole," the stranger said with a slight smile. "Do not fear the darkness, but do not tarry. I can only hold the door open for a short time."

Cole wondered what the stranger meant by holding the door open and where the door led to, but he didn't ask. If the light was a door away from the horrible darkness, he really didn't care where it went.

"Thank you for helping me," Cole said as he stared at the man and tried to decide what he thought of him. He still didn't trust him, and something about him seemed inherently dangerous. Any being that could hold such darkness at bay had to be. But he had come to Cole's rescue and Cole had no illusions that he would have been able to escape on his own. However, what worried him most about the man were his motives. He had hinted at the fact that he had saved Cole for a reason, though what the reason was he had chosen not to share. Cole didn't like the thought of being used by anyone and he got the feeling that the man intended to use him for something, though he didn't know what.

The man's smile turned sad for a second before it grew into the dazzling smile that he had shown before. "You're welcome, Cole. But I'm only doing what needed to be done. You never should have been here." The man placed his hand on Cole's shoulder and looked him in the eyes as his smile softened. "We'll meet again, soon. Until then, take care of yourself."

Cole nodded wordlessly, unsure as to how he should respond and not wanting to delay his escape from the darkness any further. He looked one last time into the beautiful violet eyes of the stranger and then turned to face the light. He began walking slowly toward it, but then quickened his pace. The light continued to grow and Cole could now see that there was a definite shape to it, and it looked like a doorway. Shapes continued to move on the other side of the doorway, but Cole couldn't make out what they were. He thought he heard voices coming from the other side, but the voices in the darkness were getting louder and more urgent as they drowned out the voices from the light.

Cole started to jog toward the doorway and the moans around him grew to howls of frustration. Some of the voices sounded pleading, and he thought he could hear his name being said. The voices were enticing, and a part of him wanted to listen to them and ignore the doorway. But he knew that in the darkness was death, or worse.

"Hurry, Cole," he heard the man shout behind him.

Cole broke into a run and the doorway grew rapidly in his vision. The voices behind him continued to grow and he swore that he could hear footsteps running beside him. He continued to catch glimpses of horrible shapes on the edge of the light – limbs covered in gray skin, some in dark fur and some shapes that he couldn't identify, their forms were so horrible. The voices pulled at him, trying to convince him that the light would harm him and that there was safety in the darkness. But he pushed those voices away from his mind as he sprinted the last few feet to the door and crashed into the light. He heard a chorus of howls and screams behind him for a second before a whooshing sound cut them off.

The light around him was blinding and completely surrounded him. Ahead of him, twin spots of a beautiful blue color formed. The light faded slightly, and Cole blinked his eyes to focus them. When he opened his eyes again, the twin spots of blue had resolved themselves into a pair of beautiful blue eyes, just like his mother's. But these were not his mother's eyes. He was looking into the eyes of his Uncle Harper.

His eyes focused and he realized that his uncle was leaning over him and looking into his eyes. "Cole?" he asked worriedly. "Can you hear me?" His face was just inches from Cole's.

"Of course I can hear you," Cole told him with a grunt. "You're right in front of me."

Cole looked around him and as his eyes focused, he made out the shapes of his siblings standing around him. He saw Vaughan's friend Sarah, and a boy that he didn't recognize, along with two adults that he thought looked familiar, but couldn't place. Dinah was looking at him over his uncle's shoulder and tears flowed freely down her cheeks, though she was smiling. He couldn't help but think how beautiful his sister was, though she never seemed to realize it.

Harper laughed as he said, "I'll give you some room."

He leaned back and Cole sat up, fighting back the dizziness that hit him. He felt something cold against his skin and looked down to see that he was lying on the concrete path leading to the school – lying naked on the concrete path. He was about to ask what had happened, but then a flood of memories hit him. He remembered turning into a bear and fighting the demons that were attacking them. He remembered his entire body writhing in pain from the many wounds that he knew he had taken. And then he remembered who he had been with when they had been attacked.

"Eliza!" he said urgently.

"I'm here, Cole," he heard her familiar voice say next to him.

He felt something grab his hand and he looked over to see Eliza's smiling face looking back at him. Her cheeks were streaked with tears and her eyes were red-rimmed, but he thought that she looked like an angel as she smiled at him.

"Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly.

Cole wondered what she thought of everything that she had seen. He wondered if it had changed her feelings for him and worried that he had ruined the fragile bridge that he had managed to build between them before the strangers in black had shown up. He reached out toward her mind with his senses, trying to penetrate the mystery in her eyes. He sensed confusion and a slight hesitation, but there was something else there that at first he didn't recognize. And then he realized with surprise that the feeling was pride; pride in him and what he had done.

"You saved our lives," she told him with downcast eyes. "You and Dinah, I mean." She looked back into his eyes as she added, "Thank you."

"Sure," Cole answered dumbly. He felt a fresh wave of dizziness and nausea hit him and he lay back down, hoping that it would pass.

"You need to take it easy, Cole," Harper said as he leaned over him. "We need to get you into the van, though. It's not safe for us to stay here." He looked around him with obvious concern and Cole knew that he was searching for signs of the enemy.

Cole sat back up again and felt his uncle reach his arm around Cole's waist and lift him effortlessly. He took his jacket off and wrapped it around Cole, while Cole held Dinah's jacket around his waist.

A car pulled into the parking lot at that moment and everyone tensed visibly. He felt Uncle Harper's arm stiffen around him and Dinah stepped in front of both of them a moment before Cody did. The three remaining wolves moved in front of the entire group and their ears were perked up as they watched the approaching car.

"It's okay," Eduardo said, breaking the tension. "It's my grandmother. She's picking me up."

Everyone visibly relaxed, including the wolves. Cole heard Cody explain what Eduardo had said to the wolves with a series of images and they moved slightly away from the group again.

Eduardo turned to Eliza and asked her, "Do you need a ride home?"

Eliza shook her head as she answered, "No, I have my car. But, thank you."

Eduardo's grandmother stopped the car behind Harper's van and seemed to notice that something was wrong. She was a plump woman, with a pleasant face and short-cropped gray hair and olive-colored skin. She got out of the car and looked over at Cole being supported by his uncle, and then at the many piles of greasy black soot that littered the ground. Cole saw a strange look cross her face before she looked around the parking lot and at the surrounding trees. He thought that it looked like she was searching for something, though he couldn't guess what. He felt a fleeting sense of fear mixed with anger coming from her before it abruptly ceased.

"Is everything okay?" she asked in accented English. Cole guessed that she must have originally been from Mexico, as he knew that Eduardo's family was Mexican-American.

Harper seemed to sense something odd about her reaction too, but he looked at Cole and mentally asked him to keep silent. "Everything's fine, Mrs. Ramirez," he answered her. "Cole just isn't feeling well."

Even though he was covered by the two jackets around him, Cole was obviously naked under them and he wasn't wearing shoes, in the dead of winter. He doubted very much that Mrs. Ramirez believed Uncle Harper, but she nodded.

Eduardo took Dinah's hand with hesitation, and Dinah wondered what he could possibly be thinking. She wished at that moment that she had Cole's ability to sense what people were feeling, but at the same time was afraid of what she would have sensed.

"Are you okay?" Eduardo asked. When she nodded in response, he told her, "Thank you, Dinah, for saving me."

She nodded in response, but couldn't think of anything to say.

"I'll call you tonight," Eduardo said before leaning in and kissing her on the lips.

She kissed him back and then looked into his eyes when he pulled away. She could read nothing in the depths of his large, dark eyes, but thought that it was a good sign that he didn't look away.

Harper cleared his throat before saying to everyone, "I think it's best if we don't mention any of this to anyone. Agreed?" Everyone nodded, including the younger Ambrose children, who stared at each other with wide eyes. "We'll get together sometime tomorrow and talk about it and figure out a way to make sure you're all safe. For now though, the best thing is to stay away from our family and from the house."

Everyone nodded again, though Eduardo reached out and took Dinah's hand again. Eliza placed her hand on Cole's shoulder before leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.

"Please call me once you're feeling better," she whispered in his ear. "Thank you again."

Cole looked over at her and smiled hesitantly and then watched her walk to her car. Eduardo finally released Dinah's hand and walked over to his grandmother's car. She said something to him in Spanish and seemed reluctant to leave. But Eduardo said something back to her and she nodded before getting back into the car. They pulled away slowly a moment before Eliza did and then the only cars left in the parking lot were Harper's van and the second black sedan that had been abandoned by the fleeing men in black.

"Let's get everyone home," Harper said quietly to the group. He looked over at the wolves, and Cole heard him explain that they were leaving. They looked one last time at Cole, who nodded as he sent them a wordless thank you. The body of the wolf that had been killed was nowhere to be seen and Cole guessed that Cody or Uncle Harper had done the same thing that had been done in the forest to the other wolves that had died. Cole felt a pang of sadness and guilt that another member of the wolf pack had died defending him and his family.

The group of three adults, seven children, and one dog piled into Harper's van, filling each of the three rows of seats. Cole was gently belted into the front seat by his uncle before he climbed into the driver's seat. Harper started the car and turned the heater on to its highest setting, filling the van with a heat that only managed to reach the skin of its inhabitants. A chill had set into each of their bones that could only be dispelled by the warmth of home and safety. Everyone was silent as the van pulled away from the school and onto the main road. Whether out of lingering fear, exhaustion, or a reluctance to be the first one to break the silence, each member of the group stared blankly ahead or out one of the windows.

Cole looked over at his uncle, and could see him watching the rear-view mirrors as he drove. He knew the same truth that Cole did. They had managed to fend off the demons, but they would be back. They would keep coming until they got what they wanted. And the next time they came, there would be more of them.

# Chapter 15

Monday Evening, January 10th

Harper looked out the window over the kitchen sink at the snow falling outside. At first, the snow only been flurries, but the snow had quickly grown to a heavy fall of fat white flakes. Harper couldn't remember what the forecast for the evening had been, but it looked like they were in for a severe snowstorm. Typically, he liked the heavy snows that occasionally dumped on Evergreen in the winter. But at that moment he worried about the effect such a snowstorm could have on their ability to escape the house if it became necessary. And the unexpected boldness of the demons' attack less than an hour before made that necessity not only possible, but far more likely than he cared to admit.

They had dropped Sarah and Leroy off at each of their houses before returning home. Harper had asked them again not to say anything to anyone, and they had both agreed. Vaughan had vouched for both of them, and Harper knew that his confidence was based on more than a mere friendship with either of the two teenagers. He had seen the bond that formed between soldiers facing death, and this was no different.

The soft beep of the coffee maker told him that the pot he had brewed was finished. He placed the finished pot on a tray with several mugs, along with some cream and sugar and brought the tray to the crowded kitchen table. The two teachers, Jason and Tina, had insisted on staying with the family when they had returned to the Ambrose house. Harper's first instinct had been to refuse. He knew that anyone near the children would be in considerable danger, and he had no doubt that both teachers had arrived at the same conclusion. But they had both proven to have a protective instinct over the children, especially Louis and Billie. Having their assistance meant that Harper could focus on defending all of the children more effectively. And though he hated the thought of using any of the children to fight the demons, he knew that any escape from the house would require the assistance of the three older children if they were attacked. All three of them had shown an ability to effectively fight the creatures, and the soldier in Harper told him that such an advantage had to be used, if necessary.

But it wasn't just the protective instincts of the teachers that made Harper want to keep them close. Tina Waverly had a soothing quality to her that spread to everyone around her, including Harper. And she was filled with a quiet strength that had made her nearly unflappable throughout the entire ordeal of earlier that day. Harper thought there was a good chance that he would need her strength if the demons attacked again.

And then there was Jason. Where Tina's strength was obvious, his was less so. He had been clearly frightened by everything that had happened, but Harper had heard from Louis how he had stood in front of Tina and the children when the man-demon had tried to take them. Harper suspected that his strength was the kind that lay in wait, under the surface and seldom brought to bear, but when roused would be formidable. But the thing that intrigued Harper the most was the jewelry that Jason had fashioned and had somehow defended both adults and the children they had been protecting. To create such objects was no easy feat, and required a specific set of skills and abilities. He had seen such abilities in humans before, but not in several hundred years. Harper had assumed that those types of skills had been lost to humanity. Apparently, his assumption had been wrong.

"Harper, should we ask the children to watch some TV while you explain to us what's going on?" Jason asked as he picked up a mug of coffee. He pushed his glasses up his nose and the slight magnifying effect on his eyes reminded Harper of an owl.

Harper looked at each of the Ambrose children in turn, and they all stared back at him with level gazes. "They'll stay and hear the same thing that you do, Jason," he said when he looked back at the teacher. "It's the children that these creatures are after, and they deserve to know why."

Jason looked at Louis and Billie, who watched their uncle, obviously waiting to hear his story. He was especially concerned for them, since they were both still so young. But he had to admit that they had seemed to recover well from the attack of the demons just a few hours before. He knew that children were resilient, but he also knew that that resiliency had limits.

"Fair enough," Jason said in response. He wasn't about to argue with the children's uncle regarding their well-being. It was obvious to anyone who saw them how much Harper loved all of the Ambrose children, but Jason had wanted his concern to be known. It gave him a small feeling of control over a situation that had been rapidly spiraling out of it. Jason felt Tina reach over and take his hand under the table and he squeezed it once in gratitude. She had a calming effect on him as well, and he almost felt a flow of strength pass into him through her hand.

Harper told the group the entire story that he had shared with Cole and Dinah. At first, he had planned on keeping some key information from the two teachers, but he had a feeling that their involvement in how the family story would play out was going to continue. While he didn't completely believe in fate, he didn't completely ignore it either. They both had a role to play, and Harper didn't think it fair to keep anything from them if they did.

Billie and Louis stared back at their uncle with huge eyes, but Vaughan seemed to be handling what he was being told a little better than his younger siblings. Harper guessed that it had something to do with the fact that he had directly confronted the demons.

"Is it possible that Vaughan is the beacon?" Cole asked. There were dark circles under his eyes and he still looked exhausted. But Harper could feel the energy within his nephew growing stronger by the hour and he knew that within a day or two, Cole would be back to full strength.

"Anything's possible at this point," Harper answered. "And I think Vaughan's been keeping some things from us." He smiled at Vaughan, who smiled shyly in return. Harper knew that there was no way that Vaughan could have fought off two of the demons with no training unless there was a chance that he was the beacon. Harper needed to speak with him alone to see what had happened and how he had fought them off. It appeared that each of the children had their own unique manifestations of their heritage, and he wasn't sure what Vaughan's was, but needed to understand it. Harper was starting to accept that he would need to rely on one or more of the children to aid in their own defense, at least until he could enlist the aid of some of his people.

"What's really important now is that we're all completely honest with each other," Harper said to the group. "If anything unusual happens to any of you from now on, you must let me know immediately. Everyone agreed?"

Everyone nodded as they looked at each other. Cole wondered if he should mention the dream that he had when he was unconscious, but he didn't think it was important and guessed that his uncle had enough to worry about. Billie thought of her own dreams, but kept them to herself for the same reasons that Cole did.

"Why don't you all get some rest in the family room while I call Jerry," Harper said. He could see the exhaustion on everyone's faces and knew that there was a good chance that they would need their strength later that night or even the next day. He hoped that they could have a full night to rest before they had to decide on a course of action, but the behavior of the demons had been unpredictable and he was starting to wonder how much time they had. The one thing that reassured him was the protective spells surrounding the house, which he knew would be impossible for the demons to breach.

Harper watched as everyone stood up and moved into the living room. "Vaughan, may I speak with you for a moment?" he asked his nephew.

Vaughan nodded and then sat back down. He looked a little nervous as he waited for everyone to leave the kitchen.

"Can you tell me what happened in the gym today?" Harper asked when they were alone.

Vaughan looked a little uncomfortable as he told his uncle the entire story of the confrontation with the demons. Most people would have thought that he exaggerated points in the story, but Harper knew that this was not Vaughan's way. When Vaughan described how time seemed to slow when he fought with someone, Harper was taken aback. The kind of ability that Vaughan described was rare in humans, and even rarer in Aes Sidhe. He knew that his sister had possessed that ability, but she had been one of only a few among their people who did. The fact that she had passed that ability to the shyest of her children, the one least likely to be a warrior was a bit ironic, but Harper was glad that it had been Vaughan. He sensed a newfound confidence coming from his nephew, and noticed that he sat straighter and looked him straight in the eye as he spoke. Vaughan looked so much like his mother at that moment that Harper thought again of how much he missed his sister.

When Vaughan had finished his story, he looked at his uncle, waiting for him to say something. Instead of speaking, Harper stood up and walked over to Vaughan and held his arms out. Vaughan stood up and hugged his uncle, something he couldn't remember having done for several months.

"I'm proud of you, Vaughan," Harper said quietly as he hugged him. "You could have left Sarah and Leroy, but you didn't. You remind me so much of your mother." He held his nephew for a moment more, kissing the mass of curls at the top of Vaughan's head before letting him go. "Why don't you go ahead and rest with the others," he told him.

"Thanks, Uncle Harper," Vaughan looked up and said to his uncle.

Vaughan left the kitchen and Harper noticed for the first time that the TV was on in the family room. He hoped that his family and the two teachers were able to unwind enough to get some sleep while he prepared something simple for dinner. He pulled out some of the frozen pizzas that he kept as snacks for the children and turned on the oven. While he waited for the oven to preheat, he took out his cell phone and called Jerry. There was no ringing on the other side before it went straight to voicemail. He placed the pizzas in the oven and tried calling again, but it went straight to voicemail a second time.

Harper looked outside the kitchen window, hoping that the snow had let up a little. Instead, he saw that it was falling even heavier than before. It looked like they were going to be in for a large dumping of snow, which worried him. If the snow was heavy enough, they could be snowed in and unable to leave if they had to. The idea of being trapped anywhere, even in their house, was not a comfortable one.

He thought again of his conversation with Tragmar, the leader of the Sentinels. There had been clues to the location of the others laced throughout what Tragmar had said, though they would have been impossible to figure out for anyone other than another Sentinel. He knew that he would find his people somewhere to the north of Colorado, though he didn't know specifically where. The other clues left in the conversation held the key to the location, but he hadn't managed to figure out what those clues meant. And he couldn't call Tragmar again. If he did, he risked the call being traced back to Tragmar, and he knew the demons would use such a chance to set up some kind of ambush for Harper and the children. There was one thing he knew for certain, though - he needed the help of his people, so he had to figure out what those clues meant.

The beeping of the oven timer derailed his train of thought and he looked over in surprise to realize that nearly twenty minutes had passed. He pulled the pizzas out of the oven and cut them up before placing them on a large tray. He let them cool while he grabbed several bottles of water and placed them next to the pizzas. He reveled in the menial tasks of serving his family, something that continued to astonish him. His upbringing had included many servants in his parents' household, and the concept of serving others had been foreign to him. He had never considered the tasks beneath him. That would have been against the beliefs of his people. He had just never had to serve others in that capacity. His service to his people had been as a warrior and protector. But the household chores in which he buried himself to take care of the Ambrose family gave him a satisfaction that he had never before experienced during his long life.

He carried the tray out to the family room and placed it on the coffee table in front of the couch. Everyone hungrily dug in and he even took a piece for himself. He didn't need food as often as humans did, but he enjoyed the wonderful combinations of flavors that humans constantly came up with. His people were not nearly as creative when it came to preparing food. Most of them saw food as a necessity, and only ate when they were hungry, which was once every few days. As he bit into the pizza with pepperoni and black olives, he thought that they had no idea what they were missing.

Harper looked over at the couch and saw Louis and Billie curled up next to each other, with Billie's arms wrapped around Aidan. Aidan's eyes watched him as he ate and he noticed again how familiar her eyes were. He knew there was something unusual about the dog, but he hadn't yet figured out what it was. Tina sat next to the youngest children, her arm wrapped protectively around Louis. Vaughan sat next to Jason on one of the small loveseats next to the couch, and Cole and Dinah occupied the other one. Cody was lying on the ground next to Cole, with his head resting on his front paws. If anyone had seen them at that moment, it would have looked like the gathering of a family in front of the TV on any given night in America.

As Harper slowly ate his pizza, savoring each bite, he watched Jason Holt and thought again of the jewelry that he had created. If the two trinkets that he had seen had managed to destroy a demon, they were powerful indeed. Jason felt eyes on him and looked over at Harper to see him staring back at him.

Harper put his pizza down, muted the TV, and looked over at Tina, "Tina, would you mind if I looked at your bracelet?"

"Of course not," she answered before handing it to him.

"You said that you made this, Jason?" Harper asked as he inspected the bracelet.

"Um, yeah, I did," Jason answered hesitantly.

"And that necklace you're wearing, as well?" Harper asked.

Jason nodded silently as he watched Harper examine the bracelet. Harper closed his eyes as he ran his fingers over the images carved into them. He reached out with his senses and pushed them into the bracelet, seeing the lines of power that flowed through the symbols. When he opened his eyes, Jason was staring back at him with a guarded expression.

"Do you know what these symbols mean?" Harper asked him.

Jason looked uncomfortable, as if he didn't want to answer. He looked down at the ground as he said, "They're supposed to protect the wearer from evil."

Harper nodded, "Yes, that's exactly what they're for." He leaned forward in his chair and his gaze intensified as he asked Jason, "But where did you learn to make these? And these symbols – where did you learn about them?"

Jason looked even more uncomfortable as he continued to stare at the ground. He looked up once at Tina, but looked down again when he saw her staring at him expectantly. Everyone was silent, waiting for him to answer.

He took a deep breath before answering, "Completely honest with each other, huh?" Harper nodded, so Jason continued, "My grandparents taught me about the symbols, and how to make things that used them." He looked over at Harper, meeting and holding his gaze. He seemed embarrassed by what he had said, as if he was ashamed of something, though Harper couldn't imagine what that could be. "They were sort of nature-hippies when I was growing up and believed in a lot of crap about magic...sorry, stuff about magic," he added and then corrected himself as he looked over at the younger children with embarrassment at his choice of words. "But I never thought any of it meant anything. I just liked making things and thought the symbols were pretty." He looked over at Tina, who stared back at him with obvious interest in what he was saying.

"How much do you know about your grandparents' religious beliefs?" Harper asked Jason. The rest of the group thought it was an odd question, but they each kept their thoughts to themselves.

Jason looked just as confused by the question, "Their religious beliefs? I'm not sure I understand the question. I know they were originally from Ireland, but moved to Colorado before I was born."

There was a subtle quality in the tone of Jason's voice that told Harper that he was keeping something from his answer. Cole sensed it too, but it was from the emotions that emanated from Jason and not his voice. Cole thought that Jason was ashamed of something, and could feel that it was related to his grandparents in some way. Harper continued to stare at Jason, but didn't say anything else. Jason looked away from the intensity of Harper's gaze, and when he looked around at the others in the room, he found that he couldn't meet any of their eyes.

"Okay, no secrets," he said quietly. He took another deep breath before saying, "My grandparents moved to Colorado with my parents before I was born. My parents were killed in a car accident when I was very young, so I don't remember them at all. They didn't say why they moved to the U.S., but I got the sense that they moved to Colorado because of something that happened in Ireland. I just know that it had something to do with their beliefs, which are...different."

Harper smiled slightly and leaned forward in his chair, "They worship nature, don't they?"

Jason looked over at Harper in surprise, the widening of his eyes exaggerated by his glasses. "Y...yes, they did. I mean, they do," he said as he continued to stare at Harper. "How did you know?"

A sudden, loud creaking noise made everyone but Harper jump. He stood up and walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain. The snow that had been falling heavily but gently was now swirling in the wind that had started to blow.

"It's just the wind," Harper said as he let the curtain fall back into place. He didn't like the look of the wind. The only thing that could impact their ability to leave the house more than a heavy snowfall was a blizzard. The remote location of the Ambrose house meant that the road leading to the house might not be plowed for several days. And while Harper's van had all-wheel drive, it didn't have the kind of ground clearance that would be necessary to navigate a snowed-in driveway. He hoped that the snowstorm was a passing one, though it didn't look like it.

Everyone watched Harper as he sat back in his chair. "You asked me how I knew about your grandparents' worship of nature," he said to Jason. "Those symbols are ancient and powerful. Variations of some of them are commonly used in the trinkets that are sold to tourists throughout Ireland. But the symbols you used are the original ones." Harper held the bracelet up in his hand and turned it in the light of the lamp on the table next to him. "The thing with such devices is that the symbols themselves do not contain power. They are merely a conduit for the power that the maker pours into the device. To do such a thing is exceedingly difficult and requires a powerful user of what humans call magic."

Harper looked over at Jason as he lowered the hand that held the bracelet. "My people could make such things, but they were never as good at it as humans were. Well, only certain humans, really." Everyone watched Harper with rapt attention, but he stared only at Jason while he spoke. "These humans made many things for my people, including many of our most powerful weapons." Harper stood up slowly and walked over to the small closet next to the TV. He pulled out a wooden pole that none of the children could ever remember noticing before. It was nearly as tall as their uncle, but otherwise unremarkable.

Harper looked at it and frowned for a second. The pole seemed to shift briefly before a tall silver spear appeared in his hands. It was a full foot taller than Harper, with a long tip that looked like a short sword at its top. Another piece of metal ran across the bottom of the blade, making it look like a small sword on the end of a long pole.

"Humans made this weapon for me shortly after I came of age," he said while he turned the spear slowly in his hands. "It has special powers against the demons." He shifted the spear until it was lengthwise and pointed at a series of scrolling symbols carved along its haft. "These symbols were carved into it by a human who was very gifted in crafting, as it was called."

The children all moved from their seats to surround their uncle. They reached out and felt the ridges of the symbols carved into it and they were all obviously fascinated. But Jason only stared at the spear, running his eyes over the many symbols that seemed to run into each other.

He looked up at Harper, but his gaze was guarded and unreadable. "I know what these symbols mean, Harper. I learned about them when I was a child, sort of like any child would learn the alphabet."

Harper said nothing, but nodded slightly.

Jason finally reached over to run his fingers along the haft of the spear. Though he hadn't asked them to, the children moved out of his way. "This is a symbol for strength. And this here is for sharpness. And this one is for balance," he said as he stared at each of the symbols. "Whoever made this was very gifted. The way the symbols run into each other without covering each other is like nothing I've ever seen." He was clearly in awe by what he saw.

"As I said, the human who made this was very gifted," Harper said. His eyes took on a faraway look for a moment, as if he was remembering something from his past. "He was a dear friend who was taken from us by betrayal." His eyes focused again, and he looked almost surprised by what he had said. "But that is an old tale, and one that I will not share with you tonight."

Jason sat back down in his chair and looked over at Harper. "What does this have to do with me and my grandparents?" he asked.

Harper looked at the spear and frowned for a second again. The spear became a wooden pole again, which he placed next to his chair as he sat down. "Those symbols are unique to a certain group of people who practiced an ancient religion around the worship of nature." He looked over at Tina, who was watching Jason intently, and then his gaze returned to him. "I thought that the religion had died out several hundred years ago. But now, I'm guessing that it somehow survived. I believe you and your grandparents are descendants of these people, and the things that your grandparents taught you are the same things that were passed on to the man who made that spear for me nearly three thousand years ago. Back then, they were known as Druids."

Jason looked less dumbstruck than Harper would have expected. His reaction made it clear to Harper that Jason had suspected something about his grandparents all along. "I knew there was something different about them – about all of us, really." He smirked and shook his head before he added, "But it's not exactly easy telling your friends at school that your grandparents like to dance naked in the forest. It's kind of a deal-killer when it comes to friendships."

Harper smiled as he answered, "Yes, I suppose it would be." He leaned forward in his chair and looked Jason in the eyes, "How much did your grandparents teach you about their religion?"

Jason shook his head and shrugged, "Bits and pieces, really. I remember them teaching me a lot when I was a kid, but when I got older and didn't seem interested, they backed off. But when it came to making things, I never stopped liking that. So, they taught me a lot about how to work different materials into different shapes, and how to use the symbols they had taught me to decorate those things. Why do you ask?"

Harper continued to stare at him as he answered, "Because the things you made contain a great deal of power – nearly as much as the power contained in my spear. Again, the symbols themselves are just conduits for the power and determine how the power manifests. The actual power imbued in the items comes from the person crafting them." He smiled at Jason as he added, "I'd say that you are already a very powerful Druid, though you do not realize it. With the proper training, you could be even more so."

Jason looked around the room and saw looks of wonder on all of the children's faces. But what surprised him was the similar look on Tina's smiling face as she looked back at him. He sat up straighter in the chair as he looked back at Harper.

"How can you tell these things?" Jason asked. "Are you on of these...Druids too?"

Harper smiled and shook his head, "No, my power comes from within me – not from the world around me, as yours does." Harper stood up and held his right hand out, with his palm facing upwards. "What humans call magic comes in three forms. The power that my people use comes from within each of us, though we can sense the use of the other types. Our power is limited by the strength of the individual and the native ability within them. It grows slightly as we age, but mainly its strength is determined at birth."

Harper frowned slightly as he stared at his hand. Suddenly, a small blue flame appeared in his outstretched hand. "The power of this flame comes from within me. As long as it burns, it pulls from the strength within me." The flame disappeared and he said, "When I allow it to die, the drain on my strength dies with it." He frowned again and the flame reappeared. "Something so small drains such a small amount of energy from me that I cannot feel its effect. My body naturally replenishes the energy it uses quicker than it can be drained." He allowed the flame to grow larger and then lowered his hand. It hovered in the air, only a few feet from him. Everyone could feel the warmth coming from it, so they knew that it was no illusion.

Harper tilted his head to the side and the flame twisted and bulged until it had assumed a new shape. Cole smiled as he realized that it was the shape of a bear. "Now with something like this, I can definitely feel a drain on my strength, though it is still very slight. The size of the flame itself would still have no effect on me, but the flame wants to keep its natural shape. Forcing it to assume a shape that is not natural to it requires the constant effect of my will upon it. That's what causes a bigger drain on my energy." The fiery bear disappeared suddenly and Harper smiled. He looked over at Cole, Dinah and Vaughan. "This is why you most likely felt slightly tired after facing the demons. You were using the power within you to fight them and since you have no idea how to control its use, it drained your strength more quickly than it otherwise would if you knew how to control it." He nodded at Cole as he added, "This is especially true for you, Cole. You assumed a shape that was not natural for you and much larger than your true size, so it drained your strength more quickly. You could all learn to minimize its effect with training, though."

The three children looked at each other and then back at their uncle.

"But that is the Aes Sidhe side of your heritage," Harper said. "You have also inherited power from your human side, though I have no idea what that power is. Since your father does not have magical ability, there is no way to tell."

He sat back down in his chair before continuing, "The magic that humans use is different than ours and comes in two forms. The first kind of magic uses energy that flows throughout this world. The user channels the magic through their body and shapes it with their will to do various things. There is no limit to the power itself, but the strength of the user determines how much energy can be channeled at once and the skill of the user determines what the magic can do."

"So, human magic doesn't cause exhaustion?" Tina asked shyly. She was clearly fascinated by everything that Harper was saying.

"No, it definitely does have an effect on the user," Harper answered. "The more power that is channeled, the greater the drain is on the user. But there is one fundamental difference between Aes Sidhe and humans in how the power of the user is determined. The power of an Aes Sidhe does not change much with age, but with humans their strength and ability to use magic increases as they grow older." He looked over at Jason as he added, "It is likely that your grandparents are quite powerful if your ability is any indication. And these abilities are typically hereditary."

Jason thought of some of the amazing, but unusual things that he had seen his grandparents do when he had been growing up under their care. He had tried to explain those things logically and even scientifically in an attempt to deny what he had always known was really magic. But the things that he had seen when the demons had attacked earlier that day had begun a process of acceptance within him. For the first time as an adult, he regretted his relationship with his grandparents and his unwillingness to learn from them.

Harper crossed his legs as he continued, "This type of human magic can be used in many ways. But another aspect of human magic that is hereditary is an affinity for certain applications of magic." He held up the bracelet again in his hand. "The Druids had an affinity with magic that could influence the natural world around them. And they also had a special affinity with the crafting of magical items."

Harper looked over at Jason and he appeared to be deep in thought about something. Finally, he stood up and walked over to one of the houseplants that stood in a corner of the room. He brought it back to the coffee table and placed it in front of Jason. It was a small plant with large glossy leaves at its base.

"Let's see if you have the same affinity, Jason," Harper said as he sat back down in his chair. "See if you can make the plant grow."

Jason looked at him as if he had grown another head. He had never done such a thing in his life and couldn't imagine how to do it now. But then he thought of what he did when he made things like the bracelet and his necklace. He thought of the trance that he went into whenever he began carving the ornate symbols into whatever he was making. He would see glowing lines surrounding him and as he carved the symbols, the lines would seem to flow through his arm and then into his hand and into the piece itself.

And then he remembered when he had been a young child, playing in the woods around his home. He remembered coming across a fern under a tree that had been trampled by something. The damage to it had been enough that Jason could tell that it was dying. He could feel the life slowly leaching from it. And he had wanted to keep it from dying. He had kneeled down next to it and carefully cupped its broken fronds in his hands. He had whispered soothing words to it and willed it to repair itself – to live. He had seen those same glowing lines around him then, too. As he willed the plant to live, those lines had moved through his arms and into the fern. As he watched, the broken fronds righted themselves and the entire plant was filled with a vitality that had not been there before. He had felt a little light-headed when he stood up, but as he had looked down at the now-healthy fern, he had smiled. The next day, he had returned to the spot where the fern grew and saw that it had grown several feet overnight. He hadn't thought of the fern in nearly two decades, and as he stared at the plant in front of him, he wondered what other memories he had suppressed.

Jason looked up at Harper, and then over at Tina. She looked back at him with an encouraging smile and nodded. The children all watched him and the plant expectantly.

"I'll try," Jason said simply.

He looked at the plant and tried to concentrate on what he wanted to do. As he focused on the plant itself, he sensed that it was a healthy plant, but that it was in some kind of dormant state. His focus increased and he saw the glowing lines appear around him. He heard someone inhale sharply and looked over to see Louis staring at him with huge eyes. The momentary break in concentration made the lines disappear, so he returned his focus to the plant. As he did, the lines quickly reappeared. He willed the lines to pass into the plant and tried to think of reversing the dormant state and for the plant to grow. As he watched, a single shoot of green began to push its way up through the center of the leaves. He continued to pour the energy into the plant and the shoot grew several inches high. Buds appeared at the end and in front of his eyes, three lovely, multicolored flowers opened. He released his concentration and stared at the plant in wonder. He recognized the flowers instantly. They were orchids.

As Jason looked around the room, he was greeted with smiles and laughter from everyone. Tina had her hands in front of her mouth and her eyes were wide as she stared at the orchids with a huge grin.

"That was amazing, Jason," she said when she looked over at him and he smiled back with obvious pride.

The magic of the moment was broken suddenly when Harper stood up and looked toward the window. His face was full of concern and his body was tense as he seemed to be focusing on something far away. Cody stood up and moved to stand next to Harper. Aidan's head popped up from Billie's lap and stared in the direction of the window, her ears held at attention.

"What is it?" Tina asked with concern.

Harper looked over at Dinah, Cole, and Vaughan and he could see that they felt it too. The demons were back.

"Look!" Louis shouted as he pointed at the bracelet in Harper's hand. It was glowing slightly, and so was the necklace under Jason's shirt.

Harper walked over to the window and pulled back the end of the curtain. The blizzard still raged outside, making it difficult to see more than a few yards from the house. But as his eyes focused on a group of vague shapes beyond the blowing snow, he knew that his hopes for a quiet evening for everyone to recover had been dashed.

"Harper, what is it?" Tina asked again.

He continued to stare out the window and at the line of shadows that stood no more than fifty yards from the house.

"It's the demons," Dinah said suddenly. "They've come to the house." She looked over at Tina and there was fear on her face. "And this time there are more of them."

"A lot more of them," Cole said quietly.

# Chapter 16

Monday Evening, January 10th

Harper stared out the window at the blowing snow and the mass of dark shapes beyond it. Most of the shapes crouched on all fours, but some of them walked on two legs. Occasionally, the light from the outdoor lights of the house would glint off of something among the shapes, and Harper knew that the light was glinting off of the metal of weapons. His sense of dread deepened.

"There are so many of them," Cole said standing next to him.

Harper turned to face his nephew and asked him, "Can you see them? I mean, can you see details?"

Cole looked at his uncle and nodded. Harper heard some of the others stand up from the couch and move toward the window. He ignored them for a moment as he looked back outside. His vision was far sharper than most humans, but even he could only see a few of the shapes in detail.

"How many do you see outside, Cole?" he asked as he looked at his nephew again.

Cole scanned the darkness for a moment before he answered, "I see thirty of the demons, and another twelve that look human."

"Forty-two of them?" Tina whispered from the couch.

Harper looked back at the couch and saw that she was still sitting on the couch with Billie and Louis, who had both fallen asleep. The last he had noticed, they had both been wide awake, but that was the way of young children. They could fall asleep in almost any situation.

"Don't worry, Tina," Harper said to her with a reassuring smile. "The entire house is protected by powerful spells. There's absolutely no way that they can break through them, which is why they're just standing there and not attacking."

"Are you sure that they can keep so many away?" Tina asked quietly. She didn't want to wake either of the children.

"I'm positive," Harper said. "My sister placed many of the spells around the house, and I added many more when I first moved in."

Jason moved over to sit next to Tina on the couch. He put his arm around her and she leaned against him. "He's right, Tina," Jason told her. "I saw the symbols when we drove up to the house tonight. They're everywhere." He never would have admitted such a thing just a few hours before, but considering everything that had happened that night, he didn't see any point in keeping it to himself. And he wanted to reassure Tina.

"But it also means that we're trapped," Tina said as she looked around at everyone.

"And it means that dad will have to get through them when he comes home," Vaughan said as he stood next to Dinah.

Dinah reached over and put her arm around her younger brother's shoulder. "He's right, Uncle Harper. How are we going to warn dad? Did you get a hold of him earlier?"

Harper shook his head, "No, I tried calling him twice and it went straight to voicemail."

"Did you try calling Larry's cell phone?" Dinah asked.

Harper looked back at her with a blank expression on his face. "To be honest, I never thought of that," he said sheepishly. He knew that he must have been preoccupied if such a simple alternative had slipped his mind.

Harper pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Larry's number. It rang twice before it was picked up.

"Yes, Larry, it's me," Harper answered after a second. "Larry, I've been trying to get in touch with Jeremiah, but he's not answering his cell phone. Is he near you?"

Harper waited for a moment before continuing, "I'm sorry to bother you at work, brother. But something's happened and we need you at home." He was quiet again before he said, "Jeremiah, you must not come home alone. Please just trust me on this. Bring as many of your fellow agents as you can."

Cole could hear his father's voice through the phone. He was clearly worried and trying to get more information from Harper.

"I don't think it's a good idea to discuss this on the phone," Harper answered after another brief silence. "Jerry, please. I would never ask such a thing unless it was important. Just come home as soon as you can, and don't come home alone."

The children couldn't remember ever hearing their uncle refer to their father as Jerry. They could hear the earnestness in Uncle Harper's voice and they hoped their father had heard it too.

Harper paused again before smiling slightly, "Thank you. We'll see you soon."

He hung up the cell phone and looked up to see everyone looking back at him, though Louis and Billie were still fast asleep. "They're in Colorado Springs, but they'll head back here now. With the storm, it will probably take several hours." He looked out the window again for a moment before turning back around. "We'll just sit tight until then and try to get some rest."

There were nods from everyone, and Dinah and Vaughan moved over to sit on one of the loveseats. Cole remained standing and seemed to be considering something. He moved over to stand next to his uncle, with his back to the rest of the group.

"Uncle Harper," Cole said quietly enough that the others couldn't hear him. "Should we get some things together, just in case we have to leave in a hurry?"

"That's a good idea, Cole," Harper answered. With the severity of the storm, there was a chance that they could end up trapped in the van. It was best to have adequate supplies against such a possibility. "I'll get some food and water into the van. Can you gather up some warm clothes for everyone? There should be a few extra jackets for Jason and Tina in the hall closet."

Cole nodded and then left the family room. Harper told the others that he would be in the kitchen before walking from the room. He began gathering the things he thought they would need and then walked into the garage and started loading them into the van. Just as he had loaded the last of the water in through the sliding rear door, he heard a strange scratching noise. He closed the door and listened, but it seemed to have stopped. He waited for a moment more to see if the sound would return, but there was nothing other than the usual assortment of noises that a garage made. The wind continued to howl outside and he wondered again if the storm would stop anytime soon. He decided that he would check the evening news to see what the weather forecast said about the storm.

He heard the clicking of nails on concrete and turned around to see Aidan standing behind him. She watched him for a moment and then turned her head suddenly to stare at a corner of the garage. Harper looked in the same direction, but could hear and see nothing. After a few seconds, Aidan turned around and left the room.

Harper walked back through the kitchen after Aidan and into the family room just as Cole was bringing the last of the winter clothes from the hallway. He had piled everything on the empty love seat and Harper was satisfied that there was more than enough for everyone to keep warm if they had to leave suddenly. He hoped again that there would be no need for either the clothing or the food, but Cole was right – they needed to be prepared. The one thing that reassured him was the power of the spells that covered every inch of the home's exterior. Nothing could break through them. He was sure of that.

He used the remote control to turn the channel on the TV. He recognized the heavyset man as one of the local weathermen. The man explained that the storm was one of the most powerful they had seen in years and was expected to dump several feet of snow during the next twelve hours. Their list of alternative courses of action was shrinking rapidly, which made him even more thankful for the security of the house.

Harper started to wonder if asking his brother-in-law and Larry to come home was such a good idea. Even if they brought every agent in the Denver office with them, the demons were likely to outnumber them. And the boldness of their attacks made Harper wonder if they would care about attacking such a large group of humans in plain sight. The Ambrose house was in such a remote location that the chances of there being any witnesses – at least any who could escape and say something about the demons – remote. He might be placing all of those people in mortal danger. And there really was no immediate need to leave the house, since it was so well protected.

Harper decided that it was a better idea to stay at the house overnight and see if the weather cleared up the next day. The demons were not overly fond of the daytime, and it might be easier to escape when the sun was out. And he did not want to place Jeremiah, Larry, or any other humans in danger if he didn't have to. He looked over at the crowded couch and love seats. He had already placed enough people in harm's way.

He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Jerry's cell phone number. He held it to his ear, but there was no sound on the other end – no ringing, nor the sound of his voicemail. There was just nothing. He looked at his phone in confusion. There appeared to be a signal, but nothing was happening. He tried dialing Larry's cell phone, but the result was the same - nothing.

"Tina, Jason, do either of you have your cell phones with you?" Harper asked.

They both looked at him in confusion, but Jason nodded. Tina shook her head, "No, I forgot mine on my desk."

"Jason, can you see if you can make a call?" Harper asked.

Jason nodded, "Sure. Who do you want me to call?"

Harper walked over to the window as he answered, "Anyone. I just want to see if it works." He pulled the curtain back and looked outside. The snow and wind had not diminished at all. And beyond the snow and wind, the waiting forms of the demons stood or crouched. It didn't appear as if they had moved at all. They didn't need food like humans or even the Aes Sidhe did. He knew they could wait forever, if they had to.

"I can't get a call to go through," Jason said in confusion. He looked over at Tina, who stared back at him with concern. "Do you normally have a signal out here?" Jason asked Harper.

Harper turned back around and faced Jason, "Yes, there are normally no reception problems. But my phone doesn't work either." He walked over to the house phone that sat on one of the end tables and picked it up. He pressed the button to turn it on and held it to his ear. There was no sound on the other end, not even static. It was dead. "It looks like the phone line to the house has been cut," Harper said. He didn't mention that this was the second time in less than a week that such a thing had been done. "And it appears that something is blocking our cell phone signals."

"But how can they do that?" Tina asked. "Is it some form of magic?" She leaned in closer to Jason on the couch and pulled both Louis and Billie closer to her.

The two youngest children continued to sleep and Harper wondered if there was anything that could wake them, considering how tired they had to have been. Sometimes he envied humans and their ability to sleep. To be able to shut the world out completely for even an hour or two would have been a welcome respite at that moment.

"I'm not sure how they're doing it," Harper answered as he moved over to the chair and sat down. "But I'm more worried about what this means. If they've cut off our communication, it might mean that they're going to attack."

"But you said that they can't break through the spells around the house," Jason said with worry.

Harper shook his head, "They can't, but it doesn't mean that they won't try." The fact that they might try to attack the house still did not concern him. The protective spells were layered so deeply that he knew that there was no way through them. And he knew that the demons had to have seen the spells and come to the same conclusion. So the question remained – why would they attack the house?

"What was that?" Cole asked suddenly. He was staring in the direction of the door down to the basement. Cody and Aidan both stood up from the family room floor and stared in the same direction.

"What was what?" Jason said in confusion. "I didn't hear anything."

Harper hadn't heard anything unusual, but he guessed that Cole's hearing was more sensitive than his. And the fact that Aidan and Cody had both heard something from the same direction made it likely that Cole hadn't been mistaken.

"It's coming from the basement," Cole said as he stood up. He looked over at Dinah and Vaughan, but they shook their heads in unison. They hadn't heard it either. "It sounds like a scratching sound.

Cody and Aidan both moved to the door leading down to the basement and stared at it with their heads tilted to the side, clearly listening for something. Cole moved over and stood behind them and cocked his head to the side, as well. If the situation had been less dire, the scene would have been funny. Cole looked like he was the leader of some strange pack.

Cole looked back at his uncle with a confused look on his face, "There it is again, Uncle Harper. It's definitely coming from the basement."

Harper walked over to the door and listened, but he still couldn't hear anything.

"Harper?" Tina asked with concern.

Harper shook his head, but continued to stare at the door leading to the basement. "I'm sure it's nothing, Tina," he said to her as he tried to hear what his nephew was hearing. "Cole, I don't hear anything." But the dogs were hearing something too. "What does Cody say it sounds like?" he asked his nephew.

Cole stared at Cody for a moment and then nodded, "He thinks it sounds like a scratching sound, too. Well, he actually said it sounds more like digging."

"Digging?" Harper asked in confusion. "From the basement? Why would there be...?" And suddenly Harper was filled with alarm. "Cole, come with me," he said as he opened the door and ran down the stairs, followed closely by Cole, Cody and Aidan.

Harper flipped on the lights and listened. He thought that he heard something faintly like the sound that Cole had described, but he couldn't determine its source.

"Where is it coming from?" Harper asked Cole.

Cole pointed to a storage shelf that stood up against the far wall, "It's coming from behind that shelf."

Cody and Aidan moved slowly over to the shelf and stood in front of it. Their ears were held back against their heads and both of them were crouched down as if they were hunting. Low growls erupted from both of their throats as they stared at the exact spot at which Cole had pointed.

Harper walked over to the shelf and as he neared it, he could hear the unmistakable digging sound and now he could hear that it was coming from behind the wall. He thought of what could be on the other side of the wall, and realized that it was the side of the house on which the tool shed lay. It was the same shed where he had found Cole just a few nights before. He thought of what was in that tool shed, which was like any other tool shed that you would find outside of just about any house in America. But there was one thing in there that was not so common. Under a metal plate in that shed was something that had been there since the old farmhouse that had stood where the Ambrose house now stood more than one hundred years before. It hadn't been used in decades, but it was still there.

"The old well," Cole whispered, as if giving voice to Harper's thoughts. "They must have dug toward the house from the well." Cole looked over at his uncle with huge eyes, "Were there any spells placed around the tool shed?"

"No," Harper whispered. He looked over at Cole with a grim expression, "We need to get out of the house - now."

The digging sound grew louder and more frantic and both dogs started barking loudly at the spot where it was coming from.

"Let's go!" Harper shouted as he ran for the stairs.

Cole and the two dogs followed closely after him. When Harper reached the top of the stairs, he locked the door after the others had passed him. He knew that it was a hollow gesture. The locked door would be nothing to the strength of the demons.

"Get them in the van, Cole!" Harper shouted as he ran to his bedroom.

He could hear voices raised in question, but he knew that Cole would get everyone in to the van as quickly as possible. When he reached his bedroom he ran to the closet and pulled a worn walking stick out from the very back of it. He ran back toward the garage and was relieved to hear the entire group piling in. He made a quick stop to grab the stick that was his weapon from the family room. As he passed the door to the basement, he heard a loud crashing sound come from the other side. They had broken through.

He ran into the garage just as Jason was climbing in and Cole was belting himself in to the front passenger seat. Harper leaned in through the sliding rear door and handed the walking stick to Vaughan. As Vaughan stared at it in confusion, the walking stick became a sword in a scabbard. A strap ran the length of the scabbard, which Vaughan slipped over his head so that it ran across one shoulder. His eyes were huge when he looked back at his uncle, but Harper could tell that he knew why he had been given it.

"Just in case," Harper said reassuringly. Vaughan nodded in response.

Harper closed the sliding door and ran around to the driver's side as Cole pressed the button to open the garage and started the engine. Harper climbed into the driver's seat as the engine roared to life and the garage door climbed. As it opened, the wind began blowing snow into the garage. When it had opened completely, several shapes resolved themselves through the glare of the headlights and the motion lights that shone along the driveway. Nearly a dozen demons stood crouched there, facing the garage and blocking the driveway completely. They stood back ten to fifteen yards from the house, but none of them approached.

Harper looked over to the side of the driveway and thought that he saw three people standing there, and they weren't dressed in the uniform black suits that the demons preferred. But the blowing snow made it difficult to make out any details. Suddenly, one of the demons crouched in the driveway ran toward the garage with a roar that was deafening. It hurtled toward them and Cole flinched as it jumped at the van. But just as it crossed the threshold of the garage, a bright flash of light momentarily blinded him. When he was able to focus again, the demon was gone, and all that remained was a cloud of greasy black soot that mingled with the blowing snow.

Cole looked over at his uncle, and he could see the indecision on his face. He didn't want to leave the powerful protection of the house, but they both knew that the protection no longer existed. As if on cue, Cole heard the crashing sound of the door to the basement being forced open.

"They've broken through the door to the basement, Uncle Harper," Cole said softly. He was surprised at how calm he sounded. "We have to drive through the ones out there."

Harper exhaled loudly and nodded. "Everyone hang on!" he shouted before slamming the gas pedal to the floor.

Dinah heard the engine roar just as a shattering noise erupted behind her. She looked back to see the door from the kitchen exploding and a mass of black fur hurtling through.

"Get down!" Dinah yelled as she leaned over and covered Billie and pulled Tina over Louis. Glass exploded a split-second later and Dinah felt the van shudder as it pulled from the garage. She knew that the demon that had come through the door had hit the van. She felt something whoosh over her head and when it passed, she looked up and saw a demon holding on to the rear bumper. It snarled at her as it drew its arm back to make another swipe. She made eye contact with it just as the van left the garage and then the demon exploded in white light as it crossed the protective spells that surrounded the house.

When her eyes cleared a second later, she saw several more demons standing in the garage, howling in frustration. They couldn't follow them, or they would be destroyed by the same spells that had killed their companion. She felt the van shudder again and saw similar masses of black fur flying along either side of the van as Uncle Harper plowed through the ones blocking their path and then sped along the snow-covered driveway. The wheels struggled to gain purchase on the slippery surface, but he somehow managed to keep the van on its course.

The van tore down the driveway as the wind tried to push it to the left, but Harper kept it on its course as it gained speed. He wanted to put as much distance between them and the demons before he had to slow for the turn on to the main road. He could feel the tension from everyone and he was sure that the wind howling through the shattered rear window was only adding to it. The cold air quickly filled the van and he was grateful that they had all dressed warmly. He turned the heater on to its highest setting, hoping that it could counteract the freezing wind.

They were nearing the end of the driveway and Harper slowed the van in response. Something moved to the right of the driveway and he looked over in that direction. At first, he was confused, since it looked like a portion of the sky was moving toward them in the blowing snow.

"Uncle Harper, look out!" Cole screamed as the shape resolved itself into a falling tree.

It was one of the large pine trees that stood next to the driveway where it met the road. And it was falling across their path. Harper slammed his foot down on the brakes and felt the anti-lock system shudder as it tried to slow the car. He knew that they wouldn't be able to stop in time, so he turned the steering wheel to the left, hoping to go around it. The tree fell with a loud shudder and an explosion of snow. Harper felt the van respond to his frantic commands and it looked like they were going to just barely clear the top of the tree. But a loud scratching sound erupted under the right front wheel as it climbed the branches there. A louder bang hit right after and the right side of the van lifted as it hit the tree's trunk. The rear of the van continued its original path and the vehicle spun as it cleared the tree.

Harper hoped that the spin would slow enough for him to regain control, but at that moment his worst fear happened. The van continued its tilt to the left side and passed the point where it could have tilted back. It fell over on its left side and all of the windows there exploded in a spray of glass, snow and dirt as the van slid on its side along the ground. Harper heard multiple screams and tried to remember if everyone had been belted in.

The horror of the crash continued for what seemed like minutes, but what Harper knew had to be only seconds. When the van finally came to a stop, he looked over to his left and saw the ground where his window had been. When he looked to his right, he saw Cole leaning toward him as his seat belt kept him in place. He looked terrified, but otherwise okay.

"Is everyone okay?" Harper yelled to the rest of the group.

He heard a chorus of yesses and counted them to confirm that everyone had answered. "Okay, we've got to get out of here," Harper said. He worried that the collision with the tree had ruptured the fuel tank, which would make fire a very real danger. "But be careful unbuckling your seat belts. And watch out for glass." He unbuckled his seat belt and helped Cole to get out of his seat. He looked back and saw Vaughan climbing along the left side of the van and out the back window as the others unbuckled their own belts.

Vaughan climbed out the back window, but something caught along its edge as he passed the frame. He looked back in confusion and saw that it was the hilt of the sword. He leaned down and freed it before slipping through the broken window and out into the snow. The wind had diminished to a slight breeze, but the snow continued to fall in fat flakes.

He stood up and looked back at where the tree lay across the driveway. He scanned along its length to where its base met what he thought was the stump from which it had been ripped. The snow fell so heavily that he couldn't make out what could have caused it to fall. But then several shapes appeared in the snow and he knew the answer to his unspoken question. The demons approached slowly, and Vaughan counted five of them. They must have brought the tree down, since it was a healthy tree and would not have fallen over from the wind. He looked back at the van and saw the windshield fly forward. Cole and Uncle Harper climbed out before reaching back to help the others out. He saw Dinah climb out of the shattered rear window and knew that she would help some of the others from that side. And he knew that they were all sitting ducks for the approaching demons.

Vaughan looked back at his uncle and their eyes met. Harper looked along the tree and saw the approaching demons. And when his eyes met his nephew's again, he knew what Vaughan intended.

"Vaughan, no!" Harper screamed as he saw his nephew turn and run toward the demons.

"Get them out of here!" Vaughan yelled as he turned away from the van.

Vaughan ran toward the approaching demons and saw them fan out to meet him. He was surprisingly calm as he closed the distance between them and picked the one that he would attack first. He knew from fighting them before that he had the advantage of speed, but he had no idea if he would be effective with the weapon that his uncle had given him. He guessed that there was only one way to find out.

Vaughan ran straight at the demon in the center and he saw it crouch down to meet him as the others moved to surround him. Just as he reached the first demon, he fell to his knees and slid along the ground between it and the demon to its left. As he passed between them, Vaughan reached back, pulled the sword from its scabbard and swept it at the midsection of the demon to his left. He felt it pass effortlessly through its arc and at first he wondered if he had missed. He stopped his slide and got back to his feet and turned around to see the demon he had attacked fall to the ground.

The sword glowed brightly and he noticed for the first time how right it felt in his hands. It felt like it was an extension of his arm and its weight was almost nothing. He knew instinctively how to use it and a surge of confidence flowed through him - along with the same feeling of strength that he had felt the last time he had faced the demons. He was meant to fight these creatures. It was his destiny.

Vaughan charged the back of the demon near him and saw it start to turn in response. He swung the sword at it as he ran past and saw it pass through its unprotected flank. It screamed in agony and staggered as Vaughan faced the three remaining demons that crowded around him. He spared a moment to look back at the van and saw that everyone was nearly free.

The demon in front of Vaughan used his moment of distraction to attack. He saw time slow down as the creature lashed out at him with a clawed hand. At the same time, he heard movement behind him. Vaughan's first instinct was to dodge the demon in front of him by jumping backward, but that would have put him in the arms of the demon he knew had moved behind him. Instead, he rolled toward the demon in front of him and under its claws. As he rolled to his feet again, he thrust forward with the sword and into the demon's belly. The sword buried itself to the hilt and Vaughan felt the demon stiffen as the sword passed through it.

But he had no time to celebrate another victory. He felt the second creature approaching his back and heard the third somewhere off to his right. But the one behind him was closer. Vaughan pulled the sword from the demon he had killed and jumped up as high as he could, turning the jump into a flip backwards as the demon charged the spot where he had stood. As Vaughan completed his backflip, he stabbed down with the sword at the demon passing beneath him. The sword passed through the creature's body and pinned it to the ground as Vaughan landed on his feet on the demon's back.

He turned his head at the sound of crunching snow and saw the third and final demon just a few feet away and reaching for him. He pulled his sword free and leapt while spinning toward the creature. He aimed for the demon's throat as he held the sword out. It passed through the demon and Vaughan saw it fall to its knees as he landed next to it. He looked around him and saw the five mounds of black fur where each of the demons had fallen. He had defeated all of them single-handedly and in mere seconds. He couldn't believe it.

Vaughan looked back toward the van and saw his uncle running toward him with his great silver spear in his hand. The rest of the group – including the two dogs – came running behind him, but they all stopped short as they saw the fallen demons. They stared at him with wide eyes and open mouths as they surveyed what he had done. They were all silent for a moment, until one of them finally spoke.

"Holy shit!" Louis said softly.

"Louis!" Cole and Dinah yelled at once.

"Sorry," Louis said with chagrin as he met Vaughan's eyes. "But that was aweseome!" he said as he smiled at his older brother. Vaughan smiled back, but didn't say anything. He still couldn't believe what he had done.

Harper stared at his nephew with a mixture of shock and pride. He had seen him fighting the last three demons and he had nearly fallen over in surprise at what he had seen. Vaughan already resembled his mother so strongly, but his style of fighting – something that looked like a mix of dancing and deadly martial skill – was exactly the way his mother had fought. Harper hadn't had a chance to tell him in the commotion of their escape from the house, but the sword he had handed him had been his mother's.

"I'd ask you if you're alright, but I think I know the answer to that question," Harper said to Vaughan with a slight smile.

Vaughan smiled back shyly as he sheathed the glowing sword and walked over to where everyone stood. "What are we going to do now, Uncle Harper?"

Harper looked back at the van and saw the shattered front axle. Even if they turned the van back on its wheels – which he was sure that he and Dinah could do – there was no way that the van could go anywhere on a single axle.

"We can't go back to the house," Tina said. "Those things are still back there. And they'll be here before long."

As if underscoring what she had said, a loud explosion pierced the night. Everyone turned in the direction of the house and saw it engulfed in flames. Cries of dismay poured from all of the children and Harper felt his hand stiffen on the haft of his spear as he watched his sister's home being destroyed. She had loved the house so much. It had become his house for the past ten years, which was such a short time for one of his people. But it had been one of the happiest times in his long life. The house had represented something that Harper had never thought he wanted – a home, and a loving family to share it with. And now that home was gone.

Harper pulled his attention back to their situation with great difficulty, but couldn't think of what to do. They had no transportation and no house to go back to. The wind had died completely, but the snow continued to fall at a steady rate.

"Why don't we go to Mr. McCallister's house?" Dinah asked as she held the crying Billie close to her.

Harper looked from his youngest niece to Louis, who stood in the snow next to Jason, holding his teacher's hand and with a look of shock on his face. Harper wanted to pick him up and hold him, but he had to figure out what to do next.

"His house is five miles from here," Cole said in response to Dinah. "There's no way that we can all make it there before those demons catch up with us."

Dinah shook her head as she answered, "Not if we go through the woods. It's quicker that way, maybe half as long as if we went along the road."

"She's right, Cole," Harper said as he looked at the trees behind them. The snow among the trees wouldn't be as heavy as it was where they were standing. And the shelter afforded by the branches could keep the eyes of the demons from them for a short while and possibly give them enough time to stay ahead of them.

"Okay," Harper said as he leaned down and had Louis climb onto his back. "We make our way through the woods and to the McCallister house. We've got to move quickly, so Dinah you'll have to carry Billie."

Harper looked around at the group and knew that Cole and Vaughan would have no trouble keeping up, even though Cole hadn't yet made a complete recovery. And the weight of Billie would be no problem for Dinah. But he had no idea what kind of physical stamina Jason and Tina possessed. He thought briefly of leaving them in the van, since the demons were after the children and would probably ignore them. But he knew that the best chance of survival for everyone was for them all to stick together.

"Alright, let's go," Harper said to everyone. He felt the presence of the wolf pack nearby and thought of a way that they could help. "Cole, can you ask the wolves to run ahead of us and make sure the way is clear?"

Cole nodded as he ran ahead of his uncle. He had felt the presence of the wolf pack running through the woods as the van had been tearing down the driveway. He passed along Uncle Harper's message and heard them acknowledge as they waited for Cole and the rest of the group to reach the safety of the trees.

They rested briefly when they reached the shelter of the woods and Harper called Vaughan and Cody to him. "I need you both to follow behind us and let me know when the demons get close," he told them both. "But do not engage them under any circumstances. Just keep an eye on them. Understood?"

Vaughan nodded in response and Harper heard Cody's mental acknowledgement. He hated the thought of placing Vaughan in danger, but he knew that Vaughan would obey him and if he didn't, Cody would keep him out of trouble.

"Let's move," Harper said to the group as he started moving again.

Billie clung to Dinah's neck as her sister jogged behind Harper. She looked back and saw Jason and Tina following behind them, their hands clasped as they ran. At a distance behind them, Cody and Vaughan ran side-by-side, stopping every so often to look behind them.

Billie couldn't remember ever being more frightened in her life, even when the horrible man had tried to take her and Louis from their teachers in front of the school. She was frightened, and cold. And she wanted her daddy.

# Chapter 17

Monday Evening, January 10th

Larry pressed the end button on his cell phone for the third time as they drove through the blowing snow. The interstate was crowded, but so far they had been lucky and hadn't hit a major traffic jam. Even though it wasn't crowded, traffic didn't move as quickly as it would have in fair weather. Snow instilled a higher level of caution in most drivers that made them slow down to well below the speed limit. Jerry did his best to weave around the slower cars, but the speedometer stayed right near sixty miles an hour.

"Still nothing?" Jerry asked from the driver's seat.

"Nope," Larry answered. "I tried the office too, but nobody's answering."

Jerry frowned as he watched the road through the windshield, "It's a little early for everyone to have gone home."

"I was thinking the same thing," Jerry answered. Larry was surprised that there hadn't been any sarcasm in his partner's response. Jerry knew this as a sign that he was really worried about something. "I think it's a bad idea not to listen to Harper, Sid," he added. "We should stop and get backup, but I don't think there's time. I didn't like the way he sounded on the phone. It was like he was actually worried or something. Nothing fazes that guy. That means there's trouble at your house."

Jerry nodded, "I know. It's why I'm not stopping in Denver on the way. We're going straight home."

"Sweet," Larry said simply.

They were still nearly an hour away from Evergreen and Jerry felt like he couldn't get there fast enough. He had heard the same worry in Harper's voice. It was something he had never heard from his brother-in-law, and it terrified him. He didn't know what he was going to find when they reached the house, but he had the strangest feeling that it was going to be something that would challenge his perception of reality.

He remembered the conversation he had had with his wife shortly before she died. She had been in the hospital for so long, but the doctors had been unable to find anything wrong with her. And yet she had continued to grow weaker and weaker. Each day he had felt himself dying a little inside with her. He had felt helpless as he had watched someone so vibrant and full of life waste away. She had finally insisted that he bring her home, and he had had no choice but to obey her last wish.

It had been the middle of spring when they had brought Arianna home to die. Everything was coming to life around their house after the long winter. The explosions of color and the awakening of life that had lain dormant for so many months seemed out of place when compared to the fading vitality of his wife. Jerry thought it should have been cold and dreary, because that was how he felt.

When he had settled her in their bedroom, the children had taken turns spending time alone with her. Cole had left the room last. He had been in tears, and Jerry had held his eldest son until his sobbing had faded. And then Arianna had called him into the room.

"Jerry, my love," she had said to him as he walked through the door and over to the bed. "There are some things that I need to tell you – things that I have wanted to say for so many years." She had paused for a moment before continuing, "But first I want to thank you."

Jerry had wanted to say something in response, but his eyes had filled with tears and he knew that he would have been unable to speak.

"I want to thank you for the life that you've given me. For the life that we've built together," she had said to him. "The years with you have been far shorter than I wanted, but have given me so much more than I ever could have hoped for." She had taken his hand then and said, "I love you."

"I love you too," he had said to her as he choked back a sob and squeezed her hand.

They had sat in silence for a moment before she had continued speaking. And what she had said to him had made no sense. He had thought her delirious - since there was no way that what she had said could have been true. It had seemed like some fantastical story – the kind that Louis liked to read about. But he had begun to wonder in the past few days if some, or even all of what she had said to him that day was true. And if any of it was true, it was only fair to warn his partner.

"Larry, when we get to the house...," Jerry said with obvious discomfort.

"Yeah?" Larry replied as he continued to stare ahead. His hands gripped the dashboard as they moved along the icy highway.

"You might see...some things that are...a little weird," Jerry finished.

Larry chuckled and shook his head, "Sid, don't take this the wrong way, but there are a lot of things about your family that are a little weird."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jerry asked with indignation. "And how am I supposed to take that in the right way?"

"Don't get pissy," Larry answered with a smile. Jerry was almost relieved to hear the sarcasm return to his partner's voice. It relieved some of the tension in the car. "I've always seen things around your family that were a little...odd. Is that better?"

Jerry pursed his lips as he shook his head, "Then why haven't you ever said anything?"

Larry shrugged his shoulders, "Because it doesn't matter. Look, I've always known there was something different about Arianna. And don't get me started about Harper." He chuckled again before continuing, "But Arianna was amazing. And she became my sister as much as you're my brother. Hell, I even think of that nutcase Harper as family." He sighed before adding, "And those kids are like my own, Sid. My point is that none of it matters - whatever I've seen before, whatever I see tonight. They're my family too." His voice dropped menacingly before he continued, "And if anyone – or anything messes with them, they're messing with me."

"Thanks, partner," Jerry said with a slight choke in his voice. He was lucky to have someone like Larry to rely on, and he knew that he could rely on him for anything.

"Oh, jeez," Larry said loudly. "You're not crying are you? Look, let's save our little Hallmark moment for later and focus on the road, okay?"

Jerry laughed as he shook his head, "Sure."

Thoughts of Billie suddenly filled his head. He didn't know how he knew it, but he knew that she needed him at that moment. His children were in danger and he wasn't there.

"They're in danger, Larry," Jerry said softly. He hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"Well then, we'd better hurry," Larry answered.

Jerry knew what it meant for him to say that. Larry was already nervous about going as fast as they were in the winter storm. Jerry thanked him silently and pressed down on the accelerator.

# Chapter 18

Monday Night, January 10th

Cole jogged ahead of the rest of the group while listening for sounds of pursuit behind them. He could hear the fire continuing to rage where he knew their house had stood, but the only other sounds he could hear came from his family and their friends running behind him. He couldn't believe that their house had been destroyed. He had spent most of his life in that house, and most of his memories of his family were tied to it. And now it was gone, along with everything that they had owned. Everything that he had associated with his mother was being consumed by fire as they fled for their lives. And he didn't even have time to mourn.

As they continued to run, the sounds that Cole had been listening for suddenly reached his ears.

"They're coming," Louis said loudly from Harper's back.

Cole looked over at his little brother in surprise. He had barely heard the sound of their pursuers, and his hearing was the most sensitive of their group. At least, he thought it was.

"You can hear them?" Cole asked Louis.

Louis nodded silently, his eyes huge. "They're behind us - where the trees start next to the driveway," he said as he looked behind them.

Cole stopped for a moment to listen more closely. Louis was right. The demons had just entered the forest. Jason and the rest of the group stopped and looked behind them, hoping they could see what Louis had heard, but dreading seeing it at the same time. Harper stopped and looked at Cole, seeking confirmation from him of what Louis had said.

"He's right. They just entered the forest," Cole said to his uncle with a nod.

He could hear the labored breathing of Jason and Tina, but as he looked briefly at the rest of his family, they looked like they had been out for a leisurely stroll, not running through the forest. None of them were breathing hard or showing any signs of serious exertion. And he realized suddenly that he could sense something coming from each of them. It was something that he couldn't explain, but something that he knew tied him to each of them in some strange way. The only one that he couldn't sense it from was Billie. He hoped it meant that she had been spared the unusual heritage that had been passed to the rest of them. If it meant that she would be left alone by the demons, he hoped that she had none of the powers that the rest of them had.

Harper looked at his oldest nephew and nodded. Cole heard his uncle reach out with his thoughts to the wolves that had stopped a few yards in front of them. He asked them how much further it was through the trees to the McCallister house. They saw distances differently than people did, but Cole understood them anyway.

"We're not even halfway," he whispered to his uncle, hoping that the others wouldn't hear him. He knew Louis could hear him, but he was certain that Louis could have heard him no matter how softly he spoke. "Uncle Harper, they'll catch us before we reach the house!"

Harper looked back in the direction from which they had come, and then in the direction of the McCallister house. He knew that Cole was right. There was no way that they would make it to the house before the demons reached them. They had to do something to slow them down. He thought of sending the wolves to slow them, but he knew that with only seven of the pack left, they would be slaughtered by the demons. And any time they could buy would be minimal. He needed to place a more formidable obstacle in front of them so that as many of his family as possible could make it to the house. And he still believed that Cole was the one they were after, so it was essential that he ensure Cole's safety. As he looked at the rest of the Ambrose children, he made a painful decision.

"We'll stay here and slow them down," Harper said to Cole. He looked over at Dinah and Vaughan and added, "I'd like you two to help, if you're up to it. The rest of you will continue on to the house and we'll follow after you."

"Are you crazy!?" Jason asked as Harper put Louis down. "Harper, they're kids. No matter what they've done against those things so far, they're still just kids. You can't put them in danger like that."

"They're already in danger, Jason!" Harper yelled. "We all are! And unless we figure out a way to slow those demons down, none of us will make it!"

It was the first time they had seen him lose control that night, and it stunned everyone into silence. Harper immediately regretted yelling at Jason, but it was too late. The silence continued until he managed to recompose himself. He looked around at everyone before continuing, "I don't like this any more than you do. I would never willingly place any of my sister's children in danger unless I had no other choice." The inner turmoil was obvious on his face as he looked around at each of them. "But I don't see any other way. And all we have to do is slow them down. They're after Cole, so we'll be able to retreat once we do slow them down." Harper looked over at Vaughan and Dinah again, "But I will not try to force you to do this. You must make the choice; both of you."

"Of course I'll help, Uncle Harper," Dinah said with a resolute expression. She looked over at Vaughan, though she knew the answer he would give.

"Me too," Vaughan said and then gulped. "I mean, I'll help slow them down too." He held his sword in his hands and managed to look formidable in spite of his small size.

"No way," Cole said while shaking his head. "None of you are fighting those things because of me." Tears filled his eyes as he thought of losing any one of his family members. He wouldn't allow it.

Dinah walked over to him and took his hands, "Cole, Uncle Harper's right. You've got to get to safety. And you've got to take Billie and Louis with you." She smiled at him reassuringly and then kissed him on the cheek as she whispered in his ear, "I promise we'll be alright. We'll only fight them enough to slow them down and then we'll run for it."

Cole looked at his sister and could see the promise in her eyes. He looked at Vaughan, who nodded once at him. He had seen Dinah's strength and speed and knew that it was more than a match for the demons. And the way Vaughan had fought to defend them near the overturned van left little doubt that he could handle himself against them. And then Cole looked at his Uncle Harper. He hadn't seen his uncle face the demons, but he remembered what he had said about the Aes Sidhe. Cole had little doubt that a great power resided within his uncle, and that he would use that power to defend Vaughan and Dinah to the death.

"They're getting closer," Louis whispered as he walked over to where Jason stood and took his hand. Jason looked down at him with wide eyes. Tina had tears streaming down her cheeks as she took Jason's other hand.

Cole faced his uncle as he finally accepted that his plan was the only one that stood a chance of succeeding. As he looked at the three members of his family, he wondered if he was looking at any of them for the last time. "Please be careful," he said quietly to his uncle. "And keep them safe."

Cole looked over at Cody, who stood facing the direction from which they had come. He sent a mental request to the dog.

Of course, Cole, Cody answered in Cole's head. I'll stay with them.

Cole took Billie from Dinah's arms and hugged his oldest sister quickly.

"I'll see you in a bit," she whispered reassuringly.

Cole hugged Vaughan and then his uncle and nodded once to Cody. And then he turned to the others. He heard Aidan whine and saw her run between the two groups as if she was upset. She looked like she couldn't decide which group to stay with, and for some reason, that was the hardest thing for Cole to see. The poor dog's distress epitomized what each of them was feeling at that moment. Finally, she sat next to Cole and looked up at him, whining softly.

He looked at the three who were staying behind one last time before turning to the others. "Let's go," he said.

As they walked away with Aidan following behind them, Cole only looked back once. He saw his uncle, his two younger siblings, and Cody fan out and face the dark shapes that were slowly approaching through the trees. With great difficulty, he turned his head as he moved toward the McCallister house. He said a silent prayer that it wasn't the last time he would see his uncle or his siblings again.

Jerry turned the car on to the road leading to his home and felt some of the tension in his body release. The snow continued to fall heavily, and it was difficult for him to make out the street as he hurried along it. But they were almost home.

"What's that light up there?" Larry asked suddenly as he pointed at the left of the windshield.

Jerry looked and saw a bright orange glow through the blowing snow. He felt a stab of fear hit his heart as he realized that the glow was coming from where his house stood. He knew that it couldn't be good.

They made the turn onto the driveway and the car slipped briefly in the snow, before righting itself. Once the car had straightened, Jerry slammed on the accelerator.

"Look out!" Larry screamed suddenly as he threw his hands in front of his face.

Jerry saw what his partner had a split-second later, and it was already too late. He slammed on the brakes, but even the anti-lock braking system couldn't keep them from colliding with the large tree that blocked the driveway. The front of the car slammed into it with such force that the rear tires lifted from the ground for a moment before slamming back to the ground. Twin explosions rocked the car as both front airbags deployed and Jerry saw a flash of white before his face hit something hard but yielding at the same time. The sound of crunching metal and shattering glass seemed to last forever before quiet finally took over.

Jerry felt a blast of cold air and looked over to his left to see that his window had shattered. An acrid smell filled the air and he saw smoke rising from the now-deflated airbags. He looked to his right and saw Larry move his head slightly through the clearing smoke and saw the branch that had come within inches of his partner's head.

"Are you okay?" Jerry asked worriedly.

"Unh, I punched myself in the face," Larry groaned. He moved his neck back and forth slowly before adding, "At least we know the airbags work."

Jerry looked over at his partner and saw a small stream of blood pouring from his nose.

"You okay?" Larry asked as he wiped his nose with his sleeve.

Jerry felt like he had been punched in the face too, but he felt otherwise okay. "I think so," he answered with a groan. "What the hell is a tree doing lying across the driveway?"

"I have no idea," Larry answered. "But I'm sure the tree was wondering what the hell a car is doing crashing into it. It's all about perspective." He undid his seat belt and pushed his door open, "Let's see how bad this is."

Larry pushed past the branch that blocked his exit and stepped out into the cold. Jerry stepped out a moment later and looked at what was left of the front end of their sedan. It was a strange thought to have at that moment, but the first thing that popped into his head was the huge amount of paperwork that he was going to have to complete to explain the accident and the total loss of their assigned vehicle.

"I'm no mechanic, but I don't think this car is going anywhere soon," Larry said as he surveyed the damage. He was quiet for a moment before he looked over at Jerry. "Sid, please tell me that's not your house on fire," Larry said softly.

But Jerry had already seen what Larry had. It was what he had feared the moment they had seen the orange glow in the distance. His house – the house that he and Arianna had built together, the home in which they had raised five children, the home that had been his only remaining tangible link to his dead wife – was engulfed in flames.

"I'm sure Harper and the kids weren't in there," Larry said reassuringly, though his words sounded hollow.

Jerry did not believe that any of his family had been in the home. "They weren't. I can feel it." As he said it, he knew that it sounded strange. But it was true. He not only knew that his children were safe, he somehow knew that they were nearby. He also knew that they were in some kind of danger.

"I'm sorry about the house," Larry said quietly. "I know what it meant." He looked like he was about to say something else, but he just closed his mouth and shook his head slightly.

Jerry could only stare dumbly ahead. It was difficult to make out any details through the blowing snow, but he could tell by the intensity of the blaze that nothing could have survived it. Everything they owned was gone.

"Hey, what's that over on the side of the driveway?" Larry asked suddenly, breaking the mesmerizing effect of the flames.

Before Jerry could answer, Larry walked over to what looked like a large gray lump lying next to what he guessed was the top of the fallen tree. Larry's form faded in the snow until Jerry could barely make him out against the darkness behind him.

"Sid, you'd better come take a look at this," Larry's voice drifted over to Jerry. He sounded strangely subdued, and his tone brought Jerry's senses immediately alert.

Jerry ran over to where his partner stood and as he neared the large shape behind Larry, he realized with dread what it was. It was Harper's van, overturned in the snow. It looked like it had hit the top of the tree as it had tried to avoid it and landed on its side. Jerry watched with baited breath as Larry looked in through the shattered windshield and then at something on the ground next to it. He reached down and picked something up from the snow, and Jerry saw a flash of pink in his hand.

"There's no one inside," Larry said to his partner before walking over to where he stood. "But I found this."

Larry handed the pink thing over and Jerry looked down to see the familiar shape of one of Billie's winter hats. "It's Billie's," he said quietly. "She must have dropped it when they crawled out of the wreck."

Larry shivered in the cold and rubbed his hands along his arms. "But where did they go after they crawled out? They couldn't go back to the house, and it's too cold to stay outside with the kids."

Jerry tried to think of what Harper would have done. Without transportation, they had to find the nearest shelter.

"James McCallister's house," Jerry said with a smile. "They must have gone through the woods to his house. It's only a few miles through the trees, and Harper never would have taken them outside without warm clothing."

Larry nodded as he continued to shiver, "That's not a bad idea. The warm clothing, I mean. We'd better grab our coats and head after them."

Jerry nodded before tucking his daughter's hat into his pocket and heading back to the car, with Larry following behind him. They each grabbed their coats and Jerry was heading toward the trees when Larry grabbed his arm.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Larry asked as he held out his hand.

Jerry looked at him in confusion, waiting for him to say something. After a second of silence, Jerry gently pulled his arm away. "I don't have time for games, Larry," he told him. "My kids are in danger."

"I realize that, Captain Obvious," Larry answered, still holding out his hand. "And it's why we're not going anywhere without a little extra help. Someone or something set fire to your house and I'd bet my large rear end that that tree didn't fall over into the driveway from exhaustion. Something knocked it over, which means someone was trying to keep Harper and the kids from leaving. They're being chased. And I don't plan on meeting up with whatever or whoever is chasing them if we're not ready." Larry stared at him as he continued to hold out his hand, but Jerry didn't understand what he meant. "The keys, genius," he finally explained.

Jerry smiled as he realized what his partner meant and fished in his pocket for the keys to the car. Larry moved to the rear of the car and unlocked the trunk before raising the lid. The back of the car was filled with heavier guns, ammunition, and protective gear. They both stripped off their coats and donned bullet-proof vests and filled the pockets with clips of ammunition before putting their outer coats back on. Each of them took one of the assault rifles from the mounts in the trunk and then Larry closed it again. The weight of the equipment brought with it a sense of readiness, and more importantly, control. He hadn't felt in control since they had left Colorado Springs and had felt what was left of it slipping through his fingers. But being so heavily armed made him feel like they were ready to face whatever lay ahead of them.

"Now we're ready," Larry said as he headed toward the trees. "Try to keep up, will you?"

Jerry chuckled as he thought of the distance between where they were and James McCallister's house. It was only a few miles, but it was through deepening snow and Larry was a big guy. He had no doubt that his partner would lose much of his cockiness before they had reached the halfway point.

Jerry thought of his children again and hoped that Harper had managed to get them to safety. As he and Larry jogged to within a few yards of the trees, Jerry saw something that caught his eye as it stood near the edge of the forest. When he looked straight at it, the blowing snow quickly obscured his vision. But he had been certain that he had seen three people standing there, watching him and Larry. And one of them had looked just like Anna, the girl who had come to his house selling magazines and who he had later seen on the news as a missing person. He stopped in confusion, but the snow was blowing too heavily for him to make out anything more than ten yards from his face.

"Come on, Sid," Larry called impatiently. He was already breathing hard and they had only just entered the woods. Jerry hoped that his partner could make it all the way to his neighbor's house.

Cole jogged with Billie in his arms as he scanned the trees ahead of him for any sign of the demons. The snow wasn't as deep so far into the woods, but he knew that it was slowing Tina and Jason down. Cole could hear them both breathing hard, but neither complained. He looked back and saw Louis jogging beside Jason, but his little brother was barely winded and was running with his head tilted, as if he was listening for something. Aidan jogged beside Tina as she turned her head from side to side, scanning the trees.

A noise drifted to his ears from behind them and he recognized it as the sound of something moving through the snow. It was separate and distinct from the sounds that Cole and the others made. He stopped to listen and recognized the sound for what it was - some of the demons had broken off from the main group to pursue them. They were moving quickly, but cautiously. He looked back at Louis.

"I hear them, too," Louis said as he looked back at Cole with wide eyes. "Back there," he added as he looked back quickly before returning his stare to his older brother.

Louis looked over at Mr. Holt, who seemed to be muttering something under his breath as he ran. He thought it was odd, and was about to ask him what he was doing. But then he heard a difference in the sounds behind them.

"Cole!" he shouted. "They're splitting up. Some of them are moving off to the side."

Cole stopped and waited for Louis to catch up to him. "What do you mean?" he asked his little brother.

"They're moving over there," Louis said as he pointed to the right of the group. "They're moving away from us."

Cole looked at where Louis was pointing in confusion. But when he listened closely, he could tell that his little brother was right.

"Why would they move away from us?" Tina asked as she moved closer to Jason. "Are some of them giving up?"

Cole shook his head as he looked back at her. She was still breathing hard, but not exceptionally so. Tina looked like she was in far better shape than Jason, who was practically gasping for breath. He didn't speak, but was looking up at the tree branches around them and seemed to be mumbling something under his breath. Cole thought his behavior seemed strange, but under the circumstances, he couldn't blame him. Tina continued to stare back at him, expecting an answer. Cole noticed for the first time that she didn't seem nearly as afraid as he would have expected. He thought of everything that she had seen and how she had not only accepted it stoically, but had insisted on staying with them. It was a quality that reminded Cole of his mother, and made him grateful that Tina was with them.

"I don't know what it means," Cole answered. "But I don't think they're giving up."

Suddenly, they heard a strange growling sound from behind them. At first, they thought that it was just the demons expressing some kind of frustration, but there had been a definite pattern to it, as if it was some kind of language. Louis heard the pattern in the sounds and heard the second group of demons that was moving away from them growl something in response. And then he heard the direction in which the second group was heading change. He looked over at Cole in confusion.

"Crap," Cole said under his breath. "The second group's moving toward Mr. McCallister's house. They're going to try to cut us off."

Cole sent a quick message to the wolves running ahead of them and heard their confirmation back a split-second later. They offered to attack the second group of demons, but Cole told them not to. There were at least a dozen of the demons in that group, and Cole knew that they would slaughter the wolves. He asked them to track the demons, instead.

"What do we do?" Tina asked. Even she could hear the demons behind them now. They were getting closer.

Sounds of ringing metal and a scream drifted back to where they stood, and Cole knew immediately what it was. His family had started fighting the other demons behind them. He hoped the scream had been from one of the enemy, and not from one of his family.

"We have no choice," Cole answered grimly. "We've got to keep moving. I'll try to figure something out in the meantime."

Tina looked at him and nodded resolutely as she said, "Let's go, then." She started jogging forward without waiting for anyone to respond, but they all followed her.

"Are you going to fight the monsters, Cole?" Billie asked quietly from his arms as he increased his pace to pull slightly ahead of the others.

"Only if I have to Billie," Cole answered. "Don't worry. I'll make sure we get there safe."

"I know," Billie answered as she snuggled against his neck.

Even though the cold didn't bother Cole, the warmth of his little sister's skin against his own seemed to give him a fresh wave of strength. He still didn't feel like he had recovered from his brush with death earlier that day, but he at least felt like he had enough strength to defend them if he had to. At least, he hoped he did.

Louis heard Mr. Holt's mumblings grow louder as they ran, and he looked up at his teacher in confusion. He saw several pine needles fall in front of him and looked up to see the tree branches above them shaking, though there didn't appear to be any wind blowing through the woods. He looked over at Mr. Holt again and saw him smiling as he stared up at the trees. Again, he was about to ask what he was doing, but he heard something suddenly directly ahead of them.

"Cole, they're in front of us," Louis said loudly to his older brother.

"I know," Cole answered. He stopped and turned to face Tina. "Take Billie, I'll lead them away from you while you make a break for Mr. McCallister's house," he told her as he handed Billie to her.

Billie looked back at him as tears formed in her eyes, but she didn't say anything. Tina nodded before answering, "We only need a few minutes." She could see the lights from the McCallister house in the distance and knew that they were almost there. "Be careful, Cole," she added as she reached out and squeezed his hand.

Louis watched the exchange between his brother and Ms. Waverly with a sick feeling in his stomach. He was afraid for Cole, and knew that he had to do something. He remembered what he had heard from the first group of demons before the second group had moved off to the right. It had sounded like some kind of language, and like the first group had been telling the second to do something. He remembered the sounds they had made. But he didn't just remember them, he remembered them exactly.

Louis shouted into the night, where he knew the second group of demons to be waiting, repeating the sounds that he had heard earlier. Everyone turned and stared at him in shock, but the only response he heard from the demons ahead were some confused-sounding growls. And they hadn't moved from where they waited, blocking the way to Mr. McCallister's house. Louis shouted the same thing in to the night again, but this time he tried to put a tone of urgency into his voice. He listened for some kind of response, but could hear nothing at first. Finally, he heard the sound of the demons ahead of them moving.

"They're moving out of our way," Cole said, mystified. The wolves told him that the demons had moved, confirming what he heard. He heard the same surprise that he felt in the mental images they had sent. Cole turned to face his little brother and asked, "How did you do that?"

Louis shrugged his shoulders before answering, "I just remembered what the first group of demons said the last time. And it made them move, so I thought I'd try it again."

Cole looked at his brother in amazement. The sounds that had come from his mouth would have been hard for any human to make, but Louis had managed to repeat the sounds they had heard earlier exactly as he had heard them. Cole knew that this could only be another manifestation of their heritage. And as he thought of what it meant, he knew that it could only mean that Louis was a possible beacon, as well. Solas, he corrected himself as he remembered the word his uncle had used. He hated the thought of his youngest brother becoming a target of the demons, but was thankful that his intervention had bought them some time.

"Cole, let's go before they turn back," Tina said as she clutched Billie to her. As if to underscore the urgency in her voice, a scream pierced the night.

They all looked back in the direction from which they had run and Cole wondered who had screamed. He hoped again that it had been a demon and not someone from his family. His mind struggled not to think such thoughts, but he was too worried. He looked over at where Tina stood and remembered his responsibility to the people around him. He had to get them safely to Mr. McCallister's house.

Cole looked at Tina and nodded. "We're almost there," he told her. "When we clear the trees, we run as fast as we can for the house, okay?"

Everyone nodded in return. He checked one last time with the wolves to be sure that the path ahead was clear, and received a quick confirmation from them in response.

"Let's go," he said as he jogged toward the edge of the trees and the McCallister house.

As they approached the edge of the tree line, Cole saw something move in the snow beyond the woods. He held his hand up to the group to stop them and then held his finger to his lips. The snow continued to fall heavily beyond the trees, though it barely fell within them. The falling snow made it difficult to make out the details of what he saw, but he was sure that it was a person. And that person was holding something in its hands in a menacing way. He looked back at the others and held his hand up, indicating that he wanted them to wait. Tina nodded in response, but Jason still looked like his mind was elsewhere. Cole saw his lips moving, as if he was talking to himself, and he hoped that Jason wasn't losing his mind. Cole looked down at Louis, who nodded once as he stared back. He was holding Jason's hand, but Cole wondered if it was for comfort or if he was keeping Jason from falling behind.

Cole turned around and crept as quietly as he could to the edge of the trees. As he moved forward, the shape began to resolve itself. He could tell now that it was definitely a person, and that the menacing object in the person's hand was a rifle. He couldn't remember seeing any of the demons with any kind of gun, even when they took human form, but he knew that it didn't mean that it wasn't one of them. The person moved forward suddenly, though at a slow and careful pace. Cole tensed as he readied himself to charge the person if he had to.

"Hello?" a voice carried to Cole through the snow. "Who's that in the trees?"

Cole breathed a huge sigh of relief as he recognized the voice. It was Mr. McCallister.

"Hello, sir," Cole answered loudly. "It's Cole Ambrose." He stepped from the trees and into the snow.

James McCallister looked back at him with a confused look on his face. "Cole?" he asked. "What on earth are you doing in the woods on a night like this? You should be inside where it's warm." He looked behind Cole for a moment, and seemed to be searching the trees for something.

Cole tried to think of what he should say to his neighbor, but couldn't think of any excuse that would sound plausible, especially when he brought the others out from the trees. He decided that he should be honest, at least partly.

"We're in trouble, Mr. McCallister," Cole said. "Our house burned down and Uncle Harper's van is flipped. We need help, please." He heard the catch in his voice and realized how relieved he was to see his neighbor.

"Who's we? You mean there are more besides you?" James McCallister asked. But then he seemed to think twice about his question. "Hell, that doesn't matter. Let's get you all inside. Where are the folks who are with you?"

"I'll be right back," Cole answered before turning around and heading back into the trees. He jogged the few yards to where the others were waiting. He could hear the demons that followed them quite clearly now, and he knew they had to be close.

"We heard you speaking to someone," Tina told him as she held Billie to her. "Louis said it was Mr. McCallister, but I wanted to be sure."

Cole smiled at her as he answered, "Louis was right. Mr. McCallister is waiting just beyond the trees. And those demons are almost here, so let's go."

They jogged as a group to where James waited, just beyond the edge of the trees. He looked at the two teachers in surprise for only a moment before turning to Cole.

"Son, where's the rest of your family?" James asked Cole.

"They're coming up behind us," Cole answered, hoping that what he said was true.

"Well, come on," James said as he beckoned with one hand. "Let's get you inside. Maybe those damned wolves will leave me alone if I do."

They all walked quickly toward the house, which they could just barely see through the snow. The porch lights were all on, and the sight pulled at Cole and the others, promising warmth and safety.

"The wolves, sir?" Cole asked as he realized what his neighbor had said.

"Yeah," James answered. "It's why I came outside. Those wolves came scratching at my door and wouldn't leave me in peace until I followed them out here." He trudged through the deepening snow, which reached up to his knees, plowing a path for the others to use. "And I'd bet they're the same wolves that chased your sister over here yesterday. I recognized the big black one that's leading them."

Cole sent his gratitude to the wolves, but they only responded with a sense of urgency. He could tell from their thoughts that the demons were closing on them. Cole stepped aside to let the others in front of him as he looked back into the trees. He could see no sign of their pursuers, but could hear the sounds of them moving through the snow. The ruse that Louis had pulled had been discovered, and they were coming after Cole and the others again. He couldn't tell how many of them were in pursuit, but he could hear that there were many.

"Come on everyone!" Cole said loudly as he brought up the rear. "They're right behind us!"

Cole saw James look back at him with a frown of concern, but instead of asking what Cole meant, James quickened his pace, continuing to plow through the snow. He looked back every few steps, but not at Cole. He watched the trees, instead. The others followed as quickly as they could, except Jason. Louis pulled him along as if he was in some kind of trance, and Cole could see that Jason's lips were still moving.

Suddenly, Louis turned his head and looked at Cole through widened eyes as he shouted, "Here they come!"

Cole turned to look back at the trees, but he knew what he would see. At least a dozen of the demons were running through the trees toward them, with three of the creatures already past the forest and into the open air.

"Run!" Cole shouted over his shoulder as he faced the creatures. He would buy the others as much time as he could. He asked the wolves to cover them as they made their way to the house, which was still nearly thirty yards further, and he heard them acknowledge his request. There was a sense of sadness to their thoughts that Cole had never sensed before. It only took him a second to realize that they were already mourning his loss. They knew as well as he did that he didn't have the strength to face so many of the creatures, but they would honor his wish to protect the others and not him. He felt the familiar vibrations of his power passing through his body at the sight of the demons and readied himself mentally to fight them.

A cry of surprise came from behind Cole and he heard Louis yell, "Mr. Holt, what are you doing!?"

Cole turned to see Jason running toward him, his arms held up and his face full of fury. He stopped a few feet behind Cole and shouted a string of words in a language that Cole had never heard before. A strange wave of some kind of energy passed through Cole and sped toward the trees.

Cole looked on in shock as the trees started moving. Branches moved and knit themselves with those of the trees next to them to form a barrier in front of the bulk of the demons, stopping them from crossing the tree line. And then the entire forest near the trapped demons erupted into a cacophony of sounds. Cole could hear the snapping of wood and the wetter sound of what he guessed to be the snapping of bone as roars of fury and pain pierced the night. The noise continued for several seconds before finally stopping. Cole stared at the trees as the woven branches released each other and he could finally see between them again.

The snow in a huge circle within the trees had been churned up and the ground was covered with fallen pine needles and splinters of wood. It looked like a small tornado had torn through the trees. And there was no sign of any of the demons that had been trapped when the forest had come to life.

The three demons who had managed to clear the tree line stared at the trees in obvious shock and fear. For a moment, they seemed to have forgotten about Cole and the others. Cole turned around and saw Jason looking at the trees in shock.

"I can't believe it worked," he said softly before falling to his knees in the snow.

Cole ran to him and pulled him to his feet as he shouted for the others to run for the house. He heard the fresh roars of fury as the temporary stupor of the remaining demons was broken. Cole started to pull Jason along beside him as he saw James make the steps a moment before Tina and the two smaller children did. James ushered them into the house before turning and running back toward Cole. The wolves stood on the porch, facing the direction of the approaching demons with their teeth bared and with raised hackles. Aidan stood beside them, looking nearly as ferocious.

Jason stumbled and fell into the snow, pulling Cole down beside him. "I'm so tired," he mumbled as he tried to stand again. "Cole, you've got to leave me. Get inside, please."

"Not a chance," Cole said as he stood up and hauled Jason to his feet.

Cole heard the demons running through the snow, directly toward him. He saw the wolves leave the relative safety of the porch and sent a mental command to them, telling them not to fight the demons. He felt them close their minds to him and he knew with dismay that they would not listen.

But before the wolves could reach the demons, the crack of a gunshot split the air. Cole heard something hit the snow as he got Jason to his feet and when he looked behind him, he saw one of the demons lying in the snow.

"Hurry, Cole!" James shouted as he ran a few more steps toward Cole and Jason and raised his rifle.

Cole saw the wolves stop in fright at the sound of the gun and then they stared at the fallen demon in surprise. Before they could resume their attack, the gun fired again. Cole pulled Jason along beside him as he heard the second demon fall. The wolves moved to circle him, but wisely left an open shot for James.

"Cole, get down!" James shouted.

Cole dropped to the snow and pulled Jason down beside him a split-second before the third shot split the air. He felt something heavy hit his back, pinning him to the ground. He tried to push himself up, but he was still too weak, and his breath was now coming in heaving gasps. Finally, the weight was pulled from him and he was able to turn over in the snow. He looked over to see the wolves dragging the final demon away from him.

James ran over to Jason and slung the rifle over his shoulder before pulling the younger teacher to his feet. He looked over at Cole, who had barely managed to stand without help. "That was close," James said as he started walking toward the house with Jason leaning heavily against him. "You okay?" he asked Cole.

Cole looked at the three mounds of black fur that lay in the snow and nodded silently. He looked over at his unlikely savior and saw that he was almost completely unfazed by everything that he had seen. Curious, Cole reached out with his thoughts to see if he could sense anything from James. There was a familiarity with the creatures, as if he had seen them before, and a sense of anger and something that Cole couldn't place at first.

Aidan ran over to him and cried as she looked up at his face, her tail wagging. "It's okay, girl," Cole told her soothingly before continuing toward the porch.

He finally reached the porch stairs as James dragged Jason inside. Cole looked at the doorway and saw Tina helping James as Billie and Louis looked on with frightened expressions. A moment later, James walked back outside and stood next to Cole.

"I'm guessing there are more of those things out there," James said as his eyes scanned the trees. He reached out to steady Cole when he sensed the younger man weave slightly on his feet. "Where's the rest of your family?" he asked with obvious concern.

"Out there," Cole answered simply before adding, "Fighting those things."

They stood on the edge of the porch, watching the trees, and looking for any sign of the four members of Cole's family that had stayed behind. Cole leaned against his neighbor and found a small measure of solace in the iron strength that he felt coming from him. He felt something nuzzle against his hand and looked down to see Aidan staring up at him. She cried once before looking out at the trees, watching as Cole and James did for any signs of their missing loved ones.

As he listened to the soft cries of Aidan and watched the trees through the snow, he realized what the other emotion was that he had sensed coming from James. He realized what it was because at that moment he felt it as strongly as James had. It was a sense of loss. He had no idea why James would have such feelings when looking at the demons, but he didn't have the strength to ask. Cole tried to tell himself that his feeling of loss was pessimistic and that the rest of his family was okay. But as he stood next to James McCallister, and watched the trees for any sign that they had survived, what hope remained in his heart quickly dwindled.

# Chapter 19

Monday Night, January 10th

Larry scanned the ground for signs of the footprints that he had seen earlier near the tree line. There had been several sets, and some of them had been on the smaller side, which he knew meant that they were from children, women, or both. He had assumed that Harper was alone with the children, but he admitted to himself that it was possible that there were one or two others with them. There were just too many sets of footprints to explain otherwise.

Jerry followed behind his partner, scanning the trees for signs of anything unusual as Larry continued to search the ground. Jerry thought again of what he had seen, or thought he had seen as they had entered the forest. He was sure that one of the figures standing there had been Anna. And one of the others there had been wearing some kind of uniform, though Jerry couldn't have said what it was. Things were getting odder by the minute, and Jerry didn't like it. His children were out in the cold, and he was fairly certain that they were running from something. He didn't like the thought of anything pursuing his children. And when he was sure his children were safe, he and the children's pursuers were going to have a rather serious discussion.

"See anything?" Jerry asked as Larry continued to follow the footsteps in the snow. They were lucky that the snow wasn't falling as heavily in the trees, or there would have been no signs for them to follow.

"They're definitely heading toward McCallister's house," Larry answered. "And it looks like someone's following them. And something." Larry pointed at the strange animal tracks that looked like the paw prints of a huge dog. "These are the same prints we saw next to the driveway the other night," Larry said as he looked back at Jerry.

"But we still don't know what the hell is making them," Jerry said as he looked down at the animal tracks in frustration. He didn't know what had made the tracks, but he could tell that whatever had made them was huge. But it wasn't just the size of the tracks that frightened him. Whatever owned the tracks was chasing his children.

"Let's head in that direction, then," Jerry said as he pointed in the direction in which the multiple sets of footprints and animal tracks ran. "We need to pick up the pace, but keep an eye on the trail to be sure it doesn't veer off."

Larry groaned once before he nodded. He was already starting to breathe hard. The snow wasn't as deep in the trees, which made the going a little easier. But he wasn't used to any level of exercise, so even the thought of chasing something for five miles through trees and over snow-covered ground made him exhausted. He followed behind Jerry as his partner jogged through the trees in the general direction of James McCallister's house. Larry had met the Ambrose's neighbor a handful of times and thought that he was a pretty upstanding sort of guy. He was sure that James would help the Ambrose family if they came to him for help. The only thing that worried Larry was the fear that the family wouldn't make it to McCallister's house. But he kept his thoughts to himself out of concern for his partner as he continued to scan the ground for the trail they were following.

Jerry stopped suddenly and Larry almost collided with him. "Why are you stopping?" Larry asked. But as he looked past Jerry at the slight clearing of the trees in front of them, his question was answered.

The snow in the clearing had been churned up for several yards in every direction. It reminded Larry of the way the snow in the park near his parents' house would look after he and his friends played football in the winter during his childhood. Scattered throughout the clearing were other signs of a struggle – broken branches, scrapes across the trunks of several trees, and several patches of some kind of greasy black soot. Larry had no idea what the soot was from, but he was sure that a fight had taken place there.

"What the hell happened here?" Larry asked as he looked around the clearing for some kind of clue as to who the combatants were. He walked forward a few steps as Jerry walked along the perimeter of the clearing.

"Larry," Jerry said softly as he spotted something. "Over here."

Larry moved over to where Jerry crouched in the snow, staring down at something on the ground. Even before he had reached his partner's side, Larry could see that the object of Jerry's interest was bright red against the white of the snow. He crouched down next to Jerry and saw a small pool of blood. It had already begun to freeze, which Larry knew meant that it had been there for several minutes. He had no idea if the blood was human or animal, but he didn't like seeing it. And he could tell from Jerry's expression that his partner didn't like it either.

"There are some tracks leading away from the clearing over there," Larry said as he nodded in the direction in which he had seen the tracks. "Let's keep moving," Larry prompted.

Jerry stood still for a moment and didn't respond. For some reason, the blood made him think of Dinah, though he had no idea why. His mind told him that the blood could have been from just about anything. He knew there were wolves in the woods near his house, and they were predators. The blood and even the churned up snow could have been from the pack bringing down some kind of game. The fact that there wasn't more blood or even the carcass of some animal somewhat discounted his theory, though it was still possible. But Jerry's heart told him that the blood had come from his eldest daughter. He could feel that she was injured, and he could feel that she had gone in the direction that Larry had indicated. And he could feel that she wasn't alone. Vaughan was with her.

"Sid, I'm sure it's not one of them. It's probably from an animal or something," Larry said, though he didn't sound convinced.

Jerry kept his thoughts to himself as he stood up to follow Larry across the clearing. He didn't want to worry his partner unnecessarily, and telling Larry that he could feel where his children were would only worried his partner further. Larry knew that he was under a lot of stress at that moment, and sharing the fact that he had some kind of psychic ability would have made him wonder about Jerry's mental health.

They moved another few hundred yards through the forest before they came to another clearing in the trees. The snow there had been churned up just as badly as the first clearing and even more piles of the strange, greasy soot were scattered throughout. Again, a spot of bright red against the snow drew Jerry's attention. He ran over to it as Larry spotted it a split-second later. This time, the blood was in several small pools in a haphazard line. And as Larry leaned in, he could see that a few of the larger pools were still steaming in the snow.

"This just happened, Sid," Larry said as he inspected the spots of blood. He stood up and moved to the other side of the clearing, where another, smaller pool of blood had fallen in the middle of several sets of footprints. He felt Jerry move to stand next to him as he followed the tracks. Jerry followed behind his partner and scanned the trees for signs anything unusual. His senses were fully alert and he could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up as the familiar knot formed in his stomach. He had had the same feeling several times in his long partnership with Larry and he knew what it meant. They were in danger or would be shortly.

He looked down briefly to see that there were no more pools of blood next to the footprints, but the occasional red drop still fell along the trail that they followed. He got the same feeling again that the blood had come from Dinah and tried to push the thought away. His focus needed to be on the danger he and Larry could be facing at any moment.

Larry stopped suddenly and raised his rifle. Jerry tensed instantly, looking for signs of whatever had caused such a reaction in his partner. But then he heard what Larry must have heard. Low growls, the ringing sound of metal against metal, and the slushing sound of things moving through snow reached Jerry's ears.

"Straight ahead – about a hundred yards," Larry said softly as he started to move with his rifle still raised.

Jerry didn't need to respond. Larry's instincts were uncanny when it came to any kind of conflict, and his sense of hearing was better than anyone else Jerry knew. He moved next to Larry with his own rifle raised as they scanned the trees ahead. It was the same direction in which he could feel the presence of Dinah and Vaughan, and he could sense that they were frightened. But what terrified Jerry was the sense that he was getting from Dinah. She was not only frightened. She was in pain.

He picked up his pace and saw Larry do the same thing. They were lucky that the sounds of fighting ahead were as loud as they were. Otherwise, Larry's heavy breathing would have given them away. Jerry tried to ready himself for what he was about to see, even if it meant seeing one of his children grievously injured. But he knew that he was only fooling himself. No loving father could see their child in pain and not be affected. He only hoped that he could make it to her in time.

Harper pulled Dinah along, practically carrying her as they fled through the trees. He would have carried her completely to keep her from the pain of running, but he needed his other arm free to defend them if they were attacked again. Vaughan and Cody were doing everything they could to hold off their pursuers, but there were just so many of them. Harper couldn't remember seeing so many of the demons at one time in thousands of years – not since the battle for the fate of the last Solas. He knew this could only mean that the world was in greater danger than he originally thought. And it wasn't just the world that was in greater danger – the danger to his family was greater than he thought, as well.

He had done what he could to close Dinah's wounds after their last skirmish, but there hadn't been time to heal her completely. And she had already lost a lot of blood. He could feel her leaning heavily against him and her breathing was labored. He risked a quick glance over at her face and was alarmed at the gray-tinged skin he saw there. He needed to do something to heal her fast or she wasn't going to make it to the McCallister house.

"Vaughan!" Harper yelled over his shoulder. He heard a grunt before the sound of something hitting the ground.

"Yeah?" Vaughan shouted in response. He ignored the demon that he had just slain and looked around him for signs of the demons who stalked him in human form. They had swords of their own and were harder to defeat - much harder. If one of them were to take him by surprise, he knew he would be hard-pressed to defeat them.

"I need to stop for a minute to help Dinah," Harper yelled back. "Can you and Cody keep them off of us for a minute or two?"

"We can try," Vaughan answered without much confidence.

He wasn't sure how long he could keep them from his uncle and sister, but he would do what he could. He had begun to tire slightly, though he was sure that he could keep fighting all the way to Mr. McCallister's house if he had to.

Vaughan ran up to his uncle as he was gently placing Dinah on the ground. Cody trotted in from the trees and whined once when he saw Dinah's ashen face. She had taken a few minor wounds in their last encounter with the demons, but that wasn't what scared Vaughan. It was the three large gashes along her ribs that made him fearful for his sister's life. He could see a few spots where white peaked through the bloody red mess, and he knew that this was where she had been cut to the bone. The wounds were no longer bleeding as freely, and he guessed that this had been his uncle's doing. But he knew that such terrible wounds could not remain open like that for very long before Dinah would die.

He shuddered at the thought of losing his sister, his protector. And with the shudder came a stab of guilt. Vaughan had managed to completely evade injury in the two battles they had already had with the demons. He knew that a great deal of this was due to sheer dumb luck. But it hadn't been luck that had saved him when one of the demons had landed on his back. It had been Dinah. She had pulled the demon from him and slammed it into a tree, breaking its back. But another demon had used her moment of distraction to strike a glancing blow with its claws along her ribs. She had screamed once in pain before slamming the creature across the face with the large tree branch that she had been using to fight. Her assailant's neck had snapped with the sheer force of her blow, and so had the tree branch. But he had seen immediately that she had been grievously hurt. Uncle Harper had tried to heal her as much as he could, but another wave of demons had descended upon them and they had been forced to flee, barely managing to escape. Dinah had risked her own life to save his. And now he would try to return the favor.

Vaughan heard the sound of movement through the snow, and he turned around to see what had caused it. He heard Cody growl next to him as the dog saw the same thing that he did. Walking through the snow and directly toward them were three of the demons in human form. Two of them had taken the shape of women and one of a man. They were all identical in their unremarkable features and each held a sword of black metal in their hands. Behind them walked at least a dozen of the demons in their natural, dog-like forms. He had fought the creatures several times that day, but still couldn't look at them without a twinge of fear coursing through him. There was no way that he and Cody would be able to stop all of them. But he had told his uncle that he would try and that's what he would do.

Vaughan raised his sword, which glowed softly with a white light. He looked down at Cody, who looked back at him with a look that seemed to reassure him. The look said that he wouldn't face these demons alone.

Jerry jogged toward the sounds of fighting with Larry following close behind him. The sounds grew louder as they approached, and Jerry grew less concerned about anyone hearing them. He was practically running by the time they reached the clearing ahead and what he saw there made him quicken his pace.

Vaughan was fighting against three people dressed completely in black. But they weren't just fighting. They were fighting with swords. And Vaughan was moving so quickly that he was practically a blur as he struggled against his three assailants. Cody was a glowing white streak nearby, darting through a group of what Jerry at first thought were wolves. But when he looked more closely at the creatures, he saw that they were something darker and more terrible. He had seen such creatures in movies. They represented the dark forces that he had learned about while growing up in New Orleans. They looked like demons.

"What the hell is going on?" Larry asked as he lowered his rifle and stared at the battle taking place in front of him.

"My son's in danger. That's what's going on," Jerry said as he raised his rifle.

Harper sensed the presence of his brother-in-law a second before the sound of gunfire erupted. He sensed the presence of Larry, as well and Harper had never been so glad to see either of them. He knew that it would be futile to shout over the noise of the fighting and the loud reports of gunfire, so he reached out to Jerry's mind, instead.

Brother, I need your help!

Jerry looked over at where Harper was crouched over something. When he realized what it was, his stomach dropped, and the shock of hearing Harper's voice in his mind was pushed aside. Harper was crouched over Dinah's prone form, and the gray color of her skin left little doubt that she had been seriously injured.

"Larry!" he shouted as he ran over to where Harper kneeled in the snow.

Larry took another shot and dropped the last of the people with the sword that were confronting Vaughan, who looked over and smiled gratefully before running over to help Cody. Larry looked at the creatures again and felt a shudder run through his body. They were things out of a nightmare.

"Larry!" Jerry shouted again. "Snap out of it!"

Larry looked over at where his partner was standing in the snow. He could see Harper crouched over the still form of Dinah, and Larry's heart sank as he saw how terrible she looked. He ran over to stand next to Jerry and looked down to see Harper's hands moving over Dinah's body. His hands were glowing and he seemed to be murmuring something, though Larry couldn't hear what it was. As Larry watched in awe, the color of Dinah's skin began to take on a healthier shade and he could see her breathing strengthen.

"Keep them off of us," Harper said suddenly. "And do what you can to help Vaughan and Cody."

"Pick your shots carefully," Jerry said as he aimed his rifle at the battle that raged on the other side of the clearing before taking a few shots. "We don't want to hit Vaughan or Cody by accident."

"What an excellent suggestion," Larry said drily. "Maybe you could ask them not to move so damned fast and I might be able to honor it."

Jerry couldn't help but smile at his partner's sarcastic response. He knew that Larry wouldn't take the shot unless he was one hundred percent sure that he would make it. He was an even better marksman than Jerry was, though he would never have admitted as much to Larry. They each picked their shots carefully, but Vaughan and Cody moved through the demons so quickly that it was difficult for them to take more than a few shots. The few demons that did break for the spot where they stood were quickly taken down by Larry and Jerry.

Harper suddenly helped Dinah to her feet and both Jerry and Larry smiled to see her conscious again. She still didn't look good and leaned heavily on her uncle, but she was awake and managed a wan smile when she looked over at her father and his partner.

"Alright, let's move," Harper said as he leaned down and picked up his spear while continuing to support Dinah's weight.

"What about Vaughan?" Jerry asked with obvious concern, ignoring the fact that Harper was carrying a giant silver spear in his hands. Jerry felt conflicted. He wanted to get Dinah to safety as soon as he could, but he couldn't leave his son to face the demons alone.

"Vaughan and Cody will be fine," Harper said as he looked at Dinah to see if she was ready. When she nodded, he looked back at Jerry and explained, "They're too fast for the demons to catch. They're safer if they're not with us." He started moving in the direction of the McCallister house. "They'll cover our retreat as best as they can, but I'll need your help. I can't fight and help Dinah at the same time, so you'll have to protect us both."

"He's right, Sid," Larry said as he started to follow Harper. "You saw the way Vaughan and that dog moved. They can take care of themselves."

Jerry didn't want to listen to Harper or Larry. It didn't matter what he had seen. Vaughan was only a child, and his son. He couldn't leave without him. He saw Dinah stumble slightly and his concern was shifted back to his daughter. He was faced with the kind of decision that no parent should ever have to make – to willingly place one child in danger to save the other. But Dinah couldn't defend herself at that moment, and though he hated to admit it, Vaughan clearly could. He had seen his son move with the strange glowing sword in his hands like he had been born to carry it. And the speed at which he had moved left little doubt that what Harper and Larry said was true.

"Alright," Jerry said reluctantly. "Let's go. I'll lead. Harper, you follow me, and Larry will cover us from behind."

Jerry moved into the lead and Harper followed as quickly as he could while supporting Dinah. Larry followed, scanning the trees for signs of pursuit. As they moved through the woods, they were completely unmolested. They could hear the continued sounds of fighting off in the trees, but Vaughan and Cody had managed to lead the demons away from them. Jerry could feel the presence of his son somewhere to his right. Vaughan's fear had diminished a great deal and Jerry felt the sense of exhilaration coming from him. He felt a fierce pride as he realized that his son had finally found his strength.

After several minutes, they came to the edge of the trees and could see the lights shining from the McCallister house just beyond the woods. Jerry felt a surge of relief at the sight, and ran over to help Harper with Dinah. They had gone no more than fifty yards before they heard the sounds of footsteps coming from the trees. They all turned to see the source of the noise and Larry raised his rifle. But it wasn't the demons.

"Here they come!" Vaughan yelled as he sprinted from the cover of the trees with Cody running just behind him. "And there's way more of them this time!"

Jerry could see the mass of black shapes moving through the trees. There were more of the creatures than he could count and they were heading straight for him and his children.

"Harper, get the kids inside!" Jerry shouted as he released his hold on Dinah and moved to stand between the oncoming demons and Harper. He didn't have to say anything to Larry. His partner moved to stand next to Jerry and raised his rifle.

"There are too many of them, Jeremiah!" Harper shouted back. "We've got to make it to the house. The demons can't reach us there. It's protected!"

Jerry had no idea what his brother-in-law was talking about, but it didn't matter. The demons were moving quickly and he and his family weren't. Something had to slow them down. Vaughan and Cody reached Jerry and Larry and turned to face the demons as the two agents started firing at the demons.

"Vaughan, get in the house!" Jerry yelled over the steady stream of gunfire.

"No, dad," Vaughan yelled back. "Cody and I will get any of them that get past you."

Jerry wanted to argue with his son, but he couldn't think of anything to say. Vaughan was right.

"Alright, but we keep to Harper and Dinah!" Jerry shouted.

He started slowly backing up as he continued to fire into the oncoming horde. Larry had known instantly what Jerry had meant and stayed next to his partner as they slowly backed away from the rushing demons. They were hitting and dropping demons with every shot, but there were so many of them that the minute one fell, three seemed to take its place. Jerry thought that there must have been nearly a hundred of the horrid creatures and more continued to pour from the trees. He couldn't think of a way for them to stop them before they reached the house, and he wondered what protection an old farm house could provide against so many of the creatures.

"Doesn't look good, Sid," Larry yelled between heaving breaths, echoing Jerry's thought.

Some of the demons began to move to either side, and Jerry knew that they were being outflanked. Before he could say anything, Vaughan and Cody moved to either side and sprinted off to engage the demons. He saw several gray streaks follow behind each of them and realized with dismay that they were wolves. But just as he was about to break off his attack on the demons and aim at the wolves, they did something completely unexpected. They began helping Vaughan and Cody attack the demons. Four of them had moved to support Vaughan and three had done the same for Cody. Had it been any other day than this one, Jerry would have thought he was misinterpreting the actions of the wolves. But based on everything he had seen in their flight through the woods, he quickly accepted their help as an unexpected boon and returned his attention to the demons.

He heard the sounds of footsteps on wood behind him and knew that the commotion had finally brought someone from the house. Jerry turned his head briefly to see who it was and he saw James McCallister run onto the porch and raise his rifle.

"We've got backup behind us, Larry," Jerry shouted just before a gunshot erupted behind them.

Larry jumped when he heard the shot, but nodded as he processed what Jerry had said. Had Jerry not said anything, Larry would have thought they were surrounded and turned to fire behind him. Instead, he kept firing into the demons, stopping only briefly to change to his fifth cartridge. He kept mental note of each time Jerry had changed a cartridge and realized that they were already through half of the ammunition that they had brought with them. He looked behind briefly to see that James McCallister had a more traditional rifle and he wondered how long he could continue to support them from the porch.

"Come on!" James yelled. "You're almost there!"

James continued to fire into the demons, and both Jerry and Larry realized that he was only picking off the ones that got past them. And he had picked the relatively higher ground of the porch to fire from, which suggested to the two agents that James had some type of professional training. Jerry wondered at that moment if there was more to his neighbor than he thought.

Larry felt his breath continue to come in heaving gasps and he felt a kind of tightness in his chest. He wasn't used to such heavy exercise and he mentally chided himself for not taking his health more seriously. But he also had to admit that he couldn't think of a proper exercise regimen to prepare someone from an attack by a horde of demons. The rather incongruous thought of a demon attack training course at the academy popped into his head, and he smiled at the thought such a class would have on new recruits.

Cole stepped back onto the porch when he heard Vaughan yelling. He had gone inside for a moment to be sure everyone was okay, and Mr. McCallister had gone to get more ammunition for his rifle. What he saw when he stepped onto the porch caused him joy and dismay at the same time. The rest of his family had made it, and they had somehow met up with his father and Larry. But Cole could see the masses of demons about to pour from the trees and knew that his family couldn't possibly hold off so many.

Cole saw Mr. McCallister come running as the sound of gunfire erupted from his father's and Larry's guns. The teacher raised his rifle and started firing at the demons who managed to break through the screening fire of the two agents. Harper was dragging Dinah, who was obviously hurt, and Vaughan and Cody were protecting the sides of his father and Larry as the demons moved to try to surround them. They needed help.

"Louis, stay here!" Cole shouted before running from the porch.

"Cole, wait!" James shouted after him. "It's too dangerous! The house is the only safe place!"

Cole didn't know what Mr. McCallister meant, but it didn't matter. He closed the distance between him and his uncle quickly and threw his sister's other arm over his shoulder. He heard her grunt in pain and he could tell from the heaviness of her body that she didn't have much strength left. He heard the wolves reach out to him, asking how they could help. He looked at the forms of Vaughan and Cody moving out to either side of the group, and asked the wolves to help them. They quickly acknowledged and within seconds, he saw their streaking forms move to support his younger brother and their dog.

"I told you I'd see you in a bit," Dinah said softly as she struggled for breath while continuing to move as quickly as she could.

Cole smiled as he answered, "Yeah, but you didn't tell me I'd have to carry your heavy behind through the snow."

Cole looked over and saw his sister smiling, but she didn't have the strength for a response. He saw Aidan run from the house and leap from the porch. She ran over to where he and Uncle Harper were helping Dinah and stayed near them, backing through the snow and watching the demons with an occasional growl. He was amazed again at how protective the strange little dog was.

"Hurry up now!" James shouted from the porch as he continued to pick off demons with his rifle. "They're going to cut you off!"

Cole looked to either side and saw that Mr. McCallister was right. The demons were moving to surround them and Cody and Vaughan were no longer able to stop them. He looked at his younger brother and could tell that he was beginning to tire. He also saw numerous tears in Vaughan's clothing and suspected that at least a few of them had caused some minor wounds. He couldn't keep up the fight for much longer. He was backing up from the demons now, as the four wolves supporting him stayed between him and his attackers.

Cole looked over at Cody and saw him glowing brightly as he dashed between the demons and used his powerful jaws to tear at hamstrings and then throats. The three wolves aiding him did their best to keep up with him, but he was faster than they were. But even he was beginning to show signs of tiring, and Cole could see a patchwork of bright red spots on Cody's white fur, though none of the wolves with him showed signs of injury.

"Vaughan, Cody!" Cole yelled. "Get to the porch! Now!"

He looked over and saw his younger brother stop for a moment and nod in response. Vaughan turned and swung his sword one more time, taking the head from a demon that had slipped up on his right before turning and running for the porch. He saw the wolves with Vaughan wait a moment before turning to follow him. When Cole looked for Cody, he saw him run for the porch, herding the three wolves ahead of him as demons tried to catch them, but failed.

"Dad! Larry!" Cole yelled behind him. "Come on!"

Jerry and Larry picked up their pace as they continued to fire into the waves of demons. Jerry felt the click of his rifle and knew that his last round had been spent. He slung the rifle over his shoulder and pulled his pistol from his holster and started picking off the demons who continued to advance. He saw Larry do the same a few seconds later.

James covered the retreat of Vaughan, Cody and the wolves, and tried to pick off the demons that got past Jerry and Larry, but there were so many of them, and he knew he was almost out of ammunition. He fired another shot at a demon that had nearly closed on Vaughan and turned back to the opposite direction to check on Cody. A wall of black fur flew at him and he barely had time to raise his rifle in front of him. One of the demons had broken through his covering fire when he had turned his attention to Vaughan and had reached the porch.

The demon hit him with enough force to throw him back nearly a dozen feet. He hit the ground hard and the wind was knocked from him. His rifle flew from his hands and he reached up to grab the demon's throat to keep it from closing its jaws on his neck. With his other hand, he tried to reach for one of the long knives at his belt, but the creature was too strong. He had to use both hands to keep it from biting the life from him, but he knew that he could only hold it back for so long.

Tina stood in the doorway with a baseball bat, watching the horrible scene in the snow unfold. She was worried for all of them, but felt powerless to do anything. Jason was still unconscious on the couch and Billie and Louis were huddled on one of the chairs, their arms around each other as they stared at the door with huge eyes. She would do what she could to protect the children and Jason if any of the demons made it past the gunmen, but she knew there wasn't much that she could do if they did.

She saw James fire at the demon chasing Vaughan, but she also saw the lone demon break away from chasing Cody and head straight for the porch. She watched in horror as it tackled James and saw him struggling against it. Something snapped in her at that moment. All of the fear and anger that the creatures caused in her, all of the pain that they had caused to people that she had come to feel responsible for, caused a reaction in her that she never could have imagined.

She ran from the doorway and yelled a wordless challenge of rage at the demon that was trying to kill her fellow teacher. It looked up in surprise a moment before she swung the bat at its head with all of her one hundred fifteen pound weight. She saw its head snap to the side as the bat shattered into splinters. The shock of the impact ran along the shattered bat and into the grip, numbing her hands instantly. The demon shook its head and she saw with dismay that she hadn't hurt it – only stunned it.

But the moment of distraction was all that James needed. He pulled the knife from his left hip with his right arm and stabbed it up and under where he guessed the creature's heart to be. He felt it stiffen in response and saw its yellow eyes widen in surprise before its weight fell on top of him.

When Tina realized that the demon was dead, she reached down and pulled at the creature while James pushed it to the side. He was covered in the greasy black blood of the creature, and had a nasty gash on his right shoulder, but looked otherwise okay.

"Thanks," James said with a smile as he looked up in surprise at his rescuer.

James put his knife back in its sheath and ran over to pick up his rifle. "Get back inside now, Tina," he said soothingly to the pretty young teacher. "You're gonna be the last line of defense for the little ones. There's a set of golf clubs in the hall closet to replace your bat."

Tina was dazed for a moment and at first didn't process what he had said. But then she looked at him and smiled before turning and heading back into the house and straight for the hall closet.

James returned to his position at the front of the porch and continued firing at the demons, but the battle had become a losing one. He was almost out of ammunition and he could see that Jerry and his partner had switched to their handguns. Harper and Cole had nearly reached the porch with Dinah when James saw a group of four demons break from the rest of the horde and slip past the screening fire of the two agents. They were headed straight for Cole, Dinah and Harper, but James couldn't get a clear shot. He knew they would be safe if they reached the house, but he also knew that the demons would get to them first. He thought of a promise that he had made to an amazing woman several years ago and made a decision.

He threw aside his rifle and pulled the twin long knives from their sheaths on his hips. He jumped from the edge of the porch and ran straight for the demons angling toward Harper and the others. He let his mind go into the familiar trance of battle and saw time slow down as he approached the demons. The creatures had no idea that death had come for them.

Harper watched James throw his rifle and charge toward them with two long knives in his hands. At first he was confused, but when he sensed the demons behind him he felt a surge of gratitude. As James ran past, Harper noticed something behind his left ear. It was something that he hadn't seen on another person in hundreds of years. And when he saw the way James fought the demons, the speed at which he moved and the skill with which he used the twin blades, his gratitude was replaced with suspicion. James McCallister was definitely not who he appeared to be.

They finally reached the porch and Tina ran forward to take Dinah and guide her into the house. Aidan followed them inside for a moment, whining in obvious distress, before returning to the porch to face the oncoming horde. Vaughan, Cody and the wolves ran onto the porch a moment before Jerry and Larry reached the steps, stopping with their guns raised. James finished the last of the demons that he had engaged and turned around and jogged back to the steps.

Jerry had seen the last moments of the battle between James and the demons and he watched the teacher's approach warily. There were definitely some things about his neighbor that he didn't know. The only other person that Jerry had seen move like that had been Vaughan. It had been more than any human being, even an Olympic athlete, could have done.

Jerry wanted to ask James how he could have possibly moved so quickly and defeated so many of the demons with relative ease. But it was not the time for such questions. He had many questions for James, Harper and even his children. But if he wanted the chance to ask any of them, they had to survive first.

"Now what?" Larry asked quietly as he stared out at the masses of demons, which had all suddenly stopped moving.

Without any kind of warning, they had not only broken off their attack, but had fallen back to several dozen yards from the porch. It was as if they had disengaged from the battle based on some silent command and all they did now was stand there and watch their quarry. There were still several dozen of them, and they covered the ground in every direction for at least thirty yards.

"What are they doing?" Jerry asked in confusion.

"I was hoping you knew," James asked as he reached down to wipe the black blood from his blades in the snow before returning them to their sheaths. "It's like they're waiting for something," he added.

"Or someone," Harper said softly as he walked down the steps to stand beside Larry.

As if confirming Harper's words, the demons in the center moved to either side. There was a lot of jostling and growls and it was far from an organized move. Again, it seemed as if something was compelling them to move. When the last of the demons had moved aside, it became obvious that it wasn't something that compelled them. Harper had been right – it was someone.

Cole recognized the man from the night when the wolves had attacked the demons in the forest. It was the man who looked like he could have been his Uncle Harper's twin. He heard several of the others on the porch gasp as they recognized the similarity between the man and Harper. But before Harper could explain the eerie connection, three people in much more human outfits walked up to stand next to him.

Jerry recognized one of the people as Anna, the young woman that had disappeared somewhere near his house. The other two were men, one of which wore the uniform that Jerry had seen earlier but couldn't place.

"What the hell is animal control doing here?" Larry asked as he identified the second man's uniform. "Those are a hell of a lot of animals to control," he said with a snort. "He might need backup,"

Jerry smiled at his partner's irrepressible sense of humor and his habit of laughing at his own jokes, but the smile quickly faded. He had sensed the wrongness coming from the demons the moment he had seen them. But it made sense that such foul-looking creatures would feel so foul. What confused him was that he felt the same sense of wrongness, only much stronger, coming from the four people who stood behind the demons. But it was the third person in normal clothing that seemed to emit the most powerful sense of evil, eclipsing the others in the same way that the other three eclipsed the demons.

"That's Tim Matheson," Jason said softly from the edge of the porch.

None of them had heard him walk up and Cole turned to look at him in surprise. He was standing on his own, but he still looked physically exhausted.

"Who's Tim Matheson?" Cole asked.

"That man over on the right," Jason said as he pointed at the man that Jerry had sensed as putting off the greatest aura of evil. "I went to high school with him here in Evergreen," he explained. "He was the school bully and terrorized me for four years. I haven't seen him since graduation. I always assumed he had ended up in jail or dead, but I suppose this makes almost as much sense."

"He's no longer the person you knew," Harper said softly to Jason. He had spoken softly, but everyone standing on the porch had heard him clearly. "He has become something darker, Jason. I feel the same wrongness coming from him that I feel whenever I face the ancient enemies of my people." He didn't have to explain what he meant. His hatred of the demons was clear from the tone of his voice. "He and the two others near him have become pawns of these creatures," he added.

Harper turned and looked at each of them briefly as he said, "They cannot be saved, so no matter what happens, you show them no mercy. Understood?"

Everyone nodded silently, though they all thought the same thing. Killing creatures like the demons or even the demons in human form was not the same as killing another human being. But each of them knew that Harper was right and that any hesitation when facing the three people before them could mean the loss of the person next to them. And this was something that none of them would risk.

The man who Jason had identified as Tim Matheson took a few steps forward as the demons moved out of his way. The demon that resembled Harper so strongly was the only one who grudgingly moved, as if he resented the leadership role of the human.

Harper knew how the demons felt about humans. They felt them to be an inferior species that they tolerated as a means to an end. Until recently, Harper had agreed with the demons' view of the inferiority of humans, but his views had begun to change when he had begun to live with his sister's family. As he thought of the people who weren't a part of his family standing near him, he realized with more than a little shock that he would give his life for any one of them, with the possible exception of James McCallister. There were secrets that James was keeping, and Harper wondered if those secrets were something that could bring harm to his family. If he discovered that to be the case, he would kill James himself and without hesitation.

"You continue to surprise us, son of Nuada," Tim said with a smile. "We've underestimated you too many times." He hadn't raised his voice, but the sound of it reached them all nearly fifty yards away.

Harper stepped forward and the others realized that Tim had been addressing him, though none of them knew what son of Nuada meant.

"Many have underestimated me, human," Harper said quietly. "And it is usually the last mistake they make."

Harper spoke no more loudly than Tim had, but the group on the porch guessed that his voice had carried the distance between them and Tim just as easily. There was an obvious, but faint sense of disdain in his response to the leader of the demons, and from the brief look of anger that crossed his face, Tim had heard it.

Tim chuckled before responding, "I'm sure they have. And it's a mistake I intend not to make." He was silent for a moment before adding, "But I haven't come here to fight any of you."

"This is one hell of a misunderstanding if that's the case," Larry said with a grunt. "That or you really need to work on your social skills."

There was a brief chorus of chuckles that managed to break some of the tension within the group. Even Harper managed a brief smile.

"Yes, well," Tim said with a slight smile and a shrug of his shoulders. "It's rather difficult to control creatures whose only desire is to cause as much chaos and destruction as possible."

The demon that looked like Harper clenched his fists and glared at Tim, but made no move to interrupt him.

"I only need to take the children with me for a short while," Tim explained. "I assure you they will come to no harm. And if the rest of you cooperate, neither will you." He sounded incredibly reasonable and again, many of them found themselves starting to believe him.

James stepped forward and stood next to Harper as he answered, "These folks are guests in my house, Tim." Tim raised his eyebrow and James answered, "Yes, son. I remember you well, though it saddens me to see what you've become." He reached to his belt and drew both of his knives. He held them down at either side of his body, but there was no mistaking the gesture for anything other than what it was – a promise of what he could and would do. "I'm afraid that the only way you're taking any of these children from my house is over my dead body."

"Save your pity and your empty threats for someone else, old man," Tim answered with a sneer. "You think the worst that can happen to you and the fools who stand with you is death? I can make you scream for hours on end and bring you to the point where you will beg me to kill you and then offer up the others to save your own life." The menace in his voice had replaced the persuasion that had been there just a moment before. "No, there are worse things than death, I assure you. And if you continue to resist us, I will show you all of them. Each and every one of you will see the horrors I can cause."

Silence was the only response to his threats as each of them formed their own ideas of what he meant. Harper was the only one who didn't have to imagine what could happen. He had seen what the demons did to Aes Sidhe and humans who resisted them. He knew that whatever the people near him imagined, it would have paled by comparison to what the demons would actually do.

"You know that this house is protected from you and these things," James said with a grim expression. "You won't be able to break through, no matter what you do. We can wait you out if we have to."

"Ask the Aes Sidhe next to you what happened to their house that was protected as yours is," Tim said as he cocked his head in the direction of Harper. "You cannot stand against us. This fight is over. Whether or not you survive what comes next is entirely up to you."

Larry leaned in and spoke in a whisper to Jerry, "If this doesn't go well, we pull back and guard the front door from the porch. If the house is really protected in some way, that'll be our best bet."

Jerry nodded silently, as he had been thinking the same thing. He knew that he had four clips of ammunition for his handgun, not including the half clip or so already in it. He guessed Larry to have about the same. It wasn't much against the number of demons that stood before them, but he and Larry could hold them off for a few moments, at least. He hoped that James was right and that the house was somehow protected.

Tim took another step forward as he said, "I know what you are, James McCallister. And I know of the others nearby who are like you. I can tell you that even together you have no chance of keeping the children from me." He paused for a moment as he looked at each of them. "Well? What is your answer?"

Harper didn't like what the evil human had said to James, the apparent recognition of the man as something other than he appeared. It only heightened Harper's suspicion of their neighbor and what his motives in helping them were. But unfortunately, it wasn't the time for answers, and his suspicions at that moment did nothing to resolve their situation.

Harper knew what the children, Jerry, and even Larry would say if he asked them what they wanted to do. None of them would willingly give up any of the others for any reason. And the other humans who stood with them had all chosen to stand with him and his family. They had already risked their lives several times over and he knew that they would no sooner give up the children than he would. His mind made up, Harper walked forward several feet with his spear held at his side.

He began to glow brightly in the blowing snow as he faced the demons for a few moments. The tension was palpable as Harper stared at Tim in silence, the glow surrounding him growing to the point where the rest of the group near him had to look away.

"Here is your answer, demon," Harper said quietly.

Harper shouted a string of words in a language that none of them had ever heard before, and as he said them the glow around him flashed once and when the others looked at him again, he was surrounded by blue flames.

"No!" Jerry screamed as he saw his brother-in-law engulfed in flames and would have run to him if Larry hadn't grabbed his arm.

"Easy, Sid," Larry said quietly. "Look at him, the flames aren't touching him."

Jerry looked closely at Harper and saw that he was right. The snow was melting for several feet around him, but the flames themselves hadn't touched Harper. Even his clothes looked to be intact, other than the dirt that had caked on his pants during their flight through the woods, which had burned away.

Louis heard the words his uncle had shouted and he understood what had been said, though he had never heard them before. His uncle had been calling on the strength within him and willing it with the words he used to take the shape of the blue flames. Louis had seen the lines of glowing energy move through his uncle's body and those lines struck a chord in him. He felt something stir within him and knew that it was in response to what his uncle had done. He looked down at his hands and saw similar lines of glowing energy flowing through his arms.

Harper raised his arms suddenly and pointed them at Tim. A line of blue flames erupted from his outstretched hands and flew at the evil human, as a deafening roar passed in their wake. Harper twisted his hands and the flames arced into the lines of demons along the path toward Tim, vaporizing the ones that it touched. The demons near the ones that were destroyed began to frantically clamber to get away from the killing blue fire, clawing over each other as they tried to escape. But more than a dozen of the creatures were not quick enough and disappeared in the flames.

Harper twisted his hands again and the arcing flames reconnected with each other and flew straight at Tim. Just before the flames would have struck him, Tim raised his right arm and held up his hand, his palm facing forward at the oncoming flame. The flames stopped as if they had struck a wall. The other people standing near Tim stared at the flames, but didn't flinch as they struck the invisible wall.

Harper's shoulders flexed and the flames intensified, pouring from his arms in a wider path. Tim continued to hold his hand up, and the flames continued to hit the invisible wall, splitting to either side, but unable to penetrate the demon leader's defenses. The flames continued to pour against the wall for several seconds more, before Harper's shoulders slumped and he lowered his arms. His shoulders rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. He had poured nearly everything he could at the human, but couldn't penetrate the defensive barrier that he had thrown in front of himself.

Tim slowly lowered his hand as his smile grew. "You are all fools," he said to them with a chuckle. "And now you will die. And when we have finished with all of you, and the children have watched you die, I will take them."

Harper looked back and held the gaze of each of them for no more than a second. "Tina will stay with Billie and Louis. The rest of us will hold them off as long as we can and then move into the house," he told them quietly. "James is right. The house is protected and we will use its shelter as long as we can." He was quiet for a moment before he added, "Thank you. All of you."

No one responded. There was nothing that anyone could have said that hadn't already been said by each of their actions. Cole looked at Vaughan, who was standing on the porch with his sword in his hand. Vaughan smiled shyly when he made eye contact with Cole, who smiled in return. Jason looked back at Tina, who stood on the porch with her arms wrapped around Billie and Louis as they stood in front of her. Jason smiled at her and took his necklace off before tossing it to her. Tina returned the smile through tear-filled eyes and fastened the necklace around Billie's neck. There was nothing said between them, but they each knew what the other felt.

"I'll try not to shoot you, Harper," Larry said sincerely as he held out his hand.

Harper chuckled and took the hand of one of the only humans that he had considered to be a true friend in nearly two thousand years. "I'd appreciate that," he said as he looked Larry in the eye.

Tim laughed softly as he turned around to look at the other humans behind him. They stared back at him, but didn't otherwise respond. He turned back around and said, "How touching. However, I'm afraid it changes nothing."

The demons surged forward at that moment, though no word or gesture had been made by their leader. There were still several dozen of the creatures, and each of them had nearly identical looks of rage and hunger on their grotesque faces as they quickly closed the distance between them and the group standing on the porch.

Harper stepped forward as Larry and Jerry started firing at the charging demons. He raised his spear and waited until they had closed to within ten yards before sprinting forward to meet them. To his surprise, James sprinted forward with him, his pair of long knives in each hand. They met the oncoming demons at the same time, Harper's spear swinging in wide arcs and James' swords flashing in the snow-diffused moonlight. Where each of them passed, demons fell. None of the creatures could get past them, but there were so many of them that they began to pour around them and break for the rest of the group waiting on the porch.

Three of the demons leapt from the snow and on to the porch, but Vaughan was there to meet them. His sword glowed brightly as he danced between the demons and slashed at them one at a time, their claws often missing him by mere inches. Within a few short seconds, all three of the creatures had fallen to his blade.

Another three demons leapt onto the porch where Cole stood and he remembered what it had felt like to assume the form of the bear. Within seconds, he had again transformed into the huge brown animal, though he could feel that his movements were more sluggish than before. The first demon landed on the porch a few feet from him and he swiped one of his large paws at the creature, sending it flying from the porch before the other two had landed.

A lone demon broke past Harper and charged the porch steps. Jerry and Larry both pointed their weapons at the creature and fired, but the only sound was the clicking of empty clips. They reached into their holsters simultaneously, but they both knew that they wouldn't be able to reload in time.

Jason stepped from his spot between them and raised his hands, shouting in the same language that he had used before, though this time the words he used were different. The snow in front of the demon suddenly coalesced until a sheet of ice had formed in front of its charge. It hit the wall of ice with a wet crunching sound and fell to the ground. Jason yelled something else and more of the falling snow merged into a solid blanket to cover the demon in an icy tomb.

Jerry and Larry snapped clips into their handguns, but didn't fire for a few seconds as they looked in shock at what Jason had done. Jason fell to one knee then, but looked up at the two agents with a weak smile.

"Don't stop shooting, guys," he told them. "I'm pretty sure I can't do something like that again."

Without a word in response, they resumed firing at the demons that managed to get past the whirling forms of Harper and James. For a moment, it looked like the group would manage to defeat the demons, but then Jerry and Larry saw the awful truth – more of the demons were running from the cover of the trees and straight for the porch. There were at least another two dozen of the creatures and they were nearly out of ammunition.

Louis watched as his family fought the demons and began to push them back. He saw Cole clear the porch of the last demon that had faced him and then saw Vaughan leap at another demon that had sprung for the porch. Vaughan kicked the creature mid-air and then swung his sword at its chest. The demon flew backward and into the snow, where it lay still. Vaughan rebounded from the creature and landed on the porch, his sword still in his hand.

But then three more demons landed on the porch and charged Vaughan as one. He dodged away from the first two, but the third tackled him and bore him to the ground. Aidan ran from next to where Louis stood and leapt on the demon's back, sinking her teeth into its black fur.

Louis heard a roar of pain and turned to see a demon close its jaws on the leg of the bear that was his older brother. Another of the creatures faced him, grappling with him and appearing to gain the upper hand.

Louis heard the clicking of his father's and Larry's guns and knew that they had run out of ammunition again. When they did nothing, he knew that they had used the last of their clips. Jason was still kneeling on the porch and Louis knew that he wouldn't be able to do what he had done again. The three of them would be defenseless.

The wolves formed a wall of fur around him, Ms. Waverly and Billie, but Louis could still see what was happening over their heads. He had heard what the evil man, the one Mr. Holt had called Tim Matheson had said. His family and their friends were losing the battle, and Louis knew that it would mean the death of all of the people around him, and that he and his siblings would be taken.

Louis recalled what he had heard from his uncle and how the lines of glowing energy had responded. He could still feel the same tingling energy passing through him and suddenly he knew what he had to do.

He pulled away from Ms. Waverly's arm and ran from her before she could reach for him. The wolves moved to block his escape, but he jumped over their heads with a strength and agility that amazed him. He dashed past the kneeling form of Mr. Holt and leapt over the frozen mound of the demon that had been struck by his teacher's magic. He stopped no more than a dozen yards from where his uncle and Mr. McCallister continued to fight against the demons and raised his hands.

He shouted the words that he had heard his uncle use, repeating them exactly. He heard the strength in his own voice and how loud it seemed, even though it was coming from a child. The tingling sensation in his body grew and he saw the same blue flames spring to life around him. He willed the flames into his arms and then hurled them at the demons around him, killing them instantly. He turned around and faced the porch, sending lances of blue fire to opposite ends of the porch, incinerating the demons that were attacking his siblings. He was careful not to let the fire touch Vaughan, Cole or Aidan and kept it away from the porch itself. It obeyed his will completely and only went where he willed it to go. With the porch free of demons, Louis turned back around and saw his uncle staring back at him.

"Louis, no!" Harper screamed at his nephew. "It's too powerful!"

As his uncle's back was turned, one of the demons tackled him, sending him sprawling into the snow. The sight of his uncle being harmed by one of the demons infuriated Louis, and he sent a lance of fire from his left arm directly at the demon that had landed on him. The demon disappeared beneath the flames as it roared past and continued into the line of demons charging toward them from the trees. Louis used another lance of blue fire to clear the demons around Mr. McCallister, who stopped fighting and looked back at him in awe.

He sent the flames in every direction, hunting for demons and annihilating them wherever it passed. They tried to run from the flames, several of them turning around and heading back toward the woods. But the flames were faster. It ran them down and killed every last one of them.

When Louis had finished with the demons, he called the flames back to him. He reveled in the strength and power that flowed through him. He felt invincible. No one and nothing would hurt his family again, because nothing could stand against the power that he now possessed.

He looked at where Tim Matheson still stood with the other three figures that looked like humans. They stared at him with blank expressions, all except for Tim. Tim looked at Louis with a slight smile on his face. It was an expression that Louis had recently learned was called smug. What Louis didn't know was that Tim had just figured out which of the children he needed to take. He didn't need to bother with all of them, just the one who was channeling such huge amounts of magic before his very eyes. But to Louis, it meant that Tim did not fear the power that Louis held, which meant only one thing to Louis – he needed to make Tim fear him.

Louis raised his arms again and hurled the flames at Tim. Just as he did before, Tim raised one hand and an invisible wall met the onrushing flames, blocking them completely. Tim smiled mockingly at Louis as he casually blocked the flames as he had the ones from Harper.

But unlike his uncle, Louis was not tiring. Louis knew that he could harness even more of the power if he wanted to, so that was what he did.

He willed more of the power flowing through him into the flames pouring from his outstretched arms. The blue fire around him grew in intensity until it burned white hot. He directed the even more powerful flames at Tim and saw him raise his second hand in shock as the full force of Louis' intensified fire hit his defensive wall. For a moment, the wall was able to withstand the flames, but the strain on Tim's face was obvious. The flames continued for a moment more before the wall blocking them collapsed and Tim and the three others with him disappeared as the flames poured through.

Louis screamed in exultation and released the flames, though the power continued to flow through his body. He thought about releasing it, but the exhilaration and euphoria that it brought made him want to hold onto it forever. But through the intense pleasure that the power brought, Louis could feel a strange fuzziness in his head and the feeling that something was squeezing his chest from the inside. A part of his brain screamed at him that these were warning signs from his body, that something was wrong. But he didn't care. The power was everything and to release it would leave him feeling empty.

He saw his Uncle Harper run up to him and kneel down to look him in the eyes. His uncle's mouth was moving and the expression on his face was one of concern and fear, but Louis couldn't hear what was being said. He saw his father lean down behind his uncle and the concern on his face matched his uncle's. His father was trying to say something to him, as well. But Louis could hear nothing beyond the surging in his ears that the power caused. He saw tears form in his father's eyes, and he wished that he could figure out what was making his father so sad. The demons were gone and their family was safe. So, why did his father and uncle look so concerned?

Uncle Harper said something again, but Louis still couldn't hear him. He could only see the concern in his uncle's eyes. He remembered enough of his mother to remember that she had had the same blue eyes as his uncle. The beautiful blue orbs that were the twin of his mother's drew him in and kept his gaze.

Louis, you must let it go, he heard his uncle's voice in his head as the blue eyes pleaded with him. It will kill you if you don't let it go. Please, Louis.

He knew that what his uncle said was true. The part of his brain that had screamed the warning a moment ago continued to scream it, and he knew that it was right. He had to let go of the power, or he would die. But he was afraid that if he let it go, he would never be able to hold it again. And that thought terrified him. Holding on to the power was like nothing he had ever felt before and the feeling was amazing.

But his uncle was right. If he continued to hold it, it would kill him. He looked at his father again, and tears were now flowing freely from his eyes, which were huge with concern. Louis hated to see his father cry.

Finally, and with great reluctance, Louis released his hold on the power. He looked at Uncle Harper, who smiled at him with relief. And then everything went black and Louis knew nothing.

# Chapter 20

Tuesday Morning, January 11th

Louis awoke to the sounds of voices nearby. He recognized some of the voices instantly. They were the voices of his father, uncle and older siblings. The other voices took a moment more to identify, but then he remembered everything that had happened to him and his family before he had fallen asleep. The voices were from the people that had risked their lives to help protect his family during their flight from the demons. Flashes of everything that had happened to him and his family ran through his mind, including his confrontation with the leader of the demons, Tim Matheson. And then Louis remembered what he had done to defeat the demons and their leader, remembered how it had felt to hold such power. And when he thought of the feelings the power had caused, he felt a sense of loss.

He didn't understand how something that he had been unaware of for his entire – albeit brief – life could cause such a feeling of absence now that it was no longer there. It was like he had grown an extra arm – an extra, amazing and powerful arm – and then someone had torn it from his body the minute its growth had completed. He wanted to grab ahold of the power again, but he remembered what his uncle had told him. The power was dangerous and could kill him. Luckily, he wasn't even sure that he could access the power again, a fact that part of him considered to be a good thing. It was the part of him that screamed at him whenever he was about to make a bonehead decision about something. He usually managed to stifle that sometimes annoying side of himself, but this time he wondered if there was some wisdom behind the voice. If it was trying to keep him from getting killed, it most likely had his best interests at heart, and therefore he should listen to it at least some of the time.

Louis looked around at the strange room and realized that he was lying on an unfamiliar couch. He wondered why his family hadn't brought him home and then the memory of his house burning flashed through his mind. The memory brought a fresh wave of loss as he thought of everything that had been lost with the house. Every memory of his family had been made while living in that house, including many of the things that reminded him of his mother. His memories of her were somewhat vague, since he had been very young when she died. But he did remember the way she had smiled at him, and the way she had sung him to sleep when he had woken up with nightmares. And he remembered the way she had smelled, like flowers and grass and the way the wind smelled when it would blow through the house in the spring. The fact that these were the strongest memories of her, and not the pictures or things that she had given him, somewhat lessened the loss he felt at the destruction of his family's house. If these were the memories of his mother that were strongest in his mind, nothing and no one could take them from him.

He felt something tangled between his legs and looked down to see Billie sleeping on the couch with her legs entwined with his. Her mouth was open and her breathing was deep and even. He moved his legs from hers, being careful not to wake her. He had always felt very protective of his little sister, since she was the only one of his siblings younger than he was. He knew how difficult it must have been for Billie to go through everything she had while fleeing from the demons, and he wanted her to sleep as much as she could. Once he had freed himself, he sat up on the couch and tried to figure out where the voices were coming from.

He looked around him and saw a large living room that was tidy and comfortable. There was another large couch identical to the one he was on, across the coffee table which sat a few feet from his knees. The room didn't look familiar at all, but then he remembered that he was at Mr. McCallister's house, even though he didn't remember seeing the room before. The room had windows on two sides of the room, through which Louis could see the gray light of daylight through the heavy snow falling outside. He looked in the direction in which he had heard the voices and saw a large opening that led to another room. The front door to the house was visible through the opening, and he guessed that the other room was the main living room that he had been in the night before. He looked again around the room he was in and saw a large fireplace behind him with a cheery fire burning within. The cozy feeling of the room surprised Louis. It reminded him of the family room at his own house, which wasn't how he pictured the sometimes-gruff Mr. McCallister living. And then he remembered his father saying something about Mr. McCallister's wife dying a few years before Louis had been born, and guessed that she had decorated the room.

Louis looked out one of the windows again and tried to guess what time it was. But the snow was falling so heavily that he could only tell that it was sometime during the day. The gray light of the sun served as a backdrop to the fat flakes that continued to fall and should have made the room feel cozier for the warmth it offered. Instead, it reminded him that this wasn't his home – that he and his family were now homeless. He searched the room for a clock, and found one on the mantle. It was ten o'clock in the morning. He had no idea what time he had blacked out the night before, but he guessed that he had been asleep for some time. As he thought about it, he noticed that he felt remarkably refreshed, which he usually did when he got a good night's sleep.

The voices from the other room got suddenly louder and he recognized Mr. McCallister's voice, raised louder than the others.

"Harper, I know you don't like the idea of us being trapped here," he said persuasively. "And neither do I. But it's just snowing too hard outside. Even if we took my SUV, there's a good chance that we'd get stuck. The snow drifts are just too deep. No, we've got to stay here until the storm breaks. Then we can head into town and get some help." Louis heard Mr. McCallister sigh loudly as he continued, "Hell, if I could get one of these damned phones to work, I could call us some help that could get us out of here. But that's not an option either. We need to stay put."

"Thank you for reminding us of your opinion, James," Harper said sarcastically. "But this is not for you to decide. We must leave as soon as we can. And I'm not suggesting any of us head into town, even when the storm passes. That's exactly what they'd expect us to do and they would be waiting for us if we did."

Louis was surprised by the tone in his uncle's voice. Mr. McCallister had done a great deal to help them and had risked his own life to save his family several times over. In spite of this, Uncle Harper had sounded downright rude to him. Louis had to admit that his uncle had always had a sarcastic side to him, but he didn't think the teacher deserved such treatment. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"Harper, please," Jerry said soothingly. "We're all in this together now, so we'll make the decisions on what to do next together. I have to agree with James, though. Leaving in the middle of this storm isn't a good idea. And if what both of you say about the protections around this house is true, then why shouldn't we stay until the storm clears? And I'm sorry, but where on earth would you want to go besides into town?"

Louis crept quietly over to the opening and saw everyone sitting around a coffee table in the living room. If he hadn't heard what was being discussed, he would have thought that it was some kind of holiday gathering of family and friends. There were several mugs sitting on the table, and a large tea kettle sitting on a tray next to a plate of sandwiches. Louis heard his stomach rumble and realized suddenly that he was starving.

Louis saw his uncle look down at his hands for a moment before answering, "There's somewhere that we need to go...that we need to take whichever of the children is the one."

"Harper, what are you talking about?" Jerry asked softly. "What are you not telling us?" There had been no suspicion in his voice. It had sounded like an earnest, but honest request. He and Larry had been picking up bits and pieces of what was going on, but no one had stopped to give them a complete explanation.

Harper looked up at his brother-in-law and there was hesitation in his eyes. "It's something that I was hoping to avoid." he said. "At least, I was hoping we had more time and could figure out some way to prepare for it."

Everyone around the table was silent as they waited for Harper to continue. He waited for what seemed like an eternity to those seated and waiting. Finally, he stood up and walked to the window to stare outside.

"Everything's happening much more quickly than I had anticipated," Harper said as he watched the snow falling outside. "The last time a Solas was born, we were able to keep him hidden until he had come of age. He was ready to assume his role as a beacon to Aes Sidhe and humanity alike. But we were betrayed before that could happen." Harper sounded distant and somehow sad, as if he was recalling a painful memory from his past.

Harper turned around and faced the group again before continuing, "My point is that I was hoping to be able to arrange for more protection for the children before we had to take such a step. And up until yesterday, I believed we still had some time, even if it was only a little." His voice gained a note of determination as he added, "But now I believe our time is up. If we wait any longer, that human we saw last night will take the children from us, and all hope will be lost."

No one said anything in response. They still didn't understand what he was trying to say. But there was one other person in the room who knew the prophecy as well as Harper did.

"That place is way too far from here, Harper," James said knowingly. "There is no way that we can get there without flying, so we may as well stay here and wait the storm out."

Harper's eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at James and said, "There are more than one of the places that I speak of, James. While the one that I'm sure you're familiar with is indeed too far to consider, there are others that only my people know about. One of them is nearby, and if I'm not mistaken, so is the gate that these demons are coming through."

Louis looked around at Harper's audience and saw the confusion on everyone's faces. Mr. McCallister seemed to be the only one who understood what his uncle was talking about, but even he had seemed surprised by what had been said.

"How close is nearby?" James asked as he stared at Harper.

Harper stared back at James with an unreadable expression as he responded, "No more than a four-hour drive from here, in the middle of the Colorado Rockies."

"How is that possible?" James asked suspiciously. "There's no way that something like that could remain undiscovered for this long."

"It is possible because it has been hidden by my people, as the other places were," Harper answered.

"Will one of you tell the rest of us what the hell you're talking about?" Larry asked with exasperation. "I feel like we're watching a married couple argue with each other in a foreign language! It's only entertaining for a minute before you really need to know what they're saying to decide which one's right and which one's wrong!"

Jerry had been thinking the same thing that his partner had. But he also wondered how it was that James seemed to know what Harper was talking about. Something about that fact made Jerry wonder if James McCallister was someone he could trust. And then he thought of his neighbor standing in the midst of the demons that had been trying to reach his children. He had held his ground when no one would have blamed him for running in the other direction. Again, he had to choose between what his brain told him and what he believed in his heart. His heart told him that James was someone he should trust. And this time, he was going to listen to his heart.

James looked over at Larry and then at Jerry before he said, "This is not my secret to tell."

James looked at Harper, who stared back at him enigmatically for a moment before looking at Jerry. "I'm sorry for sounding cryptic," Harper said. "This is a long story and it's very difficult to tell quickly."

James' mouth opened in obvious shock as he whispered, "You haven't told him."

"Told me what?" Jerry asked as he looked at his brother-in-law.

Harper looked back at him, and there was sympathy in his eyes as he answered, "You already know, brother. Arianna told you the truth about us...about our family before she died."

Larry looked at Jerry with a frown of confusion. "What's he talking about, Sid?" he asked.

Jerry thought again of his conversation with his wife the night before she had died. She had said many things that night, most of which he had dismissed as hallucinations and drug-induced ramblings. But the look on his brother-in-law's face told him that he had been wrong all these years. He thought of all of the clues to the otherworldliness of his wife and her brother that he had chosen to ignore for so long. He thought of the strange wisdom in both of their eyes that seemed to contrast with the ageless looks of their faces, and knew that he had allowed himself to be blinded for so long.

Something brushed against his leg and he looked down to see Aidan staring up at him. Again, he was struck by the sense of familiarity that he got when he looked into the strange dog's eyes. He felt a second pair of eyes on him, and looked up to see Harper still staring at him.

"You can't be serious," Jerry whispered, though he knew that Harper was. "I thought...I thought that she..."

"No, brother," Harper said as he sat in front of Jerry and took his hand. "She spoke the truth...about all of it."

Jerry's memories returned to the night before his wife had died. After Cole had left the room, it had been his turn to speak with his wife alone. He walked into their bedroom, past the small sitting room and toward the bed where his wife lay. She was propped up against the headboard with several pillows behind her head and back. Arianna smiled at him as he walked up to the bed and sat on its side, and then took her hand and smiled back at her through eyes that were filling with tears. If anyone who didn't know her had come into the room and seen her at that moment, they would never have guessed that she was sick. She still looked beautiful, with perfect white skin and thick black hair that fell past her shoulders. But Jerry could see the difference in her eyes. The normally dazzling blue orbs had dimmed as her health had faded. And Jerry could feel the difference when he held her hand.

He had always been able to sense the vitality within living things by touching them. He had discovered the strange ability as a child. He had been able to sense when his mother or other members of his family were about to catch a cold or other illness. The ability had frightened him, since he had known it to be unusual even then. Because of his fear, he had kept the knowledge of his unusual senses to himself, telling no one.

The first time he had ever taken his future wife's hand in his, he had nearly fainted from the sense of life and energy that had flowed through her. And it had never changed. Arianna had never been sick as long as he had known her and the strength that he had felt on that first day had been undiminished throughout most of their marriage. But he had noticed a change in her vitality after Billie had been born.

Arianna's pregnancy with Billie had been a difficult one. She had been sick nearly every day of it, where she hadn't been sick a day while carrying any of the other children. She had been almost completely bedridden the entire time and when she had finally delivered Billie through an exceedingly difficult labor, it had taken her nearly a month to recover. But she had never fully recovered.

After she had told him the things from her heart, she began telling him a tale that he found impossible to believe, but he listened.

"Jerry, I'm not what you think I am," Arianna said to him as she looked into his eyes.

Jerry noticed that she had said what not who, which he found odd. "What do you mean, love?" he asked her.

"Do you remember the night we met?" she asked with a smile.

"Of course I do," Jerry answered with a smile.

He thought of the night that had been the object of many of his dreams – Arianna dancing in the forests of Virginia one night, and him stumbling upon her. It had been a magical evening, and for many years after, he had wondered if it had truly happened the way he had remembered it.

Arianna continued to look into his eyes as she asked, "And didn't you find anything about that meeting unusual...anything about me unusual?"

"Well, of course it was unusual," Jerry said with a laugh. "You were dancing in the forest in the middle of the night!"

"Is that all you saw?" Arianna asked.

Jerry thought of the way that she had danced that night, the impossible leaps and spins, the way her body had seemed to move in a way that could only be described as superhuman. And he thought of the way the fireflies had followed her, as if in accompaniment to her dance. It was why he had wondered if his memories of that night were true, and not influenced by the way his heart had been stolen that night by Arianna.

He thought carefully before he answered, "I saw...at least, I think I saw some things that were a little unusual. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Jerry, my love, you know what you saw wasn't normal," she told him. "In fact, it was what most people would call...magical, wouldn't you?"

"I'm sorry, Arianna," he told her. "I don't understand what you're getting at."

She continued to look in his eyes as she answered, "I think you do, love. I think a part of you has suspected all along. And you know now what I'm trying to explain to you. I'm not like you. I'm not human."

Jerry stared back at his wife, unsure what to say. His first thought was that her sickness had advanced to the point that she had become delirious. But when he looked into her eyes, he saw a remarkable clarity there.

"There's more, I'm afraid," she said quietly. "I'm much older than you think, much older than I look."

Jerry suddenly realized as she said this that he had no idea how old his wife was. He had asked her once, when they had first began dating, and her answer had been, "Older than you and that's all I'll say." He had assumed that she had guarded her true age like any woman did and hadn't pressed her.

Jerry smiled as he said, "You've picked now to tell me that you robbed the cradle with me?"

Arianna laughed lightly as she answered, "More than you know." She watched him for a moment in silence before adding, "Jerry, I'm nearly eight thousand years old."

Jerry looked at his wife with a frown. Had she picked a more reasonable age, he might have believed that some of what she said was true. But now he knew that her mind had finally begun to fade as well.

Jerry chuckled and squeezed her hand as he said, "Well, then. I'm sorry I didn't meet you earlier." He hated seeing her like this, hated the thought that her mind had lost as much vitality as her body had.

Arianna was quiet for a moment before she said, "I know you don't believe me now, Jerry. But in a few years...hopefully more than a few, some things will start to happen that will change your mind."

Jerry smiled, but didn't respond. He didn't want to do anything to distress his wife, so he didn't argue with her.

Arianna looked down at their joined hands again and said, "What I'm about to tell you is very important, Jerry." She continued to stare down as she stroked the top of his hand with her thumb. "When those things happen that will make you believe what I've said to you, it will be a sign of trouble for you and the children."

Jerry's instincts were immediately awakened by what she had said. He still believed that her mind wasn't all there, but the mention of his children being in trouble made him pay close attention to what his wife said next.

"What do you mean, Arianna?" Jerry asked with concern. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"No, my love," Arianna answered. "Look, it's too much to explain now, and for not telling you all of this sooner, I am very sorry. And I am especially sorry for leaving you to face these things without me."

She looked up at him again, and Jerry was surprised to see fear on his wife's face. "When these things begin to happen, you will need help. And you'll need to know who you can trust for that help."

"Arianna, I..." Jerry tried to interrupt.

"Shh, let me finish," she said as she squeezed his hand. "Trust in the children, and trust in Larry. And there's someone else...you must trust in Harper."

"Arianna, I don't even like Harper," Jerry said with exasperation. He had only just met his brother-in-law a few days before, when he had shown up to visit his sister on her deathbed. The dislike between them had been instant, and mutual.

"I don't like Harper right now either," Arianna said with obvious displeasure. "But he will protect the children. And he has agreed to come and live here to help you with the children."

"What!?" Jerry asked, sure that he had heard his wife incorrectly. "You've got to be kidding! Arianna, there is no way that that man is coming to live here!"

"That...man is my brother," Arianna said. Her tone hardened when she added, "And he can protect the children. You must do this, Jerry."

"Arianna, I can protect the children," Jerry said with exasperation as he released her hand, stood up and walked over to the window. "I am a federal agent, remember? Anyway, why do the children even need protection?" He hated that they were spending one of their last nights with each other arguing over something as stupid as her brother.

"You are a wonderful husband, father and protector," Arianna said as tears filled her eyes.

Jerry heard the catch in her voice and turned around to look at her.

She looked at her husband as the tears began falling down her cheeks. "But you will need help with what's coming," she told him. "Harper will be able to help you. You can trust him." She held her hand out to him and he moved back to sit next to her on the bed, taking her hand in his. "You must promise me that you will let him come and live here, Jerry. Please."

At the time, he had hoped that Harper would find the idea as repulsive as he had, so he had agreed. "I promise," he told his wife.

Arianna was quiet again as she looked out the window. Just as Jerry was about to ask her if she was alright, she spoke again.

"I've been protecting others for my entire life, and now when I'm needed most, I won't be here," she said softly. "And I am so sorry for that, my love."

Jerry had no idea what she meant and couldn't say anything. He was tired of this discussion with his wife. It was clearly upsetting her and it hurt him to see her in such a state.

"Arianna, please," he said to her. "Let's talk about something else."

"There's just one more thing, love," Arianna told him as she squeezed her husband's hand. "There are others nearby who you can trust to help you when these...things start happening. They have promised me that they will come to your aid. One of those people is James McCallister. Trust in him. There are two others, also. You already know them both..."

Jerry's attention was pulled suddenly from his memories and back to the living room in James McCallister's house.

"Okay, now I feel like I'm the only one in the room who doesn't know what's going on," Larry said as he looked at Jerry.

Jerry told the group what his wife had told him so many years before, which was a shorter version of what most of them had heard from Harper the night before. He left out the last part of what Arianna had told him, but looked at his neighbor with a new level of understanding. James was the only one who hadn't heard Harper's story of his people, but again he didn't seem surprised, further validating what Arianna had told Jerry that night about their neighbor.

Larry looked at Jerry in complete shock for a moment, and then looked at Harper with the same expression. "How old are you?" he asked, his eyes wide with wonder.

"That's not important, Larry," Harper said with a slight smile. He knew how difficult it could be for humans to accept the concept of immortality. But as he looked around the room, he could see that all of them wanted to know. He thought of everything they had been through and knew that he owed them the truth. "Very well," he said finally. "I don't remember my exact age, as we do not count our years as humans do. I will tell you that I had been alive for several centuries when the Rome was first founded."

Larry quickly did the math in his head, and he knew the others did too. Finally, he snorted and said to Harper, "So, you've been alive for more than three thousand years and you still haven't learned how not to be an ass to everyone? Slow learner, huh?"

There was a chorus of chuckles from the group, including Harper. "Yes, Larry," Harper said. "But you've done wonders in the few short years I've known you in improving my social skills. And for that, I am eternally in your gratitude," Harper said sarcastically, but with a smile and a slight nod.

The moment of levity had managed to break most of the tension in the room, which was something that Larry excelled at. It had even managed to take Jerry's mind away from trying to accept some shocking truths about his wife, and the fact that he hadn't really known who she was. But Larry's off-color comment had reminded him that none of that mattered. What he knew about his wife was what truly mattered. She had been a loving and caring wife and the mother of his children.

"I might have missed it, but I don't think you explained where you want to take the children and why," Jason said to Harper as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

Tina slipped her arm through Jason's and leaned into him as she added, "So far, I have to agree with James, Harper. I think leaving the safety of this house before the storm clears should be a last resort."

"That's just the thing," Harper said as he sat back down. "We are not safe here."

"But, we killed the leader of the demons and wiped out the ones that were here!" Jason said emphatically. "That must have bought us some time, right?"

"Tim Matheson is not dead, and the demons that were destroyed will be replaced," Harper said as he leaned back in his chair in what almost looked like exhaustion and looked at them. "More will come."

"How many more?" Dinah asked. She still looked a little pale, but seemed to have recovered most of her strength. Harper was grateful that the physical strength and healing ability of his people had been passed on to his sister's children.

"There is no limit to the number of demons that can be brought through a gate," Harper answered. "However, it is difficult to bring the demons through, and it takes time."

"Is there any way to stop them from coming through?" Cole asked before sipping on his mug of cocoa.

Harper shook his head as he answered, "Not unless we destroy the gate they're coming through and the one who is pulling them through."

"All the more reason for us to wait until we can get help," James said emphatically. "It's too much of a gamble for us to try this on our own." He was adamant that they wait the storm out, remembering his promise to Arianna Ambrose. He worried about his ability to help protect the children if they left the safety of the house.

"Harper, why is it so important that we go to this place in the mountains?" Tina asked. She still agreed with James that staying at the house was their safest option, but felt bad for Harper. It seemed like everyone was against his plan and not really giving him an option to explain his reasons behind it. She hated when she thought someone was being picked on, and in this case he was the underdog.

Harper thought for a moment before responding, "The place in the mountains was built by my people a long time ago. There are several places like it throughout the world, though only one is known to humans. Each of these places was built at a gathering spot of the lines of power that surround this world. Humans would consider these places to be sacred and magical, and have actually worshipped at many of them, not knowing that the structures of our people were nearby."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "The reason we must go there is that it is only at one of these places that the Solas can claim their power and become who they are destined to be. But there's another reason we must go there. Only the Solas will be able to close the gate that the demons are using, if one exists there. And I am certain that one does."

"Are you suggesting that we actually go looking for these creatures?" Jason asked incredulously. "And take the children right to the very ones who are trying to take them from us?"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting," Harper answered in a neutral tone. "If we don't do this, we will be running from them for the foreseeable future. At least, until they find us. And I assure you, they will find us." His voice grew quiet and his gaze distant as he added, "They always find the Solas in the end."

"We don't even know which of the children is the Solas, Harper," James said as he stood up. "How can we help the Solas claim their power if we don't know which one it is? None of this makes sense!"

Harper glared at James briefly before answering, "I think we all know who the Solas is after what we saw last night. The amount of power that Louis channeled last night was extraordinary. It should have killed him instantly, but it didn't. That's as sure a sign as any that he is the Solas."

No one responded to Harper's assertion, not even James. They had all seen what Louis had done, and it left little doubt in each of their minds that what Harper said was true. Cole, Dinah and Vaughan all looked at each other in silence, though their thoughts were nearly identical. Each of them wished that they were the Solas, if only to spare their little brother from the even greater danger that he would now be in.

"What power will Louis claim if he is the Solas?" Jerry asked quietly. He thought of Harper's pleading with Louis the night before to release the power that he had held, and wondered how claiming any kind of additional power didn't put his youngest son in even greater danger. "And how do we know that it won't kill him?"

Harper was quiet for a moment and looked somewhat guilty when he finally responded, "We don't. As for the power that is claimed by the Solas, it is the third type of magic, the one that I didn't speak about earlier."

"Again, you're leaving some of us behind, buddy," Larry said with the barest hint of frustration.

Harper explained to Jerry, Larry and James what he had told the rest of the group the night before regarding the different types of magic. Again, James seemed unsurprised by anything that was said. Jerry wondered how much of what was happening was truly a surprise to his neighbor. He also started to wonder exactly what role Arianna had played in arranging for the help of James and the two others she had mentioned. Knowing his wife, he suspected that she had begun making arrangements to ensure the safety of her family the minute she realized she was dying.

"Okay, so what's the third kind?" Larry asked. He was past the point of disbelieving the things that he heard and saw, no matter how unusual.

"The third kind of magic is the most powerful, but also the most dangerous," Harper said as he looked around at each of them. "Its source is life itself. More specifically, its source is the life force of the living things around the user. It is exponentially more powerful than the other two kinds of magic, but to harness it, the user must pull the actual life force from living things. If too much of that power is pulled, the source from which it is being pulled will die."

Everyone was silent again, each of them trying to process what he was saying.

"I've only seen this power used once," Harper added quietly. "And it left a trail of death in its wake. It is a power that only the Solas can use, and from what we know, it is very difficult to control."

"Then why on Earth would we want Louis to take a hold of it?" Jason asked with clear agitation. He felt especially protective of Louis, since the boy was his student and he genuinely liked him. "Why can't we just wait for him to...come of age as you said it?"

"Normally, I would agree with you," Harper answered. "...with all of you, in fact. But this time things are happening so quickly, and the demons are behaving in a very unpredictable way. It's almost as if they are frantic to get a hold of the Solas before he claims his power. It doesn't make sense, since the prophecy is very clear that the Solas must claim their power to be of any use to them. This urgency on their part worries me. I have no idea what they will do next. I think the only reason they haven't attacked again, is so that they can gather their strength. The strength of Louis' attack must have surprised them and I'm sure has caused more than a little wariness on their part. But it won't last. Eventually, they will come for him."

He was quiet for a moment before he said, "This is really the only way that I can see for us to have a chance of saving Louis."

"But it means that the rest of us, including the other children, will risk our lives to get him there," Tina said quietly, and to no one in particular.

"Yes," Harper answered softly. "And this is why I will not ask any of you to go. You have each risked your lives countless times in just the past twenty-four hours, but I cannot ask you to risk them further. I do ask that you stay with the rest of the children, though. They will need to be protected, too. Louis, his father and I will go alone."

There was a chorus of shaken heads and negative responses. It was clear from everyone in the living room that none of them would allow themselves to be left behind.

"But it doesn't change anything, Harper," James said with only a little less frustration in his voice than before. "Leaving during the storm is just too dangerous."

"Harper," Jerry said quietly as he looked at his brother-in-law. "I know you're trying to do what's best for the children, but I agree with James. I just think it's for the best that we wait until the storm clears before we leave to go anywhere."

Harper looked at Jerry for a moment before nodding his head and answering, "Alright, brother. I don't think it's the right decision, and I think we're taking a bigger risk than any of you realize. But I will obey your wishes." He stood up and added, "I'm going to step outside for a moment."

Harper walked to the front door and opened it. He hesitated for a moment with it open, as a blast of cold air flooded the living room. He seemed like he was about to say something else, but after a few seconds, he just sighed and walked out onto the porch and closed the door behind him. Cole thought that his uncle had looked defeated, which hurt him to see.

"He'll be alright, son," James said to Cole as he looked at the front door. "That man has a lot on his plate right now, and I reckon it's more than he's had in a long time. He just needs some time alone to figure things out."

Cole nodded at his neighbor, but watched the door, thinking of everything his uncle had said. He wondered if they were doing the right thing by waiting, or if they were merely giving their enemy the time they needed to regroup. And then the demons would be impossible to stop.

Louis stepped back from the opening and leaned against the wall. His heart was beating so quickly and loudly in his ears that he was sure someone in the other room would be able to hear it. He thought of everything he had heard from his uncle, that he was the Solas from the story he had heard the night before. When he had first heard the story, he had felt disconnected in a way, since he was fairly certain that it was about one of his older siblings and not him. He had been worried, of course. But finding out that he was likely the object of the demons' hunt put the story in a completely new perspective. He was terrified.

But a second emotion that raced through him was even more powerful than his fear, though it was a variation of it. He was afraid for his family and their friends. He had heard the way every single person in the other room had shot down Harper's suggestion that they stay back when it was time to leave. They would all willingly risk their own lives to help him and his family. He didn't like the thought of them doing that at all, though he couldn't think of a way to stop them. He was just a little kid. What could he do to stop an adult from doing anything that they insisted on doing?

He felt something brush against his leg and looked down in surprise to see Aidan staring up at him. He reached down and quietly stroked the fur behind her ears, and she closed her eyes with pleasure. Louis thought of how she had leapt to Vaughan's defense the night before and knew that the strange dog wouldn't stay behind, either. She would go where the family went. He kneeled down and hugged her briefly and felt a tongue swipe the top of his cheek once. Her fur was soft against his face and comforted him, pushing away the thoughts of fear and concern that had filled his mind. He held her for a moment more before letting go.

He looked into her eyes and thought of how familiar her eyes seemed, though he couldn't say why. As he looked at her, he realized suddenly how tired he was, and decided that there was nothing he could do about his problems that the adults wouldn't figure out first. He walked back to the couch and curled up on the opposite side from Billie, who continued to be in a deep sleep. Within moments, his breathing became as deep and regular as his sister's and he was fast asleep.

James watched Harper stand up and walk out onto the porch and regretted his tone during the debate on whether or not to leave the house. It was hard to think of one of the Aes Sidhe in human terms, especially considering the number of years they had lived. But they had emotions just like humans did, even if they were more complex due to their longer lives. And James had picked up on the conflict within Harper, had heard it in his voice and saw it in some of the subtle movements he made while speaking. He was at a loss as to what to do and didn't like feeling that way. James could respect such feelings. He had had them himself many times over the course of his life. And his life had been a fraction of the length of Harper's, which James imagined would only make him feel even more impotent than if his life had been shorter. When you've lived for several thousand years, you expect to be able to deal with just about anything.

Apparently, that's not always the case, James thought.

James had also picked up on the suspicion in Harper's voice, which would explain the combative reaction Harper had given to every one of James' suggestions. James knew that he had to fix that. It was essential that Harper trust him, or his ability to help the Ambrose family would be limited. He hated having to deal with people's emotions. That had been his wife's area of expertise. She had been able to reassure people of just about anything. It had been her way, as it had been with Arianna Ambrose. The two women had been completely unalike physically, but had shared nearly identical personalities. Not for the first time since he had found Cole in the woods near his house, he missed both of them – his wife, and Jerry's wife.

James stood up and walked over to the front door. He wondered if he was going to make the situation better or worse, but knew that he had to try something. He opened the door and stepped out into the cold.

Harper turned around at the sound of the door opening and made brief eye contact with James before looking back out at the snow. There had been open animosity in his eyes before he had turned, and James hadn't missed it.

"Harper, we need to talk," James said as he moved to stand next to Harper.

The snow had lightened somewhat, but continued to fall steadily. It was freezing outside, and James could see the breath from his nose steaming in the air. He looked over at Harper, who stood with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, wearing no more than a t-shirt.

"I have nothing more to say to you, James McCallister," Harper said quietly while continuing to stare at the falling snow. "And I would think that you said everything you had to say while we were inside."

"Have I wronged you in some way?" James asked as he looked at Harper. "Where does this animosity come from?"

Harper looked over at James as he answered, "I don't trust you, human. You have secrets that you are keeping from me...from all of us."

"We all have secrets, Harper," James answered. He was starting to feel less sympathy for the Aes Sidhe and more anger at his attitude toward him. "I would think you would understand that, having lived as long as you have. I will tell you this, though. I may have secrets, but there are none that I will keep from you if you ask."

Harper's eyes narrowed with suspicion, but he didn't respond. He stared at James for a few moments more and then turned his head slowly to stare at the snow again.

"Bah," James exhaled with frustration. "It's too damned cold out here already. I'm not going to stand out here and have you give me the cold shoulder on top of it."

James turned around and walked toward the door. But before he had taken two steps, a hand grabbed his upper arm. He turned around in shock, and was surprised to be inches from Harper's face. Fierce blue eyes stared at him and froze him in place.

"Why do you have that tattoo behind your ear?" Harper asked in a whisper.

The tattoo was a symbol with which Harper was very familiar, since he had the same one behind his own ear. It was a stylized griffin, the symbol of protection for all life. But the tattoo itself meant something, especially where it was placed. And he wanted to know why James McCallister would have such a tattoo.

James looked at Harper's perfect features, trying to find some flaw. But there was none. He had never been this close to one of the Aes Sidhe before, and he understood at that moment why they were able to become no more than a myth to humans, once they had chosen to remove themselves from humanity. He could feel the strength in Harper's grip, and his dazzling beauty made him seem almost god-like. But they weren't gods, and James knew that at that moment, Harper was afraid – afraid of anything that stood a chance of bringing harm to his family.

"I have the tattoo for the same reason you do," James answered quietly as he met Harper's stare. He hadn't seen the tattoo behind Harper's ear, but knew it was there. "And the same reason your sister did," he added.

"What do you know of my sister?" Harper said through clenched teeth.

His grip on James' arm tightened to the point that it was painful. "I knew what she was, as I knew what you were when I saw you," he answered. "We have sworn ourselves to the same purpose, Harper. I am Fairtheoiri, as you are...as Arianna was."

"Do not mock me, human," Harper said as his vise-like grip on James' arm tightened a little more. "The Sentinels are no more. They ended with the death of the last Solas, when we failed to protect him. Unlike you, I was there when it happened. I saw it happen."

James cried out softly in pain, and Harper's eyes widened slightly in surprise before he relaxed his grip.

"I know," James answered softly. "I saw the memories that were passed down through millennia and saw you there...you, Arianna and the others. It's how I knew what you were the first time I saw you both."

Harper released his grip on James' arm, but his eyes still held James in place with their intensity. "We didn't end with the death of the last Solas," James said. "We continued, as the Aes Sidhe sentinels did, in secret."

"That's not possible," Harper answered with confusion. "How could you have continued without the Aes Sidhe knowing?"

"Some of the Aes Sidhe knew, but agreed to keep our secret," James answered. "We were persecuted by the rest of mankind, just as you were, so we had no choice but to go into hiding...to wait for the next Solas."

Harper stared back at James, but said nothing. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was as if a two-thousand year old ghost from his past had appeared in front of him.

"And then nearly twenty years ago, we learned that there had been a pairing of human and Aes Sidhe again," James continued. "We reached out to the Aes Sidhe to offer our assistance in protecting the Solas that would come in to the world, and that is when things went terribly wrong. We were betrayed, as your people were. We were hunted by the demons, as your people were, and we had no choice. We broke off all contact to protect ourselves. Some of us went into hiding to protect our families."

"And that is why you're helping us?" Harper asked quietly. "Because of a vow you made to protect something you had no first-hand knowledge of...something you had never even seen?" He was still suspicious of James' motives.

"I made two vows to protect your family," James said with a serious voice. "One I made when I was young. It was made to a group with the same purpose – to save the world from darkness. It was a vow that I made out of youthful pride. But the second vow was far more important. It was a vow that I made with my heart, and to an amazing woman who needed my help. I promised your sister that I would protect her family, and I will give my life to honor that promise."

James looked at Harper in silence for a moment before turning and walking back into the house. As the door closed behind him, Harper tried to digest everything that James had said. It appeared that his sister had taken additional steps to safeguard her family beyond asking her younger brother for help.

He wasn't sure if he completely believed everything that James had said, but he had seen the conviction in his neighbor's eyes as he had spoken of his vows. He had spoken sincerely at that moment; of that, Harper had no doubt. He believed that James would give his life to protect any of the children. But ultimately, the safety of the children was his responsibility, and it sometimes meant making difficult decisions. He knew that waiting until the storm passed to leave the house was a mistake. It meant they were trapped there, and Harper didn't like being trapped.

He stared at the flakes of snow that drifted gently to the ground. Even his acute vision could not see more than a few hundred yards in the near-whiteout conditions. And not being able to see what waited for him and his family beyond that shifting ivory curtain terrified him.

# Chapter 21

Tuesday Afternoon, January 11th

Billie opened her eyes and looked around her. She recognized where she sat instantly. It was the porch of their house, where she usually met her mother in her dreams. She looked around for signs of her mother, but only saw Louis sitting next to her on the bench that sat next to the front door. His head was leaning against the back of the bench and his eyes were closed. His slightly open mouth and the steady rise and fall of his chest told Billie that her brother was asleep.

The snow was falling heavily past the front porch and Billie could feel the cold air reach through the jacket she was wearing and send a chill down her spine. She moved over to the side and snuggled against Louis and the warmth that he put off. He stirred as she moved against him and opened his eyes, looking around and then at Billie.

"What's going on?" Louis asked her as he looked around in confusion. "How can we be sitting on our front porch?"

Billie remembered seeing their house burning down the night before and knew why Louis was confused. Her brother didn't realize that they were in a dream. Billie knew that it was one of the special dreams because everything seemed so real. And it meant that Louis was really there, and not just because she had dreamt him there.

"We were both sleeping on Mr. McCallister's couch and when I woke up, we were here," Louis said as he watched the snow fall. "How can we be here?" he asked as he looked at Billie again.

Billie shivered in the cold, and Louis put his arm around her. He saw a folded blanket sitting on the bench to his right, so he unfolded it and wrapped it around the two of them.

"It's a dream, Louis," Billie told him as she snuggled up against him. "...a special kind of dream."

"But it feels so real," Louis said as he watched the snow continue to fall through the gray light beyond the porch.

"The special dreams always feel real," Billie answered quietly.

He had known that it had to be a dream, since their house had been completely destroyed by fire. But he had never experienced a dream that felt so...real. He could see everything so clearly, and even feel the cold air around him. Even the smell of Billie's hair was so real and exactly how it would have been had he been awake. He wondered if his sister was really there with him in the dream, or if he had brought the thought of her into it with him.

"Are we both having the same dream?" Louis asked.

He felt Billie nod her head in response, and he accepted her affirmation without question since she seemed to be more familiar with what was happening than he was.

"Have you had dreams like this before?" he asked his sister.

"Yes," she answered quietly. "Usually, mommy's here with me. But I'm glad that you're here. I wouldn't want to be here alone."

Louis was struck by the sound of fear in his sister's voice. Nothing about the scene around them seemed like it could be the cause of such fear. And he was surprised by the fact that Billie would dream about their mother. She had been just a baby when their mother had died, and he didn't think she had many memories of her, if any.

"What do you and mommy do when you have these dreams?" Louis asked. He was curious about the kind of dream that Billie would have with such limited memories of their mother.

"We just talk about things," Billie answered. "But sometimes, he comes and talks to her. I don't like him, but mommy doesn't seem to mind talking to him."

"Who comes to talk to you, Billie?" Louis asked. He didn't like the thought of some stranger sharing a dream with his sister for some reason. The sense of realness in the dream made it likely that whoever was here with Billie was actually in the dream and not something she had made up in her mind.

"Him," Billie answered as she pointed out into the snow.

Louis looked in the direction in which his sister had pointed and saw something moving through the snow. At first, he wasn't sure what it was, but the amount of falling snow lightened suddenly and he could see that a man was walking through it. He wore a black trench coat, which was buttoned and had its collar turned up. The man walked with his hands in his pockets, but didn't seem to be otherwise bothered by the cold. Louis couldn't make out much of his face through the snow, since he was still too far away. But he could see that the man had very pale skin and hair the color of night.

"Who is he?" Louis asked his sister softly. But she only shook her head in response, indicating she didn't know.

The man stepped onto the porch and pulled the gray scarf from his neck with gloved hands, and then he removed the gloves as he sat on the chair that faced Louis and Billie. Louis could finally see the man completely, and he was struck by how beautiful he was. His eyes were the prettiest violet color, and his teeth were a dazzling shade of white as he smiled at them.

"Hello, Billie," the man said as he looked at Louis' sister.

The man reminded Louis of Uncle Harper, though he didn't exactly look like him. It was something about the way he carried himself and something in his voice, though Louis couldn't say exactly what it was.

"Hello," Billie answered shyly. She seemed intimidated by the man, though Louis couldn't understand why. There didn't seem to be anything intimidating about him.

"Mommy's not here," Billie added as she reached her right arm around her brother's waist.

"I didn't come to speak with your mother, Billie," the man answered. "I came to speak with you and your brother. But forgive me for being rude," he said as he held his hand out to Louis. "My name is DeForester."

Louis wasn't sure if he should take the man's hand, but he didn't want to be rude. He reached out and grasped the man's hand, who returned the shake gently. His hand was surprisingly warm, considering the snowstorm that he had just been walking through.

"I'm Louis," Louis answered as he looked into the man's eyes.

DeForester held his hand for a moment before releasing it. His smile faded somewhat, but remained on his face as he stared at Louis for a moment in silence. Just when Louis was starting to feel uncomfortable, DeForester spoke again.

"I've been waiting a very long time to meet you, Louis," DeForester said as his smile widened. "Yes, a very long time."

Louis didn't understand what he meant, but he didn't say anything in response. Billie was silent and so still beside him that for a moment he thought she had fallen asleep. But when he looked down and to his left, he could see her eyelashes flutter as she blinked.

"You see, you're a very important person, Louis," DeForester said, as if reading Louis' mind. "And I believe it's important for you to understand why." He crossed his legs as he leaned back in the chair and folded his hands on his knees. He looked like he was sitting in someone's living room, rather than outside in a snowstorm. Some of the snow drifted onto the porch, but none of it seemed to fall on him.

"Do you know what the Solas is?" DeForester asked Loius without preamble.

Louis was surprised by the directness of the question, but he nodded as he answered, "Yes, my uncle told me about it."

"And did your uncle tell you that you are the Solas?" DeForester asked as he stared at Louis.

Louis shook his head and said, "No, he didn't tell me that. Uncle Harper didn't know which one of us is the Solas." He really didn't know who this man was, and something inside of him warned him not to volunteer too much information.

DeForester continued to stare at Louis with the same smile on his face, but didn't say anything for several seconds, as if he was considering something.

"I see," he finally said. "Well, did he at least tell you what the Solas must do?" His smile faded as he watched Louis for any kind of reaction.

"No, he didn't say anything," Louis lied. He didn't like that this man seemed to know so much about the things that were happening to his family. It made Louis not want to trust him, even though his appearance and demeanor made him think otherwise. And Louis didn't know which pieces of the information his uncle had given him should be kept secret, so he made the assumption that everything should be. And he was pretty sure that Uncle Harper would have agreed with his choice.

DeForester was quiet for what seemed to be an eternity as he watched Louis intently. Louis could tell that the man didn't believe what he was saying, but the stubborn side of Louis took over and he didn't care. He stared back at the man, refusing to say or do anything.

"Well, that's unfortunate," DeForester finally said.

Louis wasn't sure if he meant that it was unfortunate that Louis hadn't heard, or if it was unfortunate that Louis had lied. Either way, he continued to stare at the man in silence.

DeForester leaned forward, placing both feet on the ground as he said, "Then I will provide you with the details that your uncle failed to."

Louis tensed his right fist in response, but said nothing. He didn't like this man saying that Uncle Harper had failed at anything. He felt Billie stiffen, as well and knew that she felt the same way.

"The Solas will need to make a journey," DeForester said as he continued to lean forward in his chair and stare at Louis. "At the end of the journey, the Solas will need to make a choice – to stand up and face the darkness alone, or run away and forever be hunted until the end of its days."

"Is that all?" Louis asked sarcastically. "Doesn't sound like much of a choice, if you ask me."

DeForester chuckled lightly as he answered, "No, I suppose it doesn't. But there are many such choices in life, Louis. And in most cases, we must make a choice for one or the other. We simply have no choice but to make a choice."

It seemed like the man spoke in riddles, like his uncle sometimes did, and he wondered if that was the reason that the man reminded him of Uncle Harper.

"What if the Solas doesn't go?" Louis asked. "If the Solas doesn't make this journey, they won't have to make the choice you're talking about, right?"

DeForester grew serious as he looked at Louis and answered, "If the Solas doesn't make this journey, there will be great suffering in the world. Countless millions of people will face death and...things worse than death."

Louis was silent for a moment as he digested what the man had told him. He had no reason to trust what he was being told, but something told him that what DeForester was saying was true. And if it was, there was no way that he or any of the Ambrose children would allow such a thing to happen by simply avoiding having to make such a choice.

"All the Solas has to do is stand up to the darkness?" Louis asked softly. It didn't sound so bad – sort of like standing up to a bully at school. He was pretty sure he could do that.

"Not exactly," DeForester answered with a neutral expression. "The Solas must stand up to the darkness and defeat it."

"You mean that man...Tim," Louis said.

"Tim Matheson is a servant of the darkness," DeForester corrected with a tilt of his head. "The Solas must face the darkness itself, not merely its servant."

Louis didn't like the sound of that. "What if I...I mean what if the Solas loses?"

DeForester's expression grew sad again as he answered, "If the Solas loses, that..." He seemed to think for a moment before finishing, "...that will be worse for this world than if the Solas never made the journey I spoke of."

"Louis can't go and fight any darkness!" Billie yelled as she leaned forward. "He's just a little kid, like me. And you can't make him do anything. I won't let you!"

"Shh," Louis said as he held his sister back. "It's okay, Billie. We're not going anywhere until we talk to Dad and Uncle Harper."

"I am sorry, Louis," DeForester said, ignoring Billie's outburst. He stood up and walked over to where Louis and Billie sat, and then kneeled down so that he was looking Louis in the eye.

"I truly am sorry that someone so young must face such a choice," DeForester said. "You and I both know that you are the one who must face this choice. And if it were up to me, you would have more time to prepare for it." He smiled sadly as he added, "But it's not up to me."

He looked past Louis for a moment and seemed to be seeing something far away. "It's never been up to me," he added so softly that Louis almost didn't hear him.

DeForester's eyes focused on Louis again as he said, "Each of us have a destiny in some way, Louis. We make choices throughout our lives that may delay our destiny, but eventually it has a way of catching up to us. And for some of us, we must face that destiny very early in life."

"Why are you telling me this?" Louis asked quietly. He didn't like being so close to the man, though he felt a strange attraction to him. He could see every line and contour of the man's beautiful face and it was perfect. Again, Louis was reminded of his Uncle Harper, whose features had the same kind of perfection. But this man was cold and aloof, in spite of his expressive features, making Uncle Harper seem cheery by comparison.

"Your family and friends will lay down their lives for you, Louis," DeForester said as he looked into Louis' eyes.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Louis asked stubbornly.

"They will throw their lives away, Louis," DeForester answered. "They cannot stop what must happen any more than you can. But they will try, as long as you allow them to." He continued to look into Louis' eyes as he added, "As long as you are with them, they will be in danger. I'm telling you these things to spare their lives...to convince you to spare their lives and make this journey without them."

"Don't listen to him, Louis," Billie whispered. "He's lying."

"Your sister knows this is true," DeForester answered as he looked briefly at Billie. "Tim Matheson knows you are the Solas, Louis. He saw what you were able to do to those demons last night. Even now, he is regaining his strength, and calling more of the creatures to him. And once he has, even the protections around James McCallister's house will not be able to stop him. It is only a matter of hours before he will be back."

The stranger seemed to know everything that Louis had overheard his uncle and the others discussing that morning. It lent an air of truth to everything he was saying. And whether or not Louis liked it, it made him trust what DeForester was saying.

"How can I make the journey by myself?" Louis asked before Billie could say anything to refute what the man had said. His voice broke slightly as he spoke, and his hands were shaking slightly, as he thought of what the man had said. He was terrified, and didn't want to accept anything that was being said, much less consider making a journey to face an unknown enemy alone. And then he thought of his father, his siblings and his uncle, and the friends that had already risked so much for him and his family. If he stayed with them, they would all be killed. He knew that with the stubborn certainty of a child that doesn't see the subtle choices in life that adults do.

"Billie's right," Louis said as he started to consider what he was being told. "I'm just a kid. I don't even know where to go or how to get there."

DeForester nodded as he answered, "Yes, the journey would be impossible to make alone. But I can send you a guide who will help you."

"Why should I trust you?" Louis asked.

"You shouldn't!" Billie shouted. "He's lying, Louis! You're not going anywhere with him!"

"Shh, Billie," Louis said soothingly as he pulled his sister closer.

"The question is a valid one," DeForester said to Louis. "But even if you don't trust my motives, you know that what I'm telling you is true. As long as your family and friends are near you, their lives will be in danger. You're a good child, Louis. I can see that in you. You don't want anyone to be hurt trying to protect you."

He stood up and looked down at Louis as he said, "You must decide, I'm afraid. I can send someone to help you on your journey, but you must leave the others behind."

Louis looked up at him, refusing to look away, in spite of how tall and imposing he now seemed to be. His violet eyes seemed to capture the lights from the porch and reflect them back in such a way that they almost appeared to be glowing. Every inch of his mind screamed for Louis not to trust this man, that he was far better off under the protection of his family and their friends. But he had little doubt that he was the Solas. He had seen the amazing things his older siblings were able to do, but none of it compared to the raging fire storm that he had created and used to wipe out the demons the night before. And he knew from what his uncle had told him that the Solas was the object of the demons' search, which meant that whoever was with the Solas would be in danger. The thought of journeying through the mountains alone and facing whatever enemy was waiting for him terrified him. But the thought of any of the people he loved dying for him caused an even more powerful fear within him.

Louis looked up at the man and nodded once. "I'll do it," he said.

"Louis, no!" Billie whispered fiercely. She clung to his arm, moving her body closer to his, as if she could stop him by simply refusing to let him go.

"You've made a brave choice, Louis," DeForester said as he looked down. His eyes looked sad to Louis, but his face was otherwise expressionless as he held out his hand. "Take my hand and you will awaken. You must leave immediately."

Louis hesitated as he looked up at the man. He felt something wet against his cheek and realized that Billie was crying.

"Louis, please don't go," Billie whispered.

"You'll be alright, Billie," Louis said soothingly as he kissed his sister's forehead.

"I'm not worried about me, you bonehead," Billie said angrily as she wiped away a tear with her free hand while continuing to cling to him with the other. "Please, Louis."

"I'm afraid it's now or never, Louis," DeForester said as he continued to hold out his hand. He looked behind him and into the blowing snow for a moment before returning his gaze to Louis.

"I must leave now," DeForester said with a tone of urgency in his voice. He looked back again and whispered, "She's coming."

Louis reached out his hand, but before he touched DeForester's outstretched hand, he looked at his sister once. "I'm sorry," he said as a single tear fell down his cheek.

And then he and DeForester were gone.

Billie stared in shock at where her brother had been, but he had vanished, along with the man with the violet eyes. She cried out her brother's name several times, but there was no answer. Only the warmth that he had left behind under the blanket confirmed that he had been there at all. Billie looked out into the snow and cried, convinced that she would never see Louis again.

But as she watched the falling snow, it seemed to lighten suddenly and after a few seconds stopped altogether. Tears blurred her vision, but as she looked out across the snow-covered vista, a figure appeared in the distance. At first, she thought it was Louis returning to her. But as the figure moved closer, she could see that it was a woman walking through the snow, though she couldn't see her face clearly. Finally, the woman moved close enough for Billie to see who it was.

"Mommy!" Billie screamed as she threw the blanket from her and ran down the porch steps. The snow was deep as she ran toward her mother, but her feet seemed to only skim the top of it and sunk no more than an inch into the powdery stuff.

Arianna kneeled down as her daughter neared and a smile graced her beautiful features as she held out her arms. Billie leaped into her mother's arms and hugged her fiercely. She couldn't remember ever being so happy to see anyone as she was to see her mother at that moment.

"Hi honey," Arianna said as she held her daughter. She kissed her on the cheek and then looked into her eyes, which were the twin of her own. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner."

"Where were you?" Billie asked. "That man was here again, the one that I don't like. And Louis went with him."

Arianna looked very concerned suddenly as she heard what Billie said. "Where did Louis go with the man, Billie?"

Billie shrugged her shoulders as she answered, "I don't know. The man said something about a journey, and then he and Louis disappeared. I tried to find Louis, but he was gone." Fresh tears started falling as Billie thought of her brother and she choked back a sob as she added, "I tried to stop him, mommy. But he wouldn't listen to me."

"It's okay, honey," Arianna said soothingly. "I know where they're going, and we'll make sure Louis isn't alone, okay?"

Billie nodded as she sniffed and wiped away her tears. "Mommy, why weren't you here when we got here?" she asked as she looked into her mother's eyes.

Arianna looked chagrined as she answered, "I'm sorry, honey. I tried to get here sooner, but someone was keeping me from reaching you. I think it was the man who kept me from here, though I've never seen such a thing done before." She looked off into the woods that surrounded the dream-house and said quietly, "I think I've underestimated his reach, and I wish I knew what was driving him."

"Who is he, mommy?" Billie asked as she snuggled her face against her mother's dress. Billie realized for the first time that her mother was wearing only a knee-length dress and light shoes as she kneeled in the snow. But she didn't seem to notice the cold and her body felt warm against Billie, and it made her feel safe.

"I don't know, honey," Arianna answered as she stroked Billie's hair. "I just know that he's always been there, in my dreams. I don't know what he wants, which troubles me."

"Where is he taking Louis?" Billie asked. She was worried about her brother going anywhere alone.

"He's taking Louis to a special place in the mountains," Arianna answered as she continued to stroke her daughter's hair. "But we won't let him go alone."

"But the man said he had to go alone," Billie said as she leaned back and looked into her mother's eyes again. "Who's going to go with him?"

Arianna smiled at her daughter and said, "You're going to go with him, honey."

"Me?" Billie asked, confused. "What can I do to help him? I'm an even littler kid than he is!"

"You can help him, honey," Arianna answered as her smile widened. "There is a special kind of strength in you that none of your siblings have, and that Louis will need. And you must go to the special place to find that strength."

Billie was quiet for a moment as she thought of what her mother was saying to her. "Okay, I'll go," she answered. If what her mother was saying was true, and that she was the only one who could help Louis, she would do it.

"What do I need to do when I get to the special place?" Billie asked as she curled a strand of her mother's hair around her finger.

"You'll know what to do when you get there," Arianna answered as she looked into Billie's eyes. She was quiet for a moment as tears filled her eyes. Finally, she smiled again and said, "I'm very proud of you for being so brave, honey."

Billie leaned in and placed her head on her mother's chest as she continued to play with Arianna's hair. Arianna leaned her cheek against the top of her daughter's head as they both watched the snow start to fall again in silence. It fell lightly around them, but none of it touched them as they quietly held each other.

After a few more moments, Arianna broke the silence. "It's time for you to leave, honey," she said quietly. "You have to catch up with your brother."

Billie leaned back and looked at her mother as she answered, "I hate leaving you mommy."

"Oh, honey," Arianna said as she hugged her daughter. "Don't you know that I'm always with you? You may not be able to see me, but I am always there." She leaned back and looked into Billie's eyes as she said, "I love you, Billie." And then she kissed her daughter's forehead.

Billie hugged her mother one last time and told her, "I love you too, mommy." And then everything around them faded, and Billie could feel her mother's presence no more.

When Billie opened her eyes again, she was staring at what looked like the ceiling of a room. She looked around in confusion, looking for signs of her mother. But then she remembered that the only time she saw her mother was in her dreams, and she was now awake. The sound of voices drifted in from another room and she remembered that she was at Mr. McCallister's house. She had fallen asleep on the couch where they had laid Louis down. She sat up on the couch and looked around for her brother, but there was no sign of him. He had already left on his journey and she needed to catch up to him.

Billie stood up and made her way as quietly as she could to the foyer of the house. She quickly put on her winter gear and noticed that Loius' gear was missing. When she had finished putting her jacket on, she reached for the front door handle. Something brushed against her leg and she jumped slightly as she looked down to see what it was.

A pair of brown eyes looked up at her. Aidan stood next to her, looking as if she was waiting for her to do something.

"Shoo," Billie whispered as she reached down and tried to push her away. But Aidan refused to move. "I have to leave, Aidan."

Billie pushed her a little harder, but the dog moved right next to her again and refused to move. Billie thought of the journey through the snow to find Louis and suddenly thought that a little companionship might not be so bad. And she also knew that if she didn't hurry, someone might hear her or catch her trying to leave. She had to leave now.

"Alright, you can come with me," Billie whispered as she reached down and stroked the fur between the dog's ears. "Silly dog," she added as she kissed Aidan's head.

As quietly as she could, Billie opened the front door and stepped out on to the porch. The snow was still falling, though it looked like it had lightened somewhat. The cold air hit the exposed parts of her skin immediately, so she pulled her scarf over her nose to block as much of it as possible.

"Where do we go?" she asked herself as she looked out at the winter vista. She had no idea where Louis had gone, or even where to start looking.

Aidan suddenly ran from the porch and jumped into the snow, sniffing at the ground. She stopped at a point near the steps leading to the porch and looked up at Billie. She woofed softly once and continued to stare, but didn't move from her spot. Billie walked down the steps and over to where the dog stood, wondering if Aidan had found something. As soon as she got close to the dog, she knew that Aidan had. Billie could see footprints that hadn't yet been covered by the snow. They moved in the direction of the woods near Mr. McCallister's house, in the direction from which the family had fled the night before. The footprints were only slightly larger than Billie's own, and she was sure that they were her brother's.

"Good job, girl," Billie said as she pet Aidan's head. "Alright, let's go find my bonehead brother," she told Aidan as she started following the tracks.

The two of them moved through the deep snow as quickly as they could, but Billie worried that her brother had already gone too far. The thought of him alone in the snow caused a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach that she was too young to realize was worry. She still wasn't sure what she would be able to do to help Louis, but nothing was going to stop her from trying.

# Chapter 22

Tuesday Afternoon, January 11th

Harper finished making the last of the sandwiches that he had made for everyone and arranged them on the large plate that he had found in one of the cupboards in James McCallister's house. He had an excess buildup of nervous tension and fixing everyone lunch was helping to relieve some of it. It was a mistake for them to wait for the snow to clear, he knew this without a doubt. But he had made every argument he could think of and still his brother-in-law had refused. He felt no animosity toward Jerry for his decision. Had he been in the same position as Jerry, if his choice had been to willingly place his children in danger in the middle of a snowstorm or to wait it out in the hope that they could find help, he probably would have made the same choice.

Cole stood next to Harper at the sink, filling several glasses with ice from the large ice bin that he had pulled from the freezer.

"How long do you think we have?" Cole asked his uncle quietly.

Harper looked over at his nephew, surprised by the question. "I don't know," he answered honestly. "But the longer we wait, the greater the likelihood that Tim Matheson and his minions will attack again. And if that happens, we will no longer be able to escape this place. We will be trapped."

Cole was quiet for a moment before saying, "He thinks he's doing what's right for us." He looked over at his father sitting in the far corner of the kitchen, wondering what was going through his head.

Harper smiled slightly as he answered, "I know he is, Cole."

Harper opened a bag of potato chips and poured them into a bowl as he asked Cole, "Where have the wolves gone? I don't feel them nearby anymore."

"I sent them back to their den," Cole answered as he grabbed a stack of napkins from atop the refrigerator. He looked a little embarrassed as he added, "I didn't want any more of them to get hurt."

Harper smiled again as he thought of Cole's gentle nature. "I completely understand," he told him. "They've already given up so much for us."

The voices of the rest of their group drifted over from the large kitchen table that sat in one corner of the room, and Cole could hear that they were simply making conversation about everyday things. It lent a sense of normalcy to their current situation, dispelling some of the tension that had built during their debate on what they would do next. Cole looked over at the table and saw his family, and the people who had become like family to him in the space of a single night. He hoped that his uncle was wrong and that they would be safe in the house. He didn't like the thought of losing anyone who sat at that table.

James caught Cole staring and met his eyes for a second before smiling. Cole smiled back before returning his attention to finishing the lunch preparations. He was grateful for the teacher and everything he had done. There was no way they would have made it through the night without his help. But he also agreed with his uncle that there were some things about Mr. McCallister that he wasn't telling them – things that were tied to everything that had been happening to the Ambrose family. It didn't make Cole trust Mr. McCallister any less, but it made him wonder what his motives were.

Cole placed the last of the glasses, along with some cans of soda and a pitcher of water on a large tray. He picked it up and walked toward the table.

"Lunch is ready," Cole said as he laid down the tray.

James looked up at Cole and smiled again. "I'll go wake up the little ones," he told him as he pushed back from the table and stood up. He walked past Harper, who refused to make eye contact with him as he placed the large plate of sandwiches next to the tray Cole had set down. James pursed his lips in frustration, but walked out of the kitchen without saying anything.

Everyone dug into lunch with enthusiasm, all of them realizing how hungry they were when the delicious-looking sandwiches were placed in front of them. Harper took a small sandwich for himself and chewed on it, relishing the mix of flavors and textures. He thought of James and wondered if he was treating him unfairly. The man had proven that he wanted to protect the children by risking his life for their safety several times. That should have been enough for Harper to trust him. But he couldn't believe that what James had said about the human Sentinels was true. He had roamed in the human world for nearly two thousand years since the death of the last Solas, refusing to go into hiding like most of his people had. And during that time he had seen no evidence of that ancient order surviving to the present day. He had encountered other humans with magical abilities numerous times, but none had recognized him for what he was. And he was confident that had he run across a human who was a member of the Sentinels, he would have recognized that person instantly for what they were. To Harper, it meant that what James had said was untrue. And if he had lied about that, Harper didn't know what else James McCallister had lied about. He didn't like anyone being involved in their fight to protect the children if he couldn't trust them to be honest with him.

James came running into the kitchen suddenly, and Harper turned to look at him.

"They're gone," James said with huge eyes. "Louis and Billie, they're not here!"

Jerry stood up from the table so quickly that his chair fell over backward. "What do you mean?" he asked James with an expression of fear on his face.

"They're not anywhere in the house," James answered. "And their coats and winter things are gone too."

"Are you sure?" Larry asked as he stood up and moved next to Jerry. "Did you check the entire house?"

"Yes," James answered. "And I checked outside. There's no sign of them, and there was no sign that anyone broke into the house. The front door was unlocked."

Everyone else stood up, but didn't move, frozen by indecision. Tina was the first to speak.

"I went to the bathroom about twenty minutes ago, and saw them both asleep on the couch," Tina said as she looked around at the rest of the group.

Larry looked at Tina and then nodded as he said, "Okay, it means they couldn't have gone very far. Everyone get their jackets on and let's get outside to look for signs of where they went."

Larry's tone and sense of urgency spurred everyone into action. Within no more than a minute or two, everyone was outside on the porch, dressed for the cold and searching for signs of Billie and Louis. The snow continued to fall, though it had lightened enough that they could see all the way to the woods leading to the Ambrose house. Billie and Louis were not anywhere nearby, and no one knew in which direction they had gone.

Cole stood in the snow near the porch steps, searching for footprints or other signs. But he couldn't find anything in the fresh powder, and he knew that if they had been gone for even twenty minutes, as Tina had suggested, the snow would have covered any tracks.

Aidan is gone, as well.

Cole heard Cody's voice in his head and turned in surprise to see the dog standing on the porch, staring at him.

"Do you think she went with them?" Cole asked.

Aidan is a very unusual creature, Cody replied. I cannot sense her thoughts as I can the thoughts of other animals. She is very protective of you and the other children. It makes sense that she would stay with the young ones.

Cole nodded before asking, "Can you see if you can pick up their scent and which direction they went in?"

The snow will make it difficult, Cody answered in Cole's thoughts. But I'll see what I can find.

Cody walked over to where Cole stood and started sniffing at the ground, moving in ever-wider circles. After several seconds, he stopped in one spot and sniffed several times, then moved in a line away from the porch. Finally, he looked up at Cole and barked once.

Here is the trail, Cody said in Cole's head. They are headed toward the remains of your house.

"What did he say?" Harper asked as he walked up to stand next to Cole. The rest of the family was looking around for signs of Billie and Louis, so they hadn't seen Cody searching near the porch. "Did he find something?"

Cole looked over at his uncle and saw that he held his spear in his hand as he looked at Cody. "He said that they headed back toward our house," Cole answered his uncle. "And Aidan went with them."

"Aidan?" Harper asked with surprise. He looked in the direction of the Ambrose house, where the trees were just barely visible through the snow. "That is good news," he added. "But it's not enough." He looked over at Cole and his expression was serious. "Tell your father that I went after them and to follow me as soon as he can." Before Cole could say anything, his uncle lifted his spear and ran toward the woods near the house. His feet glided over the deep snow as he ran and within a few moments he had disappeared between the trees.

"Harper!" Jerry shouted after his brother-in-law in futility. He walked over to where Cole stood, and the others followed behind him until everyone was standing in a close-knit circle near the porch steps. They all shifted their feet and rubbed their hands in an attempt to ward off the cold, except for the three oldest Ambrose children. They felt the cold, but it didn't bother them the way it did the others.

"Where did he go?" Jerry asked Cole as he looked in the direction in which Harper had run.

"Cody found their trail," Cole answered. "They were headed in the direction of our house, through the woods over that way," he added as he pointed towards the trees. "Uncle Harper went after them and asked us to follow as soon as we were ready."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Larry asks. "Let's go after them!" He started moving in the direction in which Cole had pointed, but Jerry grabbed his partner's arm.

"Hold on, Larry," Jerry told him. "They've been gone for at least half an hour. They could be more than halfway to the house by now." He turned to James McCallister and asked him, "Do you have a four-wheel drive vehicle?"

James snorted as he answered, "Doesn't everyone in Evergreen? It can't make it through those woods, though. There are too many trees."

"That's not what I had in mind," Jerry answered. "We need to split up." He looked around at the group and then said, "Vaughan and I will take Cody and go after Harper. The rest of you will go with James and drive over to the house to see if you can head them off."

"I'm going with you," Tina said as she looked at Jerry.

Jerry looked at the young teacher in surprise and was about to refuse her request, but something inside him made him reconsider. He couldn't explain why, but he had a feeling that Tina's presence would help him in some way.

"Tina, it's too dangerous," Jason said as he took her hand. "Please, come with us."

"It's okay, Jason," Tina answered. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and then looked at him. "I'll be perfectly safe with Jerry. And if we find the kids, Jerry will need help with them."

Jason was about to argue with her. He didn't like the thought of her being out in the snow and cold again. Even worse was the thought that she might run into more of the demons while in the woods with Jerry and Vaughan. But he had seen how brave she was and how Billie and Louis both responded to her. There was a greater chance that Jerry and Vaughan would find the youngest children first, and having Tina with them might keep Billie and Louis from running away again. No one had asked why the two had left in the first place, but Jason was sure that he shared the same guess as the rest of the group – Louis had probably heard the conversation in the living room about him being the Solas and was trying to protect the rest of them. And from what little Jason knew about the closeness of the Ambrose children, Billie had probably gone because she didn't want her older brother going alone.

"Alright, then," Jerry said as he looked around at everyone. "Let's get going."

James nodded once and then disappeared into the house. A moment later a large SUV pulled up next to the house. James got out of the driver's side door and walked over to Jerry with a small duffle bag in his hand. He handed the bag to Jerry, who looked at it in confusion. It was heavier than he expected for such a small bag.

"There are eight more clips in there for your handgun," James said as he nodded at the bag. "And I've got just as many for Larry in the car. I figured you were both out. I'm afraid I don't have anything for the bigger guns you were using, but it looks like you're both more than capable with the smaller ones."

Larry was standing a few feet from Jerry and heard what James had said. "Every time I think you can't possibly be more useful, you manage to surprise me," he said to James with a smile. James nodded and walked back toward the car, where everyone but Tina, Vaughan and Cody were piling in through the open doors.

Larry turned to Jerry and put his hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, Sid," he told his partner. "Something's fishy about those two just leaving like that," he said as he looked into the woods. "I've got a bad feeling about it, but can't say why."

Jerry nodded as he answered, "I will. I figure Cody will smell anything coming well ahead of time. And we'll meet up with Harper. He'll know if something's going on." Jerry took Larry's warning seriously, since his feelings had saved both of their lives more times than Jerry could count. "You be careful too. And watch out for Cole and Dinah for me."

"You know I will," Larry said simply as he patted Jerry's shoulder once before walking over to the car.

Larry hated the thought of splitting up, since he and Jerry were always at their best when they were together. But he also knew that Jerry was covering all bases by having them split into two groups, and that it increased their chances of finding Billie and Louis quickly and getting back to the house. He climbed into the front passenger seat of the car and saw a second, small duffle bag in the foot well. He pushed one of the clips from inside the bag into his handgun before replacing it in its holster under his shoulder, and then put the additional clips in the pockets in his vest as the car pulled away from the house and down the snow-covered driveway. The knot that had formed in the pit of his stomach when he had heard that the two youngest children had gone missing refused to go away, confirming his suspicions that something strange had caused them to leave. It made him edgy with anxiety, which the confinement of the car only worsened. He hoped that his feeling was wrong and that the two had wandered off for a simple reason. But though he was frequently wrong about many things in his life, when he got one of his feelings they had always been right.

Jerry pushed the last extra clip into one of the pockets in his vest and put his coat back on. He looked at Vaughan, standing a few feet away with his sword strapped over his shoulder. Jerry couldn't get used to seeing his son looking like some kind of teenaged samurai, and he hated the thought of exposing him to danger, but he knew that Vaughan's skills would come in handy if they ran into any of the demons while looking for Billie and Louis. He had been forced to rely on his three older children throughout their ordeal the night before, and knew that he would have to again until they figured out a more permanent solution. But he didn't like it.

"Vaughan, I want you and Cody to run ahead of me and Ms. Waverly," Jerry said to his son as he walked over to him. He placed his hand on his shoulder and looked down into his eyes. "If you find anything, I want you to come back and tell us what it is. You're not to do anything else. Understand?"

"Sure, Dad," Vaughan answered as he looked up at his father. He had been exhausted the night before, but had slept for a solid eight hours and felt energized again. He had no doubts about his fighting prowess and was confident that he could defeat any of the demons that he and Cody ran into. But he would honor his father's wishes and serve only as a scout as they made their way through the woods.

Vaughan was worried about Billie and Louis. His younger brother seemed to have a power that was greater than his own, and greater than Dinah's or Cole's, but he was even younger than Vaughan. And he didn't always have the best sense or make the best decisions. Billie, on the other hand, had always seemed very sensible and determined to Vaughan. He hoped that her good sense could influence Louis enough to keep him from doing something even more stupid than running off in the first place.

"Ready?" Jerry asked Tina as he looked over at her.

Tina zipped up the collar of her jacket so that it covered the lower half of her face. But the determination in her eyes was clear when she answered, "Ready." The word had been slightly muffled by the jacket, but Jerry heard her.

"Alright, let's go find them," Jerry said as he nodded at Vaughan and then Cody. He still had a hard time thinking of Cody as a sentient being, possessing intelligence equal to or greater than any human being. Harper had explained the dog's origins the night before, and Jerry had accepted what he had said. A part of him admitted that Cody had always seemed smarter than a typical dog and more like an equal to the members of his family than a dog typically did. He had been forced to accept more unusual things in the past twenty-four hours than in his entire life. If Larry had told him that he didn't really grow up in New York, and instead came from some distant planet, Jerry wasn't sure how surprised he would have been to hear it.

Jerry started walking through the snow with Tina at his side as Vaughan and Cody jogged ahead. The snow continued to fall, making the outlines of the trees seem fuzzy and indistinct in the near distance. It lent a more sinister appearance to the woods, which heightened Jerry's anxiety as he approached the trees. His two youngest children were in there, alone and in the cold, with nothing more than a strange dog to protect them.

The snow fell only lightly within the woods, making it easier for Louis to walk. His feet had sunken in the snow near Mr. McCallister's house and made it harder for him to move quickly. He had worried about losing precious minutes in his attempt to escape the protection of his family and friends and thereby ensure their safety. But once he had reached the shelter of the trees, the snow had been much shallower and he had been able to increase his pace. Even if they had already noticed his absence and come after him, Louis was confident that he had enough of a lead that he would be able to meet up with DeForester's guide before his family and friends could find him.

He continued to push through the snow, while looking around him for signs of his guide. He really had no idea what to look for, but he assumed that it wasn't likely that there would be many people wandering through the woods in the middle of a snowstorm. At the same time, it felt like he had already come a long way and had seen no one. Louis began to worry that he had made a mistake and that no one was coming to guide him. The promise of a guide had been made in a dream by a complete stranger, but Louis had trusted that everything he had seen and heard in the dream had been real. Now he wondered if it had simply been a dream after all.

The sound of movement in the snow behind him reached his ears and he turned around to see what it was. He ducked behind a tree as a precaution against the possibility that the thing making the noise wasn't friendly and then scanned the woods for movement.

Something appeared in the distance, gliding through the trees in almost complete silence. But Louis' hearing had become more acute recently and he was able to pick up the slight sound of snow crunching over the frigid breeze that blew through the woods. He couldn't make out exactly what the shape was, but he could tell that it moved on all fours, which caused a shiver of fear to run up his spine. The demons had found him.

But when he looked at the shape more closely, he realized that it was far smaller than the huge size of the demons. And yet he couldn't figure out what it was until it turned and faced him. Then he recognized the shape instantly.

"Aidan!" he said loudly enough for her to hear.

The dog raised her head and looked at him in surprise before running through the snow toward him. Louis kneeled down to meet her and was nearly knocked over by the force of her greeting as she pushed against him and licked his face repeatedly. He laughed as she continued kissing him and finally pushed him back into the snow.

"There you are!" Louis heard a voice shout.

He recognized the voice instantly, and wasn't surprised when he pushed Aidan's head back and saw Billie staring down at him with her hands on her hips. Louis nearly laughed at the expression of disapproval on her face, but he decided not to provoke her. He also wasn't happy to see that she had followed him.

"Billie, what are you doing here?" Louis asked as he stood up and faced his sister. "You shouldn't have come after me!"

"You shouldn't have left by yourself!" Billie answered defiantly. "Me and Aidan had to come out in the snow looking for you! It's cold out here, you know!"

"No one told you to come out in the snow," Louis said sullenly. He didn't like feeling guilty, but Billie had a way of making him feel that way sometimes. "You should have stayed at Mr. McCallister's house."

"Mommy told me I had to come after you, that you'll need my help," Billie said as she raised her nose in the air with a slightly offended expression.

Louis looked at his sister in confusion. He remembered the dream that they had shared, and remembered Billie telling him that their mother frequently met her in those dreams. But she hadn't been there in his dream.

"Mom wasn't even in the dream," Louis told her suspiciously. "How could she have told you to come after me?"

Billie roller her eyes before answering, "Well, if you had waited with me, and not gone away with that man, you would have seen her!"

"She came and spoke to you?" Louis asked softly. It had been so many years since he had seen his mother that his memories were vague. But he still missed her every day. "What did she say?"

Billie's expression softened as she looked at her brother and saw the sadness on his face. She was pretty sure that she knew why he had left on his own, that he believed he was protecting the rest of his family and their friends. He had done it because he believed it was the right thing to do, which made it difficult for her to stay mad at him.

"She said that you shouldn't be alone," Billie answered his question. "And that you're going to need my help."

"Did she say anything else?" Louis asked. He craved some kind of message from his dead mother, something that would have reassured him as he began to doubt his decision to follow DeForester's advice.

"She said that she was still with us," Billie answered. She wasn't sure what Louis was hoping to hear, but she rarely lied and didn't want to make something up just to make her brother feel better.

"She did?" Louis asked. The thought that his mother was somehow near them and looking over them provided the comfort that he needed. He hated the thought of leaving his family, but he was confident that what DeForester had told him was true – that he was the one who the demons were looking for, and that staying with his family would only place them in greater danger.

Aidan licked his cheek gently and he looked over at the dog in surprise. As he looked into her brown eyes, he pictured his mother's smiling face. When Billie had first told him of her dreams, he hadn't believed them to be anything more than dreams. But now he believed that his mother had somehow found a way to come back into their lives through his younger sister. He looked at Billie and felt a momentary surge of jealousy that she had been chosen by their mother and not him, but it quickly passed. Billie had had the least amount of time with their mother, so he decided that it was only fair that she would make a connection with her in some other way.

Seeing Billie and hearing about his mother had lifted his spirits, but it didn't mean that he agreed with his sister coming after him.

"Billie, you need to go back to the house," Louis told her. "It's too dangerous for you to come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere without you," Billie answered determinedly. "So, if I'm going back to the house, so are you."

Louis had seen that expression on Billie's face many times before. He couldn't remember her ever throwing tantrums, but she was definitely the most stubborn of his siblings, even more so than Dinah. He knew he stood as much a chance of convincing her to go back to Mr. McCallister's house as she had of convincing him to change his mind and go back with her.

"Okay, you can come with me," Louis said finally with a sigh. He was secretly glad that he didn't have to meet up with his guide alone, but worried about the safety of his little sister. "We'd better get going before Dad and the others come looking for us."

Billie nodded in response and then the two siblings started walking through the woods, heading toward where their house used to lay. Aidan followed along at their side, stopping occasionally to lift her head and sniff at the air before catching up to the two children again.

Billie stumbled suddenly and fell forward into the snow. Louis reached down to help her up and brushed the snow from her jacket and pants. He saw her shiver once as a light breeze blew by.

"I'm cold, Louis," she said as she shivered again.

Louis reached behind her head and pulled up the hood on her coat, covering her head and ears. "Keep this up, okay?"

Billie nodded, but didn't respond. Louis was worried about her, but there wasn't anything he could do about the cold. "Let's keep moving," he told her. "It will help keep us warm."

Louis held out his gloved hand to his sister and she pulled her mittens up to make sure that none of her skin was exposed to the cold before taking Louis' hand. They walked through the woods together, hand-in-hand as the snow drifted down gently through the trees. Aidan walked along beside them, and had either of them looked closely at her face, they would have noticed eyes that were wet with unshed tears.

"I'm glad you're with me," Louis said softly to his sister as he led them through the snow.

"Me too," Billie answered as her body slowly warmed with activity. She hated the cold, but was glad that she had come after her brother.

The rest of their journey was made in complete silence. Neither of them knew who their guide would be or where they would be taken, which filled them both with fear. But they also shared another thought that managed to keep their spirits up. At least they were together and neither of them was alone.

# Chapter 23

Tuesday Late Afternoon, January 11th

Harper stopped for a moment once he had passed the tree line. He had heard Jerry shouting his name, but had ignored him and run on into the woods. Louis and Billie had been gone long enough that someone could have easily taken them. If that had happened, Harper knew that the children would be long gone by now. But he could feel their presence and knew that they were nearby, somewhere straight ahead of him. He had always been able to feel the presences of his sister's children, though not as strongly as he could feel the presence of one of his people when they were near. Every Aes Sidhe could feel the presence of other thinking creatures, as well, including humans, but only if they were very close to them. With his nieces and nephews, the feeling was stronger even at a distance. On school days, he had been able to feel the general direction in which each child was from the Ambrose house. It had made him less fearful about leaving the children alone at their schools. And now the feeling that Billie and Louis were just ahead of him lessened his fear again. He only hoped that they hadn't run into the demons or their allies.

His eyes scanned the snow near him for any signs of the children's passage and within moments he saw a single pair of small boot prints. Next to the prints ran the paw prints of an animal that Harper was certain was Aidan. What worried him was that there was only a single set of human prints, not two. He wanted to search for signs of a second set of prints, but didn't want to delay. He just hoped that the children were still together, as the prospect of having to conduct two searches was even more daunting than just the one.

The prints led in the direction from which he could feel the presences of Louis and Billie, straight ahead of where he kneeled in the snow. He lifted his spear from where he had placed it next to him on the ground and then jogged in the same direction as the tracks. He was careful to move as quietly as possible, while listening for any sounds of the children or of anything that might be pursuing them.

As he ran, Harper thought of how quickly their situation had spiraled out of control. He had been trying to think of a way to get the children away from the McCallister house, away from what he believed would become a trap. But he had never imagined that he would get what he wanted in this way – two of the children missing in the woods, and the rest of them trying to find them. Had he been given a choice, he would have chosen for all of them to remain at the house rather than the current crisis.

The distance between him and the children felt as if it was closing, so Harper slowed to a jog. He was eager to get to the children, but didn't want to stumble upon a situation in which they were in danger and put their lives at risk. If they were being held by the demons and he suddenly appeared, the creatures might do something rash. He had to avoid such an encounter at all costs.

Suddenly, he heard a brief sound of movement behind him. Something had managed to sneak up on him, which he couldn't believe was possible. He had never been surprised by an enemy in his life. He turned to face what he guessed to be one of the demons, raising his spear in readiness to do battle.

Jerry moved through the woods with his gun in his hand, but with the safety on. He wanted to be ready in case they stumbled upon a tricky situation, but didn't want the firearm to accidentally discharge. He looked down every few steps to confirm that he was still on the trail, and could still see the three sets of footprints, and off to the side, a set of small paw prints. He assumed the third, larger set of footprints was from his brother-in-law, and that he had found their trail. He hoped that Harper had already found the children and was waiting ahead.

Tina jogged a few feet behind Jerry, appearing to have no trouble keeping up. He was surprised at the resilience of the young teacher. Nothing had seemed to faze her in the past twenty-four hours, and she had a quiet strength in her that Jerry could sense. In many ways, Tina reminded him of Arianna. She had decided to help him and his family and nothing he or anyone said could dissuade her. He had barely known her just two days ago, but had come to admire her a great deal. He only hoped that her decision to help the Ambrose family didn't cost her life.

Jerry could sense the presence of Vaughan several yards ahead, but they had seen no sign of Billie and Louis other than the trail they had left.

"Anything yet?" Tina asked from behind him.

Jerry stopped and looked down at the snow as Tina moved to stand next to him. "The tracks are still there," Jerry answered. "And they're still heading in the same direction, with Harper behind them, but nothing new."

He didn't tell Tina that he could still feel that his youngest children were nearby. He couldn't explain his reasoning in keeping this newfound ability from the others, and knew that it didn't make sense to do so, especially considering everything that they had all seen in the past day. And yet he kept it to himself anyway. But he was grateful that the link to each of his children existed. It made being separated from them bearable, knowing that all of them were alive and well.

"You okay?" he asked Tina. She was breathing hard, but no harder than he was.

"Probably better than you are," Tina answered with a smile. "You've got about twenty years on me, you know."

Jerry chuckled and shook his head as he answered, "I'm doing alright, but thank you for your concern."

"Well, what are we doing standing here?" Tina asked drily. "Let's get going."

Jerry smiled, but didn't answer. He started jogging along the trail again, with Tina right behind him. The light-hearted moment had buoyed both of their spirits, but both of their minds were still filled with worry for the two young children.

Vaughan ran through the trees, with Cody at his side. His eyes scanned the woods ahead as he moved, but dropped to the ground periodically to confirm that he and Cody were still following the trail of footprints. He hoped that the larger set of prints belonged to his uncle, and not someone following his younger siblings with more sinister intentions. He tried to make as little noise as possible, and tried to imagine himself being invisible. He didn't want anyone hearing or otherwise sensing his approach, unless it was either of his siblings. A tingling passed through his body as he ran, and he assumed it was the rush of adrenaline. But something about the feeling was different, and it reminded Vaughan of the feeling he got when fighting against the demons.

As his eyes looked up again, he saw a shape ahead of him that didn't belong among the trees. It was the shape of a person standing in the snow, facing away from him, with some kind of weapon in their hand. Cody seemed to see the person at the same time that Vaughan did, and came to a stop in the snow before crouching down.

Vaughan came to an abrupt stop, trying to cause as little noise as possible, but failing. Snow sprayed from his feet and the sound of it seemed deafening. He knew that the person ahead of him had to have heard it, and when the figure began to turn toward Vaughan, his fears were confirmed.

Vaughan continued to try to will himself to be invisible while ducking behind a tree, but pulled his sword from its sheath in case he needed to defend himself. He looked over at where he knew Cody to be standing, and saw the dog looking back at him in apparent confusion. Cody's head turned from side to side, as if he was looking for something. Vaughan turned around in surprise to see what the dog was looking at, but saw nothing behind him. From the corner of his eye, he saw the person standing ahead complete their turn and face him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he recognized the face that was staring back at him as his Uncle Harper. He moved away from the tree and smiled.

"Who's there?" Uncle Harper asked as he looked directly at Vaughan. His eyes met Vaughan's, but quickly moved away as they scanned the trees around him. It seemed to Vaughan like his uncle couldn't see him, even though he had been looking right at him.

"Uncle Harper, it's me," Vaughan answered as he placed his sword back in its sheath.

He saw his uncle's eyes widen in surprise as he finally seemed to see Vaughan.

"How did you do that?" Harper asked softly and with narrowed eyes.

"Do what?" Vaughan answered. He had no idea what his uncle was talking about.

Harper hadn't lowered his spear and he looked around briefly, as if searching for something.

"I couldn't see you standing there," Harper answered his nephew. "And I didn't sense you coming. It's like you weren't even there. The only reason I turned was because I heard something move in the snow."

Harper finally lowered his spear as Cody walked over to where he stood. He looked over at the dog for a moment before looking back at Vaughan.

"Cody said he couldn't see you either," Harper told him. "He said you were there one moment and then gone the next. He said that for a moment, he couldn't even smell you."

Vaughan walked over to where his uncle stood and looked up at him in confusion. "I didn't do anything." He paused for a moment as he remembered what had been going through his mind just before he had come across his uncle standing in the woods. "But I didn't want to be seen. I didn't know it was you standing there."

Harper stared down at his nephew for a moment in silence. "I've never seen anything like that, Vaughan," he finally said. "It was like you appeared right before me. But the fact that I couldn't sense you coming was what surprised me the most. I can always feel where each of you is, but for a moment I couldn't sense you at all."

Vaughan guessed that his uncle was talking about him and his siblings. He didn't realize that Uncle Harper could sense where they were, but it didn't surprise him. He remembered that his mother had always seemed to know exactly where each of her children was, no matter where she was or how far away she was from her children. He could ask her where any of his siblings was and she would answer him instantly, even if she had just walked through the front door of their house. It made sense that her brother would have the same ability.

"I didn't want to be seen," Vaughan repeated softly. He remembered that he had felt a tingling sensation passing through his body after he had wished himself to be invisible. "I must have done something...I don't know what, but it must have...must have made me invisible or something."

Harper stared at his nephew for a moment in silence again before nodding. "Alright," he told him. "Where's your father?"

Vaughan was surprised by the question. He hadn't realized they had changed the subject. He had to think for a moment before responding, "Um, he's a little ways back...he and Ms. Waverly. We were coming to find you."

Vaughan suddenly remembered why they had gone into the woods in the first place. "Did you find Billie and Louis?" he asked.

Harper shook his head as he answered, "Not yet, but I'm still on the trail." He looked behind him for a moment before adding, "I can feel them just up ahead. They're very close." He was surprised to hear that the young teacher had come along, and even more surprised that his brother-in-law had let her. Harper couldn't think of anything that she could contribute to their search for the two youngest children, but he knew that Jeremiah wouldn't have done such a thing unless he had a reason. He trusted his brother-in-law's judgment in such things, and guessed that Tina had some part to play in the search for the two children.

He felt the presence of Jerry and Tina a moment before he heard the footprints in the snow.

"There you are," Jerry said as he spotted them. "Any sign of Billie or Louis?"

"Just up ahead," Harper said as Jerry and Tina walked up to stand next to him. Cody was still standing next to Vaughan, and Harper looked at the dog as he added, "But I don't know if they're alone. I was going to ask Cody to scout ahead."

"I'll go with him," Vaughan offered.

Jerry seemed to consider for a moment before telling his son, "If you see anything..."

"I know Dad," Vaughan said with a smile. He didn't wait for his father to say anything else. "Come on, Cody," he said as he ran off into the woods. Cody followed behind him and within moments, they were both gone.

"Let's stay as close to them as possible," Harper said as he lifted his spear and started to walk after Vaughan and Cody. Jerry and Tina followed behind, their feet crunching through the snow as they passed through the trees.

Aidan came trotting back to where Billie and Louis had stopped for a moment to rest. Louis sat in the snow, with Billie huddled against him, each of them trying to share in the warmth of the other. Their winter clothes were waterproof and kept away most of the chill, but they couldn't completely keep out the cold.

"We should get going again," Louis said softly to his sister after a shared moment of silence. "We'll feel warmer if we get moving."

"Okay," Billie answered. She shivered once before getting up and offering her hand to Louis.

Louis let his sister help him up before looking around him. There had been no sign of the guide that had been promised by the strange man in his dream. He had expected that the guide would show up somewhere along the way to their house. But Louis recognized the woods around him and knew that they were almost to the end of the trees near their driveway. He wondered if the guide was going to be waiting for them at the house, instead. The thought of seeing the burnt remains of their home caused a twinge of sadness within him, but a shiver that passed through his body pushed it aside. They had to start moving again if they were ever to meet up with the person who was supposed to guide them to the place in the mountains. And if they didn't move again soon, he knew they might freeze to death.

"Louis, do you even know where we're going?" Billie asked with a hint of irritation in her voice. She was tired and cold, and was starting to resent her brother's decision to leave the warmth and safety of their neighbor's house.

"Of course I don't," Louis answered testily. "That's why we're supposed to be meeting up with a guide." He looked around him at the trees for a moment before adding in a softer tone, "I know that we're near our house, though."

"What's left of it," Billie said sullenly. She didn't like the thought of seeing their house any more than her brother did, but she also didn't like sitting in the cold doing nothing. "Ready?" she asked him finally.

Louis nodded as he reached out his hand to his sister. She took it and they began walking together in the direction of the house. But Billie stopped suddenly, released Louis' hand and reached into the top of her jacket. Louis looked over at her in confusion until he saw her pull a glowing shape out and hold it in her hand. The locket that Ms. Waverly had placed around her neck when Mr. McCallister's house was under attack was now glowing brightly.

"Louis," Billie said with fear as she held the locket up and stared at her brother. They both knew what the glowing locket meant – demons were nearby.

"It's okay," Louis said as he looked around him in fear. He couldn't see anything in the trees around them, but he didn't doubt what the glowing of the pendant meant. "We shouldn't wait around here," he told his sister as he held out his hand. "Let's go. And put that back in your shirt. Someone might see it."

Billie nodded as she placed the locket back under her jacket. She had heard the tone in Louis' voice. He had said someone, but had meant something. She took Louis' hand and they started moving again, heading through the trees in the direction of their house with Aidan trotting beside them.

Jerry walked up to stand next to Vaughan and Cody where they waited with Harper. They were looking at something in the trees ahead, but Jerry's view was blocked by a tree and couldn't see what it was.

"Why have we stopped?" Jerry asked. The more times they stopped, the longer it would take for them to find his two youngest children.

Harper turned to him and placed his finger in front of his lips before whispering, "There's something up ahead. We think it might be Billie and Louis, but we're not sure." He looked at the trees around them in concern before adding, "There are demons nearby. I can feel them."

"Me too," whispered Vaughan. His sword was suddenly in his hand, though Jerry hadn't heard or seen him draw it.

Jerry looked around him in concern and reached back to pull Tina closer to him. He looked past the tree and saw what his son and brother-in-law had been looking at. He could see ahead that there were two small shapes huddled upon the ground near a tree. The sun had set a few minutes before, removing what little light there had been in the forest. His first thought was that the shapes were two children sitting on the ground. But in the darkness, he couldn't be sure if that was what they were seeing.

"Can you see if it's them?" Jerry whispered to Harper. He had figured out that Harper's eyesight was very sharp, and what seemed indistinct to him was likely to be crystal clear to his brother-in-law.

Harper shook his head in response as he answered, "I can't see under the hoods. The shapes are small and probably children, but I can't be sure until I can see their faces."

Harper could feel that Billie and Louis were very close, and his eyes were indeed much sharper in the darkness than Jerry's. But he knew that one of the demons' best weapons was illusion and treachery, and their ability to take on different shapes meant that they could easily have impersonated the two children to set a trap for Harper and the others with him.

Another shape that ran on all fours came trotting up to the ones that huddled on the ground, and Vaughan sat up higher as he recognized it.

"It's Aidan," he whispered before turning to look at Harper with a smile.

He stood up to move toward what he now believed without a doubt was his brother and sister, but Harper restrained him with one hand.

"Hold on," Harper told him in a whisper. "Something doesn't feel right."

Harper could still feel the presence of demons nearby, and his instincts were screaming at him that this was a trap. The appearance of Aidan should have dispelled the warning of his instincts, but they hadn't.

He watched as the two forms stood up while still facing away from him. He wished that he could see under their hoods to confirm that they were his niece and nephew, even though he had little doubt that it was them. What worried him was that the feeling that demons were nearby had grown stronger, which meant that they were getting closer. He worried that springing forth without warning would place some or all of them in grave danger, since he had no idea how many demons were nearby. Billie and Louis were safer than any of them at that moment, since he knew that Tim Matheson and his minions would have guessed that Louis was the Solas, and therefore would not harm him. It also meant that they wouldn't harm Billie to try to ensure Louis' cooperation. Of course, it was also possible, even if unlikely, that the three forms that stood in front of them were those of demons in disguise, waiting to ambush him and the others with him.

Something started glowing in front of one of the standing forms and Tina grabbed Harper's arm. "It's the pendant that Jason made," she whispered from next to him. "I put it around Billie's neck last night on the porch."

"That means it's definitely them," Jerry said quietly. "Now we know it's them."

Jerry moved to go to his youngest children, who had begun to walk away from where they stood watching. Harper no longer doubted that it was Billie, Louis and Aidan in front of him, and he began to move forward too. But something moved in the trees ahead of the little ones and when he looked to see what it was, the feeling that demons were nearby became almost overpowering. He staggered and reached out to Jerry for support, who looked back at him in concern as he steadied Harper. Harper looked over and saw Vaughan on his knees in the snow, one hand reached down to steady himself. He had felt it too.

Harper looked again at where he had seen the movement and saw three people walking toward Billie, Louis and Aidan. The person that walked in the lead was a woman with long blonde hair. Harper recognized her instantly as one of the people who had stood behind Tim Matheson when he had appeared the night before in front of the McCallister house.

"Anna," Jerry whispered, mystified. It was the second time that he had seen the young woman in the company of their enemy. It should have caused feelings of anger toward her, but something inside of him reached out to her, and he felt pity for her, instead.

Harper looked at his brother-in-law briefly in surprise at the sound of recognition in his voice, but quickly returned his attention to the three who had just appeared. The other two with the woman who Jerry had identified as Anna were tall, stocky men wearing all black. Harper could feel the darkness rolling from them in waves of pure evil. This was the source of the feeling that had caused him and Vaughan to swoon. They wore the forms of men, but Harper knew that these were demons. And from the darkness that they emanated, Harper knew that these demons were far more powerful than anything they had yet encountered. Even Harper could never remembering encountering such powerful demons in his nearly three thousand years of fighting the creatures.

Harper's first instinct was to run forward and grab the children, but he was struck dumb by the power that was evident in the two demons flanking Anna. Having never fought such a powerful enemy, he had no idea if he and the others with him stood a chance of even holding them off long enough to escape. Before he could decide on a course of action, Anna crouched down a few yards in front of Billie and Louis.

"You must come with me, Louis," she said with a flat voice.

Aidan moved in front of the two youngest children and began to growl softly. Louis took a step forward and gently placed his hand on the back of the dog's neck. She stopped growling, but refused to move from in front of the children. Harper could finally see the faces of both Louis and Billie, and saw the fear on both of them.

"Are you our guide?" Louis asked with a break in his voice.

Harper looked over at Jerry in confusion, but his brother-in-law shook his head. Neither of them understood what Louis meant by a guide. Harper wondered if it was related to the reason that Louis and Billie had left in the first place.

Anna looked confused for a moment, but then smiled slightly as she responded, "Yes, of course...your guide." Her smile widened as she said, "I am your guide."

Louis stared back at her, but didn't say anything. Jerry put his hand on Harper's arm, pulling his attention from the conversation.

"We've got to do something," Jerry whispered fiercely and with obvious fear on his face.

Harper could only nod in response, since he didn't know what to say. He also didn't know what to do. He agreed with Jerry that they needed to get the children away from Anna and the two men with her. But he had no idea how they were supposed to do that. And he had no time to come up with something other than the most straight-forward plan that he could think of. He motioned for the others to gather around him and explained.

"We charge them as one on my word," Harper whispered. He looked at Tina and told her, "Once Billie and Louis are clear, grab them and run as fast as you can for the driveway on the other side of those trees. James and the others should be there waiting."

"What if they're not there," Tina asked. She looked over at where the children stood, trying to judge the distance between her and them, and wondering how quickly she could cover it.

Harper thought for a moment before answering, "I don't know. We just need to pray that they are."

No one said anything. They didn't have to. Each of them knew that their options were limited and that some plan was better than no plan.

"We get one chance at this," Harper whispered as he looked at each of them in turn. They each nodded once in response, but again didn't say anything.

Harper turned his attention back to where Billie and Louis stood. Nothing seemed to have happened and the two children still stood facing Anna, who continued to stand crouched in front of them.

"Well," Anna said to Louis. "Shall we be going?"

Anna held her hand out to Louis as she stood up. Louis looked at her hand for a moment and then over at his younger sister. She nodded once and he reached out for Anna's hand.

"Now!" Harper screamed as he ran forward with his spear raised in his hand.

Anna turned in surprise at the sound and her eyes widened when she saw Harper charging toward her, with Vaughan and Cody following closely behind. She tried to reach for Louis, but Billie quickly pulled him away from the woman when she saw her uncle and brother running toward them.

"Louis, look!" she screamed as she pointed at her Uncle Harper and Vaughan.

Louis looked over in surprise and then back at Anna, whose expression suddenly became twisted with rage. He grabbed Billie's arm and pulled her with him as he ran away from Anna and the two men with her. Before she could reach for Louis again, Harper had reached the first of the men with Anna. A sword appeared in the man's hand and he turned to face the charging form of the Aes Sidhe. Harper swung at the man with his spear, but the man easily dodged aside. The speed with which the man had dodged his swing amazed Harper. He had never seen any of the demons move so quickly.

Vaughan ran past the first man as Harper engaged him and charged straight at the second man, who turned to face him. Several shots rang out and tore into the man in front of Vaughan as a sword appeared in one of the man's hands. The man staggered backward two steps, but then straightened, seemingly unaffected by the bullets that struck him. Vaughan didn't wait for him to recover. He slashed at the man's unprotected midsection as he passed and then quickly turned around.

He saw the tear in the man's coat where his sword had passed, and looked down in satisfaction to see a smearing of the creature's black blood on his mother's sword. He looked up again and saw the man turn to face him, blinding the man against the sight of Cody charging for his back. The dog leapt on the man's back and sunk his teeth into his enemy's shoulder as his claws dug into his back. A scream of rage and pain erupted from the man's mouth as Cody's teeth sunk in and the sound was deafening. Vaughan staggered back as a wave of force hit him. He couldn't believe it had come from the man's scream, but there was no other explanation.

Vaughan shook his head and ran at the demon, his sword raised high. The man looked up as Vaughan closed to within a few feet and raised his sword in response. Vaughan swung at the man, going for his unprotected midsection. But the man was faster than Vaughan could have imagined. He barely saw the man's sword move, but it was there to meet Vaughan's sword with a loud clang that sent a painful wave of vibration along Vaughan's arm. He nearly dropped his sword in surprise and was only barely able to avoid the thrust that the man made at his abdomen.

Time had slowed down as the man had attacked Vaughan, but just barely. He realized that this enemy was far quicker than anything he had faced before. He knew that his superhuman abilities had made him far more formidable than his lack of training should have. But the speed, strength and skill of this opponent removed that advantage. He barely saw the man's sword arm move again, and was narrowly able to dodge the slash at his head. But he was unable to move away from the backhanded blow that followed it and struck him across the face, sending him flying back several feet.

Vaughan landed in the snow and couldn't move. His face throbbed with enough pain that he was sure something had been broken. He remembered how quickly the man had moved and knew that he was dead if he didn't get up. He pushed himself up on his elbows and realized with surprise that he had somehow managed to hang on to his sword. Another bellow of pain and rage filled the clearing, nearly knocking him down again. He looked over at where the man stood and saw that Cody was still clinging to the man's back and had managed to sink his teeth into flesh again. Vaughan wanted to help Cody, but still couldn't move.

The man reached behind him with his free hand and managed to close his fist on fur and skin. He pulled Cody away from him, while the dog tried to reach back and close its jaws on the man's hand, but failed. The man looked at Cody while holding him aloft and smiled before tossing him aside as if Cody weighed nothing. The dog sailed through the air for several yards before slamming into a tree. Vaughan heard a yelp of pain and a loud snapping noise and then Cody fell to the ground and was still.

Vaughan looked back at the man, who began walking toward him. The sound of gunfire suddenly split the air, and the man staggered several times as bullets tore into his side. Vaughan was relieved that he wasn't fighting alone. He could see the impacts as the bullets hit the man, along with small sprays of the black fluid that was the blood of the demons. He lost track of how many bullets hit the man, but he guessed that it was at least a dozen. When the bullets had stopped, the man fell to one knee in the snow, reaching down to steady himself with his sword.

Vaughan heard a scream and looked over to see that it had come from Billie, who stood in the snow with her hands over her ears, screaming at the sounds of gunfire. Louis quickly pulled her down beside him and covered her with his arms. Vaughan looked over at where his father stood, facing the man that he had just shot several times, and saw him struggling with the clip in his gun. He met Vaughan's eyes once, and the fear in his eyes was obvious. Vaughan knew that his father's fear wasn't for himself, but a fear for the safety of his son.

Vaughan looked back and saw the man with the sword slowly raise himself back to his feet. The man looked over at Jerry, who was still struggling with the clip, and smiled. And then his attention turned back to Vaughan. His grin widened, and he began to walk to where Vaughan still lay in the snow, helpless.

Vaughan gathered all of his strength and slowly stood, leaning heavily on his sword. Finally, he stood up straight and faced his enemy, who continued to stalk toward him. Vaughan doubted that he stood a chance against the man's strength and speed, but he refused to face death willingly. He would fight.

Tina saw Harper charge the men in black, followed closely by Vaughan and then Cody. Her heart was racing and she felt the flush of adrenaline as it poured into her veins. She was ready to do her part to save Billie and Louis, but had to wait until she was sure that she could get them clear. The woman Anna ran at the sight of Harper, leaving the children unguarded, and Tina saw her opportunity.

She ran forward and straight at where Billie and Louis were standing, trying to close the distance between her and them as quickly as possible. She didn't move nearly as fast as Harper or Vaughan, and stumbled in the snow when the shots from Jerry's gun rang out. She managed to get to her feet in time to see one of the men in black hurl Cody through the air and into a tree. The dog hit the ground and was still. Tina stared in horror and was dumbstruck for a moment before she remembered her mission. She had to get to the little ones and get them to safety.

A series of clanging noises stole her attention and she looked over to see Harper dueling with one of the men in black. They both moved so quickly that their arms blurred, making it impossible to see if either one of them was winning. She saw several bright red spots on Harper's body and as many black spots on the body of the man he dueled. She felt a twinge of worry for Harper, but quickly pushed it aside as the sound of gunshots tore through the air again. She had to get to the children. She ran toward Billie and Louis, who were now sitting in the snow, and saw Louis' hands wrapped protectively around his sister. If Tina was going to get them away from the clearing, she had to get them on their feet.

"Louis! Billie!" Tina shouted as she ran through the snow.

Billie turned at the sound of her name and saw her teacher running toward them. "Ms. Waverly!" she screamed with relief and a huge smile.

The two children stood as they saw the teacher running toward them. When Tina reached them, she picked Billie up and grabbed Louis' hand. She looked around her, trying to get her bearings. She saw where the trees ended and remembered that Harper had said the driveway would be on the other side. She ran as fast as she could in that direction, pulling Louis behind her.

"We can't leave them," Billie cried as she reached her hand out to where her father stood, still trying to change the clip on his gun.

Tina ignored Billie's plea and ran as fast as she could for the tree line. But just as she neared the end of the trees, Anna stepped out from behind one of them and into her path.

Tina stopped so quickly that Louis ran into her, and she thought she heard him swear softly. But she didn't ask Louis what he had said. Instead, she stared at the woman in fear, not sure if Anna had any weapons that she could use against her.

"Get out of my way," Tina said softly to her through clenched teeth. She had no intention of letting anyone stop her from getting the children to safety. She only hoped that the fear she felt hadn't carried through to her voice.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Anna replied without emotion. "Leave the boy with me and I promise you that we will leave you alone. I assure you I have no intention of hurting him."

"For some reason, I just don't believe you," Tina said with a slight note of sarcasm. She knew that she was Louis' only hope of getting to safety, and if she had to fight the woman in front of her to do it, she would. "Now please, get out of my way," she said to Anna.

Anna shook her head slowly and Tina was surprised to see an expression of regret on the woman's face. What was even more surprising was that it looked genuine.

"We all have responsibilities, Tina Waverly," Anna said softly. She was quiet for a moment, and looked like she was struggling with what to say next. "And mine is to take that boy with me," she finally added.

"You don't have to do this," Tina said to her, instinctively changing her tactic to one of persuasion. She didn't know how Anna knew her name, but it didn't matter. The regret that Tina had seen on the woman's face made her wonder if Anna really didn't want to be there at that moment, or even at all. Tina had seen her the night before, standing with the maniacal Tim Matheson and the others with him. That alone should have told her that the woman was evil. But now she wondered if Anna was simply a pawn of Tim and the demons he controlled. If that was the case, maybe she could be persuaded to let them go.

"I don't have a choice," Anna answered softly. A single tear fell down her right cheek, but she ignored it as she swallowed once before adding, "I am sorry."

A streak of brown fur on Tina's right shot past her and straight for Anna. Tina only realized that it was Aidan as the dog leapt at Anna's face. The woman waited until the last second before Aidan's jaws would have closed on her neck, and then her hand shot out so quickly that it blurred. She smacked Aidan aside casually, sending the dog flying through the air several feet. Aidan landed in the snow, tried to stand up once, and then collapsed and didn't move.

"No!" Billie screamed as she reached her arms out to Aidan, and then she began to cry.

Tina felt Louis' grip tighten on her hand, and she looked down at him and saw that his eyes were huge with fear. She pulled him closer to her, and tightened her arm around Billie, who buried her face in Tina's jacket.

Anna looked over at the dog, and the same expression of regret crossed her face for a moment before it was replaced with one of determination.

"Stop this!" Anna screamed at Tina. Her accent became stronger as emotion filled her voice. Tina wasn't sure, but she thought Anna sounded Russian. "I am taking that boy...now!" Anna screamed. Another tear fell down her face, and she angrily brushed it aside. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will."

Tina looked at the determination in Anna's eyes, and believed what she had said. Some power was compelling her to do what she was doing, and it was a power greater than anything Tina could say to convince her to do otherwise. But Tina had no more choice than Anna did. She refused to let either of the children go with the woman, even if it meant her death. The stubbornness that she had carried with her for her entire life was only part of the reason for her refusal. The other part was the love that she had always felt for children, and which had grown even stronger for the Ambrose children. Had Billie or Louis been one of her own, from her own body, her determination to protect them would have been no greater. And while the others with her were fighting with the men in black, she was the only one who could protect them. She only had to hold Anna off long enough for the others to deal with the two men, and from what she had seen Harper and Vaughan do the night before, she was confident that it would only be a few moments more before they were done. At least, she hoped that it was only a few moments.

Tina kneeled down and lowered Billie to the ground, and then pushed the little girl behind her. With her other hand, she pushed Louis behind her as well.

"Ms. Waverly," Billie whimpered softly. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at her teacher. She knew that Ms. Waverly was trying to protect her and Louis, and she was thankful. But she didn't want anyone else who she cared about to be hurt that night. She didn't know if Aidan was still alive, and her family was behind her fighting for their lives. And she knew that Ms. Waverly didn't stand a chance against the blond woman named Anna.

"It will be alright, Billie," Tina said soothingly as she smiled down at the little girl. "Now, both of you close your eyes."

Tina straightened and looked at Anna, hoping that the determination she felt showed in her eyes. She would not let the children be taken without a fight.

"I'm sorry too," Tina said. "But you're not getting your hands on either of these children. If you want them, you'll have to get through me." Her voice had only broken once, and she surprised even herself at the iron that had been in it as she answered.

"Very well, then," Anna said softly as she raised her hands. "You leave me no choice."

Darkness gathered around Anna's raised hands, coalescing into a ball the color of night. It covered her hands for a moment before streaking at Tina, who raised her arm as she prepared for horrible pain, or even death. But the darkness hit an invisible wall a few feet in front of the teacher, and then disappeared.

Tina looked up in surprise when she didn't feel anything, and saw that the bracelet on her wrist was glowing brightly. She looked behind her and saw the children crouched behind her with their eyes closed, but both of them were unhurt. The bracelet that Jason had given her had saved them again. She whispered a quick prayer of thanks for the strange but intriguing teacher, and the even stranger gift that he had given her. It had already saved her life twice.

Tina looked at where Anna stood with her arms still raised, and saw the uncertainty on the woman's face. "Someone powerful is protecting you," Anna said, mystified. "But it doesn't matter."

Anna dropped her arms and then raised them again. Her palms were raised and her fingers were clawing upwards. Tina felt the ground near her tremble and looked down in surprise a moment before the earth beneath her feet exploded. She managed to raise her arms to protect her face and close her eyes just before she felt the sensation of flying through the air. She opened her eyes in shock just in time to see the snow rushing up to meet her. She hit the ground with a loud thud and then everything went black.

Louis and Billie watched in horror as the earth exploded beneath the young teacher, sending her flying through the air. They both managed to cover their faces as small pieces of dirt and rocks hit them. When the debris had stopped pelting them, they both looked up and saw the crumpled form of Ms. Waverly, lying completely still in the snow. Her eyes weren't open, and they couldn't even tell if she was breathing.

"No!" Billie screamed as she stood up and started to run to her teacher.

Louis grabbed his sister's arm, holding her back as he shouted, "Billie, wait!" He pulled her next to him and she buried her face on his shoulder and sobbed. There was now no one standing between them and the woman Anna, and Louis was afraid. But he was also angry.

He felt the familiar tingling sensation passing through his body and looked down to see the glowing lines of power flowing through his arms. The magic had come to him when he needed it, and now he would use it against this woman who had hurt poor Ms. Waverly. It was the only way that he could think of to stop Anna and the two demons with her. He readied himself to release the magic, but then something moved to his right.

He turned his head and saw one of the large men that had appeared with Anna walk up to her. He was dragging something behind him, but at first Louis couldn't see what it was. And then he dragged the object in front of him, and Louis saw with horror what the thing was.

"Vaughan!" Billie cried as she too saw what the object was. "Louis, we have to help him," she told him quietly as she continued to cling to him.

Louis remembered the precision with which he had been able to strike at the demons when he had last summoned the flame, and felt confident that he could destroy the demon dragging Vaughan without harming his brother. He risked a glance behind him and what he saw there only strengthened his resolve to use the magic.

His father was lying face-down in the snow and wasn't moving. Louis could see a plume of steam escape from his open mouth and breathed a quick sigh of relief to see that his father still lived. And then he looked over at his Uncle Harper and saw him kneeling in the snow, breathing heavily. He was covered in blood, but was still conscious, if barely. Next to him was the shuddering form of one of the demon creatures, though this one was at least twice as large as any others Louis had yet seen. Its thickly-muscled form was shuddering as its life left it, and Louis was glad that his uncle had managed to kill one of the creatures. But when he looked at his uncle again, he knew that there was no way Uncle Harper could survive another battle. It was up to Louis to protect his family.

"Stay behind me, Billie," Louis told his sister as he gently pried her arms from around him and pushed her behind him.

"Don't do anything foolish, Louis," Anna warned him as she watched the little boy face her with determination on his face. "If you come with me now, I'll leave your family and friends alive."

"No way," Louis answered defiantly. "You couldn't pay me to go anywhere with you, Lady. You're a nutcase!"

"Charming," Anna said under her breath, though she didn't look pleased by Louis' refusal. She looked over at the man who had been dragging Vaughan, and nodded her head.

The man started to grow and change into something else. Louis knew what was coming, that the demon who had taken the form of a man was changing into its true form. But seeing the transformation again did not diminish the horrifying impact that it had. His already bulging muscles bulged even further, straining against the clothing covering them until they could no longer contain the growing mass within. The tearing sound of fabric was accompanied by the wet cracking of bones breaking and realigning. Thick black fur pushed its way through the exposed skin, quickly covering what the torn clothing no longer hid.

When it had doubled from its original size as a human, the huge demon reached back as its face was still forming its final shape and grabbed one of Vaughan's legs in its hand. It lifted Louis' older brother above its head and grasped one of Vaughan's arms with its free hand. Then the demon pulled Vaughan's limbs in opposite directions until his body was held tautly between its raised arms. Vaughan's eyes snapped open and a grimace of pain erupted on his face.

"Release your hold on the magic, Louis," Anna told him solemnly. "Or your brother dies."

Louis looked at his brother and the expression of agony on his face, and couldn't decide what to do. He knew that he could incinerate both Anna and the demon at the same time, but he didn't know if the magic would be quick enough.

"You won't be quick enough," Anna told him, as if reading his thoughts. "Your magic is powerful, but I can block it for a moment. And a moment is all my friend here will need to rip your brother in half."

Louis looked at Anna, and rage filled him. He wanted to prove to her that she was wrong, that she didn't have the strength to block him. The magic raged within him, begging to be released. But he couldn't risk Vaughan's life to prove that he was stronger.

Anna nodded at the demon again and Louis heard a wail of pure agony escape his brother's lips. He looked over in horror and saw the demon's muscles flexing as he pulled harder on Vaughan's limbs. Billie sobbed next to Louis and turned her face away.

"Stop!" Louis finally shouted as he raised one arm at the demon. "Please! I'll do what you want. I'll go with you. Just leave him alone, please."

Louis sobbed as he waited for Anna to acknowledge what he had said. Finally, she nodded at the demon again. At first, Louis was afraid that she was going to have Vaughan killed anyway, but the demon obeyed and lowered him to the ground far more gently than Louis would have expected.

"Come here," Anna told Louis as she held out her hand.

Louis walked forward, but felt something holding him back. He looked back and saw that Billie was holding him around the waist, refusing to let him go.

"Billie, I have to do this," Louis told his little sister as he tried to pry her hands from him. He was unable to remove her hands and was surprised at how strong her grip was. "Billie, please!"

"I told you," Billie whispered fiercely. "I'm going with you."

Anna sighed loudly and shook her head in exasperation. "I don't have time for this," she said before beckoning the demon to her. "Take them both," she told it as she pointed at the children.

The demon walked over to where Louis stood with Billie still clinging to him. It reached down and took Louis in one arm, and then reached for Billie. A bright flash and loud, snapping noise tore through the air and the demon howled in pain as it pulled its arm back in surprise and dropped Louis. Anna stared in shock at the demon's inability to touch Billie, but then saw the glow of something beneath Billie's jacket.

"Whatever that is under your jacket, remove it now!" Anna said angrily as she pointed at the glowing shape.

Billie looked down in surprise. She had forgotten that the necklace was still around her neck. She reached into her jacket and pulled it out, and found that it was warm to the touch and continued to glow brightly. She hadn't taken the time to look at it before, and noticed now how beautiful it really was. The intricate lines of carving that were worked into the silver-colored metal reminded Billie of leaves and flowers. She looked back at Anna, hesitant to leave their one source of protection behind.

"Drop the necklace or Vaughan, your father and your uncle will die," Anna told her softly, but with a menacing tone. "I will not tell you again, child."

Billie stared back at the woman angrily for a moment before she moved the chain around to the front of her neck and found the clasp. She unhitched it and removed the necklace from her neck before refastening the two ends together. She stared back at Anna defiantly as she dropped it in the snow, where it continued to glow brightly.

The demon snarled triumphantly as it grabbed Billie roughly and held her in one of its arms. It reached down and grabbed Louis and held him in its other arm and then walked back to stand next to Anna. Billie and Louis both nearly gagged at the musky, sulfuric smell of the demon and the greasy feeling of its fur against their skin, but neither of them struggled. The lives of their family depended on their cooperation.

Anna took one last look around at the clearing and then shook her head quickly before brushing something from her face. Louis swore that he had seen another tear fall before Anna had wiped it away. He couldn't understand why the woman would be helping the demons if what she did made her sad. But adults were so confusing sometimes that he assumed that this was something a kid like him was too young to understand.

Louis looked back and past the demon's shoulder as Anna led them away from the clearing and toward the end of the tree line. He saw his Uncle Harper where he must have fallen when Louis wasn't looking. He was pushing himself up on one arm, and when his head turned, he made eye contact with Louis. There was a look of despair on his face as he watched the two children being carried away. Louis looked at where his father lay in the snow, and he saw him lift his head and look around in confusion. But Vaughan wasn't moving at all, and neither were Ms. Waverly and Aidan.

Louis looked past the demon's massively muscled neck and made eye contact with Billie, who stared back at him with tears in her eyes. He could tell from the look of fear on her face that she was thinking the same thing he was. They both hoped that it wasn't the last time that they would see any of the ones behind them, and that all of them were still alive.

# Chapter 24

Tuesday Evening, January 11th

Dinah sat in the back seat of Mr. McCallister's large SUV as it moved along the snow-covered road. Cole and Jason sat next to her, while Larry sat in front with Mr. McCallister. She looked out the window at the snow that continued to fall heavily, and which kept them from driving any faster than ten miles per hour. They had already been driving for nearly half an hour and still hadn't reached the turnoff to the Ambrose driveway. Dinah knew that she wasn't the only one in the car who felt restless and helpless at the same time. Every minute it took them to reach the others who had gone through the woods was another minute that they could be in danger. But the worst thing about the delay was that it could mean that Billie and Louis had already been taken and that they were too late.

Cole suddenly sat forward from his seat next to her and pointed out the windshield. "There's the driveway," he said urgently.

Dinah leaned forward to look between the front seats, but couldn't see what Cole was talking about. All she could see was a sheet of blowing white snow beyond the headlights that tried without success to pierce it.

"I don't see anything, Cole," she told her brother. "Are you sure?"

"It's just ahead," Cole replied confidently.

"There it is!" James confirmed as he finally saw the driveway on their left and carefully turned the car onto it.

Dinah looked at her brother and smiled. She had seen the driveway at the same time that Mr. McCallister had. It still surprised her to see how superhumanly-sharpened her older brother's senses were. Cole smiled back shyly, but didn't say anything. She knew that he had heard her thoughts as loudly as if she had spoken them.

Cole returned his gaze to the front of the vehicle as it turned onto his family's driveway. He spotted movement through the snow, but at first couldn't figure out what it was. When the large shape finally resolved itself in his vision, he nearly wasn't quick enough to avert disaster.

"Look out!" he shouted as he pointed straight ahead. When Mr. McCallister didn't do anything, Cole shouted, "Turn left now!"

James listened immediately and pulled the steering wheel to the left just as he saw the shape of the large black SUV that was barreling toward them without its lights on. He pulled harder on the wheel and just managed to move out of the charging vehicle as it flew past. There was a loud scraping noise and everyone felt the McCallister SUV nudged along its side as the other car brushed along the rear quarter, pushing it off the driveway before disappearing behind them.

James felt the driver's side of the car tilt down sharply and knew that the vehicle had left the snow-covered pavement of the driveway. And then he felt the car hit something hard, but yielding at the same time. He and the others were thrown forward as the car stopped moving, and he released the gas pedal and slammed on the brake, not wanting the car to get stuck in the snowdrift that he was sure they had hit.

There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone processed the brush with the other vehicle and how much more serious their situation would have been had it hit them head-on.

Dinah remembered something she had seen as the car had flown past. "Billie and Louis were in the back seat of that car," she said somberly to the rest of the group as she remembered the twin sets of frightened eyes that she had seen.

"Are you sure?" Cole asked with concern. "I didn't see them."

"I saw them too," Larry said as he unbuckled his seat belt and looked over at James. "Can you get us back on the driveway?" he asked.

James put the car in reverse and tried to move the car backward, but the only thing that happened was the spinning of wheels as the engine revved to its maximum. James shook his head and said, "We're stuck."

"Alright," Larry said with barely-masked frustration. "Let's get out and see what we're working with." He stepped out of the vehicle and shook his head. "I swear this driveway and I just don't get along," he murmured as he thought of the accident he and Jerry had gotten into the night before just a few yards further down the driveway.

Jason and Cole got out on the same side as Larry, and Dinah got out on the opposite side with James. Dinah stood next to the older man as he looked at the front tire that was hanging a few feet above the ground.

"This isn't good," James murmured as he kneeled down to get a closer look. "I have no idea how we're going to get this back on the road," he added with obvious frustration. He stood back up and looked around as the snow continued to fall. "Maybe we can find some branches or something that we can use for traction."

Larry looked around him to try to get his bearings. They had only been on the driveway for a short distance before the run-in with the other car, so he knew that they were still pretty far from the remains of the Ambrose house. He looked at his watch and realized that it had been nearly half an hour since they had left the McCallister house. He didn't see any sign of the others who had gone through the woods, and was suddenly worried that they had run into trouble.

Larry turned to Cole and Jason and told them, "We'd better go see if we can find the others. Cole, you come with me. Jason, see if you can help James and Dinah figure out a way to free the car."

"We've got to go after Billie and Louis!" Cole said with frustration. "Whoever that was in the car is getting away!"

"Cole, we're not going anywhere until we can get the car free," Larry said soothingly as he put his hand on Cole's arm. "And we can't leave your dad and the others out in the cold. We don't even know if they're okay."

Cole was quiet for a moment as he looked back at the entrance of the driveway, where he had seen a strange vehicle pull away with his two youngest siblings inside. He hated the thought of any delay in going after them, hated the thought of Billie and Louis sitting there, afraid and wondering if anyone was going to come after them. But Larry was right. They had to find his dad and the others and figure out how to free the car before they could do anything.

"Okay, let's go look for them," Cole finally said with a nod.

Jason moved around to the other side of the car while Cole started walking down the driveway with Larry. Jason was worried about Tina and silently berated himself for letting her go with the others in the first place. He didn't like the thought of Louis and Billie being carried off either, and not being able to do anything about either situation made him feel agitated. But if they were going to do anything about it, they had to have a plan. And Larry had taken charge of their situation and come up with that plan, and Jason was going to do whatever he could to help that plan along.

Larry and Cole searched the woods around them as they walked quickly through the snow toward where their house used to stand. Cole felt another pang of sadness at the thought that he and his family were homeless, but quickly pushed it aside.

"Let me know if you see anything," Larry said to Cole as they walked along the driveway. His body was hunched against the cold, but Cole could barely feel it.

"I will," Cole answered as he watched the trees for signs of movement. He felt a presence brush against his mind suddenly, but didn't recognize it at first.

Cole, I need you.

Cole stopped suddenly as he realized that the voice in his head was Cody's. He looked around him in surprise for signs of the dog, but didn't see anything.

"What is it?" Larry asked as he pulled his gun from his holster and stepped in front of Cole protectively.

"It's Cody," Cole answered as he continued to look for signs of the dog.

Finally, Cole spotted the dog in the distance, walking toward the spot where he and Larry stood. Cole could see immediately that the dog was injured and limping. Without a word to Larry, Cole ran toward the injured dog, though he heard Larry following behind him as quickly as he could.

He reached the dog and fell to his knees, holding out his hands as Cody reached him. His coat was covered in blood, but Cole couldn't see any blood flowing freely. And when he checked his fur for signs of injury, he found only the spots where the blood had already caked over. Cody's wounds had healed. But Cole could still feel the pain coming from the dog.

I'll be fine, Cole, Cody told him. But the others...some of them are injured...badly. You must come with me.

"What is he saying?" Larry said as he caught up with Cole. He was already breathing hard, though they had only come a short distance in the snow.

"He said the others are up ahead," Cole answered him as he stood. "And some of them are hurt badly. He'll take us to them."

Larry nodded, but didn't say anything. Cole could tell that he was having a hard time breathing, and was worried about the large man who was like a second father to him and his siblings. But he knew that he might need help with the others, so he couldn't tell him to stay behind.

"Let's go," Cole said to Cody.

The dog stood up and started walking back along the way he had come, with Cole and Larry following closely behind. Neither of them knew what they were going to find when they reached the others, though they both said a silent prayer that they would find everyone alive.

Dinah looked at the tire again as Mr. McCallister wedged a large tree branch beneath it. She didn't think the branch stood any more of a chance than the previous two had, but she didn't say anything. She could see the frustration on Mr. McCallister's face and didn't want to add to it. She couldn't think of any better way to free their stuck vehicle, and her frustration was building nearly as quickly as her neighbor's was. Cole and Larry had gone off in search of their father and the others, but had already been gone for nearly ten minutes, and she was starting to worry about them, too.

"They've been gone a while," Jason said softly to her, echoing her thoughts. "Maybe I should go after them."

Dinah shook her head as she continued to stare down at the tire. "The last thing we need is for everyone to start splitting up," Dinah told him. "Once the car is ready and Cole and Larry come back with the others, we're leaving to go after Billie and Louis."

"Right," Jason responded without emotion. He was anxious for any kind of word from Tina, but knew that Dinah was right. If they split up, it would only take longer to get everyone together again to go after the little ones. Jason felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up in surprise to see Dinah staring back at him with sympathy.

"I'm worried about them too," she told him. "But if anyone can find them, it's Cole." She tried to put as much reassurance in her voice as she could, even if she didn't completely believe it herself.

Jason looked into her eyes for a moment before nodding and smiling slightly. He was surprised by the maturity that he saw in all of the Ambrose children – well, maybe not Louis, but definitely the rest of them. His smile widened as he thought of Louis and his off-color sense of humor that frequently landed him in trouble. The thought of such a happy soul being held captive by the likes of the demons and their allies was not something that Jason liked to think about.

"Let's try this again," James said suddenly, dispelling Jason's thoughts of Louis.

James climbed into the driver's seat as Dinah and Jason moved away from the car. He checked to be sure that the four-wheel drive was still engaged, and then pressed on the accelerator. The car moved slightly as the front tire climbed over the branch that he had placed beneath it. But once it had rolled over the branch, the car stopped moving. He heard the high-pitched squealing noise of a freely-spinning wheel and swore in frustration. They were still stuck.

"I don't think we're going anywhere unless we can either push or tow this car back onto the driveway," James said as he rubbed his forehead in frustration. "It's just stuck in that snow too deep."

Dinah looked at the car and then at the driveway. The car had only moved a few yards from the driveway, and only the front wheels had completely left it. The back tires were both still on fairly firm ground, even though one of them wasn't actually touching the driveway due to the tilt of the vehicle. She wondered how heavy such a large car was, and decided that it didn't matter. The only way she would know if she was strong enough to lift the car was if she tried.

"I have an idea," Dinah said as Mr. McCallister shut the engine off and stepped back outside.

"Okay," James answered skeptically. He had already tried everything he could think of, and he had grown up in Colorado. He had removed vehicles from snow drifts dozens of times, and was sure that the only way to free the car now was to have another vehicle push or pull it from the snowdrift. And he knew that there was no other vehicle nearby that could do such a thing. "What's your idea?" he asked Dinah as he watched her move to the front of the car.

She looked back at him for a moment as she thought of what to say. Finally, she just smiled and told him, "I'm going to try something. I don't know if it will work, but just in case it doesn't, I'd like you and Mr. Holt to stand off to the side a bit."

James and Jason looked at each other in confusion, both of them having no idea what Dinah was planning. James didn't think that whatever Dinah had planned would work, but he figured there was no harm in letting her try.

Dinah stood before the front bumper of the SUV and looked down at it, wondering if she had regained enough strength from her injuries to even try lifting something so heavy. There was a good chance that she would hurt herself and fail to even move the vehicle at all. But it was a risk she was willing to take. She knew that there was no other way to get their vehicle free. Mr. McCallister had said as much, and she believed him.

She took a deep breath and then looked briefly at where Mr. McCallister and Mr. Holt stood, looking at her in undisguised confusion. Well, she thought. Here goes nothing.

She took another deep breath and then reached down and grasped the underside of the bumper as she flexed her knees and prepared to lift the vehicle. She took one final breath and then pushed up with her legs.

Dinah was prepared for the car not to move, so she was surprised when it lifted easily in her hands. She slowly straightened her legs until she was completely standing, the front of the car held securely in her hands, though it was balanced at a slight angle. She glanced over at the two teachers and saw the twin expressions of shock on both of their faces as they watched her.

As she held the front bumper up, she looked over at her destination and started slowly walking the car toward it. As soon as her legs started moving, she felt the strain of carrying the full weight of the vehicle. The muscles in her thighs started to burn a moment before those in her arms. She ignored the pain as best she could, and continued to move toward the driveway.

As she climbed the slight incline near the edge of the pavement, her foot slipped briefly. She nearly dropped the vehicle, which would have been disastrous, but managed to regain her footing and stabilize its weight before continuing to slowly walk it back to level ground.

Finally, just when she thought she couldn't carry the SUV another step, she cleared the edge of the driveway. She took a quick breath and then moved it over two more steps to ensure that it wouldn't get stuck again. She slowly lowered it back to the ground as her legs began to shake. When all four tires were on level ground again, she released her grip on the bumper and collapsed backward in the snow, gasping for air. Sweat had formed on her forehead, and the wintry air was chilling it to the point that it was uncomfortable. She brushed it away with her sleeve and looked over at the two teachers again.

James and Jason were both stunned by what they had seen. Dinah had picked up the front of the car and walked it through the snow, up an incline and back onto the driveway. James knew that it would have been difficult, if not impossible, for several people to reproduce what she had done alone.

Jason finally broke their momentary inaction by running over to where Dinah lay in the snow, trying to catch her breath. James quickly followed behind him and they both leaned down and asked Dinah if she was okay.

"I'll...be fine...in a minute," she said with a smile as she waved them off. "That...was harder than...I thought it would be!"

"How did you do that?" James asked with disbelief. He looked over at Jason and saw his own amazement mirrored on the younger teacher's face. Neither of them had seen Dinah fight against the demons, and so had no idea of her superhuman strength.

But before Dinah could answer, she heard a familiar voice in her head.

Dinah, we're nearly back with the others, Cole said to her. They've been hurt badly. We need help.

Dinah quickly relayed the message to the two teachers. She pushed aside her fatigue with great effort and stood up. Jason followed her as she headed down the driveway and James stayed behind to start the car. He turned the heater on its highest setting, hoping to warm the vehicle as much as possible before their injured companions arrived. He knew that someone going into shock could be dangerous, and even more so in the cold of winter.

Dinah spotted Larry walking toward her with something brown and furry in his arms. She quickly realized that it was Aidan, and that the dog wasn't moving. Behind him walked Cole, with the limp form of Vaughan in his arms. Dinah gasped as she saw her injured brother and ran to help Cole. She saw her father limp up behind Cole and was relieved to see that his injuries didn't appear to be serious. And then Harper walked up with Tina held in his arms. She wasn't moving either, and Dinah heard Jason gasp as he saw her. He ran up to Harper and then walked beside him, holding one of Tina's limp hands in his as they walked up to the running SUV. They moved around to the back where James had put down the seats to make room to lay Vaughan, Tina and Aidan down.

Harper leaned over each of them and murmured something under his breath as his body began to glow. Aidan stirred and then quickly sat up in the back of the vehicle, but Tina and Vaughan still didn't move. Aidan leaned over each of them briefly, sniffing at both of their faces and whining softly. She looked over at Harper for a moment and then jumped from the backseat of the car and moved to sit next to Cody, where both of them watched Harper intently.

Dinah noticed for the first time that her uncle was covered in blood and the black fluid that she recognized as the blood of the demons. The way he moved, she could tell that he was still in some pain, but he was at least moving. Vaughan and Tina still hadn't moved and Harper had stopped whatever he had been doing. The only sign of life in either of them was the shallow rise and fall of their chests.

Harper pushed his hair back from his forehead and everyone could see the obvious exhaustion on his face. His normally bright blue eyes were dulled and dark circles had formed beneath both of them.

"How are they doing?" Jerry asked softly as he leaned against the car. A large bruise was forming on the side of his face, and dried blood covered his top lip.

Harper looked at his brother-in-law briefly, and then down at the ground. "They're dying," he said so softly that he could barely be heard over the low growl of the engine. His voice had been filled with despair as he spoke, and Dinah suddenly realized that it wasn't only exhaustion that had caused the change to his eyes. It was also grief.

"What are you talking about?" Jason asked as he stared at Harper. "How can they be dying? They don't even look like they're hurt!"

"Harper, why do you think they're dying?" Jerry asked his brother-in-law earnestly as he moved to sit next to him on the bumper.

"I don't think it, brother," Harper answered as he met Jerry's stare. "I can feel it. I've healed what small physical wounds they had, but what's killing them is far worse." He took a deep breath before explaining, "They were both assaulted by powerful dark magic, and that is what is killing them."

"Can't you stop it?" Jason asked with a sob. He was wringing his hands as he looked at the still form of Tina.

"I would give my life to save either of them," Harper answered as he looked at Jason. "But I do not have the strength required to save even one of them. My battle with the demon took too much from me." He looked miserable as he admitted his inability to heal Vaughan and Tina. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"That's it, then?" Jason asked, his despair rising. He heard the note of hysteria in his voice, but didn't care. The thought that Tina was dying was unbearable. "There's got to be something else you can do! You can't just let her die. I mean, let them die."

"Believe me, Jason," Harper said to him, trying to catch his gaze, but Jason refused to look away from Tina. "If there was anything else I could do, I would do it."

Jerry sat on the bumper next to Harper, and stared down at his hands in shock. He was too numb to say anything, and was surprised that he couldn't even cry. His son was dying. And there was nothing he could do about it. It had been one of his greatest fears throughout his encounters with the demons – the fear that he would lose one or more of his children. He had only recently rebuilt his relationship with Vaughan, and now he was going to lose him again.

And then Jerry thought about Tina Waverly. The small, pretty young woman had been a mere acquaintance just a day ago, and now he felt a bond with her that made the thought of her dying nearly as devastating as the thought of the loss of his son. Her amazing strength and the protective nature that he had seen her show toward his children reminded him so much of his late wife. And when he looked at the despondence on Jason's face, he felt a kinship with the young man. Even though Jason had not begun an actual relationship with Tina, Jerry could see that the young man was in love. And he knew what it was like to lose someone that you loved in that way.

Jerry looked at where Vaughan and Tina laid next to each other and finally felt a sob escape his lips. Tears started flowing freely and when he looked over at Dinah and Cole, he saw them holding each other, crying quietly in the falling snow. Even Larry had tears falling down his cheeks as he looked at the two sleeping forms in the back of the SUV. But when Jerry looked over at James McCallister, the expression he saw on the teacher's face surprised him. He didn't look upset or saddened by what Harper had said. If Jerry had to guess what his expression was, he would have said that James looked thoughtful.

James could tell that Harper was keeping something from them, and he wondered what it was. He walked over to the rear bumper of the car and stood in front of the Aes Sidhe, looking down at him in silence for a moment. Harper stared up at him in confusion, but he was too exhausted and emotionally drained to say anything to him.

"There's another way," James said quietly to Harper. "Something you're not telling us."

Harper's eyes narrowed as he stared up at the teacher. He still didn't trust the man completely, but Harper had to grudgingly admit that James was right. There was another way, but Harper had purposely kept it to himself, because he not only doubted that it was possible, he was sure that it was far too dangerous to attempt.

James kneeled down and placed his hand on Harper's arm. "I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping it from us," he said quietly to Harper as he now looked up into his blue eyes. James was sympathetic as he added, "But if there's another way, no matter how dangerous, we must know."

Harper stared down for a moment in silence at the man who seemed to know more than he should. At first, he was angry that James was asking him such a thing. Harper worried that even mentioning the option that he knew stood almost no chance of working would give everyone false hope. But as he stared into the earnest face of the man who had repeatedly risked his life for the safety of Harper's family, he felt a measure of respect for James. He knew as well as Harper did that giving false hope under such circumstances could only cause more damage to Jerry and the others if Vaughan and Tina ultimately died. But he was right – they deserved to know of every option, no matter the risk.

"It's very dangerous," Harper said quietly as he looked down at James. "I've never done such a thing before, and have no idea if it would even work. I've only seen it done once, and that was long ago." His eyes narrowed as he added softly, "You have no idea what you're asking, James McCallister."

"Harper, please," Jerry said as he gently grabbed his brother-in-law's hand. "If there's anything you can do...anything at all, please."

Harper looked into the eyes of the man who his sister had chosen as more than just a mate. She had chosen to share her life with him, had chosen him as the father of her children, had given up everything she had known. It was a choice that he hadn't understood for many years, a choice that had made him angry with her for throwing her life away. His anger with her was because she had made such a foolish choice. But Harper had come to realize in the past few days that he had been the fool all along, not his sister. The man who had become his brother was a good man. And the children that he had fathered with Arianna were now a part of Harper too. Losing any of the Ambrose children would be like losing a part of himself. James McCallister was right.

Harper looked down at his brother-in-law's hand, which held his own. The dark skin that was barely starting to wrinkle with age, contrasted against the smooth white flesh of Harper's hand, but in many other ways they were nearly identical. It was not the first time that he had noticed the striking similarities between humans and Aes Sidhe. But his growing distrust of humans had caused him to think of them as inferior, as lesser creatures than his people. Again, he had come to realize that he had been a fool to think such things.

"Life energy can be harnessed," Harper said quietly as he continued to look down at his hands. And then he looked up at each of them one at a time as he continued, "In much the same way that the Solas can use the energy of living things, this energy can be used to heal. But unlike the Solas, I cannot take this energy. It must be freely given."

"Take mine," Jason said as he kneeled in front of Harper. "I'll give it to you willingly!"

"You don't understand," Harper explained as he looked down at Jason with pity. He had seen the naked love for Tina in Jason's eyes and sympathized. "I don't know if I can control how much of the energy I take. And if I take too much, the giver of the energy will die." Harper was quiet for a moment before he added, "The one time I saw this kind of magic used, one of my people ended up giving his life to save a human child. Is it fair to save one life by taking another?"

"Couldn't you take a little from each of us?" James asked. "That way, the risk will be shared, and the chance that one of us gives too much would diminish."

Harper stared at James in shocked silence for a moment as he considered what he had said. "I suppose that might work," he finally answered. "It's still very dangerous, though. As I said, I've only seen it done. I know how to do it in theory alone."

"I'll do it," Jerry answered resolutely.

"So will I," Jason said as he stood up.

As Harper looked around at the others, each of them volunteered to share a portion of their life force to heal Vaughan and Tina. He was quiet for a moment as he considered what they wanted to do. He didn't like the idea, thought it was too dangerous. But he could think of no other alternative, and he wasn't ready to give up on Vaughan and Tina.

"Very well," Harper said as he released Jerry's hand and stood up. "Let's begin."

Harper had everyone stand in a semi-circle, facing the open back of the SUV. "Take the hand of the person next to you," he told them as he took the hand of Jerry on one side and James on the other. He could feel the tension and anxiety pouring from each of them, but as he reached out with his mind, he was surprised to see that none of them were afraid. All of their thoughts were of saving Vaughan and Tina. Harper hoped that it was a sign that they would succeed.

He sent his consciousness along the joined hands around him, linking with each of the others one at a time. He felt the anxiety again and was surprised to realize that it was coming from him. He thought of the only time that he had seen what he was going to try to do. He remembered the lines of power running from the two Aes Sidhe and into the injured human. The human boy had risked his life to warn the Aes Sidhe of the betrayal of the Roman legion, and had been struck down by powerful dark magic. When the healing had finished, the human's life had been restored, but one of the Aes Sidhe had lain dead on the ground. Harper prayed that such a sacrifice would not be needed this time.

Next, he gauged the strength of those around him. He needed to have an idea of the amount of energy he could safely take from each of them. The first person that he gauged was James McCallister. Harper was surprised at the strength that he saw there. It was one of the strongest life forces that he had ever seen in a human. He reached for the energy that flowed through James and felt it reach out to him in return. Their energies merged and Harper could feel the strength that came from the joining of both of their life forces. The feeling was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. He felt bare and exposed to this human he barely knew and hadn't yet decided if he trusted. Harper allowed a few moments to let himself grow accustomed to the feeling of having joined with another being and then moved on to Cole, who stood next to James.

Harper had always been afraid to view the life forces of his sister's children. He had been afraid of seeing the frailty there that he saw in all humans. But Cole's life force burned brightly, far brighter than any human being, and only a fraction less so than an Aes Sidhe. When Harper moved on to Dinah, he saw the same strength there as he had in Cole. Harper was surprised that his niece's strength had recovered so quickly. It strengthened his hope that what they were trying to do would work. He merged the energy the shared energy with Cole and then Dinah. The growth in power was exponential, and his confidence surged.

His senses moved on to Larry next, but what he found there nearly caused him to drop his connection to the others. Where the life force in the others was strong and steady, Larry's was weak and seemed to flicker dimly. Harper recognized instantly the signs of disease and it filled him with sadness. He followed the weakness to its source and saw the diminished energy around Larry's heart. He decided that he would take nothing from Larry. He had grown to care deeply for the strange human and refused to be the cause of his death. Harper passed over Larry and moved on to Jason, where he could feel the anguish flowing from the young teacher's mind.

The sense of turmoil didn't surprise Harper, but the strength of Jason's life force did. It was nearly as strong as James McCallister's. Harper joined with the life force coming from the teacher and sent soothing thoughts along the newly-established connection. He felt an acknowledgement and then gratitude flow back to him from Jason, who managed a wan smile when Harper looked over at him.

Finally, Harper moved on to his brother-in-law. He felt the steady strength that he knew would be there, the same strength that Harper realized he had come to rely on. He also sensed something in Jerry that he nearly didn't notice at first. It was familiar, but at first he couldn't figure out why. And then he realized that he had felt the same feeling, a kind of connection to something bigger in Jason. He didn't know what the connection meant, or why both Jason and Jerry would have it, when the others didn't. But he knew that now wasn't the time to try to figure it out.

With the joined energies of the others, Harper reached out toward Vaughan. He felt a sudden, brief resistance and stopped in surprise until he realized that it was Jason who had hesitated. When Harper looked over at him, the young teacher looked embarrassed. Harper knew that he had resisted healing Vaughan first, but that such a reaction had been almost instinctive, his love and concern for Tina being so strong. Jason looked at Harper and nodded resolutely, and Harper returned his attention to Vaughan.

He reached out with the joined energy and inspected Vaughan's body. Immediately, he saw the roiling dark energy that flowed throughout his nephew's body. He felt everyone recoil as they felt the sense of chaos and aggression coming from it. It seemed to have a mind of its own as it tried to move toward Vaughan's heart and brain. As Harper moved closer to see what it was doing, he felt a strange sensation that he didn't want to admit. But he knew it was true. The darkness knew they were there, and it knew they were there to try to stop it.

Vaughan's life force was stronger than any human's, and it had managed to hold the dark magic at bay, though barely. Harper could sense the fatigue in his nephew's body, and knew that the wounds that he had suffered in battle with the demon had brought his body to the point where it was now difficult for him to keep the darkness from overwhelming him. He could also feel that Vaughan was trying to push the magic back, but simply didn't have the strength.

Vaughan, Harper spoke to his nephew's mind. We're here to help you. Can you focus on holding the darkness at bay while we force it from your body?

I'll try, Vaughan answered, though Harper could hear the struggle in his nephew's voice.

Harper gathered the shared energy and threw it at the dark magic, hoping to push it from Vaughan's body with a single blow. But the dark magic was stronger. It sensed what Harper was trying to do as soon as he did it. It abandoned its slow assault on Vaughan, but clung fiercely to the space that it had already gained. And its counterassault against the power wielded by Harper was both fierce and powerful. Harper nearly buckled from the sheer force of the dark magic and nearly felt his grip on the shared life energy of those around him slip away. He did not know what would happen to the others if he were to lose his hold on the life force that they had given him, but he didn't think it would be good.

But as soon as the dark magic had hit them, he had felt a wall of strength behind him. He sent a note of thanks along the shared connection, and felt the wall behind him grow stronger as the others supported him. Harper drew on this strength and hurled it at the dark magic, pushing it against the wall that Vaughan's own life force had formed. The darkness pushed against the joined forces of Harper and the others, but their strength was greater. Vaughan strengthened his own wall and the dark magic was caught between a hammer and an anvil. It struggled between the opposing forces, trying to escape. But Harper used the shared life energy at his control to hold it fast as he pushed it from Vaughan's body.

With a final push, the dark magic was hurled from Vaughan's body and into the open air. As it left the body it had invaded, it became a swirling mass of black smoke that curled in upon itself with a wailing sound until it had disappeared completely.

Harper felt the sense of triumph from the others, but he also felt the exhaustion coming from each of them. Cleansing Vaughan's body of the dark magic had taken far more of their energy than Harper had expected. He worried that they wouldn't have enough energy to heal Tina, even with their combined strength.

He briefly looked through Vaughan's body for any signs of remaining dark magic, but found none. Vaughan's life energy had already started to rebound and was now pulsing stronger than it had when the dark magic had still been there.

Harper moved their combined energy to the slumbering form of Tina, and his fears that they would not have enough energy were justified. The dark magic coursing through the young teacher's body was even more powerful than the darkness that had invaded Vaughan. And Tina did not have the strength that Vaughan had. She did not have the strength of Aes Sidhe blood flowing through her veins. The only thing keeping the darkness from consuming her completely was the magical strength of the bracelet that Jason had made for her. But even this bulwark was slowly losing its struggle, and the darkness had moved to occupy most of her body. Her own life force flickered weakly, and looked like nothing more than a candle in the darkness to Harper.

The evil magic in Tina sensed Harper and the others, but made no move to oppose them. It knew as well as Harper did that it didn't have to. Even the combined strength of Harper and the others was not enough to fight against it. And if Harper tried to pull even a little more strength from any one of them, he knew that the additional drain would kill someone. He tried to gauge the strength that he alone had remaining and knew immediately that it would not be enough to save Tina. He would give his life for the brave young teacher, but it still wouldn't be enough. And then he felt an even greater horror as he looked at the darkness within her.

The magic that was working its way through her body had a different purpose than the darkness that had filled Vaughan's body. That magic had been trying to destroy Vaughan, to snuff out his life force completely. But the magic in Tina was trying to change her. It was working its way to her mind, and Harper could sense what it would do if it reached it. The dark magic would change Tina into a pawn of the demons. It would strip her mind of its ability to make decisions completely. She would become a puppet, under the constant control of the demons. But the magic would leave enough of her consciousness that Tina would be aware the entire time of what she was doing. She would live through the horrors of what she did as an agent of the darkness, but be powerless to stop it. The dark magic painted this picture in Harper's mind and laughed at his revulsion. This magic had a mind of its own and Harper could do nothing to stop it.

Harper felt the horror coming from the others and knew that he wasn't the only one that had been shown the magic's objective. A wave of anguish suddenly hit him and he nearly fell to his knees from the strength of the emotion. He looked over at Jason and knew that the anguish had been his.

Take my life, Harper! Jason screamed in Harper's mind. I'll give it to you!

Harper felt the strength of Jason's life, which at the moment was even stronger than Harper's. It felt like it would be enough to push the darkness from Tina's body, but Harper couldn't be certain that Jason would be giving his life for nothing. Harper was torn, and didn't know what to do. He didn't want to abandon Tina to a fate worse than death, but the thought of taking the life of another human to do it was just as bad. And he had no idea if he would succeed.

And then the choice was taken from him.

Harper felt control of the shared energy suddenly taken from him. He tried to seize it back, but couldn't. And then something happened that amazed him. The energy that had been given by the others was gathered together, but the connection to each of the people who had given it was suddenly cut off. One at a time, the connection with the others was severed, but the energy they had freely given remained in the control of the person who had taken control of it from Harper – James McCallister.

What do you think you are doing? Harper asked him, immediately suspicious of the man.

I'm doing what needs to be done, Harper, James answered him.

Harper looked over at the human and saw him smile serenely. It was at that moment that Harper knew what James was doing.

It's too powerful, James, Harper said to the man, trying to convince him that he was doing was foolish. You can't defeat it by yourself.

Harper tried again to seize the power from James, but he didn't have the strength to overpower the human. At that moment, James was more powerful than he was, and somehow he knew how to control the power. He had somehow managed to keep the life energy that had already been given to him by the others, but free them from the joining that Harper had used to heal Vaughan. All of his suspicions of James and his motives disappeared as Harper realized what the strange man was doing.

I've had a long life...for a human, I mean, James said to Harper as he looked over at him. I won't let Tina be taken by those things, and never have the chance to feel the love between her and Jason grow. I know what it's like to love someone that way. And you'll need Tina's strength more than you'll need some old man holding you back.

The smiling face of a beautiful black human woman suddenly appeared in Harper's mind, and he realized that the picture was of James McCallister's wife. Harper was still linked to the mind of James, and he could feel the love that the man had felt for his wife, the love that he still felt for her. And he felt the loss that James had felt every day since she had been gone. He heard the woman's name said with the same sense of love and loss that he had felt coming from James.

Elaine.

Harper looked at the human and felt sympathy for such a loss. He had once loved someone in the same way and had lost that person through his own actions, and then finally lost them completely to death. It had been nearly ten years since that final loss, but the pain hadn't diminished and so he knew the kind of loss that James continued to feel. And he knew the nobility of the sacrifice that James was planning to make. He would give his life so that two others could have a chance at feeling the love that he and his wife had felt.

There must be another way, Harper pleaded, though he knew there wasn't.

James opened his mind to Harper at that moment and he saw everything. He saw that Elaine McCallister had also been a Sentinel, that she had given her life to save her husband's so many years before. Harper saw that everything James had said about the human Sentinels had been true. And he saw the promise that James had made to his sister, Arianna. He had promised that he would help and protect her family in any way that he could. He had honored that promise many times over and Harper had answered his help with suspicion. For the third time that night, he realized that he had been a fool.

Get Louis and Billie back, James said to Harper. Protect those children from harm, Harper. You must promise me this.

Harper looked at James for a moment and then nodded. "I promise," he said out loud.

And then Harper's connection to James was severed, and he was thrown to the ground. He lay there for a moment, stunned. He looked around him and saw that the others had been thrown into the snow when their connection to each other had been cut. They were all staring up at James in shock.

James stood, facing the open cargo compartment of the SUV, where Vaughan and Tina still lay, looking like they were merely asleep. James glowed brightly, and a nimbus of white light surrounded him. It gave his face an angelic quality, though the look on his face was one of grim determination. In the back of the vehicle, a dark shape hovered over the prone form of Tina, seeming to guard the unconscious teacher jealously.

Harper reached out with his mind, trying to reestablish the connection with James. But the will of James was too strong, and Harper's attempt was rebuffed. Harper stared up at James, helpless to do anything but watch.

James looked at Harper and smiled, and then the darkness around Tina seemed to reach out from her body and straight at James. The dark magic poured around the glowing form of James until it had enveloped him completely, leaving Tina's body free of its hold. Harper cried out, and heard echoing cries from the others as they watched James be consumed.

But suddenly there was a blinding flash of white, so bright that Harper and the others all had to shield their eyes with their hands. When the light had finally cleared, Harper looked at where James McCallister had stood. What remained of the darkness was blowing away with the wind. Harper heard the same keening wail that he had heard from the dark magic as it left Vaughan's body. The darkness dissipated, but James was no longer standing there.

Harper pulled himself to his feet and ran over to where James lay motionless in the snow. As he reached down to feel at James' neck for a pulse, he knew that the gesture was futile. James was staring emptily up at the canopy of trees and his mouth was open in wordless shock. He was dead.

Dinah moved over from where she had fallen and kneeled in the snow before gently lifting her neighbor's head and placing it in her lap as she closed his staring eyes and open mouth. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she thought of everything that he had done for her and her family. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Cole looking down at Mr. McCallister as tears filled his eyes. As she looked back down at her neighbor, the seriousness of their struggle against the demons suddenly hit her. Up until that point, their ordeal had had a surreal quality to it, one of adventure more than a life-or-death struggle against things that wanted to destroy them. But now a life had been taken by that struggle. And it wasn't just any life. It was the life of someone who she had considered to be a friend. Dinah felt very small at that moment, and very frightened.

Aidan and Cody limped over and sat near James' body before raising their heads and letting loose a mournful howl. They were joined by several howls from the trees around them, and Dinah and the others looked around in surprise to see the wolf pack sitting along the edge of the clearing, howling sadly with Cody and Aidan. After nearly a minute, the howling stopped, and the empty sounds of winter returned.

"What's going on?" Vaughan asked suddenly as he sat up in the back of the vehicle.

Jerry looked over in surprise and saw Tina sitting up next to him, looking around her in confusion. He reached over and took the hands of both Tina and his son, as Jason took Tina's other hand while tears of happiness streamed down his cheeks. Even Larry had tears in his eyes as he saw the smiling faces of two people that he had given up for dead.

Harper continued to look down at the man who had sacrificed his life to save another. James' face had the serenity that many had in death, and Harper knew that this was not merely caused by the relaxing of muscles. The pain and loss that James had felt since the death of his wife were gone. He was finally at peace.

Something wet hit Harper's wrist and he looked at it in confusion, wondering what could have caused it. He reached up to his face in surprise and realized that he was crying. It was the first time that he had cried since the death of Arianna. And it was the first time that he had cried over the death of a human in nearly two thousand years. He had been wrong about James McCallister. The man had made a promise to a dying woman and given his life to keep that promise.

Harper murmured the traditional words of his people as he looked down at James, words that wished him well on his journey and promised that they would meet again. Finally, he leaned down and kissed the forehead that was already beginning to grow cold.

"Good-bye, James," he said before wiping away a fresh tear from his own cheek. "And thank you."

# Chapter 25

Tuesday Night, January 11th

Vaughan was exhausted, but sleep wouldn't come to him, no matter how many times he tried to close his eyes and empty his mind. A single image kept popping into his head of its own volition – the image of Mr. McCallister's lifeless body lying peacefully on his own bed. They had returned their neighbor's body to his home and called the police to report that he had died in his sleep. Vaughan had heard his father and Larry discussing the fact that the police would have questions about Mr. McCallister's death, but they hadn't had time to stay at the house and answer them. It had taken nearly two hours to return his body home, retrieve Mr. Holt's car, and get back on the road. And the time they lost was time that Louis and Billie were being taken further away from them.

He couldn't believe that Mr. McCallister was gone. The teacher had been one of the few people at Vaughan's school who had taken an interest in him as a person, even if his personality had often seemed gruff and uncaring. Vaughan had respected him, but more importantly he had liked him. And now he was dead. He had died defending Vaughan's family and their friends, and Vaughan felt at least partly responsible for the teacher's death. If it hadn't been for him and his family, Mr. McCallister would still be living happily in his home, completely unaware of the Ambrose family's troubles. Vaughan wished that they had never gone to their neighbor's house for help. But he knew that wishing something didn't happen couldn't change that it had.

Vaughan looked at the front passenger seat, where Ms. Waverly sat looking out the front window. They were riding in Mr. Holt's small SUV as it followed the one that had belonged to Mr. McCallister. Mr. Holt drove silently, staying a comfortable distance behind the larger vehicle in front of them. Vaughan guessed that the reason for Mr. Holt's silence was exhaustion, but he didn't think Ms. Waverly was silent for the same reason. He had heard how Mr. McCallister had died – saving the life of Ms. Waverly, and he knew that she had heard the same thing. He couldn't imagine the guilt that she felt, knowing that another person's life had been given to save hers. He hoped that she was able to push it aside, since he was certainly glad that she had lived, and he knew that the others traveling with him did, as well.

He felt something nuzzle against his hand and looked down to see Aidan trying to push her nose under his hand. He smiled down at her and absently stroked the top of her head before looking over at Dinah, who was fast asleep next to him. He heard her softly snoring and envied her the ability to sleep. He thought of Louis and Billie and hoped that they were alright, and hoped that they would be able to catch up to his younger siblings and their abductors before it was too late. But he also hoped that Louis and Billie would do something to save themselves. Louis was powerful, and Vaughan hoped that he would figure out a way to protect himself and Billie, or even to escape on their own.

He leaned his head back and tried to clear his mind of thoughts of his younger siblings and of Mr. McCallister. After several minutes, he was finally able to drift into a fitful sleep to the sound of the car's engine and the rhythmic thumping of the windshield wipers.

Louis looked out at the falling snow, and the never-ending landscape of trees and mountains. He didn't know how long they had been driving on the winding mountain roads, but it felt like hours. He wished that he could sleep, but in spite of the exhaustion that made his body demand that he close his eyes, his mind refused to quiet. As he looked over at Billie sound asleep next to him, he thought of the strength that he was going to need if he stood any chance of saving them both. Even a few moments of sleep would help him regain some of that strength. But sleep just wouldn't come.

Louis looked back out the window again, and wondered how much longer it would be until they reached the sacred spot in the mountains. He wondered what would happen when they got there, what it was that he was expected to do. But most of all, he wondered what he was going to do to get him and his little sister through their ordeal alive. He looked over at Billie again, and silently cursed himself for allowing her to come along. He should have forced her to stay behind, and she would have been safe. But secretly, he was glad that she had come. Sitting alone in the back seat of a strange car as it carried him to an unknown fate would have been unbearable. Having Billie beside him gave him a measure of hope that they would both survive for some reason. Nothing could ever keep her spirits down, and that constant strength was contagious.

Louis sighed as he thought of the rest of his family and their friends, especially the ones that he had left behind in the forest when he and Billie had been carried off in the arms of the demon. He didn't know if they were even still alive. As he remembered Vaughan's unmoving form and the stillness of Ms. Waverly as she lay sprawled in the snow, Louis suddenly felt very small and afraid. Tears welled in his eyes for a moment before spilling down his cheeks. And he let them fall.

He wallowed in self-pity for a few moments before he felt someone staring at him. He looked up and saw a pair of eyes staring back at him from the rearview mirror. He recognized the pale blue eyes of Anna as she looked back at him, though only her eyes could be seen. He could see something in those eyes, but he didn't believe that what he saw could really be there. There was pity in Anna's eyes, and unless he was mistaken, Louis also saw concern. He was struck again by how unusual this woman seemed to be, how the look in her eyes was completely at odds with her actions. He wondered again why she seemed to be so conflicted. She seemed to genuinely care about what happened to Billie and him. But he didn't like her watching him cry. It made him feel weak, crying in front of her like that.

Louis angrily wiped away the tears from both cheeks and stared back at Anna with defiance. She watched him for a moment more and then looked away, but the expression in her eyes hadn't changed. In spite of the concern he had seen there, he promised himself at that moment that he would never again let any of them see him cry.

Cole sat in the back seat of Mr. McCallister's SUV, with Larry sleeping and snoring loudly next to him. His father was in the front passenger seat, and Uncle Harper, the only person who knew where they were going, was driving. As Cole looked out the window on his left, he wondered if he was looking at the same scenery as Louis and Billie. He hoped that they were both alright and not too badly frightened by their ordeal.

He felt something brush against his mind, and recognized the strange thought pattern instantly. The leader of the wolf pack was reaching out to Cole to let him know that the pack was nearby and keeping pace with them as they moved further into the mountains. Cole sent them back an urgent request that they return to the woods near the house. The pack had already suffered too much protecting him and his family, and he didn't want more of them to be killed.

The images that he received in return made it clear to Cole that they would not honor his request. They were going to stay with Cole and the others until they got Louis and Billie back. Cole asked again for them to stay away for the safety of the pack. He knew that they could only lose so many of their members before the pack would be doomed.

The leader of the pack sent him an image in response that surprised Cole. He saw a single wolf that he hadn't seen before, but that he knew instantly was a member of the pack. She was sleeping in a den, with seven young pups curled up next to her. The leader's message was clear. He was telling him that no matter what happened, the pack would survive.

And then he sent a second image that Cole didn't understand at first. It was an image of the wolf pack standing next to his family and their friends. He frowned in confusion as he tried to think of what it could mean, but then he understood. Cole and the others had become members of the pack. Their fates were now intertwined, and each of the wolves would give their lives for any of the new members of their pack. Cole was deeply touched by what the wolves were telling him, and he tried to think of something profound that could translate to the way the wolves thought. But all he could think of was to say thank you, so that was all he said. The leader of the pack acknowledged his thanks briefly before breaking off their connection.

Larry let out an especially loud snore at that moment, and Cole chuckled as he looked over at the big man, asleep with his head back and his mouth open. Cole saw his father look back and smile at the sight of his partner before shaking his head and returning his attention to the windshield. Cole knew that Larry had the right idea. It was smart to sleep while they could, and if they could. Cole closed his eyes and was asleep in moments.

Jerry listened to the rhythmic sound of Larry's snoring and knew that he should be doing the same thing. The only one in the vehicle that didn't need sleep was Harper, and Jerry knew that he should take advantage of the time they spent driving to recharge his batteries. But he couldn't force himself to even close his eyes. He kept thinking about the sacrifice that James McCallister had made, and he felt guilty for asking for his neighbor's help in the first place. He knew that the older man would still be alive if Jerry and the others hadn't made their way to his house. But he also knew that they had had no choice, and that James had offered his help willingly.

And then he thought of his two youngest children, and tears filled his eyes. He would do anything to see them returned safe and sound. Nearly losing Vaughan had been unbearable. It had felt like something had been slowly tearing his heart from his body. It had been the same feeling as when he had watched his wife slowly waste away. He would do everything humanly possible to save them. Or inhumanly possible, he thought with a chuckle.

He knew that he stood no chance of sleeping, so he shifted in his seat to a more comfortable position and sighed. And then he felt something warm on his wrist and looked over in surprise to see Harper's hand holding it. Just as Jerry was going to ask his brother-in-law what he was doing, he felt a surge of warmth flowing into his arm and throughout his body. It only lasted for a few moments, but when Harper pulled his hand away, Jerry felt completely refreshed, as if he had slept for hours. He looked over at Harper in surprise and his brother-in-law smiled.

"Thank you," Jerry said softly.

Harper's smile widened and he nodded once before returning his attention to the road and his hand to the steering wheel. Jerry was surprised at the warmth in Harper's smile, but it also made him sad. He was rarely the recipient of one of Harper's smiles, and for that there was a part of him that was grateful. When Harper smiled, he looked exactly like Arianna.

The snow intensified as they drove deeper into the mountains, increasing to the point that all Louis could see when he looked out the window was a sheet of white. He looked over at the clock in the center of the dashboard and was surprised to see that they had been driving for nearly five hours. He had finally managed to fall asleep, but only for what seemed like moments. Instead of rejuvenating him, he had woken from the brief sleep feeling more tired than before.

The car began to slow and he saw Billie stir next to him. She moaned softly as she yawned and looked through the windows at the landscape around them.

"Where are we?" Billie asked her brother softly.

Louis waited to see if either of the front seat occupants would answer, but they ignored Billie's question. "I don't know," Louis answered her just as softly. "We've been driving for almost five hours."

"Five hours?" Billie asked, incredulous. She leaned in and whispered in his ear, "How will Daddy and Uncle Harper find us if we've been gone for so long?"

She looked worried as she pulled back and stared at him, but Louis saw no trace of genuine fear in her eyes. Again, he was glad that she had come with him. If he had been alone, he would have been terrified.

Before he could provide some kind of reassuring answer, the car came to a stop, skidding briefly in the snow. Their driver shut the engine off and then opened his door, letting in a blast of cold air. Louis pulled his sister closer to him and they huddled against each other for warmth.

Anna opened her door and got out before walking along the side of the car. Louis and Billie watched her as she reached the back and then opened the rear hatch and began pulling several objects from the cargo compartment. They were both trying to figure out what she was doing, but neither of them wanted to ask. After removing what they guessed was the final object, the rear hatch closed and then Anna moved over to Louis' door.

"Let's go," she said flatly after opening his door. She only looked briefly at Louis and then quickly looked away.

"Where are we going?" Louis asked, refusing to move.

"You're going where I take you," Anna responded without emotion and without looking at him. "Do as I say, or there will be trouble for both of you."

Billie nudged him and when he looked over at her, she nodded. Louis sighed before getting out of the back seat and stepping out into the snow. His foot sank several inches into the deep snow which reached the bottom of the open door. It was fine and powdery from the frigid air and swirled around him as his feet disturbed it. He looked over a short distance from the car and saw a large sled like the ones that dog teams pulled laying in the snow. It was covered in several blankets and furs, and the large man that had been driving was attaching a harness that ran from the sled to his body.

"Get on the sled," Anna said to him as she grabbed two of the fur blankets from the sled and held them.

Louis obeyed, and climbed onto the front of the sled, dusting the snow from his boots before he sat down. He looked back and saw Anna gently lift Billie from the back seat of the car and then walk the few feet over to the sled. She placed Billie on the sled behind him, and then carefully arranged the blankets around them, making sure that both of them were covered completely. He wondered if this was another sign of the conflict that he sensed within Anna, but thought it was just as likely that she was only protecting her cargo to deliver it safely.

He felt Billie wrap her legs and arms around him and then felt her face against his shoulder. He was glad for the warmth and huddled his face down into the blanket, leaving only his eyes exposed. He looked over and saw Anna put on a pair of snow shoes, and then signal the man harnessed to the sled. He had already put on a pair of his own snow shoes, and he began walking toward the tree line at the far end of the clearing in which the car had parked. Anna moved beside them, appearing to struggle somewhat to keep up with the rapid pace that the large man set. Within moments, they had crossed into the woods and the falling snow came to a stop in the densely packed trees.

Louis looked behind him and saw the shape of the SUV that had brought them so deep into the mountains. It grew smaller as they moved further away. As he watched the snow drifting to the ground, he prayed that it would let up. Every flake that fell would cover their trail and make it that much harder for his father and uncle to find them.

Jerry watched the snow fly past as their vehicle wound its way along a windy mountain road. They had been on the smaller road for nearly an hour, and Jerry hoped that it was the last leg of their journey to find his children.

"How much further is it?" Jerry asked as he watched Harper expertly take each turn.

"We're nearly at the point where we'll have to leave the car," Harper answered. "It shouldn't be more than a few minutes. And the good news is we've made up some of the time we lost."

"Good," Jerry answered simply. Every minute they lost only decreased their chances of catching up to his children's abductors.

"Look!" Cole shouted suddenly from the back seat as he pointed at the windshield.

Harper slowed the vehicle down as the rest of them saw what Cole had pointed at. Covered in the snow ahead of them was the shape of a large black SUV, parked in a clearing surrounded by trees. It looked like it was where the road ended, and that the rest of the journey would have to be on foot. Harper pulled their vehicle next to the large black one, and Cole looked over and saw Jason's smaller vehicle pulling up beside them as he and the others got out and walked over to the parked vehicle.

After a moment, he felt Dinah walk up next to him and saw her brush some of the snow from the back window and look inside.

"It's completely empty," she said as she walked up and stood next to her older brother again. "But I'm positive this was the car that I saw Louis and Billie in."

"There are scratches on this side that match the paint on MrCallister's car," Larry shouted from the other side of the vehicle. "This is the one, alright. But where did they go?"

"They've headed for the trees," Harper answered as he opened the back of the larger SUV that they had brought. He reached in and pulled out the several sets of snow shoes that they had brought with them and began handing them out to everyone. "And we'd better hurry after them."

Harper and Vaughan didn't take snow shoes and Cole declined them when offered. Instead, he walked over to stand between the two cars where no one could see him. There were the brief sounds of wet cracking and grunting before a large black wolf came trotting over to them through the snow.

"Is that Cole?" Tina asked as she stared at the wolf, who sat down next to her. To her credit, she didn't appear nervous at all and even reached out to scratch the fur behind its ears.

"Apparently, there are other forms that he can take," Harper said with a chuckle.

Cody and Aidan both walked up to the wolf that was Cole and they took turns sniffing at each other before the two dogs sat down next to him.

That form fits you nicely, Cody said to Cole in his mind. Cole could hear the amusement in his voice as he added, You should wear it more often. He looked over in the direction of the trees and said to Cole, Harper is right. They have gone off into the trees. There's not much of a trail left because of the snow, but it's there.

How long have they been gone? Cole asked as he looked over at the trees.

Not long, Cody answered simply. Cole realized as Cody answered that the nature spirit's sense of time was not much better than that of the wolves. His estimate could mean as little as an hour or as much as half a day.

Cole relayed the message to his uncle, and saw him nod in response. The others finished securing their snow shoes to their feet. "Is everyone ready?" Harper asked. When everyone nodded or voiced their assent, he said, "Alright, let's follow Cole and the dogs."

Cole stood up and followed Cody and Aidan as they jogged toward the trees. They neared the thickly wooded area at the end of the clearing, and he picked up the scents of Louis and Billie. The smells were still strong enough that he was certain they had passed by the same spot no more than an hour before. He suddenly felt several voices reach out to his mind at the same time and looked behind him to see seven wolves jogging to catch up with them. He sent a greeting to them and repeated his thoughts of gratitude, which they acknowledged as they spread out and then sat down under the canopy of pine trees to wait for the human members of their party.

Cole loved the form that he had taken. He didn't feel the obvious strength that he had when he had taken the form of the bear, but the sleek, efficient form made him feel like he could run for hours. And as he reached down and snapped his jaws on a large branch, he was rewarded with the sound of it snapping in half. He knew that the bones of the demons would snap almost as easily when he was able to sink his teeth into them.

I told you, Cody said with the same amusement in his voice that Cole had heard just moments before. That form suits you.

The others caught up with them in the trees and Cole started jogging again, keeping the scent of his two youngest siblings in his nose as he moved through the trees. Cody, Aidan and the wolves ran beside him and behind him, and Cole truly felt for the first time what it was like to be in a pack. It felt powerful, being with a group that shared the same goal. And it gave him hope that they might be able to overcome whatever stood in the way of finding Louis and Billie.

Louis shivered as they left the protection of the trees and headed toward a large grouping of boulders. The stones sat in a huge clearing that was ringed by trees on all sides. Louis could see two men standing near the large stones, along with at least two dozen of the larger demons like the one that had nearly killed Vaughan. As they moved closer to the stones, he recognized their shape as a familiar one. He had seen pictures of a grouping of stones that looked just like this one, but he couldn't remember the name of them. He remembered that they were somewhere in England, but little else about them and why they were important.

"Those rocks look like Stonehenge!" Billie said excitedly from behind Louis, reminding him of the name. She was quiet for a moment before adding quietly, "I feel funny when I look at them."

As Billie said it, he realized that he was feeling something strange too. A current of excitement ran through him whenever he looked directly at the grouping of rocks. It reminded him of the feeling he got on Christmas morning, just before they were about to open their presents. The rocks seemed to be calling out to him in some strange, silent way. He wanted to run up to them and walk between them, even run his hands along them.

His attention was reluctantly pulled from the stones as the two men walked up to meet Anna and the man pulling their sled. Louis felt a surge of anger as he recognized the man that had led the demons' attack against them the night before.

Tim Matheson smiled as he made eye contact with Louis, and though it sent a chill of fear down his spine, he refused to look away. He stared back at the evil man, who only smiled wickedly in response. Another man walked slightly behind him, and Louis recognized the man as one of those who had stood with Tim the night before. He still had the uniform on, the one that Larry had identified as Animal Control. His eyes darted around the clearing, as if he was expecting an attack at any moment. His nervous glances were frequently directed at the demons behind him, as well. He seemed out of place next to the confident Tim, who seemed to ignore everyone around him arrogantly, as if they were beneath his notice.

"You found them," Tim said as he walked up to the sled and stared down at Louis and Billie with a smile.

Louis felt Billie's arms tighten around him, but he guessed that her reaction was more one of anger than fear.

"I told you I would," Anna answered simply. She glanced down briefly at the two children, but refused to meet their eyes.

"And what of the others?" Tim asked as he made eye contact with Anna.

She stared back at him defiantly before answering softly, "I took care of it, as I told you I would. They won't be able to easily follow us."

"Yes," Tim answered her as a slight flare of irritation at her insolence crossed his features. "Well, let's hope that you're right. We both know the consequences if you're not," he added with a wicked smirk.

"Get on with it," Anna said through clenched teeth, ignoring his comments.

She glanced briefly back at the children, and Louis saw the same look of concern in her eyes that he had seen in the rearview mirror. But Louis had seen what the woman had done to Tina when she had defied her. Whatever hold Tim had over Anna, it was a powerful one. She would obey him, no matter what inner conflicts she was facing.

Tim looked down at Louis and Billie and told them, "Get off of the sled."

The large man that had been pulling the sled removed the harness and then shifted into his natural, beastly form before joining the others nearer the ring of stones. As Louis stepped off of the sled, he noticed that the creatures kept glancing nervously behind them, and he was sure that it was the stones that frightened them, though he didn't understand why. But if the demons were afraid of the stones, he was pretty sure it was a good thing for him and Billie.

Louis waited until Billie stood up next to him, and then took his sister's hand. Anna reached down and zipped up Billie's coat and then stood up and carefully ignored them, as if she hadn't just done something to help her.

"Let's go," Tim said as he gestured in the direction of the stones.

Louis and Billie looked at each other for a moment and then obeyed his command, walking slowly through the deep snow in the direction Tim had pointed. Tim, Anna and the other man filed in behind them, though Louis tried to ignore their presence as he and his sister walked hand-in-hand.

"Hurry up," Tim said as he shoved at Louis' back.

Louis fell forward in the snow, accidentally pulling Billie down beside him. He looked back at Tim with venom in his eyes, but didn't say anything. Billie was not nearly as tame. She grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at Tim's face, pelting him with the cold, powdery stuff.

"You'll pay for that, you little rat!" Tim hissed as he reached for Billie.

"Leave them alone," Anna said as she stepped in front of him. "Pushing them will not get them to the stones any sooner. If anything, it will only delay what we must do." She looked back at him defiantly, and the anger on his face was terrifying, though she stood her ground. "You're acting like a fool, Tim," she told him. "And I think we both know the consequence of that," she added mockingly, using the words that he had used against her just moments before.

They faced each other in silent fury for a moment, and Louis swore that he could see waves of dark energy surrounding each of them. He was convinced that there was going to be some kind of battle between them, but after a moment, Tim backed down. Whatever was motivating Tim, it was something that he feared enough that the anger he felt at Anna's interference was pushed aside.

Finally, he looked down at the two children. "Get up, now," he said softly, but with menace in his voice.

Anna turned away from him and picked Billie and then Louis up from the snow and returned them both to their feet. She carefully brushed the snow from their jackets and deliberately ignored Tim, which caused the veins in his forehead to bulge with anger.

"Do as he says," Anna said to the children softly. She gave them a slight, awkward smile and then stood up.

Louis looked up at the angry face of Tim, and knew that Anna was right. There was no point in fighting for the sake of fighting. Until he could come up with some kind of plan, it made sense for them to do as they were told. He hoped that such a course of action could buy them some time. He knew that his father and the others would come after them, but it was up to Louis and Billie to give them as much time to catch up as possible.

Louis grabbed his sister's hand and they started walking again, heading in the direction of the ring of stones. As they walked to within a few yards of them, Louis could feel the current of excitement that ran through his body grow stronger.

"The funny feeling in my stomach is getting stronger, Louis," Billie said as they stopped and stared up at the giant stones that towered nearly twice as high as the large demons that stood several yards away.

"I know," he answered as he stared at the grassy clearing between the stones. "It makes me feel funny, too."

Not a flake of snow had fallen in the clearing, though it was completely open to the sky. The snow continued to fall around it, but some force kept it from the stones and the space between them. He heard footsteps behind him and looked back to see Tim standing behind them, with Anna and the other human standing next to him.

"Go on," Tim said as he gestured toward the stones. "Go inside."

Louis looked at the stones, and then back at Tim in confusion. "I don't understand," Louis told him. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You go into the stones," Tim said condescendingly. "And whatever is supposed to happen, will. Now get going."

Louis looked at the stones again and felt that they were beckoning to him, asking him to walk within them and feel the source of their power. He didn't want to obey Tim. He definitely didn't trust him, and was suspicious of anything that Tim wanted him to do. But he felt no sense of malice coming from the stones or the clearing beyond them, and believed that there was something he needed to do within the ring. Louis walked forward a few steps and Billie walked with him, both of their eyes locked on the stones ahead.

"Not her," they heard Tim's voice say from behind them. "Just you, boy."

"I'm going with him," Billie said defiantly as she looked back at him. She held onto Louis' hand with a fierce grip and stepped closer to him and stared up at Tim with fire in her eyes.

Tim reached out and took hold of Billie's arm and tried to pull her away from her brother. Billie tried to yank her arm away from him, but he was too strong.

"Let go of me!" she cried.

Tim pulled harder and Louis felt his sister's hand pulled from his grasp. "Stay still you stupid little girl!" Tim hissed at Billie as he pulled her to him, her feet kicking in empty air as he picked her up.

"Billie, it's okay," Louis said to his sister soothingly. "I'll be right back. I promise."

Billie looked at her brother for a moment and then nodded. "Put me down, you jerk," she yelled up at Tim.

Tim threw her down to the snow and looked at her in contempt, but didn't hurt her. Louis knew that he was using Billie as a bargaining chip. Tim knew that Louis would do as he was told as long as it meant his sister wouldn't be hurt. And he was right.

Louis smiled at his sister one last time and then turned around and walked toward the stones. The falling snow lightened the closer he got to them, and as he closed to within a few feet of them, he could hear a low humming sound coming from within each one. He stopped just before the edge of the ring and looked at the stones that stood on either side of the wide opening that he had walked up to. As he looked closer at the stone on his left, he saw a swirling design of symbols glowing along its surface. The symbols looked like they had been carved into the stone itself, but when Louis reached out and ran his gloved hand along it, the surface was completely smooth. And the stone was warm. It was warm enough that he could feel it through his gloves, though it wasn't warm enough to burn. But the most unusual thing about the stone was that it seemed to pulse beneath his hand, as if it had a heartbeat. Louis could feel his own heart beating in his head and within a few seconds, the pulsing of the stone had matched it.

"Don't just stand there petting the rocks!" Tim yelled from behind him. "Go inside! Now!"

Louis looked back at him, but his hand lingered on the stone. He could see the evil man standing menacingly next to his sister, and he reminded himself that he was Billie's only hope of safely getting through this. He had to do as he was told.

Louis looked back at the space between the stones, and saw a strange shimmering of the air. He reached out to touch it, and felt a slight tension as his hand passed the spot where he had seen the distortion. He jerked his hand back as if it had been bitten, though he admitted that there had been no pain, only a slight tingling that he had to admit felt rather pleasant. He looked back at Tim in confusion, but the man only nodded his head angrily and waved his hand forward, telling Louis to keep going.

Louis turned his head back and closed his eyes before stepping forward. He felt the same tension, the same tingling sensation running through his body as he passed the spot where he knew the shimmer had been. And as the tingling ran through him, he heard what sounded like voices murmuring softly to him. The voices were welcoming and encouraging. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he got the sense that they wanted him to be there, that they were happy that he was there.

As he stepped fully into the circle, his eyes remained closed. But his other senses were nearly overwhelmed by the complete change around him. He felt warmth on his skin, so warm that he started to feel hot in his thick winter jacket. But it wasn't just the warmth. The inside of the circle smelled different – like flowers, grass and the freshness of spring. He felt a breeze brush his face as the song of singing birds reached his ears from a distance. He kept his eyes closed for a moment, sure that when he opened them, the spell would be broken and he would see the cold blackness of a winter evening. But when he opened his eyes, he saw that he was mistaken.

The sun shone brightly on a beautiful, grass-covered clearing that stood within the stones. Louis looked up and saw a blue sky filled with puffy white clouds, and when he looked down he saw that the lush, green grass grew nearly up to his knee. The clearing was dotted with dozens of different types of wildflowers that grew through the grass, and when Louis looked at what lay beyond the stones, he saw an alpine landscape on a sun-drenched spring day, not the wintry scene that had been there just moments before. Nothing looked as it had before he had stepped into the clearing, and when he looked behind him, he expected to see no one standing there. But as he looked back, he saw Billie, standing there in her winter clothes and staring back at him. She waved at him and smiled, and he returned the wave.

But it wasn't the sight of Billie that surprised him the most. Where the large demons had stood, there were only hazy, shadowy shapes in their place. Anna and the animal control officer stood behind Billie, but their forms looked slightly faded, and Louis could almost see through them. And Tim Matheson looked the most unusual of them all. His form seemed to shift between that of the sneering man, the shape of a large demon, and then nothing more than a shadow. He shifted so often that Louis started to feel dizzy when he looked at him for too long, so he returned his attention back to the clearing.

The heat became stifling as he walked toward the center, so he took his jacket off and carried it in one hand. The sense that he was welcome between the stones grew stronger the closer he got to the center of the clearing. But the voices had stopped as soon as he had passed the stones themselves.

He reached the center of the clearing, and could feel the power that seemed to gather there. The tingling that had run through his body as he approached the stones was now a vibration. It reminded him of the feeling that he got when he held onto the magic. It also felt ancient to Louis, like it had been there since before humans, before anything had walked on the earth. And it pulsed, as the stones had, though the pulsing was far stronger than it had been when Louis had felt the stones. It reminded him of the pulse that would pass through his body when Vaughan played his music too loud. It was like the feeling of the bass pounding through his body, though its beat was gentler and slower.

He waited for something to happen, something momentous that would signify his accepting the power of the Solas. But nothing happened. Louis could feel that there was something there, just beyond his reach, but he got the distinct impression that it was not for him. Whatever it was, it was ancient like the pulsing that passed through his body, but also different. It was something intelligent, something truly alive and that knew he was there. But it did not come to him, and Louis knew at that moment that he was not the Solas. He realized that his uncle and the others had been wrong about him. And he also knew that if it wasn't him, it had to be one of his other siblings.

He turned back around and saw the shifting face of Tim filled with surprise and then anger as he realized the same thing. They had wasted so much time and effort on getting Louis to this spot in the mountains, and he wasn't even the one. Louis knew that his ability to protect Billie had been severely diminished. And he also knew that his own life was in even greater danger now. If he wasn't the Solas, Tim Matheson had no use for him.

Louis tried to think of something that he could do to get him and his sister away from Tim and the demons, but he could think of nothing. But the first thing he had to do to protect his sister was to get closer to her. He started walking back toward her and suddenly there was the loud popping noise that he recognized as gunfire. He looked over in surprise and saw several people running from the cover of the woods, along with a pack of wolves, with Aidan and Cody running beside them. Louis threw his jacket on as quickly as he could, and heard Tim swear in frustration as he picked Billie up and held her to him.

Louis was afraid for his sister, and he ran toward her as fast as he could. He felt the same tension that he had felt before as he passed again through the line of stones. And then the cold winter air hit him and nearly knocked his breath away as he stumbled the last few feet to stand near Tim.

"He's not the one!" he heard Tim scream at Anna, but she was ignoring him, her attention focused on the people running toward them. He reached for Louis and picked him up before yelling something at the demons in a growling, guttural tongue. "Hold them off while I take them to the gate!" he yelled at Anna and the other man as he ran past them.

Louis looked over his shoulder as the huge demons moved to intercept the people running toward the stones. He recognized the faces of the people instantly. His family and friends had finally come for them. But they were already too late.

# Chapter 26

Tuesday Night, January 11th

Jerry and Harper broke through the trees at the same time, both heading for the ring of stones where they had seen Billie standing next to Tim Matheson. Jerry heard the others moving behind him, and as he looked to his left, he saw the pack streak past him and toward the gathered demons. Jerry and the others had decided to rush their enemies as one, hoping that the element of surprise would play into their favor and give them the chance to quickly get Louis and Billie before falling back to the trees. It wasn't exactly a foolproof plan, but it was all they had.

Jerry was relieved to see by the reaction of the demons that their attack had been a surprise, though the creatures were able to recover before he and the others could even reach them. He remembered how powerful these larger demons were, and wondered if he and the others were rushing to their doom. Tim shouted something at the creatures in a growling language and they turned to meet the attack. Two of the creatures headed straight for him and Harper and his brother-in-law quickened his pace and headed straight for them. His spear was held at the ready and Jerry looked over briefly to see a look of absolute determination on his face. Harper was glowing nearly as brightly as his spear, and his feet flew over the snow. He quickly passed Jerry, who lumbered along slowly by comparison in his snow shoes.

Jerry stopped and raised his gun, taking aim at one of the approaching demons. He wanted to help Harper, but he wasn't sure that he could fire at either of the demons without hitting him. Movement to his right grabbed his attention, and Jerry looked to see another demon running toward Harper, its jaws open and its tongue lolling from its mouth. Jerry knew that Harper would already have a hard time fighting two of the huge demons at once. Facing three of the creatures would have made the odds against him impossible. Jerry raised his gun, stopped where he was and fired at the third demon several times, emptying his entire clip into it. It staggered backward several steps as the bullets tore into its body, and it fell to one knee. But before Jerry could reload another clip into his gun, the creature stood up and charged for him. Jerry snapped the second clip into the handle, but didn't feel it snap into place. He realized in horror that his gun was jamming again, as it had when Louis and Billie were taken in the woods. He had survived the gun jamming the first time, but this time it would mean his death.

Jerry looked up as the demon was nearly upon him and braced his feet to meet the creature's charge, hoping to dodge aside at the last moment, though he doubted that he could move quickly enough. Just before the demon reached him, four streaks of fur brushed past him and leapt at the demon. Jerry realized that the wolves had sprung to his defense and he recognized the larger black form of Cole as they landed on his attacker. They quickly brought it to the ground in spite of its thrashing.

"Daddy!" he heard Billie's voice scream suddenly.

He looked up and at where the sound had come from, and saw Tim Matheson running around the circle of stones and toward the woods on the other side. Louis and Billie were in his arms, and his daughter was reaching out to him with fear on her face as the man carried her and her brother away. That look spurred Jerry to move. He had to get to his children before they were taken away from him again. He moved to follow them, stepping around the demon that the wolves had nearly finished. He continued to run as quickly as he could toward the stones and finally managed to slam the new clip into his gun.

A demon stepped in front of him as he neared the circle of stones, blocking his path. Jerry raised his gun, but before he could even pull the trigger the sound of gunfire ripped through the night. He didn't have to look around to realize where it had come from. Larry had joined the fight.

A hail of bullets tore into the creature - throwing it to the side and making it stumble and fall in the snow. Jerry didn't wait for it to recover. Instead, he quickly ran past the creature, ignoring the hail of bullets that tore through the air. He wasn't afraid that Larry would hit him by accident. Larry never missed.

Jerry ran in the direction in which he had seen Tim escape, trying to move as quickly as he could in the cumbersome snowshoes. Several demons tried to block his path along the way, but Larry was always there to push them away with a steady stream of gunfire. Jerry just kept moving, hoping that he could catch up with Tim before he got too far.

Cole felt the difference in these creatures immediately. As he fought the one that had tried to attack his father, he realized that these creatures were stronger and faster. And the sense of wrongness that flowed from them was so much stronger than the other demons that it was nearly overpowering. But it also caused an even stronger reaction of rage in him. He wanted to tear the life from their bodies and watch them disappear into dust.

He felt his body changing as he fought with the second creature that had stepped into his father's path. Three of the wolves fought beside him, dashing in and biting at the creature's legs whenever they could and then quickly darting away. He was by far the largest of them, and they let him take the lead against the demon. As his rage against the creatures built, his body continued to change. He grew taller, and his arms and legs grew longer. The proportions of his body changed until it was a hybrid between wolf and human, merging the best characteristics of both forms into a single body.

Cole looked into the eyes of the creature as he stood nearly as tall as it did, and he was surprised at what he saw there. The creature was afraid of him, and that fear only enraged him further. He thought of everything that these creatures had done to him, his family and their friends. He thought of his two youngest siblings, stolen from their family and carried off in fear into the mountains. And he thought of Mr. McCallister, the brave man who had made the ultimate sacrifice to save his life and the lives of the others. And it was all because these creatures had decided to invade his world and attack his family. And as long as they continued to do so, Cole would do everything he could to stop them.

He grappled with the creature and saw the three wolves with him break off their attack and move on to another of the creatures. As his arms locked with those of the creature in front of him, he was surprised by the strength it possessed. But he was stronger.

Cole pushed against the demon, moving it closer to the ring of stones as he tried to gain enough of an advantage to get his arms around its neck. But it was strong enough that even his slightly greater strength wasn't enough to allow him to gain any kind of hold. He continued to push against it, slowly backing it up until it stood no more than a few feet in front of the stones. The demon looked behind it, and Cole saw a look of panic cross the creature's face as it looked back at the stones. Cole didn't understand why the stones caused such a reaction, but he didn't care. He wanted this creature dead.

The demon tried to twist its body away from Cole's grasp, managing to briefly break his grip. But Cole was quicker than the creature, and he used the momentary break in their struggle to grab it and lift it from the ground before slamming it against the stone. It screamed in pain as its skin touched the stone and its entire body convulsed with agony. Its reaction was much stronger than the pain of merely hitting the stone should have been, though at first Cole couldn't guess why. He held it against the stone and saw smoke rising from its back as it continued to scream. He felt the heat of its body grow as he held it. It was as if the creature was burning from the inside. He made the connection that the creature was reacting to its contact with the stone as the heat within it built to the point that Cole's skin couldn't stand its contact with the creature any longer.

He released his hold on the creature, and it tried to writhe away from the stone, but it was held fast to it and couldn't move away. Its screams built until it became a high-pitched keening that made Cole cover his ears with his hands. He watched as the smoke began to rise from the creature's entire body and then it finally burst into flames. Within seconds, it was no more than a pile of ash at the base of the stone.

Cole looked around him in surprise, wondering if any of the others had seen what had happened. In his hybrid form, he couldn't shout out his newly-discovered way of destroying the creatures. His eyes locked with Dinah, who stood a few yards away. She snapped the neck of the creature she had been fighting and it fell to the ground. He could tell from her open-mouthed stare that she had seen what happened.

She gave him a huge smile and then looked around her. Her eyes locked on another of the creatures. She sprinted over to it, picked it up from behind and then lifted it over her head as it struggled uselessly. She threw the creature at the circle of stones, aiming between two of the upright ones. The creature screamed as it passed between the stones and burst into flames. A trail of ash flew into the clearing between the stones, but quickly blew away in the slight breeze. Dinah gave him another huge smile and then ran off to find her next target.

Cole looked around him at the many small battles unfolding around the clearing, looking for anyone who needed help. Dinah was already grappling with another of the creatures, and he could see that its strength was no match for hers. He couldn't see his father anywhere in the clearing, and there was no sign of Tim Matheson, either. A breeze blew past him, and his sense of smell picked up the fading scent of his father. From the direction of the wind, he guessed where his father had been heading. From the same direction, he picked up the even fainter scent of Louis and Billie, along with the oily and foul-smelling scent of Tim. But the presence of another scent from the same direction surprised him. It was the smell of a dog that he recognized instantly as Aidan. At first he wondered why the little dog would have gone off by herself, but then remembered the way she followed Billie around constantly, and he understood. She wanted to get Billie back as badly as her family did. He wanted to go after his father, but he didn't want to leave his family and friends outnumbered. He looked around the clearing again, as the sound of gunfire continued to tear through the winter air.

Larry was kneeling in the snow, firing his gun at some of the creatures, aiding any of the others he could. His shots never missed, and though the bullets couldn't stop the creatures completely, he was able to slow them down. Tina was crouched next to him, a gun in her hand, scanning the area around Larry but not firing it. Cole wondered where she had gotten a gun or if she even knew how to fire it. Larry was red-faced and breathing hard, but both of them otherwise seemed okay.

Jason stood next to the stones, which glowed slightly behind him. His lips were moving, and Cole guessed that he was about to perform some kind of magic. Cody and the wolves had broken up into two groups and were running throughout the clearing, darting in and engaging the demons before dashing away again. There was no sign of Vaughan anywhere, but Cole guessed that he was stalking around the clearing, looking for the best opportunities to do the most damage he could.

When his eyes landed on Uncle Harper, he saw him facing two of the creatures in their human forms near the stones. Each of them had swords in their hands, and the three combatants were engaging each other in a fierce duel. They moved so quickly and gracefully that Cole thought it looked like some kind of dance number being played in fast-forward. But his uncle seemed to be holding his own against them, so Cole let his gaze move on.

It looked like things were going as well as they could in the clearing, and Cole knew that his father was going to need him. Tim had shown the ability to use powerful dark magic, and Jerry had no defense against such attacks. And Cole couldn't leave him to face Tim alone with his only backup being a strange little dog.

He shifted his form to the large black wolf again, wanting to move as quickly as possible. The wolf form would allow him to quickly close the distance between him and his father. He ran in the direction in which he had smelled his father heading, hoping that the scent trail didn't disappear before he could find him. As he ran, he wondered if even his strength and abilities would be enough to face Tim and his evil magic, but it didn't matter if it wasn't. The thought of his little brother and sister with the evil man caused an irrational feeling within him. He would do everything he could to save them, even if it killed him.

Dinah snapped the neck of the creature and threw it to the ground, feeling a small sense of triumph that another of the foul creatures was dead. She looked around and quickly counted around a dozen of the creatures remaining, and her sense of triumph grew. They had managed to defeat nearly half of the creatures, and as far as she knew none of their group had been seriously injured. There was no sign of her father, Cole or the man that had carried off her two youngest siblings. She was pretty sure that Cole and her father had gone after Tim Matheson, and she wanted to follow them. But she wouldn't abandon the others to fight the creatures alone.

Her gaze fell on Larry, and her breath caught as she saw that he was collapsed in the snow. He was obviously in some kind of pain. Ms. Waverly was kneeling over him, a gun clutched in her hand as she waved it frantically back and forth, clearly guarding the somehow incapacitated Larry. Dinah started running in their direction, hoping that she could help in some way. But before she had taken more than a few steps, two demons stepped into her path. She heard movement behind her and turned to see two more of the creatures standing there. She was surrounded.

She realized that until that moment, the creatures hadn't been able to use their superior numbers to their advantage. But now that had changed. She knew she didn't stand a chance against four at one time, but she wouldn't go down without a fight.

Vaughan pulled his sword from the body of the demon he had killed and stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He could feel that he had taken a few minor wounds in his fight with the creature, and looked down to see drops of his blood where they had fallen in the snow. But he knew the wounds weren't serious and he was ready to take on the next one. He looked around the clearing, and the first thing he saw was his sister Dinah, surrounded by four of the demons. And he knew that even her great strength and speed wouldn't be enough to even such odds. He ran in her direction to do what he could to help her, his sword at the ready.

The fight with the last creature had been difficult, and he wasn't sure if he could be of much help to his sister, but he wouldn't let her face the demons alone. She had saved his life in the woods when they had fled their house the night before, and he hoped that he could return the favor. He ran toward her, his feet barely touching the snow as he quickly closed the distance. His passage through the snow was silent and he was sure that he could catch at least one of the creatures by surprise and quickly take it out of the battle.

As he closed to within a few feet of the creatures, Dinah charged forward and engaged two of them at the same time. She attacked them with fury, raining blows on them with her hands and feet, and the two demons couldn't move quickly enough to land any of their own. Vaughan raised his sword and prepared to take the head from one of the two demons behind his sister as they moved to engage her.

But as he moved to swing his sword across the back of the creature's neck, it quickly turned to face him and easily dodged his attack. It swiped at him with one of its claws, and Vaughan barely managed to dodge out of the way. He frantically dodged two more of the creature's swings, which were so fast that he didn't have a chance to counterattack. There was something about the way the creature moved that seemed familiar to Vaughan. And when he saw the creature grin wickedly as it made another swipe at him, he realized why. This was the same creature that he had fought in the woods just hours before. It had nearly killed him then, and Vaughan knew that he didn't stand much of a chance now. The creature was just too fast. Even his heightened senses and abilities would not be enough.

He managed a quick glance at Dinah and saw that she was now fighting all three of the creatures at once, and he could tell by the strained look on her face that she was hard pressed. But he couldn't do anything more to help her. His main focus now was trying to stay alive.

Louis knew that he had to do something before they reached wherever it was that Tim was taking them, but he didn't know what to do. He thought of the magic again, and wondered if it could be of any use. He knew that his magic was more powerful than the dark magic of Tim, but again he worried that he wouldn't be able to use it quickly enough to save Billie. He had no illusions that Billie would still be used as a bargaining chip to ensure his cooperation. After it had become obvious that he was not the Solas, they had both become expendable. He wasn't sure what purpose Tim had in mind for him and his sister, but he was sure it wasn't good. And if Tim felt threatened in any way, Louis knew that he and Billie were dead.

Louis looked over at Billie and saw her staring wide-eyed back at him. He could see that she was as terrified as he was, but he also saw the determination in her eyes. His father and the others had arrived, but Louis doubted that they would reach him and Billie before Tim managed to get them to his destination. If they were going to be saved, they would have to save themselves.

Tim stopped suddenly and looked around in confusion, clearly looking for something but unable to find it. Louis felt a surge of hope as he realized that Tim was lost. It was the lucky break that they needed. He looked over at Billie and saw her eyes widen momentarily as she looked behind them. He frowned in confusion, until she motioned with her eyes for him to look in the same direction. Louis looked back and didn't see anything at first. But then he saw something that completely surprised him.

Aidan was crouched behind a tree not far behind them, only her head visible as she watched them intently. Louis knew that she must have been following them since they left the circle of stones, stealthily creeping behind them the entire way. His eyes met hers and she stared back at him, unblinking. He suddenly got the distinct impression that he should wait to do anything. He couldn't explain where the feeling came from, but as he looked at Aidan, he wondered if she had something to do with it. He quickly brushed aside the thought, but couldn't help but continue to stare at the strange dog as she continued to watch him.

Do nothing until my signal, Louis heard a voice in his head.

His eyes widened in surprise as he stared at the dog in shock. This time he knew he wasn't imagining things. Aidan was telling him to wait. After a few seconds, he nodded at her, and was only slightly surprised to see her nod back.

Tim seemed to figure out where he was and started walking again, and this time he seemed much more certain of where he was going. Louis hoped that he hadn't made a mistake by letting his chance to do something slip away. But something told him that he should trust Aidan and wait for her signal.

Billie had also heard what Aidan had said, though she guessed that it was more directed at Louis than her. She knew that Louis had been planning on doing something, and she had thought it was a bad idea, but she hadn't said anything. She had a nagging feeling that they were supposed to go with Tim to wherever it was he was taking them. Billie had heard him scream something about a gate, and thought she remembered someone mentioning a gate in one of the many conversations her family had had about the demons. And the way she remembered it, she was pretty sure that it was something important. It was like when her Daddy had made her memorize his and Uncle Harper's cell phone numbers. It had stuck in her mind the same way. Something was going to happen at the gate that Tim was taking them to, and she and Louis were supposed to be there.

Billie remembered what her mother had said to her in the dream that she had shared with Louis, and thought that maybe this was the place where she was supposed to do what she had asked. She looked behind them as Tim continued deeper into the woods. They were moving up a slight incline, and she could hear his labored breathing as he climbed it. But she had no illusions that Tim would tire before they reached their destination. Something was driving him forward, and simple fatigue couldn't stop him.

As she looked behind, she saw Aidan sneaking from tree to tree, never visible for more than a few seconds. Billie was very careful not to smile or motion in any way to the dog, worried that she would reveal the fact that she was following them. Billie felt a shiver pass through her body, and realized suddenly that she was not feeling well. She felt nauseous and there was a strange pressure in her chest. She wondered if it was from the way that Tim was holding her, but he really wasn't holding her very tightly. Then she wondered if it was from the bitter cold, but realized that she hadn't felt cold since they had left the circle of stones. She knew the cold was there, but it didn't bother her for some reason.

But the feeling remained. It reminded her of the feeling she had gotten on her first day of kindergarten. Her father had said she was nervous. The way she felt now was like that feeling – the strange feeling in her stomach and the pressure in her chest, only much more powerful. And as they moved deeper into the woods, the feeling grew stronger.

Billie tried to push the feeling away as she looked behind them again. She saw Aidan ducking behind a tree and then couldn't see her anymore. The dog was still following them and was even closer now than she had been before. Billie saw Tim look briefly behind them and realized something that only made the feeling in her body worse. Tim knew they were being followed.

Tim stopped suddenly and even before Billie turned back around, she knew that whatever lay ahead of them was the cause of the awful feeling. They had arrived at their destination. She slowly turned her head, afraid of what she was going to see but refusing to let her fear overcome her. An evil smile crossed Tim's face, and she knew that he had found what he was looking for.

She looked ahead and her gaze fell on a hill that stood at the end of a small clearing in the trees. It was covered with large stones that jutted from it in countless angles, creating a small cliff that was slightly taller than a fully grown man. Within the center of the hill was the opening of a small cave. It was from this cave that Billie felt the wrongness flowing that was causing the awful feeling within her. It made the opening seem larger than it was, like a maw opening into the dark places of the earth. It was the kind of place that would have caused the birth of superstitions in primitive men. But with this cave, superstition and fear would have been justified. It was a portal to someplace else – a gate. Billie could feel this for certain, and guessed that it was the gate she had heard about. And the place that it led to was a place of death.

Billie looked over and saw Louis squirm and the look on his face told her that he was feeling it too. She knew that if Tim took her and her brother in or near the cave, they were both doomed. Even if neither of them was the Solas, Tim had brought them here for a reason. And she was sure that the reason wasn't a good one.

She looked again at the cave, though it made her feel sick when she did. She noticed for the first time that the trees around it were different than the others in the woods. The trees that were further away from the cave seemed to be growing away from it, as if they were trying to escape its presence, but were trapped in their places by their roots. Nearer to the cave, the trees seemed to have a strange vitality, with thick trunks and boughs so full of needles that barely any of the bark was visible. But the vitality was not normal. The trees were growing into each other and sometimes through each other, covering the area immediately around the cave with strangely-shaped branches that had none of the normal order of nature. It was as if the trees were trying to strangle each other, and their chaotic vitality gave them the appearance of madness.

Billie was terrified by the sight of the cave, and wanted to look away. But it also made her angry. She hated it, and hated what its presence had done to the forest. Something about it awoke a memory in her, the kind of feeling that she was too young to recognize as déjà vu. But she had never been to this place in the woods, had never seen the loathsome cave. She was sure that she would have remembered such a place. And yet the sense of familiarity remained.

She looked over at Louis and saw him staring wide-eyed at the cave, and his body was shaking, though Billie knew that it wasn't from the cold. She couldn't blame her brother for being afraid. She was terrified.

She looked behind them, searching for signs of Aidan, but couldn't see her anywhere. She wondered if the little dog had abandoned them, and for some reason that caused a wave of despair, though she wasn't sure what help Aidan could have provided if she had been there.

I'm here, Billie.

Billie heard her mother's voice in her head, and her fear diminished. She knew that her mother couldn't physically be there with her, but it didn't matter. Billie felt the same presence that she felt when she was with her mother in her dreams. And it was comforting. She felt confident that she could face whatever she had to, overcome whatever obstacles Tim and the demons placed in her way. Her mother was there with her and wouldn't let her face those obstacles alone.

Billie's vision of the cave and its surroundings began to fade suddenly and she felt a moment of panic, as she realized that she was falling asleep. But then she felt the reassuring presence of her mother again, and let her consciousness drift away.

Dinah threw the last of the demons that had faced her directly at the stones and watched in satisfaction as it burst into flames with a howl. She looked around her quickly, but saw no sign of Vaughan, though she knew it had been her younger brother who had intervened. He had engaged one of the demons surrounding her, and it had been enough to even the odds, though it had been close. She had barely managed to escape serious injury, and had multiple minor wounds across her body, though they were no longer bleeding as freely as they had been just moments before. She was healing much faster than she ever had before, and she was grateful for it.

"Dinah!" Tina Waverly screamed suddenly. "Come help me, please!"

Dinah's head whipped around and when her eyes found the source of the scream, she remembered what she had seen earlier. Larry was still lying in the snow, gasping for air. He looked even worse than he had before, and she felt her heart sink in her chest as she ran over to where he laid and kneeled next to him. The man was like a second father to her and her siblings. He had been a part of her life since before she could remember and as she looked down at him she felt panic well up within her. He stared up at her with fear in his eyes, and she reminded herself to stay calm. She couldn't help him if she lost her senses. But as she looked at the splotchy skin on his face and the blue tint of his lips, she knew the awful truth at that moment – Larry was dying.

"He just collapsed all of a sudden," Tina said with a sob, as she held one of his hands. "I think he's having a heart attack. What do we do?"

Dinah looked at Ms. Waverly dumbly and couldn't answer her question. She remembered CPR from a class she had taken over the summer, but Larry was still conscious. There was nothing she could do until he actually went into cardiac arrest, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen. The only thing she knew to do when someone was having a heart attack was to call the paramedics. In the middle of the mountains, with the nearest town at least an hour away, that wasn't an option either. She looked around for her Uncle Harper, but couldn't find him anywhere nearby. She remembered seeing him fighting near the strange circle of stones earlier. But when she looked in that direction, the only thing she could see was two piles of ash blackening the churned-up snow. Uncle Harper was nowhere to be found, and there was no one who could help her.

"She could still be the one," Dinah heard a man's voice say. The voice was flat and devoid of emotion, but still managed to hold a sinister quality to it.

She turned in surprise at the sound and saw the man that looked like her uncle standing with the blond woman and the uniformed man that she had seen when they had first arrived at the clearing. She remembered that Tina had said the woman's name was Anna, though she didn't know if the other two even had names. The man that looked like her uncle was a demon, of that she was certain. But the other two didn't cause the same reaction in her that the demons did. Whether or not that made them human, she didn't know. They were standing many yards away, but she could hear the demon-man's voice clearly, as if he meant for her to hear.

"It has to be one of the children," he said as he pointed at Dinah and then looked at the others with him. "We should take her with us."

"You're not taking her anywhere!" Tina said forcefully as she stood up and pointed the gun in her hand at the man. She had had enough of the demons and the hurt they caused. "Dinah, get behind me," she added quietly with a trembling voice.

Dinah was very careful not to point out the fact that Ms. Waverly's hand was shaking so badly that she wouldn't have been able to hit anything if she tried. She was touched by the teacher's protective gesture and didn't want to diminish it in any way.

"How touching," the demon-man said sarcastically. "Foolish, and completely pointless, but touching nonetheless," he said as he chuckled. "Stay out of our way and we might let you live."

But Tina couldn't be deterred. She stepped over the prone form of Larry and his eyes followed her with concern. "I meant what I said," Tina said as she stepped in front of Dinah. Her hand finally stopped shaking and Dinah thought that she looked strangely calm all of a sudden. "You're not taking Dinah anywhere."

The demon-man smiled but didn't say anything else. He raised his hand, pointing it at Tina. Dinah quickly stood up and moved to stand next to the young teacher. She wouldn't let her face the demon alone. But the enemy wasn't attacking. As Dinah stared at the demon-man, Tina yelled suddenly in pain and dropped the gun. It fell to the snow and when Dinah looked down at it, she could see that it was glowing red, as if it had just been plucked from a raging fire. It quickly melted the snow around it, sinking into it and sending up a plume of steam. Dinah looked back at the demon-man and saw him grinning wickedly. Tina bent down and shoved her hand in the snow to soothe the burning the gun had caused, but Dinah had seen the large red welt that had already begun forming. She felt a surge of anger at the demon-man and took a step forward. A hand on her shoulder held her back with the barest of pressure, and Dinah looked down to see Tina's hand restraining her. Tina's bracelet was glowing brightly, but it had seemed to offer no protection against the magic that the man wielded. Dinah's anger turned to fear as she realized that they had no protection against the dark magic of their enemies.

"You have changed nothing, human," the man said as he raised his hand again with a wicked smile. "We will take the girl, and you will die."

The darkness gathered around his outstretched hand and a bolt of blackness shot forth. It made a crackling sound as it flew through the air and toward the spot where Tina stood defiantly.

"Dinah!" Tina whispered as she tried to move in front of the eldest Ambrose daughter, hoping to shield her from the darkness.

But Dinah grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace and felt the teacher's arms wrap around her waist. They both closed their eyes at the same time, neither of them wanting to see the death that was hurtling toward them. But instead of the pain they expected, they heard a dull thud that echoed a few times. They continued to wait for something to happen, but even after several seconds there was nothing.

Finally, Dinah opened her eyes and saw Ms. Waverly staring up at her in shock. When they both turned their heads to look at what had happened, they saw something that neither of them expected.

Jason stood in front of them with his hand raised, facing the demon-man. A slight glow emanated from his entire body and the air in front of him had coalesced into what looked like some kind of clear barrier. The bolt of darkness had become a stream, and it continued to surge from the hand of the demon-man, but it could not get past the wall that Jason had erected.

Finally, the demon-man lowered his hand as his mouth flattened into a thin line of frustration. Jason lowered his hand in response, and Dinah could see that that hand was shaking as it returned to his side. She couldn't believe that he had managed to stop what she guessed to be a powerful attack, but he had. His shoulders were rising and falling with each quickened breath, but he refused to move from his spot in front of her and Ms. Waverly.

He looked back at them briefly before returning his gaze to the three figures in front of him. "If it looks like they're going to win, run for the woods," he said over his shoulder. "I'll stay with Larry."

Before Dinah or Tina could say anything, the demon-man raised his hand again. But this time, instead of a bolt of darkness, a bolt of lightning shot from his hand and headed straight for Jason. It made a loud cracking noise as it passed through the air, reminding Dinah of the sounds of Colorado thunderstorms. At the last moment, Jason raised his own hand and the lightning struck the invisible barrier in front of him. The two humans with the demon raised their hands a moment later and twin bolts of lightning flew at the barrier at the same time. The bolts were unlike true lightning that struck once and then disappeared. Instead, these were streams of constant and obviously powerful electricity. Dinah felt the hair on her arms stand up as the air was filled with static.

"Go!" Jason shouted with obvious strain in his voice. "I don't know how long I can hold off all three of them!"

"You should go, Dinah," Tina said with fear on her face as she looked up at Dinah, who continued to cling to her. "I'm not leaving him."

"Neither am I," Dinah said resolutely as she watched the lightning continue to try to break through Mr. Holt's barrier. She wasn't about to abandon someone who had just saved her life. She could see from his posture that he was struggling to maintain the wall, but it continued to hold.

Jason seemed to think of something at that moment, for he raised his other hand and held it across from the one that was already raised, his palms facing each other. The shape of the barrier changed, moving from a wall into a curved shape and then finally a semicircle that seemed to gather the electricity being hurled at it. The lightning was slowly pushed into a ball as Jason struggled against it. He held it in that shape for a moment before hurling it back at his three attackers. All three sets of eyes widened in surprise as their attack was turned against them and all three streams of lighting ceased. The demon-man raised his other arm and grimaced in concentration a split-second before the ball of lightning struck an invisible barrier, shattering on impact and sending smaller bolts of lightning off in several directions before disappearing completely.

There were many small holes in the snow where the lightning had struck, and some of the pine trees at the edge of the clearing had small flames licking at their boughs, but Dinah and the others were unhurt. Jason looked back at them and smiled briefly before returning his attention to his attackers. That smile had held a mixture of triumph at having blocked their enemies' attack, and fear that he wouldn't be able to do it again.

The demon-man was furious and Anna and the other human stared at him warily, as if afraid that he would take out his anger on them. But they waited for him to make the next move. This time, he made no gesture to indicate that he was about to use his magic. The darkness began to gather around the demon-man, its black energy seeming to thicken until it was a cloud. The cloud of darkness was thick, though Jason and the others could still see the demon-man through it. It grew and then merged with the darkness that had begun to gather around Anna and the other man.

Jason looked back at them once, and Dinah could see the doubt in his eyes. Their enemies would attack again, and this time the magical assault would be much more powerful. And Jason didn't know if he would be able to stop it.

Billie's mind drifted through silence and blackness for what seemed like hours. It was a warm blackness that soothed her rather than causing fear. She felt safe and secure in its embrace, and knew in her mind that the darkness would take her to her mother. And she was certain that the darkness had been somehow sent by her mother to bring her daughter to her.

The darkness and silence was gradually disrupted, but with soothing sounds that Billie recognized instantly. There was the singing of birds, the gentle bubbling of a stream, and the sigh of leaves being rustled by the wind. Her sense of smell was next to note the change around her. She smelled the scents of trees, moss, and the moist air of the woods, and then the smell of flowers. The floral scent was familiar to her, though she couldn't remember what kind of flower it came from. And then she recognized it and knew that it wasn't from any one flower. It was the smell of her mother's shampoo.

Billie's eyes opened and she saw her mother's beautiful blue eyes looking back at her. She was smiling as she reached out and stroked Billie's cheek once with her hand before kissing it.

"You've done very well, Billie," Arianna said to her daughter as she lifted her into her arms. "I'm very proud of you."

Billie hugged her mother and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair and relished in the warmth of her body. She had been in the cold for so long that she had almost forgotten what the contentment of true warmth felt like.

Arianna hugged her back and spoke into her daughter's ear, "It's nearly time for you to do what you came here for, honey."

Billie reluctantly released her arms from around her mother and then looked into her eyes. She still had no idea what it was that she was expected to do, though she had felt a strange anticipation growing within her. It had started when she had left Mr. McCallister's house to follow Louis, and had continued to grow during their car trip through the mountains. A part of her had known that nothing would happen when Louis went into the circle of stones, though she had no reason to doubt that Louis was the Solas. She had seen the magic that he had used against the demons, had seen how powerful it was. It made sense that he be the one they were looking for. And yet she had known that he wasn't the Solas.

"What am I supposed to do, Mommy?" she asked, hoping to finally hear what her mother had planned.

"It's time for you to become what you were always meant to be," Arianna answered as she stared into Billie's eyes. "You are the only one that can stand up to the demons that have been hurting our family."

"Am I the Solas?" Billie asked, though she didn't think she wanted to know the answer.

Arianna was silent for a moment before answering, "In many ways, all of my children are the Solas. Each of you has the ability to draw others to you, and to bring out the best in those who follow you."

Arianna sat down on a moss-covered tree stump and gently placed Billie on her lap. "But your power is a special one, Billie," she told her daughter. "And you alone possess it."

Billie felt a great weight settle on her. It was the weight of responsibility, something that until that moment she had been too young to feel before. She wasn't sure if she liked the feeling, and wondered if this was what it felt like to be a grown-up.

"But I can't run back to the stones and stay with Louis at the same time," Billie said to her mother. She remembered that only by going into the circle of stones could the Solas claim their power. "How can I become the Solas if I can't get back there?"

"You've already been there, Billie," Arianna said with a smile. "I took you there myself when you were a baby. I always knew that you were the one, though the thought of the danger you would eventually face because of it terrified me."

Billie realized that it was why the stones had seemed so familiar to her. Some part of her had recognized them, even though she had only been a baby when she had first seen them.

Arianna stroked Billie's hair and tears filled her eyes. "I wish it wasn't you. I wish it was none of my children, but that choice was never mine to make. I made the choice to love your father, and for that I have been rewarded more than anyone could have asked. That love was returned and it changed my life." She hugged Billie close and whispered in her ear, "And our love produced five beautiful children who mean more to me than any of them will ever know."

"But Mommy, what am I supposed to do to stop Tim?" Billie asked. She still had no idea how she was supposed to do anything against the man and his powerful dark magic.

"You must get to the cave, and destroy it," Arianna said simply. She stared back at Billie, her blue eyes unblinking.

Billie couldn't imagine how she was supposed to do such a thing, especially with Tim holding on to her and Louis. And it wasn't like her mother was asking her to break something, like a plate or a glass. She was asking Billie to destroy an entire cave by herself.

"I will create a diversion," Arianna told her. "When I do, you must run for the cave. Your power will react to the wrongness of it, and when it does, you must destroy it."

"I don't like the cave," Billie whispered as tears filled her own eyes. "I'm afraid, Mommy."

"I know you are, honey," Arianna answered soothingly. "But I will be there with you." She was quiet for a moment before she added with determination, "You can do this, Billie. You're stronger than you know."

"What about Louis?" Billie asked, thinking of her brother. She didn't want to leave him with Tim.

"I will help him get away," Arianna answered. She looked away for a moment, her eyes searching the trees around them, as if she had heard something. Her gaze returned to Billie and she smiled.

"It's time, Billie," Arianna said. "Are you ready?"

Billie was terrified. She wanted to stay in the woods with her mother, even though she knew it was just a dream. The thought of returning to the place that she had left, with the cold and the horrible feeling that the cave caused, made her want to cling to her mother and refuse to go. But she remembered what her mother had said. She was the only one who had the power to stop Tim and the demons. She was the only one who could save her family and their friends.

She hugged her mother one last time and then looked at her and nodded. Her mother's face faded in Billie's vision and was replaced by the blackness that had brought her to the woods. She knew that when she opened her eyes again, it would be to the sight of the terrible cave that only she could destroy. She hoped that her mother's faith in her wasn't misplaced and that she could do what her mother believed she could do. The thought of what would happen to her and her family if she couldn't was too frightening for her to think about.

Billie allowed her consciousness to drift, and tried to ready herself for what she would face when she opened her eyes again.

# Chapter 27

Tuesday Night, January 11th

Cole could smell his father's scent grow stronger as he drew in each breath. He was closing the distance between them, and it lessened some of the anxiety he felt for his family's safety. Mingled with the scent of his father, the scents of Billie, Louis, Tim Matheson, and even Aidan grew stronger too. He hoped that it meant he wasn't far behind them, and not that the wind was merely playing tricks with his senses. He felt a small measure of relief that Aidan had chosen to follow Billie and Louis, though it also made him nervous. If the dog did anything foolish, she could place the lives of his siblings in greater danger.

The nighttime temperature had dropped, and Cole could feel the slight burn as the air passed down his canine throat and into his lungs. He wondered if he would have felt the cold in his human form, since it seemed like it no longer bothered him. In his wolf form, his thick, multi-layered coat kept the cold at bay, and the warmth of exertion dispelled it completely. The barely perceptible sound of movement ahead in the trees made him slow his pace with caution. His sudden appearance could startle Tim and make him do something rash, and Cole wanted to avoid this possibility at all costs. As he slowed, he crept forward with his body close to the ground, prowling as if he was on the hunt. A small clearing in the trees lay ahead of him, and it was from this direction that he had heard the sounds of movement in the snow. He slunk silently behind a tree as he discerned the shape of a person in the clearing, standing in the snow and facing away from him. The person looked over his shoulder and Cole recognized him a second before the man's scent hit his nostrils. It was Tim Matheson.

Cole watched the man as he felt his jaws clench involuntarily, the desire to sink his teeth into Tim so strong. He barely managed to stifle a growl as he watched Tim's attention return to something that lay ahead of him. Cole inched his head over in the same direction and his eyes landed on something that he recognized instantly as the source of the feeling of wrongness that had been growing the closer he got to his quarry.

Ahead of him was a small clearing in the trees, with a cave at its far end. Cole scanned the horrible shapes of the trees that looked like they had been infected with some kind of madness and could see the faint lines of dark energy that seemed to be coursing through their twisted branches. But as terrifying as the shapes of the trees were, the cave from which they seemed to be trying to escape was far worse. It was the black hole of a nightmare – the shape that children thought they saw on the other side of their open closet doors after the lights had been turned out. But this was no figment of the imagination. It was a door to someplace terrible, someplace from which you would never return, if you were foolish enough to enter it. He felt the minds of his pack-mates brush against his, and felt the terror in each of them. This place, and others like it, was a part of the collective memory of the wolves. To them, it was a place of death.

A new scent reached his nostrils, and he broke his eyes away from the cave. His father was nearby. He looked around at the trees, and finally spotted him, crouched behind a tree on another end of the clearing, his gun in his hands. Cole searched the trees for Aidan, and saw her crouched behind another tree at the complete opposite end of the clearing from his father. Her eyes were fixed on the spot where Tim stood, as Cole's father's had been. Louis and Billie were being carried in Tim's arms, and Cole could smell the fear coming from both of them. He had to do something, but what?

Before he could think of anything, he watched with dismay as the small brown shape of Aidan moved from her cover behind the tree and toward the spot where Tim stood. Tim's attention was focused on the cave ahead of him, and Cole thought that he heard him murmuring something, though the words seemed unintelligible. Tim couldn't see the small shape skulking toward him through the snow.

Cole was horrified. Aidan's protective, but foolish move could place the lives of his siblings in jeopardy. But if Cole did anything to reveal her presence, he knew that he could only make the situation worse. His only hope was to help Aidan do whatever it was she was going to do.

With his attention still focused on the cave, Tim didn't see the larger black shape that moved toward his back. Cole's own attention was focused on his quarry, but his peripheral vision registered the movement of his father as he slowly stood up and moved closer to the spot where Tim stood, his gun aimed at Tim's back.

The trees flew by as Vaughan ran through the woods, his eyes dropping periodically to watch for the tracks that Cole's wolf-form had left in the snow. He followed his older brother's path, his sword tucked safely in its sheath that was strapped over his shoulder. Vaughan knew that there were no demons nearby – he would have felt their presence. The only creatures that he could sense nearby were behind him, fighting against Dinah and the others.

Vaughan felt a moment of guilt for leaving his older sister and the others to face the demons alone. But as he moved deeper into the woods, he knew that he had made the right decision in leaving the clearing where the ring of stones stood. A feeling of dread had been growing within him since he had left to follow Cole. And Vaughan knew that the feeling was coming from someplace ahead and from the same direction in which his older brother's paw prints ran. He was heading straight toward the feeling, which would have been foolish if it wasn't for the fact that he knew his family lay in the same direction. He wasn't sure what help he could offer against whatever dark force was causing the feeling. It was powerful – that much he could tell. Even his superhuman skill and agility with his mother's magic sword wasn't likely to be of much help against such evil. But he would not let anyone in his family face that evil alone.

He skidded to a stop suddenly as a second power grew ahead of him, and in the same direction from which the darkness came. But this power was different. The stirring that it caused within him was not one of dread. It was one of strength. And hope. This power had come to contest the darkness and its desire to destroy. Vaughan didn't know what the power was, but it felt familiar to him. It was the opposite of the darkness in every way. Vaughan fell to one knee as this power washed over him, overwhelming his senses.

When he was finally able to stand again, he knew what the appearance of this second power meant. A battle was about to be fought between two forces that had fought this same battle before. And now caught in the middle of the battle was his family. He began to move toward the spot where he sensed the battle would take place, stumbling at first as he struggled to shake off the stupor that had overcome him. But when the sound of gunfire split the air and he knew it had come from up ahead, Vaughan broke into a run. His father would only have fired his gun if his children were in trouble.

Blackness surged toward the spot where Jason stood, but the barrier he had thrown up to meet it was holding it back. Dinah wanted to ask if there was anything she could do to help him. The strain on his face and the rigid way in which he held his body told her that he was struggling to keep the blackness from breaking past his wall and destroying them. But Dinah worried that if she said anything she would break his concentration and doom them all. The demon-man who looked like her uncle had said that they wanted to take her with them, which should have made Dinah the demon's only concern. But she had seen the anger on his face when Jason had rebuffed his first attack. She suspected that he no longer cared if she was taken, as long as he defeated the human who had dared to stand against him.

Dinah heard a groan behind her, and looked back briefly to see Larry shift in the snow, though his eyes were closed and his body was shivering. Movement in the darkness made her tense for a moment before she realized that it was the wolves. Four of them moved toward where Larry lay, sniffed him briefly, and then lay down next to him, two on each side. Their bodies huddled against him, sharing their warmth, and after a few moments Larry's shivering stopped. Their eyes glowed in the flashes of light that were thrown up by Jason's barrier as they stared back at her. She smiled at them and nodded her head once. She couldn't understand their thoughts the way Cole could, but she got the sense that they had understood her nod of gratitude.

She turned back around with Tina Waverly's hand still clutched in hers, and saw Jason continue to stand against the darkness that surged against him. Finally, the demon-man lowered his arm and the bolt of darkness disappeared. The frustration was clear on his face as he stared back at Jason. But Jason seemed invigorated by his victory, and instead of lowering his hand, he began rotating it at the wrist, creating an invisible circle in the air in front of him. Dinah saw the snow in front of him begin to swirl, creating a vortex of flakes that began to grow until it was taller than the man controlling it.

When it had grown to twice Jason's height, he smiled and flicked his wrist in the direction of the demon-man and his two companions. The tornado of snow flew forward, continuing to grow as it ate the distance between Jason and his adversaries. The demon-man's eyes widened in shock and he only managed to hastily raise his hand before the icy blast slammed into him and his companions. The snow tornado flew apart as it struck the barrier, but its force was enough to throw all three of the enemies back several feet, each of them landing on their back in the snow. Jason shouted in triumph before looking back at them with a huge grin on his face. But then something happened.

Dinah felt it first, but she could tell from the tightening of Tina's hand in her own that she felt it a moment later. She saw Jason's eyes widen as a wave of dread rolled across the clearing. It had finally stopped snowing shortly after they had begun the battle near the ring of stones, and the moon had shone brightly on the snow-covered landscape. But its brightness was quickly dimmed as a sheet of darkness crept over the clearing, blacking out the night sky completely and plunging the clearing into a lightlessness that was like the blackness of the bottom of a deep well. Dinah could barely see more than a few feet in front of her face, and only the softly glowing form of Jason as he stood in front of them allowed her to see at all. He stood against the darkness, the only source of light as it seemed to engulf the world.

Cole ran as fast as he could toward the spot where Tim stood facing away from him. But Aidan was faster. He would not have guessed that the little dog could move so quickly. She closed the distance and then leapt at Tim, who hadn't seen her coming. She landed on his back and sunk her teeth into the shoulder of the arm that held Billie. Tim screamed out in pain as he lost his grip on the little girl and she fell to the ground, quickly gained her feet and ran away from him, heading straight toward the cave. Cole wanted to scream out at her, to warn her from the darkness of the cave, but he couldn't while in the form of the wolf. And Louis was still in danger.

Tim's free hand flailed wildly, trying to reach over his shoulder and grasp Aidan. After several attempts, his hand closed on the fur along the dog's side. With superhuman strength, he pulled Aidan from his back and tossed her aside as if she weighed nothing. Louis was struggling in his other arm, but Tim refused to let him go. Aidan twisted as she flew through the air and landed on her feet in the snow. In no less than a second, she was charging toward the evil man again.

Cole ran up behind Tim and sunk his teeth into the man's leg, hoping that the pain of his bite would cause him to release his hold on Louis. He tasted warm blood as it splashed across his tongue, and he was surprised to realize that he liked the taste of it. He had expected Tim's blood to taste different...fouler somehow, like the man from who it had flown. But the salty taste of it was clean, and the experience of its coppery flavor hitting Cole's lupine taste buds increased the drive of the predator within him. Tim screamed out in pain, but refused to release his grip on Louis, and Cole could hear his brother crying out as the man's grip tightened. Cole started to shake his head back and forth, hoping that the pain he caused would cause Tim to finally drop Louis. But Tim ignored Cole's biting and turned to face the charging form of Aidan.

Jerry thought that he might get a free shot when Tim threw Aidan from him. But his grip on Louis remained, and Jerry didn't dare fire at the man as long as his son was nearby. And Jerry recognized the large black wolf tearing savagely at Tim's leg as his eldest son. He was confident in his shooting ability, but he wasn't willing to risk either of his children's lives to bring the evil man down.

Aidan closed the distance and leapt at Tim again, her lips pulled back and her teeth bared as a snarl broke through the night. Tim smiled as he faced her, his free arm at his side. Just before Aidan would have closed her jaws on his throat, Tim's hand flew up and he caught Aidan by her neck with a single hand. Aidan struggled briefly, until Tim clenched his fist and a loud snapping sound tore through the clearing. Aidan went completely still, her eyes still wide and staring and her tongue hanging from the side of her mouth. Tim laughed wickedly and then tossed her body aside.

Jerry stood in open-mouthed shock and involuntarily lowered his gun as Aidan's lifeless body hit the snow. He couldn't believe the callousness with which Tim had ended the dog's life, and he felt an ache in his heart at the thought that Aidan was gone. He had never been particularly fond of dogs, never viewing Cody with more than a patient tolerance because of what the dog had meant to Cole. And Cody had always been aloof toward Jerry, saving his affection for the children, and Cole in particular. But Aidan had been different. She had only been with them for a few days, but had bonded instantly with all of his children. And he had even caught himself absently stroking the fur between her ears several times since she had inexplicably appeared at their house. The familiarity that he sensed when he looked into her eyes had made him feel instantly comfortable with her. And now she was gone.

Jerry saw Billie stop suddenly in the snow and turn around. As her eyes fell on Aidan's broken body, they widened and quickly filled with tears. He saw his daughter's hands clench into fists as she shook with anger. Her gaze moved over to Tim, and Jerry could see that her body was beginning to glow. A white light began to grow around her, dispelling the darkness of night and reflecting back from the snow that covered the ground.

Tim's smile widened as he looked at the glowing form of Billie. It was a smile of triumph. He knew that he had found what he had been looking for at last. He threw Louis from him and kicked his leg out savagely, dislodging Cole and sending him flying through the air. He stood up straight, as if the mauling that he had taken from Cole had been nothing. The darkness that had been dispelled by the glowing form of Billie seemed to regain its strength and to gather around the standing form of Tim. His shadow as it was cast by Billie's light seemed to take on a life of its own, flowing around him as if trying to break free of its owner. Tim seemed to grow along with his shadow, making Billie look small and impossibly vulnerable by comparison. He took a step toward Billie, a single step that conveyed the menace of his intentions.

"Tim, get down on the ground!" Jerry shouted from behind him.

His voice held the authority of a federal agent that was used to being obeyed. But Tim ignored him and took another step.

"Down on the ground, now!" Jerry shouted in an even louder voice than before.

But Tim ignored him again. Jerry fired at Tim's back, squeezing off several shots that all hit their mark. Tim staggered forward a few steps and then straightened before turning and staring angrily at the man who had shot him. He snarled as he threw a bolt of darkness at Jerry that hit him square in the chest, lifting him from his feet and throwing him back and into a tree. Jerry fell to the ground and couldn't move, though it wasn't because of any injury from his contact with the tree. Something held him immobile, though he was able to raise his head a few inches and see Tim turn back around and continue his slow march toward Jerry's youngest daughter.

Jerry could see the determination on Billie's face. She was going to stand her ground against the evil man, which could mean her death. And Jerry was helpless to do anything about it.

Jason looked around in confusion, unsure what to do against such darkness. He heard voices within it, calling to him, asking him to join with it, promising him the power to defeat the demons once and for all. He knew the promises they made were hollow, that their only desire was to seduce him into becoming something else...something darker.

But there were other voices in the darkness, voices that strove against it. They were the voices that had spoken to him when he had approached the ring of stones. They had welcomed him as one of their own, a power like them that would stop at nothing to end the invasion of their world by things that had come here only to take what they could and leave it an empty husk. Those voices had shared knowledge with him, knowledge that he had used to fight the demon-man and its companions. And the voices had shared with him a power that was older and deeper than anything Jason could have conceived. It was a primal power that had formed as the Earth had, and had recognized what the invasion of the demons truly meant. The power knew that its fate would be shared with the world to which it was tied, and was determined to protect it at all costs.

But the voices from the darkness were persuasive. He felt his will weakening as he tried to resist them, heard his own thoughts trying to convince him that only they could offer what he truly wanted – the power to protect Tina. He had been in love with the pretty young teacher since the day he had first seen her, but had been unable to tell her about his feelings. He had always felt awkward and inadequate around her, like he was beneath her notice. And the voices from the darkness promised that they could change that, as well. They told him that they could change him, make him the man that she would want. They promised to make him stronger, more handsome, and to give him the power that would allow him to protect Tina from anything. And he believed that they could do what they promised.

The other set of voices continued to strive against the voices of darkness. But where the voices from the darkness promised that they could make him better quickly and with little effort, the other set of voices promised to do nothing for him. The second set of voices said that only he could make himself stronger, and that it would not come quickly. It would require him to work hard and spend hours learning from others who had chosen the same path to become the magic-user that he wanted to be. And they made no promise that he would ever gain the ability to protect Tina. Instead, they told him that as long as he pursued the course of becoming a powerful magic-user, anyone he loved would be in constant danger. The voices told him that he would become an enemy of the darkness, and that it would stop at nothing to destroy him and everything he cared about. But they also told him that he would never stand against the darkness alone – that as long as he chose to fight it, there would be others to fight beside him.

And then a third voice spoke to him. He recognized it instantly. It was his own voice, the voice of his conscience, the voice that had helped him make the difficult decisions in his life since he had been a child. It always spoke the true words that were in his heart, and it had never been wrong. And now, the voice told him that he must pick the more difficult road. It said that that road would be filled with obstacles and would make him want to quit it many times before he reached his destination. But at the end, he would become the man he truly wanted to be. And it also told him that this was the only kind of man that Tina Waverly could ever love.

A hand gently took hold of his and he looked down at it in surprise. When he looked up again, he was looking into Tina's eyes, which looked back at him and seemed to convey a strength that he desperately needed at that moment. She smiled slightly at him, and that smile was enough for him to finally listen to his own inner voice. He smiled back and then looked back into the darkness as his mind broadcast his refusal of the offer made by the voices within it. The anger that was the response to his refusal was palpable, pushing against the barrier that he had erected to protect himself and the others with him. The darkness raged against the barrier, and Jason could feel its desire to reach him and punish him for what it perceived to be his arrogance at refusing its offer.

But Jason was not alone. The inner strength that Tina had given him was boosted by the ancient power that had come from the circle of stones. And he knew now that the second set of voices that had spoken in counterpoint to the voices in the darkness was the same set of voices that had spoken to him within the circle itself. The strength of that ancient power stood behind him, buoying the barrier that he maintained.

Jason felt someone take his other hand and he looked over to see Dinah looking back at him. She nodded once before facing the darkness beside him. He felt that both Tina and Dinah had somehow sensed the choice that he had made, and both had approved. And both of them were now confirming that he would not face the darkness alone.

Billie ran toward the cave, remembering what her mommy had said and how it must be destroyed, though she had no idea how she could accomplish such a feat. But she knew that her mommy wouldn't have asked her to do something so important if Billie couldn't do it. She ran through the snow as quickly as she could, ignoring the sounds of struggle behind her. She had seen the brown, streaking form of Aidan as the little dog had charged Tim Matheson, and had used the moment he had released his hold on her as her opportunity to break for the cave.

A loud cracking noise behind her stopped her in her tracks. It had sounded like the snapping of a tree branch, but Billie knew that it was something else. Billie turned around, and watched with fear-widened eyes as Tim threw aside the lifeless form of Aidan. The dog hit the snow and didn't move, its brown eyes staring ahead but seeing nothing. Billie felt a great weight on her chest as a sob escaped her lips. She couldn't believe that anyone could do something so cruel and heartless to such a gentle creature. Though Billie had only known the dog for a few days, she had managed to work her way into Billie's heart. She felt the tears start to fall down her cheeks as sadness hit her, but another emotion she felt was even stronger. It was anger.

Billie was furious. And as the anger at everything that Tim had done to her and her family surged through her body, she felt a strange sensation pass through her. It was a kind of vibrating that reminded Billie of the feeling she got when she rode in a car, though this was much stronger. It ran through her limbs, up her neck and through her head, making the hair on her arms stand up and her teeth itch. Billie wanted to stop Tim from hurting anyone else, and as the thought crossed her mind, she felt an answer speak to her from somewhere just beyond her awareness. The answer didn't come in the form of words. Instead, it was a feeling – the feeling that a power greater and older than the world itself was there to stand with her. And it confirmed to her what she had finally come to accept. She was the one who the prophecy spoke about, the one who could lead others against the forces of darkness. She was the beacon. She was the Solas.

The vibration that coursed through her turned into a feeling of warmth, the kind of warmth that she felt whenever her mommy came to her in her dreams. It filled her body and made her feel stronger. It took away her fear and turned her anger at Tim Matheson into pity. She pitied someone who had received so little love in his life that it had turned him into the man who stood before her. But as much as she pitied him, she had had enough of the pain that he caused and it was time that he was stopped.

Billie vaguely heard her father shouting, and when she looked behind Tim, she saw her father standing there, his gun raised. Tim ignored her father's shouting and took a step toward her. Billie flinched slightly as the sound of gunfire ripped through the night. Tim staggered forward and then turned, hurling a bolt of darkness at her father, throwing him through the air.

"No!" Billie screamed as he slammed into a tree and then fell to the snow. She watched him for a moment and was relieved to see her father raise his head, but it looked like he couldn't move.

Tim turned back around to face her and grinned evilly at her, and she stared back, her expression neutral as she refused to look away. As she watched him, he began to change. He seemed to grow as a nimbus of shadow surrounded him, slowly increasing in size until the very clearing around Billie seemed to fade away. They continued to stare at each other as the darkness grew until it was just the two of them, standing in some lightless space that seemed to go on forever.

Everything was replaced by the darkness. There were no sounds from the wind or the others who had been in the clearing with her. The smell of the wintry air and the pine trees that had surrounded her had also disappeared. And she could no longer feel the cold that had surrounded her, only the warmth of the power that now filled her body. But the darkness wasn't complete. Billie realized that the reason she could see Tim standing several yards from her was that there was a light emanating from her body, casting its somewhat feeble warmth in a wide enough arc that Tim's evil form was dimly illuminated.

Tim stared back at Billie, his eyes glinting in the light that she cast. "I never would have guessed that it was you this whole time," he said softly to her. His voice seemed to slink through the dark, like a snake through the grass, and just as deadly. "You're the youngest and there's nothing...special about you. At least, nothing I can see."

Billie thought of what her mommy had said to her so many times. She was special. But to Billie, it wasn't because of the fact that she was the Solas. She was special because she was loved.

"I won't let you do these bad things anymore," Billie told him. "I don't want to hurt you, but...I won't let you do it anymore." Her voice was no louder than his. But where his slunk, hers flew straight as an arrow, with a strength that was reinforced by the power that flowed through her.

Though she could barely see him, Tim's presence in the darkness seemed huge. He seemed to be a part of it and the source of it at the same time, the center of its power. His presence filled the darkness, making him seem as if nothing else existed within it but him. But Billie knew that this wasn't true. She could feel that she was still within the clearing, could feel the presence of the trees around her. She reached out with her senses, and suddenly felt that there were several living things nearby. She didn't know how she knew what they were, but her mind identified them as the hibernating forms of rodents that slept in the trees on the outskirts of the clearing. Billie could feel the energy of every living thing around her. And she couldn't just feel them, she felt connected to each of them. Through the trees, she sensed the slow and subtle growth that they experienced each year. Through the rodents that slept the sleep of winter, she felt the rise and fall of each breath, and the slow pulse of tiny hearts. But stronger than anything, she felt the presence of her family nearby.

Cole was shaking off the effects of the kick to his head that he had received from Tim. Louis was helping their father up from the snow, and the fact that he was at least moving again made Billie sigh with relief. As she sensed her father, she realized that his life energy, though far more powerful than the animals that Billie had sensed nearby, was nowhere near as strong as those of her siblings. Billie sensed another incredibly strong life force nearby, and recognized it immediately as Vaughan. Next to him, there was a presence that she at first mistook for another person, though its life force was far too powerful to be human. As her mind connected with it, she realized with a shock that it was Cody, though his thoughts were not like the other animals that she had sensed.

You're not alone, little one, she heard a voice in her head. With another shock, she realized it was Cody's voice. We stand with you. Take what help you need from us, for each of us give it gladly.

Billie didn't know what he meant, but she was glad that he was there with her, glad that she didn't have to face Tim Matheson alone. She worried for a brief moment that Tim would return his attention to the others, but as she looked at his face, she knew that it was a baseless fear. His complete attention was focused on her, a smile still on his face.

A wave of pressure suddenly pressed against her, and Billie could feel the dark magic that had been behind it. Tim was trying to push past the glowing energy that surrounded her, but his magic was not strong enough, even though its strength was nearly enough to knock her from her feet. As it washed over her, she could feel the loathsomeness of it and she shivered with the horrid sensation of it. It was hot and cold at the same time, both slimy and yet drier than the winter air around her. It was awful and she hated the very feel of it.

The power that surged in response to the darkness was like it in many ways and yet completely different. Its coldness was the exhilaration of the first winter snow, its heat the warmth of the sun on the first day of summer, its moisture the cooling feel of morning dew, and its dryness that of the clear Colorado air. It carried with it all of the scents that Billie associated with being outdoors. And where the power of darkness felt suffocating, overpowering and chaotic, the power that supported her was comforting, supportive and ordered. Billie sensed that neither power was truly more powerful than the other, and that they were alike in many ways. But the darkness did not belong in Billie's world. It had broken through the boundary that kept its own dimension separate from the one in which her world existed. Billie knew that the light would never have sought to leave its own dimension, that it had no desire to conquer the darkness. But the darkness wished more than anything to smother the light and extinguish everything that it nurtured. And while the light had no desire to battle the darkness, neither would it step aside and do nothing while everything that depended upon it was destroyed. The power of light was the unpredictable, yet wonderful power of life itself, and against the chaos and destruction of the darkness, it had been fighting for eons. As the darkness assaulted her again, she realized that its power was merely the absence of light. And while the light merely wanted to fill the darkness with its warmth, the darkness wanted to devour the light, extinguishing it forever.

Billie saw lines of light running from the other living things around her and knew that this was the source of her power. She knew that if she were to draw too much from any one of those sources of life, that its life would be extinguished. She released her connection with the smaller creatures, fearful that she would not be able to safely use the power they gave. But from the stronger sources of light, she allowed herself to draw more deeply. The trees had much to give, especially the older ones further away from the cave. But the strongest sources of power were her siblings and Cody. She sensed each of them give their life power over to her, and she used it to push against the darkness, driving it back and increasing the strength of the glow that surrounded her. She saw Tim's face clearly now, and could see the strain there. He hadn't counted on his adversary being so powerful.

As the light continued to push against the darkness, the lines between them began to blur. Suddenly, Billie felt an awareness that hadn't been there before. It reached through the blended edge of the contesting powers and flew straight toward her. She braced herself, sure that this was some new assault by the darkness. But as it hit her, she knew that it was only another connection to a living creature. She could sense that the presence was nearby, though the connection was weak and she could not tell who or what it was. What she could sense was that it was not yet aware of their connection and did not sense her there.

The darkness continued to push against the light that surrounded Billie, and while she knew that she had a degree of control over the light, she also knew that it was responding on its own to the darkness' attack. She felt the light subtly change its approach and instead of pushing against the darkness, it redirected it, sending it around Billie and creating a cocoon of light that protected her from the engulfing black energy. The presence that she had felt moments before grew stronger, and she could sense that it was a man, though she still did not recognize who the man was.

Billie's attention focused on Tim again and she could see the tension on his face. Suddenly, the darkness around him surged, pushing the cocoon of light toward her until it was only a few inches from her skin. She felt the light strengthen in response, but she could also feel that it was only barely keeping the darkness from her. She knew that she could pull more power from the living things around her if she wanted to, but she refused to sacrifice any of them for the sake of her own safety. The light seemed to implore her to do just this, giving her the distinct impression that this was the only way she could keep from being destroyed. And it reminded her that she was the only thing keeping the demons from conquering her world. But in Billie's mind, taking the life of any of those creatures would have made her no better than the demons and the darkness they served.

The light seemed to sense her decision and she felt its energy morph yet again. As the darkness made another push against the light, a single shaft of pure light broke through the darkness and flew straight for Tim, striking him in the head. Billie expected him to be killed instantly. But as the light touched Tim's forehead, she felt something crash through her own mind. And then she was aware of nothing.

Vaughan had caught up to Cody just as he was entering the clearing where Cole, Louis and their father stood. Cole was still in the form of the large black wolf and he huddled against his father and youngest brother, sharing his warmth with both of them. Vaughan's eyes quickly scanned the clearing, looking for signs of danger. When he saw the broken form of Aidan lying in the snow, he stopped where he was and lowered his sword in sadness. But what he saw in the center of the clearing nearly made him drop his sword.

An enormous circle of blackness filled the spot between the trees, its complete lack of color reminding Vaughan of what he had read of black holes. The collapsed stars were so powerful that not even light could escape their pull. He couldn't imagine that their blackness could be any more absolute than what stood in front of him.

"Vaughan!" his father shouted with relief.

Vaughan walked the few feet over to where they stood while Cody trotted beside him. "What is that thing?" Vaughan asked.

"We're not sure, but inside that thing is Tim Matheson...," Jerry answered. "...and your sister."

Jerry looked down at his middle child and saw his eyes widen as he stared into the darkness.

"We've got to get her out of there," Vaughan said softly as he looked up at his father.

He couldn't believe that his little sister was inside the thing that had covered most of the clearing. The sense of evil that poured from it was so strong that Vaughan wanted to move away, to run in the opposite direction until he couldn't feel its influence any longer. When he looked at his father and younger brother, he could see the tension in their bodies and knew that they felt it too. Even the large black wolf that was his older brother seemed tense and Vaughan could see Cole's lip curled back in a snarl, his large white teeth gleaming dully in the moonlight that barely managed to break through the trees. The only one who seemed unaffected by the darkness was Cody, though he watched it intently, his ears tilted toward it and his body motionless.

"We've tried," Jerry said to Vaughan. "But every time we get near it, it just pushes us back."

"We've got to do something!" Vaughan shouted.

"I know, Vaughan," Jerry told his son as he placed his hand on his shoulder. "But we don't know what. We need your uncle."

Vaughan felt some of the tension in his body release as he felt his father's touch, but the inner turmoil that the darkness caused was only increased by the fear Vaughan felt for Billie. He hoped that Uncle Harper was nearby and that he would get there soon. Otherwise, he feared that there was nothing they could do for his sister.

Billie's awareness returned suddenly and she opened her eyes to a scene that was completely unfamiliar. A man with a cruel face stared back at her, a man she had never seen before. He was sitting in a threadbare old armchair that was next to a scratched and faded end table. On the table sat a lamp that cast its dim light on the lower half of the man's body, leaving his face partially in shadow. The man took a sip from a glass filled with an amber liquid, sneered at her and then looked away. Billie tried to look around her, but her head and eyes wouldn't obey her mental command. She felt a moment of panic as the thought that she had been paralyzed crossed her mind. But then her eyes moved on their own, taking in another section of the room. Dingy beige curtains were open over dust-covered windows that looked out to a moonlit sky. There was a strange smell in the room that Billie didn't recognize at first, until she remembered the cigarette smoke that she occasionally smelled when they went into the city. Her eyes moved back to the man and he stared back at her as he took another sip from his glass.

"What the hell are you looking at?" the man asked softly. He hadn't raised his voice, but it contained a quiet menace that would have made Billie flinch if she had had any control over her body.

Billie's eyes moved again, and this time they landed on another person in the room. A slightly overweight woman with lank brown hair slouched on a sofa, staring with glazed eyes at the TV set in front of her. The flickering light of the TV threw bizarre shadows across her face, softening its features and then sharpening them so that she looked young one moment and ancient the next. She raised a glass to her mouth that contained the same kind of amber liquid that had been in the surly man's glass and sipped from it. As if sensing that someone was watching her, she turned to look at Billie, but it looked like she didn't even see her. Her face hadn't even registered Billie's presence, as if she had been looking through her, and her eyes were dull and lifeless.

Billie had never seen either person before, but her mind somehow recognized both as her parents. It was at that moment that she realized that she was not actually seeing what was taking place before her. She was looking through the eyes of someone else. Her panic was quickly replaced by curiosity as she wondered why she was seeing what she was seeing. She remembered that she had been standing in the clearing before her eyes had opened to the unfamiliar scene before her, facing Tim Matheson as darkness surrounded her.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and her eyes were drawn upward to stare into the emerald-green eyes of a beautiful teenaged girl who smiled down at her. Her smile had a light of its own, transforming her face from beautiful to angelic. It was dusted lightly with freckles and framed by long waves of auburn hair that seemed to catch the light around it. Billie knew as she looked at the face of the girl that the person whose eyes she was looking through loved the girl very much. She was the person's sister, and her name was Evan. And there was no mistaking the love that Evan felt in return as she stared back.

Her eyes shifted again to the cruel man sitting in the chair. His eyes softened as they looked at the beautiful girl, and for a moment Billie could see that he loved the girl too, as the woman in the chair did, as everyone who met Evan did. But then the man's eyes looked at Billie again and the softness disappeared, replaced by the hardness that had been there before.

"Come on, Timmy," the girl said softly. "It's time for bed."

Billie finally realized as the girl spoke whose eyes she was looking through - these were the memories of Tim Matheson, memories from his childhood. Billie had no idea why she would be shown the memories of the man who was trying to destroy her and her family, but she sensed that this was somehow important. Something tried to push her from the vision, almost desperate in its attempt to keep her from seeing what she was seeing, which only increased her resolve to see it. She held onto the connection somehow, her mind refusing to lose hold of the picture. Finally, the thing gave up, and Billie thought that she heard a sob come from somewhere in the mind she shared with the juvenile Tim. The panic that had initially filled her left completely as she relaxed and allowed herself to become one with the memories she was seeing.

The vision faded to black but was quickly replaced by the same living room, though during the daytime. The furniture that had seemed merely worn during the night looked positively shabby in the daylight and motes of dust floated through the air, glowing in the sunlight that struggled to shine through the filthy windows. Timmy sat huddled in a corner of the small room as his parents screamed at each other.

"I know you've been sleeping around while I'm at work!" Timmy's father screamed. He pointed at Timmy as he added, "I know that boy's not mine! Just look at him!"

Timmy put his hands over his ears as tears fell down his cheeks and he rocked slowly back and forth, his eyes staring forward but trying not to see the fight in front of him. He hated when his parents fought. They didn't usually hit each other, unless they had been drinking too much, but he didn't like the screaming...or the things that they screamed at each other.

Evan appeared suddenly in front of him and she reached down to pick Timmy up. "Come on, Timmy," she said softly before kissing him on the cheek. "Let's go outside and play, okay?"

Her voice was soft and soothing and though it shouldn't have drowned out the voices of his screaming parents, it did. Evan's voice had the purity and clarity of a mountain stream. When she spoke, people stopped to listen – not because there was anything especially interesting about what she said, but because they wanted to hear her voice.

She carried Timmy outside, and he felt a slight breeze brush across his face. The air was still cool, as spring had only started a few weeks before. But Evan's skin was warm, smelling clean like soap. And he always felt safe around his sister. She could make him forget all of the yelling and unkind words that were spoken in their house. It was almost as if she could make them disappear.

The area around their house was flat, with the Rocky Mountains visible in the distance, snowcapped with late spring snow. There were several large, old trees around the house, and Evan moved toward one of them, and toward the rickety and paint-stripped bench that sat beneath it. She sat down with Timmy on her lap and wiped the tears from his face with her sleeve.

"Don't you listen to what they say, Timmy," Evan said to him as she lifted his chin with her finger. "No matter what anyone says, you're my brother. And nothing and no one can change that, you hear?"

Timmy nodded and then buried his face in his sister's chest as she hugged him close. He looked out at the mountains, wondering what it would be like to live there. They had only left their small town in eastern Colorado once, and it had been a day trip to the mountains. He had remembered the cold mountain air that smelled so different from the air around their house. He had loved it there.

The sound of breaking glass shattered his moment of fantasy, and the screaming voices of his parents drifted out to where they sat. He hugged his sister closer and she began rocking him gently as her beautiful voice lifted in the clear notes of his favorite song - a song that she had written for him.

I'll stay here beside you

'til dreams come and take you

And every night after

Hold you in my arms

Your fears will not touch you

I'll keep them at bay

I'll take all your worries

And kiss them away

I will never leave you

Forever will I stay

You have nothing to fear

Because I love you my dear

And the screaming voices of his parents and the terrible words they were saying disappeared as Evan's voice and the words that she had written for him allowed him to drift off to sleep in her arms.

The next memory that flashed through Timmy's mind was the one of the day that his world had begun its spiraling descent into despair.

He was older in the memory, twelve or thirteen, though he couldn't remember exactly which. He had tried so hard to block as much of the memory from his mind as he could, in the hope that his mind would find a way to heal itself and the hole that had been left in his heart. But the only things that had disappeared were the irrelevant details of that day. The pain and loss that he had felt had not only remained, they had grown stronger.

He was sitting on the couch, staring at the TV even though it was switched off. His mind was numb to nearly everything around him, though he could still hear the deep voice of the police officer as he stood in their living room.

"I'm sorry, Joe," the officer said as he spoke to Timmy's father, his voice full of sympathy. "There was nothing we could do. That drunken fool ran the red light and slammed into Evan's car. She died on impact. They...they told me there would have been no suffering."

Evan had been driving home from her job at the local diner the night before and had been killed by a drunk driver who ran a red light. The drunk had been passing through town after getting off the highway at the wrong exit. The only thing that had made his childhood bearable had died because a drunk driver had gotten lost and passed through town the moment that she had been leaving work. Had Evan left five minutes earlier or later, she would have still been alive. Timmy looked over at his mother, looking for some sign of reaction from her, but she stared forward numbly as he had been. What little life had been left in his mother's eyes was now gone.

He wanted to cry, wanted to scream at the officer who had told him that Evan was dead, wanted to do...something. But he couldn't. He felt like his life had ended instead of his sister's, and when he looked over at his father and caught him looking back at him with a strange look in his eyes, he knew that his father was wishing just such a thing had happened. He would have gladly exchanged the life of his son for Evan. And if Timmy had been able to give his life in exchange for his sister's, he would have.

"We need you or Connie to come down to the morgue and identify the...identify her," the officer said as he looked down at the ground.

Timmy's father looked over at his wife for a moment and then back at the policeman. "I'll come down as soon as I get cleaned up," his father answered. "Thank you for coming out to tell us, Jonny."

"I'm truly sorry Joe, Connie," the officer said. "We all loved that girl."

Timmy's father didn't answer, just nodded as the officer turned around and walked out the front door. As the door slammed shut, Timmy couldn't help think that it was closing on any chance that he had for happiness.

Billie's connection with Tim was suddenly disrupted and her awareness was brought back to the clearing. She saw the look of sneering contempt on his face as he glared back at her, but this time she saw something else in his eyes. She saw the sadness and confusion that had been a part of him for so many years. It was the same sadness and confusion that she had seen in her own eyes once when she had been looking in a mirror after having a dream about her mommy. At that moment, Tim's eyes were the eyes of a child – a child who felt scared and alone.

Billie looked back at Tim as he continued to try to use dark magic to break down her barrier of light, and she felt sympathy for him. What he had done to her and her family had been inexcusable, and she had wondered with the innocence of a child how anyone could become so evil. And now she understood.

A voice in the light whispered that there was more that she needed to see. She sensed that there was something else in Tim's mind, something that didn't belong there, though she didn't know what it was. And then the connection with Tim was reestablished. This time, he didn't fight against it at all. Billie knew that he wanted her to see, wanted someone to know his story.

Tim stood on the edge of a cliff, facing a huge series of canyons that seemed to go on for miles. He was sixteen, and had run away again for the fourth time that year after a fight with his father over some chore that he had forgotten to do. His father never hit him, but the words that he screamed at his son on a regular basis had grown increasingly cruel as Tim had gotten older. After Evan had died, he had never touched a drop of alcohol again, and for a brief moment, Tim had hoped that his father's inexplicable hatred toward him would dissipate. Instead, the bitterness and grief that his father had felt at losing Evan had grown and been directed at Tim.

Tim's mother had died just a few years after Evan, literally drinking herself to death. His father had been convinced that they needed a change, so they had moved to a town in the mountains called Evergreen. They had found a small apartment, and Tim's father had found a job nearby. Their financial stability had improved a great deal and he had bought Tim a used car, which many people at his school thought was a generous gesture. But Tim knew the truth. He had bought the car so that he wouldn't have to spend time alone with his son in a car. And their relationship with each other had only grown more contentious as the years went by.

They had fought again that day, and Tim had had enough. He had gotten into his car and headed down Interstate 70, not sure where he was going. When he finally stopped, he was almost through the mountains. He stopped at a lookout, the only one that had been empty of tourists and travelers.

As he stared at the stunningly beautiful vista, he decided that he had had enough. He no longer wanted the life that he had been given, and couldn't think of any way to change it other than to leave it. He moved to the edge of the cliff, ready to jump and to finally end his pain.

It doesn't have to be this way.

Tim nearly fell forward in surprise as the voice entered his mind. It had been a sympathetic voice, yet somehow forceful at the same time.

You don't have to do this, the voice said. I can help you. I can give you the power to change your life, to force your father to see you differently...to treat you differently.

The voice was seductive, and Tim felt the hair on his arms stand up as a thrill of ecstasy ran up his spine. A part of his mind screamed out in warning that what he was hearing and feeling was not right. It told him that no one could fix his problems but him. He knew that the easiest ways to fix those problems was to jump.

But as the voice had spoken of his father, he had felt a brief desire for revenge against the man that had made his entire life miserable. It was unlike him. He was not a mean-spirited person, unlike his father. He had always had a generous and gentle heart, like his sister Evan. And in that brief moment of weakness, when he had wanted to exact some kind of vengeance against his father, something had entered his mind.

It had started to influence his thoughts immediately, forcing him to think of every slight, real or imagined, that anyone had ever made to him. The shy, quiet child that had never felt a desire to harm anyone suddenly wanted to make everyone pay for any harm they had ever caused him. He stepped back from the cliff and got into his car, turning it back around and heading home to Evergreen.

His life changed after that day, and it had started with his father. He returned home and his father immediately started yelling at him. Instead of stoically bearing it as he always had, this time he grabbed his father by his neck and pinned him against the wall. His strength had somehow grown greater and he had nearly killed his father. He stared back at Tim in shock and fear at the murderous rage he saw in his son's eyes. And from that day on, he had left Tim alone.

But the change hadn't only affected his relationship with his father. His interactions with everyone had become like a game to him, a game in which he used persuasion and coercion to get whatever he wanted. He quickly became the bully at his high school, terrorizing many of the students who were too afraid to stand up to him, and too afraid to report him. And as time went by, the things he did, the way he went about getting the things he wanted became darker and darker.

The first time he killed someone, it had been because they had tried to fight back when he was trying to steal something from them. It had been a middle-aged man that he later found out had a wife and child. For a moment, Tim had felt guilty for what he had done. But the voice in his head had told him that he had only done it because the man had fought back. The voice absolved him of his sin as surely as any priest in a confessional would have. The voice always told him that his actions when he hurt others were necessary, convinced him that they were really the fault of the person he was hurting. Before long, he believed the voice unquestioningly.

By the time he killed his father in his sleep, he had felt nothing other than satisfaction. His father's life insurance policy at work had been paid out to Tim and it had allowed him to travel the world for several years, increasing the number and cruelty of the dark deeds he performed. His unusual strength had grown to include the ability to manipulate matter with a kind of dark magic and he believed himself to be unstoppable.

Finally, the voice had told him that there was something he must do. A power had been discovered in his old hometown. It was a power that wanted to destroy the voice in his mind and all of the gifts that it had given him. The voice needed him to stop that power or it could no longer provide Tim with the gifts that had given him all of the things he wanted. He had accepted the mission of the voice in his mind and returned to Colorado to destroy the power, and was determined to let nothing get in the way of doing that.

And yet a part of him still rebelled against everything he had done and continued to do. It was the gentle heart of his childhood that knew what he was doing was wrong, and tried to convince him to stop. It was also the voice of Evan in his head \- knowing how disappointed she would have been. But the voice in his mind, the one that had invaded his mind so many years before on the rim of the canyon as he had contemplated suicide, had grown too strong to resist. He no longer had the ability to make his own decisions. He had become a puppet to the voice.

As the connection with Tim was broken again, Billie realized at last what she must do. The only way to stop Tim was to help him. For the first time, Billie reached out and took control of the power of light that surrounded her. It obeyed her instantly, sensing what she meant to do. She gathered it about her and then hurled it at Tim, but instead of trying to injure him, she had it surround him, cutting off his connection to the darkness before he realized what she was doing. Tim screamed out and fell to his knees, writhing in apparent agony, but Billie refused to release the shield she had placed around him.

The darkness continued to push against the light surrounding Tim, trying desperately to pierce it and return to his body. But everywhere the darkness flew, the light was there to meet it, all the while maintaining its shield around him. It pushed against the darkness, keeping it away as if the two were polar opposites. Finally, the darkness seemed to give up its assault on the light and began to gather in upon itself.

As Billie watched, the clearing became visible again as the darkness coalesced into a column of obsidian that was so dense it looked solid. It seemed to be searching the clearing for something, and when it finally faced Billie it seemed to have found what it searched for. There was a primal scream of anger and frustration before it hurtled straight toward her, where she stood no longer protected by the light that still surrounded Tim. Billie raised her arms as she prepared for it to end her life, but before her eyes shut she saw something move in front of her. She opened them again and was both shocked and relieved by what she saw.

Uncle Harper stood in front of her, his spear held in front of him and his body glowing brightly. The darkness slammed into him and he nearly buckled under its onslaught, though somehow managed to stand against it. It tried to break past him and get to Billie, but Harper wouldn't let it. The glow that surrounded him managed to keep it at bay. Billie was dismayed to see the numerous wounds that covered her uncle's body and could tell from the slump of his shoulders that he was exhausted, but he refused to surrender. Finally, the darkness seemed to give up and with another scream of frustration it moved off to the side. Billie ran to her uncle as he sunk to his knees, dropping his spear into the snow beside him.

A second scream, this one sounding strangely human mixed with something unearthly made Billie and her uncle turn their head in surprise to where Tim lay writhing in the snow. He grew very still all of a sudden, and a black mist slowly rose from his body. A second scream pierced the night, and this time Billie and her uncle could see that it had come from the mist and not from Tim. It hovered over Tim's prone form for a moment, as if contemplating a return to his body. But the light surrounding Tim pulsed brightly, making it clear that this would not be allowed. With a final scream, the mist dissipated until it was gone completely.

Billie helped her uncle to stand as a feeling of dread suddenly flowed across the clearing. The feeling was so strong that Uncle Harper and Billie both fell to their knees again; both struggling to raise their heads to see what was the cause of the feeling. Billie looked around the clearing and saw her father and Louis down on all fours, struggling for breath. Even Cole in his wolf-form was crouched on all fours, snarling and crying at the same time. Cody did not seem to be cowed by the dread feeling, but he stood in front of the others near him, his hackles raised as he growled fiercely at the center of the clearing. Billie turned her head to look in that direction and immediately wished she hadn't.

A figure stood where the darkness had fled to just moments before. It was a figure of such evil that Billie could look at it for no more than a few seconds before she would have to look away for a moment. It had the vague shape of a man, cloaked in the very night itself. The hood of its cloak was up and where a face should have been, Billie had seen only a pale smudge with two pits of shadow where its eyes were. Darkness rolled from it in waves, passing through the clearing like fast-moving clouds.

"What is that, Uncle Harper?" Billie whispered as she looked over at him. She saw the look of determination on his face, but he was still nearly as affected as she was by the evil creature.

"I don't know, Billie," Harper answered. "It's something I've never seen before."

This creature before them was unlike anything Harper had ever faced, and he had never heard of any of his people facing such a thing. He knew nothing of any kind of demon hierarchy, but if there was such a thing, the creature before them would be some sort of lord or king. And if there was an embodiment of the evil that the demons represented, it was standing before them.

Billie looked at the creature again and saw with horror that it was slowly walking toward the spot where she kneeled next to her uncle. The menace in its stride was clear and so was its intent. It was coming for Billie. Uncle Harper groaned with the effort of standing and moved in front of Billie, though she could see from the way he stumbled that he was ready to pass out. Billie knew that he didn't stand a chance against the creature. She knew that she had to do something, but didn't know what.

The creature continued its slow march toward Billie and her uncle, and as she watched its approach, she noticed that the darkness that surrounded it and rolled from it in waves was coming from the cave. She remembered suddenly what her original mission had been, what her mommy had told her she must do. She looked at the cave, wondering how she could destroy it quickly enough to stop the creature from reaching her and Uncle Harper. As she stared at it, the strangest thought popped into her head. She remembered the small snow cave she had made once with Louis. They had played raucously in and around it for nearly an hour and it had held its form the entire time. But then Louis had grown angry at her for something and had kicked the top of the entrance in frustration. The entire cave had collapsed in on itself. She wondered if the same thing would work with this cave.

Billie gathered the remaining power of light that surrounded her, though she could immediately feel that it had diminished. She hoped that it would be enough, since she still refused to use any more of the life energies around her. She picked a spot on the top of the cave's opening and willed the light's energy at it. It flew from her, straight as an arrow at its target. The creature screamed in rage, recognizing instantly what she meant to do. In futile anger it threw a wave of force at Billie and her uncle, throwing them through the air to land several yards back to land in the snow. But it was too late.

Billie raised her head in time to see the bolt of light crash into the top of the cave's opening, shattering the rock there and sending sprays of stone in every direction. There was a rumbling of a few seconds and then the entire cave collapsed into a pile of rubble. A second scream of rage tore through the clearing, this one so loud and piercing that Billie covered her ears and cried out in fear. The scream lasted for several seconds and then ceased abruptly.

When Billie raised her head again, the creature was standing where it had been seconds before. She could feel the rage coming from it, and called the power of light back to her. What remained was feeble and she knew it would be no match for the creature. But she stepped in front of her uncle as he fell to his knees, hoping to buy him and the others in the clearing enough time to escape.

The creature took a step forward and a sudden wind blew through the clearing, whipping its cloak back and forth and nearly knocking Billie over. It blew in the direction of the cave, and when Billie looked over at it, she could see that the wind was actually blowing into the rocks that had been the cave, as if it had become a giant vacuum. The wind intensified, and Billie felt her uncle pull her down next to him. She looked around the clearing, and saw her father and brothers huddled against each other next to Cody. Tim had recovered, but was laying face-down in the snow, his head raised as he stared at the creature of darkness in horror.

Billie looked at the creature again and could see that it was struggling against the wind, its body immobile as its feet slid in the snow, heading slowly toward the cave. The wind grew even stronger, and the creature was finally lifted from its feet, its cloak spreading out like wings which caught the wind and increased the speed of its flight. It slammed against the pile of rocks where the cave had been and its cloak was quickly sucked into the cracks between the rocks. Billie caught a brief, horrific glance of pale skin covered in scales and patches of black fur as the creature struggled against the force that was holding it against the rocks. The creature screamed in frustration, but this scream sounded like a chorus of hundreds of horrific voices, snarls and screeches. Finally, it dissolved into black smoke that was quickly sucked into the cracks between the stones. Within seconds, all that remained was a steaming pile of rocks where the cave had been.

Billie looked over at her uncle, but his eyes were closed. She had a moment of panic until she saw the breath steaming from his nose and mouth. She gently pushed away from him and stood up, staring at the collapsed cave in shock. When she heard snow crunching behind her she turned around, expecting to see her father or one of her brothers. Instead, she saw Tim Matheson standing near her, staring down at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She looked up at him, tensing in expectation of some kind of attack.

Instead, he smiled down at her with tears in his eyes and said, "Thank you."

The relief in his voice was obvious. Billie had freed him from the darkness in his mind. She opened her mouth to respond, but was shocked into silence as a bright silver light burst through Tim's chest and something warm and wet splashed across her face. Billie saw Tim's eyes widen in response and her hands flew to her mouth in horror as the silver disappeared. Tim fell to his knees as he continued to stare at Billie in surprise and then fell backward into the snow. When he fell, Billie could see Vaughan standing behind him, his bright silver sword smeared with Tim's blood.

Billie sobbed as she ran to Tim's side, ignoring Vaughan's cries for her to stay back. Tim's eyes were searching frantically as she kneeled beside him, but when they landed on her they seemed to calm. She took his hand and he smiled before coughing lightly. Blood poured from his mouth and Billie felt him squeeze her hand. She squeezed it back as tears rolled down her cheeks, and Billie saw Tim's eyes soften with sadness. He reached up and gently brushed one of the tears from her cheek, resting his hand there for a moment. Billie thought of Tim's memories of his sister and how they had always soothed him. And she started singing.

It was the song that Billie had heard Evan singing to her little brother, the song that she had written for him and that always made him forget his fears. Tim smiled again at her as he listened to the words of the song. She knew that her voice could not compare to Evan's, but she could tell from Tim's expression that it didn't matter. His lips moved in a silent thank you before he closed his eyes. He breathed only twice more and then went completely still. Billie's tears continued to fall as she leaned in and kissed Tim once on the cheek. The sorrow that she felt for Tim was tempered by the fact that she knew he was finally free – free from the pain of what he had done and the suffering he had caused in others.

"I thought he was attacking you," Vaughan said softly.

He watched his sister crying over the man who had caused so much pain for his family and their friends and couldn't understand why his death would cause such sorrow. He looked down at his sword and for the first time noticed the blood that covered it – the blood of another human being. Vaughan dropped the sword in horror, as if it had suddenly turned into a snake. He had taken the life of another human being. Killing demons hadn't had the same effect on him, but this was different somehow. He wanted to vomit, but managed to push the feeling down.

"I'm so sorry, Billie," he said impotently to his sister.

Billie heard the pain in her brother's voice and looked up at him and smiled. "It's okay, Vaughan," she told him. "It's what he wanted." As Billie said it, she knew it was true. Tim had wanted his pain to stop for years and it finally had.

Billie stood up and took Vaughan's hand, leading him over to where Uncle Harper lay unconscious in the snow. Billie released her brother's hand and knelt next to her uncle, calling the power of life to her again. She was careful to only draw enough to pour some of it into her uncle, healing his injuries. He opened his eyes and smiled at her as he stood up, all signs of injury gone. Billie then moved to where the others sat in the snow, healing any injuries they had and taking away their exhaustion. But there was one in the clearing who she couldn't heal.

Billie walked over to where the lifeless body of Aidan lay in the snow, her broken neck bending her head at an unnatural angle. She kneeled down and then kissed Aidan's muzzle, crying the entire time. It was the heart-wrenching crying that only a child could do, and everyone in the clearing felt her sorrow. The dog had done everything it could to protect Billie and her siblings, and had finally given her life in their defense. She stroked the fur behind Aidan's ears as she stared at the brown eyes that could no longer see, until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up and saw her uncle looking down at her with sympathy in his eyes. "We need to get back to the others, Billie," he told her. "They might need our help."

Billie stared back at him in silence for a moment before nodding. "We can't leave her here like this," she said as she looked at the peaceful face of the dog. "We can't leave either of them like this."

Harper looked over at Tim's body and then back at his niece. He didn't know what had taken place between Billie and Tim that would have made such an impact on her, but he didn't question it. "Okay," he said to her. "We'll come back and bury them here. Will that be alright?"

Billie nodded as she answered, "We'll bury them together." She stood up and took her uncle's hand as she told him, "Let's go check on everybody else."

As they walked away from the clearing, Billie looked back – first at Aidan's body and then at Tim's. She thought of the pain that the demons had caused since they had invaded her world, of everything her uncle had told her of the people they had hurt. She didn't know if she had stopped them by what she had done, but if she hadn't she vowed that she would never rest until she did.

Cody came running up to them suddenly and stood in front of Harper, staring up at him expectantly.

"What is it, Uncle Harper?" Vaughan asked. "What's he saying?"

Harper didn't answer Vaughan. Instead, he looked up at Jerry, who had met them at the edge of the clearing. "Something's happened to Larry," he told his brother-in-law. "We need to get back to the ring of stones as soon as possible."

Jerry could see from the look on Harper's face that he wasn't telling him everything that Cody had said, but he could tell that it wasn't good. He was grateful for the energy that Billie had given each of them. It made it possible for them to jog rather than walk back to where the others waited. Jerry only hoped that they weren't too late.

# Chapter 28

Tuesday Night, January 11th

Jason couldn't believe they had been able to avoid another battle. But as they had waited for some kind of final confrontation, a horrific scream had suddenly torn through the night. The sound was so horrible that they fell upon the ground, covering their ears and trying in vain to keep the noise out. Finally, the scream had ceased, and then the darkness had receded. When it had finally disappeared, the demon-man and his two companions were gone. Jason, Tina and Dinah had stared in shock at the empty clearing for a moment, continuing to hold each other's hands, waiting for something else to happen. And then the sound of Larry's labored breathing reminded them that they weren't all out of danger yet.

"Larry," Dinah breathed as the three of them kneeled next to the unconscious man.

The wolves moved out of the way, but continued to stand nearby, watching the human members of their pack intently. Larry was struggling for breath, and his face was red-splotched. Dinah tried to revive him, but he didn't respond to her voice or the feel of her hand rubbing his.

"Can you heal him?" Dinah implored as she looked up at Jason. "Use your magic, I mean?"

Jason opened his mouth, but didn't speak at first, only shaking his head in answer. "I wouldn't know what to do," he finally said. "I'd be just as likely to kill him as save him."

Jason tried to reach out to the voices he had heard earlier in his mind, hoping that they could teach him how to use his power to heal. They had shown him how to use the power they gave him to battle the demon-man and his companions. But they had grown silent. And Jason could feel that the power they had given him had been temporary. He no longer felt the rush of magic flowing through him as he had during the battle.

"Where's Harper?" Tina asked as she looked around the clearing. "He'd know what to do."

"I haven't seen him since before the darkness came," Dinah answered as she raised Larry's hand to her lips and kissed it. "Come on, Larry," she said as she looked down at his unconscious face. "Wake up, please." But he didn't respond, didn't even squeeze her hand back.

"He looks worse," Tina said softly and looked like she immediately regretted saying it as Dinah looked up at her with a hurt look in her eyes. "Sorry," she added weakly. "What should we do?"

Dinah shook her head silently, but was interrupted by barking. She turned her head and saw Cody running up to them. The wolves stood up and moved over to greet him, and he seemed to inspect each of them before healing any wounds they had by licking their coats. Dinah wondered if Cody's healing ability could work on Larry, though she would have had no idea how to ask him. But she didn't have to.

Harper and Vaughan came running into the clearing, heading straight for the spot where Dinah kneeled over Larry. Her other three siblings and father followed shortly after, Cole still in his wolf form. She noticed that Aidan wasn't with them, but didn't ask about her. She was too frightened by Larry's condition to think of anything else.

Harper kneeled next to Larry and placed his hand on the man's chest. Dinah saw a brief glow emanate from her uncle before he removed his hand and shook his head. "This is beyond my ability to heal," he said out loud, though to no one in particular. "His heart isn't injured – that I could heal. His heart is dying."

Jerry reached Larry and kneeled next to him, his breath steaming in the air as he tried to catch his breath after running through the woods. "There's gotta be something you can do, Harper," he said as tears filled his eyes. He hated the look on his partner's face. He looked old...and frail. "What if you did the same thing that you did to save Vaughan and Tina? Use our life energy like you did last time."

Harper shook his head, and Jerry saw the tears in his brother-in-law's eyes. It hurt Harper to say what he said next, "I wish I could, brother. But I have no idea how to heal such damage. This is many years of damage to his heart, not merely a physical injury or even a possession. I've dealt with both of those before. Healing something like this...I might kill him by accident."

Dinah felt helpless as her uncle expressed the same limitation to his magical powers as Jason had just moments before. She didn't understand what use there was in having magical powers if you couldn't use them to save the people you loved. The moment of helpless silence was suddenly broken by the unlikeliest of sources.

"I can try," Billie said softly. "I mean...I think I can help Larry."

Jerry looked over at his youngest daughter in surprise. "Do you really think you can?" he asked as he stood up and then moved over to where Billie stood. The hope in his voice was obvious as he kneeled down to look into her eyes.

Dinah looked at her father and then the others who had returned with him in confusion. She didn't understand how Billie would be able to do something where Harper and Jason could not. She thought of the darkness that had suddenly covered the clearing, and then disappeared just as suddenly. She wondered what had happened in the woods, and whether Billie had played some role in it, though she thought it unlikely.

"I'll try, Daddy," Billie answered as she kneeled next to Larry on the opposite side of Dinah. "Louis, can you come sit by me?"

Louis nodded before moving over to sit next to his sister, watching as she placed both of her hands over his heart. He didn't know why she wanted him next to her, but he didn't ask. He guessed it was because she was nervous and wanted to have someone near her as she tried whatever she could to help the man who was like a second father to the Ambrose children.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Louis said so softly that he hoped no one but his sister could hear him. But she didn't answer. She just stared intently at her hands, and when Louis looked down, he saw that they were glowing faintly. He saw Dinah's eyes widen in surprise as she saw Billie's entire body begin to glow, but she didn't say anything, not wanting to disrupt whatever it was that Billie was doing. After a few moments, Billie blinked and then looked over at Louis.

"His heart's so weak," Billie whispered to Louis, her eyes huge. "I don't have enough magic left, and I'm scared to take it from any of you." She was quiet for a moment before she added in a whisper so soft that he almost didn't hear her. "I don't know what to do, Louis. He's dying!"

Louis looked back at his sister in silence, trying to think of a response that wouldn't convey his shock at what she was saying. He could tell that she was devastated by what she had said to him, and he didn't want to break her already fragile hold on her composure. He remembered what Uncle Harper had told all of them about the power of the Solas. He knew that Billie's power came from the life forces of the living things around her...their energy. But if she was unwilling to take that energy from them, she wouldn't have the power to save Larry. And then it hit him.

"I have an idea," he whispered to his sister. "I don't know if it will work...but it's worth a try."

Billie nodded silently and she pursed her lips in determination as she returned her attention to Larry's nearly motionless form. Louis watched as her hands began to glow again and as Billie looked over at him he nodded. Louis reached out for the magic, willing it to come to him. And it did. It responded instantly and filled his body with the wonderful surging feeling that made him never want to release it. For a moment, he became lost in the feeling, letting it course through him, removing any exhaustion that Billie's earlier use of her magic had left. His awareness slipped away as the magic filled him. But then he heard Larry struggle for breath again, and remembered why he was holding the magic. He wasn't even sure if his plan would work, since Billie's magic relied on the life energy of others, and he had no idea what kind of energy his magic was. But he had to try. He couldn't bear the thought of Larry not being in his life, and was willing to try anything to prevent his death.

Louis reached over and took hold of Billie's arm, willing the magic to pass into her. She nearly jerked her hand back and looked over at him in surprise. Louis knew that she had felt...something. "Sorry, I should have told you what I was doing," he told her.

"What was that?" Billie asked suspiciously.

"It's my magic," he answered. "And if you felt it, you might be able to use it."

Billie was quiet for a second and then a huge grin split her face as she realized what her brother meant. She returned her attention to Larry, and Louis took hold of her arm again. He willed the magic to flow into his sister and this time, she allowed the magic to flow through her arms and into Larry. Louis saw his magic change as it passed through Billie, turning into a hybrid of the two types of magic. Louis hadn't been able to see Billie's magic before, but he was able to see this. His magic was a glittering stream of blue and Billie's a stream of bright white. The two intertwined, and he saw the joined power move through Larry's body as Billie guided it, focusing around the older man's dying heart. At first, Louis saw that Larry's heart was beating erratically, but as the magic worked its way around and through it, its beat became steady and strong, growing stronger by the second. But the more magic Louis channeled through his sister, the more tired he became. Suddenly, he grew dizzy and felt like he was going to fall over. He reached out to steady himself, leaning on one hand in the snow while the other continued to grasp Billie's arm. Billie looked over at him in surprise and then concern before releasing the magic. He immediately felt better and the dizzy sensation disappeared completely as his connection to the magic was lost.

After a moment, Louis glanced up and saw that everyone had crowded around Larry, each of them staring down with nearly identical looks of suspense on their faces. Even Cody had poked his head between two sets of legs and was watching Larry's face intently. Larry's breathing had steadied and he was now taking in air in slow, deep breaths before exhaling plumes of steam into the cold winter air. The color of his face had returned to normal, but he still hadn't woken.

Louis saw his father kneel down next to Dinah and watched him gently lift Larry's head and put his own folded overcoat underneath it, giving it up in spite of the cold. A single tear fell down his cheek as he watched his partner's face expectantly. "Wake up, Larry," he said softly with a small catch in his voice.

But Larry wouldn't wake up. Louis began to worry that something had happened to him that they hadn't been able to heal. He had seen television shows about people whose brains had been damaged and weren't able to wake up. He knew the word for it and hated the sound of it – coma. It reminded him of people standing around a hospital bed, waiting for their loved one to open their eyes and speak while numerous tubes and needles ran into them. He knew that in many cases, the loved one never woke up. He prayed silently that this hadn't been the case with Larry.

"Wake up, Larry," Jerry said louder as he gently shook Larry's shoulder.

But he still didn't respond. Tina sobbed once before seeming to catch herself. She put her arms around Jason and buried her face in his jacket. As Louis looked around, he could see that everyone around him had the same frightened look on their faces. None of them wanted to say it, but he knew he wasn't the only one who was thinking that Larry might not wake up. They were all starting to lose hope.

"Wake up, Larry!" Jerry said forcefully, shaking Larry's shoulder roughly. When he still didn't respond, Jerry grabbed his partner's shoulder again. "WAKE UP, LARRY!" he screamed as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Louis hated to see his father cry, especially since it so rarely happened. The only other time Louis could remember seeing his father cry like he was at that moment was when his mother had died. His father had cried like a child that day, and it had made Louis feel frightened and helpless to do anything about it. And now, he felt the same way.

"What the hell is all the yelling about?" a weak voice said suddenly, breaking the silence that had descended on the group. Everyone looked down in surprise to see Larry looking around him with heavy eyes. He managed to impart some irritability into his voice as he added, "I've been running around the damn forest like some kind of three hundred pound Boy Scout for the past two days and finally have a chance to lie down and rest. The very least you can do is let me sleep in peace, Sid!"

Jerry looked at Larry in shock for a moment before he laughed through his tears and then leaned in and hugged his partner. When he pulled away, he smiled down at him as he said, "I don't know who you think you're kidding," he said as he shook his head. "You haven't been three hundred pounds since you were in the fourth grade."

The laughter that erupted from everyone was heartfelt and genuine, if perhaps a little harder than normal as a night full of tension was suddenly released. And the tension that remained after the laughter was completely released as everyone began hugging each other, cherishing the comfort and warmth the contact brought. Each of them said silent prayers of thanks that they had made it through the night while mourning the ones who hadn't.

After Larry had recovered enough to move him to one of the cars, Harper, Jerry, Billie and Vaughan hiked back to the clearing where the cave had been while the others stayed behind to warm themselves. Nothing was said as they walked through the woods. Nothing needed to be said. Each of them replayed the past two days in their heads, thinking of all that had happened. They had faced something terrible that had tried to tear them apart as a family, but had managed to survive it by facing it together. But there had been a heavy price for their victory. James McCallister, Aidan and several of the wolves had given their lives to save the Ambrose family, and each of them felt some of the survivor's guilt that often came from such sacrifices. And each of them wondered if they had truly defeated the demons. Dinah had told them of the disappearance of Anna and the two others with her, which made it likely that they would face the demons and their allies again.

Billie thought of Tim Matheson, and the pain that had been inflicted upon him for so many years by the demons. And with the simple determination of a six-year old, the thought strengthened her resolve to do everything she could to stop the demons from ever hurting someone like that again.

When Vaughan thought of Tim, his mind dwelled on the image of his sword pushing through the man's body, the look of fear on his face before he died, and the bright red of his blood on Vaughan's sword. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to push the image of Tim laying on the ground, covered in blood and staring up in fear. He told himself that he hadn't known Tim's story - that he had been trying to protect his sister. But somehow it didn't seem to matter.

They entered the clearing and saw that the bodies of Aidan and Tim Matheson were undisturbed, lying exactly where they had left them. Without saying a word to each other, they watched as Harper used his magic to clear the snow at the base of one of the larger trees at the edge of the clearing. It was the largest of the trees that hadn't been disturbed by the madness caused by the cave and seemed to represent strength and defiance of the harm caused by the darkness. He used his magic a second time to dig a large hole in the frozen ground and then carefully lifted Tim's body and placed it inside. He moved to dig a second, smaller hole for Aidan, but Billie stopped him.

"Bury them together, Uncle Harper," she said quietly. "Please."

Harper looked at her in surprise and then kneeled down as he asked, "Are you sure, Billie?"

Billie nodded as she looked over at the peaceful face of Tim Matheson. "I don't want him to be alone anymore."

Harper didn't say anything in response, just nodded once. He picked Aidan up and gently laid her in Tim's arms and then stood back as the group looked on in silence for a moment. Jerry reached down and picked his daughter up and she rested her head against his chest as Harper used his magic again to cover the grave. When he had finished, Billie raised her hand and it quickly glowed in response. As the others watched in amazement, grass grew quickly on the bare earth of the grave, followed quickly by a bed of wildflowers. Billie lowered her hand again and then leaned her head against her father and quickly fell asleep. She slept the entire way as the others walked back to the car in silence.

# Chapter 29

Early Friday Morning, January 14th

Jerry sat across the table from Harper, each of them sipping on a steaming cup of coffee. They had spent the past two nights at the McCallister house after receiving permission from Mr. McCallister's attorney over the phone. Jerry had been temporarily rendered speechless to hear that James McCalllister had left a provision in his will to allow for the Ambrose family to have full use of his house until the heir of the estate came forward to claim it. From what the attorney had said, he believed it would be some time before this happened, which meant that Jerry's family had more than a roof over their heads again. They had a home, even if it was for a little while.

Jerry planned to rebuild their house, but knew that it would take time. He looked around the comfortable kitchen and thought of James. He realized that he hadn't really known his neighbor as well as he should have. James had seemed to know a great deal about everything that had happened with the demons. And from what Harper had told him the night before, James had made some kind of arrangement with Arianna before she died. Harper had mentioned something about an organization that he believed James had been a member of, but hadn't gone into much detail. And the fact that James had made the provision to allow the Ambrose family to stay in his home meant that he had at least suspected that Jerry and his family would need it. Jerry didn't know what to make of it all, though his investigative instincts told him that there was something more that he needed to know about James and his connection to everything that had happened.

But it wasn't the time for instincts and investigations. His family had survived a terrible ordeal, and now was the time to be grateful that they had survived. He looked over at his brother-in-law, who stared out the window as his cup of coffee steamed in his hand. Jerry thought of everything that Harper had done over the past few days to protect his children, and was reminded yet again of how wrong he had been about him. He had risked his life for each of them without a second thought.

"Harper, I...," Jerry said softly as he looked down at his hands. "...thank you...for everything." He had hoped to be able to say something more eloquent, something that could convey the enormous gratitude that he felt for everything his brother-in-law had done. But he had never had a way with words.

Harper looked at Jerry in silence for a moment, and seemed to be thinking of how he wanted to respond. Finally, he opened his mouth to speak. "Jeremiah, I have never been good at expressing my thoughts or feelings. That gift was given to my sister and passed over me completely." He leaned forward as he continued, "But just because someone is not good at saying such things, does not mean that they should not say them." He looked down at his hands for a moment, as if he was uncomfortable with what he had to say next. "I have lived with you and the children for many years, and it has taught me a great many things. But there is one lesson I have learned that is greater than any other." He looked up at Jerry again as he explained, "I was a fool."

Jerry stared back at him in silence. He knew that Harper wasn't done speaking and didn't want to interrupt him.

"I told my sister that she had been wrong to love you," Harper said softly as he continued to stare at Jerry. "I said that you were not good enough for her. But I was wrong." He looked down at his hand again before continuing, "There is no other man, human or Aes Sidhe that would have been better for my sister. And there is no other man that I would have wanted to be the father of her children." He opened his mouth, but then closed it again. Finally, he said to Jerry, "When I call you my brother, I mean it. You have truly become a brother to me, as only one other has before you. And while I appreciate your thanks I want you to know that they are not necessary." He looked up at Jerry as he said, "I will gladly give my life to save the life of anyone in this family, including you. I want you to know that."

Jerry tried to think of something to say, but couldn't. He had never heard his brother-in-law speak to him in such a way. And he knew how difficult it was for him to say it. That was when he realized that he didn't have to say anything. Instead, he smiled at Harper and nodded.

They sipped their coffees in silence for a few minutes before Jerry asked, "Do you think it's over? I mean, do you think we've won?"

Harper placed his coffee cup on the table as he answered, "I would like to believe that we have won, but I don't think it's true. They'll be back. They know now which of the children the Solas is, and they'll do anything they can to keep her from fulfilling her destiny." Harper was silent again, and Jerry thought he saw what looked like fear briefly cross his brother-in-law's face. "That thing that appeared at the end...I've never seen anything like it. Its power was like nothing I could have imagined and I have a terrible feeling that it will be back. But I do think that we've bought ourselves some time. Right now, it is important for everyone to rest, including you."

Before Jerry could respond, Larry walked into the kitchen. Jerry couldn't believe the physical change that had come over his partner in such a short time. Since Billie had healed him in the mountains, he looked...healthier. And healthy had never been a word Jerry would have used to describe Larry in all of the many years he had known him. He had even seen him reach for a second helping of vegetables at dinner the night before.

"I'm going to head home, Sid," Larry said as he sat down at the table. "I think things are quiet enough now that I can leave you all alone," he added with a smug smile.

"We should be able to manage," Harper said with a smile. He pushed back from the table, stood up and then held his hand out to Larry. "It was fun. We must do it again sometime."

Larry chuckled and shook his head. "You're insane," he said simply as he took Harper's hand.

"I'm going to go wake the children for breakfast," Harper said before leaving the kitchen.

Larry was quiet for a moment before he asked, "Seriously, will you guys be okay if I head home for a few days?"

Jerry nodded as he answered, "Sure. I'm going to keep the kids out of school for a few more days before I head back into the office. We were told we can stay here as long as we need to, so I'm not in any rush to start rebuilding the house. I think we just need to relax for a while."

Larry nodded as he leaned back in his chair, "That's a good idea." He looked around the kitchen and then added, "It's sure something about James putting you guys in his will like that. He seemed like a great guy. I'm sorry I didn't get to know him better."

"Me too," Jerry answered.

He and Larry had gone down to the sheriff's station after returning from the mountains. They had answered all of the questions asked of them, and their story had been accepted – they had come to the McCallister house after the Ambrose house caught fire and James McCallister had died in his sleep that night. They had left the house to avoid having the children see his body. Both Jerry and Larry knew that their story was more readily accepted because they were federal agents and because the falling snow had erased any sign of the battle they had fought in James' front yard. Jerry hated lying to the local police, but knew that the truth would have only caused a deeper investigation and possible incarceration for him and Larry. And he knew James wouldn't have wanted that.

"Did Jason and Tina leave?" Larry asked as he got up and poured himself a cup of coffee before sitting back down again.

Jerry nodded as he took a sip of his, "This morning." He lowered the mug as he added, "They said they'll be back to check on us over the weekend. I think they needed some time to rest...alone."

Larry chuckled as he answered, "I don't think all of their resting will be alone. I saw the looks in both of their eyes. Something's building there."

Jerry shrugged before answering, "If it is, it's a good thing. I think they're perfect for each other."

"Well, thank you for that assessment, Madame Matchmaker," Larry said as he raised his coffee mug in a mocking toast.

Jerry smiled as he raised his own mug and gently bumped it against Larry's. "Speaking of matchmaking, I think it's long past due for you to ask Cecilia Ramirez out."

Instead of looking uncomfortable, as he usually did, Larry was quiet for a second before answering, "You're right. And I'm going to do it, as soon as I'm back in the office."

"It's about damned time," Jerry answered.

The two men sipped on their coffees for several minutes more, enjoying the comfortable silence between them. Each of them thought about everything that had happened to them and how they had survived it all. And they also thought about what both of them feared was yet to come.

Billie opened her eyes and saw the snow falling beyond Mr. McCallister's porch. She smelled her mother's shampoo a moment before she realized she was sitting on her lap, covered by a blanket as her mother hummed softly.

"Hi mommy," Billie said as she snuggled against her mother.

"Hello, darling," Arianna answered. She continued to hum a few more lines before saying, "Billie, I want you to know that I'm so very proud of you...of everything you've done."

Billie didn't answer her mother. Instead, she closed her eyes and breathed in the scents that always made her feel both happy and sad at the same time. She loved and hated the dreams she shared with her mother – loved being in her presence and feeling the comfort and love that she always brought, but hated that her time with her mother was always so short. She listened to the steady beat of her mother's heart and felt the gentle rise and fall of each breath.

Her mother exhaled sharply and Billie opened her eyes in surprise. She immediately saw what had caused the reaction in her mother. A man was walking toward them in the snow, his hands in his pockets. Billie recognized him instantly as the man named DeForester, even before she could make out the strange but lovely lavender color of his eyes. Billie tensed, but her mother whispered to her soothingly and she stilled.

DeForester climbed the steps with a smile plastered on his face and moved to stand opposite Billie and Arianna. He leaned against the railing and Billie noticed that once again, the snow hadn't touched him. It continued to fall lightly, but none of the flakes landed on him. He folded his hands in front of him as he continued to smile at both of them. Finally, he spoke.

"It turns out I was wrong about you, Billie," he said to her as he continued to smile. "It was quite a surprise to learn that you are the one from the prophecy, though I must admit it was a pleasant one."

Billie stared back at the man, but didn't say anything. After a moment, he looked over at Arianna.

"I find it remarkable that all five of your children have been blessed with the heritage of the Aes Sidhe," DeForester said to her. "It is unheard of in the history of this world. There is no mention of it in the prophecy, and yet it has happened." He shook his head as he continued to smile, "Remarkable."

Arianna didn't answer him either. When Billie looked up at her mother, she could see her staring back at him with a completely neutral expression. When Billie felt someone looking at her, she turned her head to see DeForester staring at her again.

"You've done far more than I could have expected," he said to Billie. "I will have to change my assessment of the situation to take what you've done into account," he added cryptically. "I will be watching you with great interest, Billie." He was quiet for a moment as he continued to stare at her. It made Billie uneasy, and she fidgeted in her mother's lap. Finally, he spoke again.

"But for now, you must rest," he said with what appeared to be sincerity in his eyes. "Farewell, for now - and to you, Arianna." He touched his forehead with both hands in a gesture that seemed strange to Billie, yet somehow familiar.

Arianna and Billie didn't respond to his farewell as he turned around, walked back into the snow and then quickly disappeared.

"Who's side do you think he's on, mommy," Billie asked softly when she could no longer see DeForester. There was something about the man that she didn't trust, though she couldn't have said why. And when she thought of everything he had done since he had mysteriously appeared in her dreams, she couldn't say that his motives were clear.

"I don't know, honey," Arianna answered as she continued to stare out into the snow. "But, I have a feeling that he's not on anyone's side, other than his own. And I don't know whether or not that should make me nervous." She was quiet for a moment before looking down at her daughter, "It's time for me to leave, Billie."

It was the moment that Billie dreaded whenever she dreamt of her mommy. "Do you have to go right now?" she asked.

"I'm afraid I do, honey," Arianna answered as she smiled at her daughter. "There's something I must do, although I do hate to leave you. It's the hardest part of our meetings together," she said with a catch in her voice. "And it gets harder every time."

Billie thought of everything her mommy had done to help and guide her and knew that it was only with her help that she had been able to defeat the evil creature that had faced them near the cave. She wondered if her mother's work was done and had a terrible and sudden thought that she wouldn't see her again.

"Am I going to see you again, mommy?" Billie asked as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Arianna looked surprised by her daughter's question, and then sad. She hugged her close as she answered, "Oh, honey. Of course you will!" She pulled away from her, and Billie could see that there were tears in her eyes as she leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I told you, Billie. I will always be with you, no matter what happens."

They hugged again in silence before Arianna whispered in her daughter's ear, "I almost forgot. I have a surprise waiting for you when you wake up. It's on the front porch."

Billie pulled back from her mother's embrace as excitement grew within her, "A surprise? What is it?"

Arianna laughed before answering, "If I told you what it was, it wouldn't be a surprise, silly."

Billie laughed as Arianna lightly tickled her before setting her down on the bench. "I have to leave now," she said as she stood up. She turned to face Billie and caressed her cheek gently. "I love you very much, Billie."

Billie gazed up at her mother as she answered, "I love you too, mommy."

And then Arianna turned around and walked into the house, closing the door behind her. Billie looked out at the snow falling for a moment before exhaustion began to pull at her eyelids. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Billie opened her eyes to a scene that was completely unfamiliar. She had a brief moment of fear that she was back in the forest, facing Tim Matheson as his memories filled her mind. But as she looked around, she realized that she had been in this room before. It was one of the guest bedrooms of the McCallister house, and she was sleeping on the bed. She lay with her eyes open, trying to remember every detail she could of her dream with her mommy. She always did that – trying to hold onto the dream and the feelings of comfort it brought for as long as she could. And then she remembered what her mommy had said before she had walked in the house. There was a surprise waiting for her on the front porch!

She threw off the covers and ran down the stairs as quickly as she could. She ran through the living room and to the front door, not even bothering to put on her coat or shoes. She opened the door and stepped out into the cold.

Before she had taken more than a few steps, something struck her on her chest knocking her backwards and onto the ground. She screamed as she caught the barest glimpse of brown fur before something warm and wet swiped across her face and a familiar smell hit her nose. She was startled until she recognized what the smell was – doggy breath.

She pushed back and saw Aidan's brown eyes staring down at her. Aidan looked at Billie for a moment before starting to lick her face repeatedly, causing Billie to erupt in peals of high-pitched laughter.

"Aidan, stop!" Billie said as she continued to laugh, trying in vain to push the affectionate dog away from her. She heard the commotion of her family running onto the porch and the exclamations of surprise as they saw Aidan.

"It can't be the same dog," Harper said softly with disbelief. "I buried her myself." He looked over at Jerry for confirmation. "You saw me, brother. I buried that dog."

"Mommy sent her back to us," Billie explained as she smiled up at her uncle.

Her family looked at each other in silence, but no one refuted her claim. Instead, they took turns greeting the dog, hugging her close. Even Jerry reached down to scratch the fur between her ears, and Cody briefly nuzzled against her face before moving off to the side to sit down and watch the happy reunion.

As Jerry stood again, he suddenly thought of something his wife had told him shortly before she died.

There are many things that humans have learned since my people came to this world, but there are many that they have forgotten. One of the things your people have forgotten is that death is not final; it is not an ending. It is merely a doorway to something else.

Jeremiah, the love that I have for you and our children is more powerful than anything, even death itself. If there is a way, I will come back to you. If not, know that I will always be with you.

Jerry looked at his children crowding around Aidan, laughing with each other and playing with the dog. He knew that Arianna was with them at that moment - that her love was there. He didn't know if he believed in an afterlife, but he knew that he and the children had always carried a piece of Arianna with them. She had never truly left them.

He felt someone staring at him and looked down to see Aidan looking up at him with her brown eyes that seemed so familiar. And then she did something that he swore he would never tell anyone he had seen, not even Larry. As he looked into the familiar brown eyes of the dog, she winked.

# Epilogue

Late Friday Night, January 14th

Harper stood at the foot of the porch steps of James McCallister's house, enjoying the cold and solitude of the winter night. He looked up at the sky, which was finally clear of storm clouds and saw it dotted with stars. He loved the fact that there was less light pollution where they lived. Living in human cities for so many years, he had been unable to see the kind of night sky he now saw in Evergreen in nearly a hundred years. The silence of the night was broken only by the sound of a slight breeze brushing through the trees...and the sound that he had heard twice now.

He knew that the sound had come from his left, near the line of trees marking the woods between the McCallister and Ambrose houses. He had ignored it the first time; sure that it was some nocturnal animal out for its nightly activity. But as the wind blew past him, he knew that he had been wrong. The scent that the wind carried to him was familiar, though he couldn't say why. It was some kind of ladies' perfume. And as he focused his senses in the direction from which the scent had come, he sensed the presence of humans...two of them.

"You might as well come out into the open," Harper said in the direction of the trees. He was several yards away, but he had used his magic to make his voice carry.

There was no response at first, but after a few seconds, two people stepped out into the moonlit and snow-covered yard between the trees and the house. Harper recognized them instantly, but couldn't figure out why they were there or even why they were together. It was Dolores Ramirez, the grandmother of Dinah's friend Eduardo, and Mark Tanaka, Vaughan's karate sensei.

"I told you he heard you moving in the snow," Dolores said as she walked next to Mark. "Their hearing is much more sensitive than ours." Her Mexican accent was thick, but Harper had no problem understanding her. He had lived in Mexico for several decades when the country had first declared its independence. It reminded him of a quiet time in his life, one of the few.

"Actually, it was your perfume that gave you away," Harper said as the two walked up. "What are you both doing here?" He was immediately suspicious, but could sense no malice coming from them.

"We've been watching the house," Mark answered, as if that explained everything.

Harper tilted his head in confusion before asking, "Okay. Why are you watching the house?"

Dolores and Mark looked at each other in silence for a moment before both of them turned their heads to the left and pulled the hair away from behind their right ears. Harper spotted the identical tattoos instantly. It was the same tattoo that was behind his own right ear, and he knew what it meant.

"You're both...Sentinels?" Harper asked, incredulous.

Harper admitted that it wasn't too far-fetched for Mark to be a sentinel. After all, he was a martial arts instructor. But Dolores was a grandmother and looked about as dangerous as a kitten playing with a ball of yarn.

Dolores and Mark both nodded in response to Harper's question, but it was Dolores who spoke. "We're sort of retired. But we've been watching the house to guard it," she explained. "We heard what happened to James," she said with obvious sadness. "We came to be sure there wasn't any remaining danger to the children."

"We should have been there," Mark said softly and with the same note of sadness in his voice. "If we had, maybe James would..."

"There's nothing you could have done," Harper said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. "James sacrificed himself to save the lives of two others." He felt a pang of sadness as he thought of the courageous man and his incredible sacrifice.

"Sounds like James," Mark said as he looked over at Dolores, who nodded somberly.

"Can I assume that you also made some kind of agreement with my sister?" Harper asked as he started to realize why the two humans were stalking the forest at night. He wondered what other arrangements his sister had made before she died. It was another reason to chastise himself for his behavior when his sister had first asked for his help. He had refused to listen to her, and the time they had lost had kept him from learning some things that would have helped him a great deal.

They both nodded before Dolores responded, "I'm not sure how much James told you, but each of us made a promise to Arianna that we would help to protect the children." She looked chagrined as she added, "Again, I'm sorry that we weren't there. But we're going to take turns guarding the house from now on." As she spoke, Harper could see a flash of inner strength that made him understand that there was more to Dolores than met the eye. And from what he remembered of the human Sentinels, he knew that they had to have special abilities – what humans referred to as magic – to be counted among them.

"While I appreciate your offer," Harper told them. "Guarding the house won't be necessary." He gave them a quick recap of what had happened from the time the demons had attacked the children at their schools, through the battle in the mountains the night before. Uncharacteristically, he had decided to trust them both since he did not sense dishonesty in any of the words they had said. He had learned a lesson from the death of James McCallister – while his caution did him credit, stubbornly refusing to trust anyone could keep him from receiving valuable help from others, even if they were human. And if the demons did reappear, he could use all the help he could get. He also wanted to know more about the human Sentinels and what they had become since he and the other Aes Sidhe Sentinels had lost track of the organization thousands of years ago. His memories of the human Sentinels were few, other than that they had all been capable warriors and many had been powerful magic-users.

"So, it's true then," Dolores whispered softly. "The Solas has been born again."

Harper had thought her voice was filled with awe, but he realized instead that she sounded slightly frightened. It made him trust her more. If he was going to accept help from anyone, he needed them to understand what they were facing. And having a healthy dose of fear would make that person cautious.

"It's true," Harper said as he looked at each of them in turn. "However, since we've defeated the demons, I anticipate some peace and quiet for a few months, at least while they recover their strength. And while I do not need either of you to guard the house, I gratefully accept your offer for help. Let us agree to keep in contact from now on, especially if any of us see anything...suspicious."

They both nodded and then Mark said, "I'm not so sure about us having as long as a few months to figure out what to do next, though. Even if you closed the gate near here, there are more on this continent. Now that they know who the Solas is, they're not going to stop until they get their hands on her." He looked over at Dolores as he continued, "Not to diminish the potency of either of our abilities, but we're going to need more help; a lot more of it."

"I agree," Harper answered. "And I have already begun to seek that help out."

"Who have you asked for help?" Dolores asked. She looked over at Mark as she said, "Maybe we should make a call to London." She looked at Harper as she explained, "Others from our organization could help us."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Dolores," Mark said skeptically. "Arianna didn't want us to reach out to them, and James agreed. There's a good chance that our Sentinels have been compromised. Any conversation we have with them might betray us."

Dolores nodded as she answered, "You're probably right." She looked back at Harper as she asked, "Can we trust the ones you're talking about?"

"I would trust any of them with my life," Harper answered. "However, I do not know exactly where they are. And that is the problem." He looked to the north, where he knew he would find what he was looking for, though he didn't know exactly where. When he turned back to face the two human Sentinels, he finally answered Dolores' original question.

"I'm going to seek help from the only others beside me who protected the last Solas before he died," Harper said. "We're going to find the other Fairtheoiri...the Aes Sidhe Sentinels."

Turn the page for a sneak preview of

The Druids of Kalispell

Book Two of The Solas Prophecy

Available December 2013
Denver, June 1st

Airmed walked along the Sixteenth Street mall, the sound of her high-heeled boots pounding the pavement seeming loud in the relative silence that descended upon the city late at night. The mall was where a former elevated viaduct had run through the city. It had been converted to a pedestrian shopping district as part of an urban renewal project twenty years before, and had become popular with tourists and residents alike. During the day, it was a bustling center of downtown activity, supporting numerous shops and restaurants, and adding to the vitality of an already vital city. But late at night, it regained some of the seediness that had made it infamous in its former life.

She wasn't alone on the mall that night; homeless people occupied most of the alcoves that fronted the shops. And she spotted at least one other person walking on each block that she crossed. Some of these people were restaurant workers heading home after their night shift, but Airmed knew that some of the others had more sinister reasons for being there. They were easy to spot – they walked with confidence and had the look of hunters seeking prey. The workers heading home avoided them, walking quickly and looking down at the ground the entire time. It reminded her of the way people walked in New York and seemed out of place in the friendly city of Denver.

But the hunters avoided her completely. She had a purpose for being there, and did not stop or slow for anything, even though she saw and heard everything around her. And though it was unintentional, she had an aura of danger about her that made it clear she was not to be trifled with. She was very tall for a woman, even for a woman of the Aes Sidhe – well over six feet tall. She moved with the grace of her people, and with the confidence of a woman who had lived for a very long time. It made people want to avoid her in spite of her beauty. She looked like a model or a movie star as she strode down the sidewalk in jeans, a t-shirt and light jacket. People looked at her in admiration, but nothing more. They made no attempt to speak to her and only gave her furtive looks of admiration as she passed. And yet she knew that she was being followed.

The footsteps behind her had closed to within a few yards, though they had been following her for at least three blocks. When the sound of the footsteps had closed to within a few feet, Airmed spun and faced her stalker.

"Why are you following me?" she angrily asked the smiling man behind her. "You know it looks very suspicious. Someone is likely to call the police and you're not much use to me if you're in jail."

"Why are you so upset?" the man answered while grinning mischievously. "You knew it was me."

"Of course I knew it was you, Liam," Airmed said with exasperation. "My point is it draws too much attention. Besides, you're supposed to be watching that apartment building like I asked you to."

Liam was nearly as tall as she was which made him of average height for an Aes Sidhe male. He had slightly curling blond hair that he kept short, with brown eyes that were so light that their color was closer to yellow. His black leather jacket was fitted, showing broad shoulders with a narrow waist. He wore jeans and beautifully-made black dress shoes. He looked like someone who had stepped out of one of the humans' fashion magazines, and Airmed knew why he had the effect on human women that he did. He was very attractive, even for an Aes Sidhe. He put his hands in his pockets in a convincing human gesture as he spoke.

"I watched it for over an hour and nothing happened," he answered petulantly. Sometimes, he reminded Airmed of a child, even though he was nearly as old as she was. "I thought I'd come see what you were up to," he explained. "Who are we following?"

"We are not following anyone," Airmed answered more harshly than she intended. Her tone softened as she explained, "I'm sorry, Liam. But it will be suspicious if there are two of us. It's just a hunch I have, and it's probably nothing. Please go back to your post at the apartment building and I'll call if I need help."

"That sounds a little dangerous, Airmed," Liam said as his smile finally faded. "What if you need backup?"

He used the human law enforcement term so casually that it almost sounded natural coming from him. Liam had embraced human culture completely from the day their people had arrived on this world. He found it fascinating and made it a point to be able to blend in wherever he was. The fact that he tried so hard to blend in with humans seemed rather contradictory to Airmed, since Liam's very appearance made him unforgettable to them. He was about as unnoticeable as a swan in a flock of geese.

"I appreciate your concern," Airmed answered. "But I am more than capable of handling myself against the occasional mugger."

"That's not what I mean," Liam said more sternly. "I've felt the presence of them in this city. And if we know they're here, it's likely that they've sensed us too."

He didn't have to explain who he meant by them. Airmed had felt the presence of their ancient enemy just as Liam had, but they had no way of knowing where in the city they were or even how many of the creatures there were. She was a warrior, as all of the Fairtheoiri were. But she knew how dangerous the things the humans called demons were. If she were to be caught alone by them, she could be in serious trouble. But she didn't like the idea of her quarry realizing they were being followed, either.

"If I see any signs of trouble, I promise that I'll call you," she finally said with resignation. "These weren't demons I was following; they were human. But something about the way they looked at me...it seemed like they knew what I was. I don't know what it means, but I intend to find out."

"Okay," Liam agreed after looking at her in silence for a moment. "As long as you promise to call me the second there are any signs of trouble."

Airmed shook her head and rolled her eyes as she said, "I'm not going to swear in blood if that's what you're asking, but yes I promise to call you."

Liam nodded and then added with concern in his eyes, "Be careful."

Airmed didn't respond – she just nodded. He had always been protective of her, even before her husband, who had been Liam's older brother, had been killed thousands of years before. Lucas had been killed protecting the last Solas, and Airmed had never fully recovered. She had refused to take another mate, as was common with her people after such a loss. And she had become more and more solemn, though she had resolutely continued her role as a Sentinel in the hope that her husband's life would not have been given in vain.

She watched as Liam turned around and walked away, disappearing behind a corner at the end of the block. Pushing thoughts of Lucas away from her mind, she refocused it on what had piqued her interest to begin with. A group of three humans had walked past her as she had returned from the convenience store with coffee for her and Liam. She wouldn't have noticed them under normal circumstances, as there was nothing remarkable about any of them. They looked like three friends walking through the city after leaving one of the local bars. There was one woman and two men and as she had walked past them, Airmed had noticed them staring at her. She was used to humans staring – they found her extremely attractive, as they found all of her people to be. But the looks she had received hadn't been mere looks of admiration. They had looked at her as if they had known her. There had been a moment of surprised recognition before all three of them had looked away. When Airmed had turned around, she had caught the woman staring back at her. She had quickly looked away after meeting Airmed's gaze, but in that brief moment of eye contact Airmed had seen a look of pure hatred in the woman's eyes.

She had decided to follow the humans immediately, and had thrown the coffees she had bought in the trash can before following at a distance that she hoped wouldn't arouse their suspicions. When Liam had caught up to her on the mall, she had seen the three humans duck into the lobby of one of the larger buildings along it, one that had several shops in its lobby that were closed due to the late hour. She recognized the building and knew that there were entrances on two other sides of the building. She hoped that they hadn't used one to exit the building and lose her. But there was only one way to find out.

As she looked around her at the nearly-deserted city, she wished that she had brought her staff with her. But she also knew that a woman carrying a large stick as she walked through the city at night would have drawn too much attention. But it was too late - there was nothing to be done about it. She walked up to the front entrance of the building and looked inside to search for signs of the humans. There were none. She opened the door and walked inside to find the building completely deserted.

Airmed walked over to the left of the lobby and down one of the hallways that she knew led to another of the lobby entrances. She didn't expect to find anything, having accepted the fact that she had lost them. But as she approached the door, she saw the female member of the trio staring at her from the other side of the glass door leading outside. Her expression was neutral, but the same look of hatred was in her eyes as she stared back at Airmed. The woman waited for a moment, and then slowly turned around and hurried down the staircase leading to the street.

All of Airmed's instincts told her she was being baited and probably being led into a trap, but her mild curiosity about the humans had now become a full-blown interest. She wanted to know why they had seemed to recognize her and what their interest in her was. She hurried to the door and outside, then down the stairs to the street. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she spotted the woman heading north on Arapahoe street. She quickened her pace, hoping to catch the woman before she disappeared. The woman turned off the street past the next intersection, and Airmed jogged to catch her.

When she reached the place where the woman had turned, Airmed found an empty alley between the buildings. It led back several yards before a wall blocked it off completely - it was a dead end. She walked halfway down the alley, looking for any sign of the woman or her companions. But there was no one in sight. She searched for any open doors, thinking that they had used one to escape. But the few doors that opened onto the alley were all shut, and none of them had handles on the outside. She walked over to the end of the alley to ensure that none of the shadows near the wall at its end hid the humans, but she found nothing. She had the strangest feeling that she was being watched, and her instincts were screaming for her to get out of the alley as quickly as she could. But she pushed both feelings aside and attributed them to paranoia.

Airmed swore softly in frustration as she turned around and headed back down the alley, and toward the street beyond. She had taken no more than a few steps when something seized her by the waist and yanked her backward, pulling her so quickly that her long black hair flew in front of her face. She slammed into the wall at the back of the alley with such force that the breath was forced from her lungs and she nearly blacked out. Before she could recover, something seized both of her wrists and pulled them against the wall, scraping the skin on her knuckles painfully.

"You shouldn't follow people, you know," a female voice came from the darkness. "They might wonder what your intentions are."

Airmed looked up and saw the woman she had seen earlier step out of the shadows. She was shocked to realize that the woman had actually stepped out of the shadow and hadn't merely been hiding in it. And she realized that she had walked into a trap. The two men she had seen with the woman stepped out of the same shadow and Airmed exhaled in frustration when she saw that they both carried swords. She knew now that the three had been baiting her, and she had let them lead her into a place where they could ambush her. But she wasn't entirely helpless.

She let her magic fill her body and opened her mouth to utter the words that would unleash it on the unsuspecting humans. But before the words could leave her lips, the woman gestured and something flew at Airmed's mouth. It slapped against her mouth, covering it completely and rendering her speechless. What had been mere irritation at being duped by the humans quickly grew into fear. She had no weapon, had been restrained, and now no longer had the use of her magic. She was helpless. She wished suddenly that she had let Liam come with her, though the logical side of her knew that he would only have been trapped with her.

The woman wagged her finger at Airmed as she walked to within a few feet of where she was held against the wall. "We can't have you using your magic," she said with a wicked smile. "That wouldn't be fair, now would it?" She closed to within a few inches of Airmed's face and then carefully brushed the hair back from the Aes Sidhe's face. "The others were right about your kind. You are beautiful, even more so than I imagined." Her face twisted as she shoved Airmed's face to the side. "But I know what you really are. You're an infection in our world. And we...are the cure."

Airmed watched in resigned dread as the woman pulled a long silver dagger from the inside of her jacket and held it up. It glinted wickedly in the night, and Airmed could feel that this was no normal dagger. It had been enchanted. And though she couldn't guess the nature of the enchantment, she was sure that it was something that would only prolong her suffering. She wanted to say something to the woman – something defiant, but her mouth was still covered and all she could manage was a growl that crept from the back of her throat as her eyes flashed dangerously. The woman looked uncertain for a moment, and looked back at her companions for reassurance. Both of them nodded at her, raising their swords slightly in support. She nodded back once and then turned to face Airmed again.

"It's a pity your friend isn't here with you," she said with a sneer of contempt. "He could have joined you in hell. But don't you worry, we'll catch him too. We'll catch all of you and send you where you all belong."

She raised the dagger, and Airmed wanted to close her eyes. Her long life was about to come to an end, and she had failed in her quest for revenge against the creatures who had taken Lucas from her. She had ignored signs that she was walking into danger, and had fallen into a trap. But there was one thought that gave her solace. After such a long time spent without him, she was about to rejoin her husband. And she refused to look away as the woman smiled slightly in evil anticipation. Airmed stared directly into her eyes.

"No need for pity..." a man's voice reached Airmed at the end of the alley. "...or for waiting. I've saved you the trouble!"

Airmed recognized the voice of Liam a split-second before she saw him at the end of the alley. His arm shot forward as the woman with the dagger turned around in surprise. She barely managed to raise her arm before something struck her, throwing her to the side as the dagger in her hands clattered to the cement. As soon as the woman hit the ground, Airmed felt the bonds holding her release. Liam sprinted down the alley and then shouted her name as he threw something at her. Airmed snatched the object from the air, feeling the satisfying weight of her black oak staff as she used it to channel her magic.

The two human men turned to face Liam with their swords raised as he charged at them, but Airmed's attention was focused on the woman. Liam could handle himself, and Airmed had sensed powerful magic coming from the woman, which meant that it was up to Airmed to defeat her. But there was more to it – Airmed didn't like anyone gaining the upper hand on her, and this woman had. It was time to repay the favor.

The woman's arm shot upward as she lay on the ground, and a stream of fire flew from it and straight at Airmed. The black oak staff flew up to meet the flame, sending tongues of fire flying along its length before they dissipated completely. Airmed was surprised by the strength of the attack and realized that she had underestimated the human's magical prowess. She allowed the force of her magic to gather at the end of her staff, and then raised it over her head before bringing it crashing to the ground. A wave of force erupted from the staff as it struck the cement, sending sprays of rock flying through the air and lifting the woman from the ground, throwing her back several feet and into the building that made up one side of the alley.

The woman staggered to her feet and then raised her arms defiantly. As Airmed watched, the shadows around the alley grew and moved toward where her. The woman was powerful indeed, but Airmed had been fighting and using magic for more than ten thousand years. The woman's magic had no skill behind its use, only raw power. The shadows moved toward Airmed, surrounding her as if to engulf her. She focused her mind and willed the magic to do her bidding, readying her defense. As Airmed held her black oak staff aloft, a bright light burst forth. She saw the woman shield her eyes as its brightness hit every nook and corner of the alley, dispelling the shadows completely.

When Airmed lowered her staff, there was no sign of the shadows that had moved to ensnare her. Only the shadows that were naturally cast by the lights of the city remained. The woman looked at her with uncertainty for a second and Airmed could see the fear in her eyes. Finally she stood up straight and whispered something in a language that Airmed did not recognize. And then she disappeared completely.

Airmed reached out with her senses to be sure that the woman wasn't merely cloaking herself, but she could no longer feel the presence of the woman at all. With her enemy driven off, Airmed looked over to see if Liam needed help, though she was sure she knew the answer even as she turned her head.

Liam stood over the body of one of her other assailants, his sword smeared with blood and his eyes blazing with fury. The body of the second man lay a few feet away and neither of them was moving. Liam looked like some kind of avenging angel, standing over the bodies of his enemies as an aura of danger surrounded him. But when his eyes landed on her, they softened immediately.

"They were skilled," Liam said as he looked back at her, his voice sounding surprised. "Far more skilled than I would have guessed."

Airmed tilted her head as she observed, "And yet you defeated both of them in the time that it took me to drive off their companion."

Liam smiled as he answered, "I didn't say they were more skilled than I was, just more than I expected." He leaned down and wiped his sword on one of the men's jackets and then placed it in its scabbard. "Who were they, Airmed?" he asked. "And why did they ambush you like that."

Airmed thought for a moment before responding, "My guess is that they ambushed me because I was following them." She remembered then what the woman had said to her just before Liam had appeared. "The woman said something about me being an infection...and that she was the cure."

"Huh," Liam answered simply. "Well, I guess we can safely say that they're not from the Denver visitor's bureau." He leaned down and inspected the jacket of the man near him, but didn't seem to find anything in the pockets. But as he pulled away, something seemed to catch his eye. He leaned down again and pushed the hair back from the man's left ear. "Airmed, come look at this," he said softly.

Airmed tensed slightly as she heard the tone in his voice. It sounded like he had found something troubling. She walked over to where he stood, and kneeled down to see what he had seen. Behind the man's left ear was something that seemed eerily familiar. A tattoo in the shape of a wolf was there, and its shape – even the pose of the wolf itself were nearly identical to the shape of the griffin tattoo that she and Liam had behind their right ear. The one major difference that she saw was that the wolf faced forward, where the griffin tattoo of the Fairtheoiri faced backwards. The griffin was the protector of life, and the tattoo faced the part of the body that needed protecting the most. The strange wolf tattoo seemed to face forward in aggression, as if it was seeking a fight.

"I don't understand," she said as she looked over at Liam.

"This one has it too," he said as he inspected behind the second man's ear. "And I'd be willing to bet my sword that that woman had one too."

Airmed nodded slowly before saying, "But I don't understand what it means. You don't think they were Sentinels do you?" They both remembered when there had been human members of their organization, but neither of them had seen or heard from any in over a thousand years. And their tattoos had been identical to the Aes Sidhe Sentinels – griffins behind the right ear that faced backwards.

She shook her head, answering her own question. "If they were, they would have known who we were. Why attack us? It doesn't make any sense."

"None of this makes sense," Liam said as he stood up. He seemed to think of something then. "These tattoos are behind their left ears," he said. "Do you think that means something?"

"We need to find the others," she said as she looked down at the dead man's staring eyes. No matter how many times she had seen it, she still hated seeing the face of death. "Maybe one of them has some insight into this."

Liam nodded before kneeling down and placing his hand on the back of the man near him. The man's body glowed briefly before disappearing completely. Airmed did the same thing to the man near her, and with the exception of the twin pools of blood that remained on the cement, everything looked normal again in the alley.

"Any sign of Arianna?" Airmed asked Liam as they walked back out to the street. They had been trying to track their former companion for nearly fifteen years and her trail, though it had grown cold, had led them to Denver.

Liam shook his head as he focused on the shape of his sword for a moment. It shifted slightly before it became a rolled up yoga mat, which he slung over one shoulder. Airmed did the same with her staff, but couldn't do much about its size. Instead of the intricately carved, black oak staff that had been there a moment before, she now carried a simple wooden stick. They started to stroll down the street, heading back to the apartment building where she had left Liam less than an hour before. From there, they would get their car and head to a hotel for some rest. They didn't sleep as humans did, but simply being able to relax had a similar restorative effect. And after Airmed's brush with death, she could definitely use the restoration.

"Do you think she's still alive?" Liam asked hesitantly after they had walked a few blocks. "I mean, you don't think she's been killed?" The concern in his voice was palpable. Both Liam and Airmed had been close friends of Arianna, and neither of them liked to think that she had come to harm.

Airmed shook her head as she answered, "No, I don't think the demons would have been able to find her. And if they did, she would have merely disappeared again." Arianna had always been the most capable of any of them, and would have been nearly impossible to find if she didn't want to be found. Airmed and Liam knew that as well as anyone, having searched for her for so many years and barely finding a trace of her.

"Do you think it's true?" Liam asked after they had crossed another block. "Do you really think that the Solas has been born again?"

Airmed was quiet as they walked down the sidewalk together. She felt him look over at her and knew he was wondering if she had heard him. "I don't know, Liam," Airmed finally answered. "But if there was anything that would make Arianna disappear like she did, it would certainly be the birth of the Solas. I suppose that she found the child, and knew about some of the others being betrayed and found. She would wisely have kept the secret of the Solas' location to herself until she knew she could safely contact us."

"It's starting all over again, then," Liam said softly as he stared straight ahead.

Airmed didn't say anything in response, but she had heard the uncertainty in Liam's voice. He knew as well as she did what had happened the last time a Solas had been born. They had lost many who had been dear to them while defending the child, not the least of which had been her husband. She whispered a silent prayer to gods that she had left behind when they had come to this world, though a part of her still hoped they listened. She prayed that if the Solas had been born again, that this time things would be different; that this time they would not face such terrible losses.

About the Author

Alena Gouveia lives in Denver, Colorado with his husband Luis and their three dogs. He was born and raised in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. Foolishly fleeing the sunny paradise of his island home, he eventually landed in Colorado, and realized that paradise comes in many forms. He began writing as a way to pass the time and soon realized that it was his true passion. Alena loves to hear from his readers and welcomes you to contact him at alenagouveia.com. He also thanks you for reading The Ambrose Beacon and hopes that you'll stay with him throughout the entire story of The Solas Prophecy.

