

Text Copyright 2013 Kaitlyn Hoyt

This Book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted without the written permission of the author. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This novel is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to peoples either living or deceased is purely coincidental. Names, places, and characters are figments of the author's imagination. The author holds all rights to this work. It is illegal to reproduce this novel without written expressed consent from the author herself.

All Rights Reserved

Cover Design by Victoria Faye

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Formatting by Inkstain Interior Book Designing

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Editing by TCB Editing

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This book is dedicated to my family and friends for all their support and encouragement. I want to thank my mom and sisters for loving this book and pushing me to publish it, and my best friend, Elizabeth, for reading it multiple times and threatening me during my freak-out moments. It truly means a lot. Lastly, this book is for the readers, for anyone who wants to escape into a world full of love and magic.

BlackMoon Beginnings

Scorching Secrets

Descending Darkness

Reaching Retribution

Eternal Endings

Redeeming Lainey

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

About the Author

SCHOOL. THAT PLACE WHERE WE are forced to go five out of seven days a week. It's a place of learning, as so many call it; yet I can't wrap my head around it. I know it's necessary if we want to go out into the world and have successful careers, but are they really preparing us for anything? Will I take anything I actually learn in school and apply it anywhere else? Will I ever need to know how to find the derivative using the chain rule? Will I ever need to calculate enthalpy changes or annotate an English paper? School is my purgatory right now, and all I want is to be set free.

"Ryanne Arden," Mrs. Applegate calls out.

"Here."

It is the Friday before the last week of school, and while most teachers slowly start tapering off their agendas, Mrs. Applegate teaches until the last minute, trying to cram everything into the end of the year schedule. I got the infectious senioritis disease way before it was acceptable to have it. I've already progressed past any curable stage. I, Ryanne Arden, have stage four senioritis, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

After hearing my name, I open my notebook, and begin doodling. I used to be such a good student. I used to strive for perfection in my schoolwork. I was that over-achiever that everyone hated. "She's such a hardworking and diligent student," my teachers used to say. They wouldn't say that anymore.

Getting lost in the drawing and the adding of details to make it perfect, I lose track of time. It's not like I pay attention in school anymore anyway. Drawing is the only thing I've been able to do recently that gives me any sort of satisfaction. Art is one of the few ways I can express myself without judgment because no one besides me ever sees it.

Someone on the other side of the classroom drops a book onto the hard linoleum floor. The sound echoes through the small room, jolting me back into awareness. Looking up at the clock, I am surprised at the time: 3:25 p.m. Only five minutes left of class. I hadn't listened to a single word that Mrs. Applegate said during the duration of this block. I couldn't. I can't concentrate on school anymore.

It's almost over. I only have to survive a week. One more week of high school, and then I am out of this small town, out of the little town of Stormfield, Maine, and on to bigger and better things. Well, at least that is what all my teachers say. "You all have big and bright futures ahead of you."

The thing is, I have no idea what I want to do after school. I don't have a plan like everyone else. Yes, I have applied to some colleges, but I don't know where I want to go or if I even want go to any of them. I just know that I want out of this old school, and out of this town. There are too many people here who know my story. There are too many memories, and I just need to get away from it all.

I look down at my drawing, and see a picture of model home. It is massive with a large stone exterior, and set in the woods. I want to live somewhere like that—away from everyone else, but close enough to others that I don't feel so alone. Being alone in a sea of people is one of the worst feelings in the world.

I tear my eyes away from the paper, and glance out the window. The sun is shining brightly today. The light illuminates everything, reflecting off of car windows; it's difficult to look for too long.

"This weekend, you should all finish reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Your test is on Monday. This is an easy read. It's a children's novel for those of you who haven't started it yet." Mrs. Applegate stops talking, and stares directly at me. "I would recommend reading it this weekend." The bell rings, signifying the end of the school day. "Class dismissed."

Gathering up my notebook and pen, I grab my bag from the floor, fling it over my shoulder, and head toward the door. "Ryanne, can I talk to you for a minute at my desk?"

I stop walking, and look at the door. It's so close. I can make it. Two steps, and I will be out of the classroom. My conscience gets the best of me. With a sigh, I turn around and face my teacher, plastering on a small fake smile.

Mrs. Applegate is sitting at her old wooden desk. Her graying hair is pulled back into a tight bun at the base of her neck. With her reading glasses on, she squints down at the paper she has in front of her. Slowly, I walk up to the front of her desk, and stop a foot away, waiting for her to finish. After putting the paper down, she takes off her glasses, and looks at me.

"Do you know what your grade in this class is?" she asks, and then pauses, waiting for me to reply. When I remain silent, she continues. "You are failing my class, Ryanne. I understand that you are going through a tough time, and I think I've been lenient. However, this class is necessary to graduate. If you want to walk with everyone in your class, you must pass the test on Monday, and the final on Wednesday. I know you have not started reading this book yet, so I would suggest you go out and buy it tonight. Your grade depends on it."

I nod, but remain quiet. I love reading for pleasure, but when I'm forced to read for an assignment, my mind looks at it differently. I understand what she is saying though. I don't think I can take another year at this school. "Is that all, Mrs. Applegate?"

She looks up, and stares at me for a couple of seconds. I recognize the look in her eyes. All adults who know what happened give me that look. With a disappointed sigh, she replies, "Yes, you may go."

Turning around, I walk out of the classroom, and toward the entrance of the school. I don't even bother to go to my locker. I won't do any of my other homework anyway. Throwing the door open, I'm prepared to be blinded by light, but it's not sunny anymore. The sky is a light shade of grey with gloomy clouds completely blocking the sun.

Walking down the few stairs in front of the school, I walk past everyone making plans for the weekend, and saying goodbye to their friends. I exit the parking lot, and then turn right to head toward Jane's house.

Jane is my legal guardian. She took me in when I had nowhere to go. She's in her mid-thirties, but looks years younger than that. Standing tall, she's just under six feet. With short pixie-like hair, she almost looks ethereal. However, she's a workaholic—working six out of the seven days in a week. When she comes home from work, she continues to do work. Because of that, she's seeing someone from her job. I'm often home alone during the days. Even when she's there, it's like I'm alone. I don't mind though. I prefer the solitude.

As I turn the corner toward the house, I notice her new blue Ford Focus in the driveway. For a weekday, that's odd. Jane's never home at this time.

The wind begins to pick up as I walk up the driveway. With anticipation building, I unlock the front door, and step inside. Jane is standing in the kitchen, making dinner, which is something that she also never does. I usually have to fend for myself after school, which means a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner.

"Hey Jane, what's up?" I ask, while taking off my green Converse shoes. Jane doesn't allow anyone to walk on the carpet with shoes on. It has to remain in pristine condition.

She stops cooking, and turns around. Ignoring my question, she replies, "Go put your books in your room. We need to talk."

Uh-oh. She turns back around, and continues cooking without saying another word. What could that be about?

I walk up the stairs, and into my boring bedroom, sighing as I look around. I haven't bothered to decorate much since I've been here. I know I won't be able to stay too much longer. My eighteenth birthday was a couple of days ago, and I am no longer in need of a legal guardian.

Brushing away the negative thoughts, I turn toward the computer in the corner of the room, and turn it on. As the computer slowly wakes up, I move to the other side of the room, and look out the window. The sky has gotten darker since I've been home, and large raindrops are beginning to fall. The clouds open up further, releasing their sadness onto the earth below. The sound of water resonates off the roof, while droplets stick to the window, creating a blurry illusion of the outside world. Pushing myself up from my window seat, I walk over to my bed and sit down, waiting for Jane to call me.

Only a few moments later, I hear, "Ryanne, it's time for dinner," being yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

At the dinner table, I begin to stir my peas around the plate. I never eat them. They're the devil's tasteless vegetable. But I don't want her to think I don't appreciate the meal, so I pretend to eat them.

"How's school?" Jane asks.

"It's fine," I hesitantly reply.

"I got a call from your teacher this morning, Mrs. Applegate. Do you have anything to tell me?"

"Umm...nope. I don't think so."

She looks at me for a few moments, waiting. I know what she wants me to say, but I don't tell her. "You're failing English, Ryanne." Her voice starts to rise, slowly inching more toward a yell. "You need to pass that class to graduate! She said that you have a test on Monday over The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Have you read it?"

"Not yet."

"Well, when do you plan on reading it?"

"Well...after I buy it."

"You haven't even bought the book yet?" She stares at me, probably trying to determine if I am joking or not. "After dinner, you will go to the bookstore and buy it. I don't want to hear any excuses. I understand that, after your mother died, you needed some time. But it has been over a year, Ryanne. You have to start living again. She would want you to graduate. I can't let you throw your life away like this." Jane never mentions my mother unless she is very upset with me, because she knows how much it hurts me to think about her.

"Fine, I'll go. But I don't really have much of a chance of passing the class this late in the game."

"But you can at least try."

Try. I'm not even sure I understand the definition of that word anymore. I stop pushing my peas around my plate, and look up at her. Her face is full disappointment, but also full of faith in me. I know that I can't let her down. Right now, she is all I have.

GRABBING THE CAR KEYS OFF the counter, I rush out the front door, and am surrounded by the musty smell of the rain. The downpour has relented to a soft drizzle while various shades of grays are accumulating in the sky, swirling around one another like a van Gogh painting. The gloomy clouds that had gathered and drenched the earth are starting to drift away into nothingness. The trees begin to sway as the wind picks up, rustling their leaves together, creating a whisper of noise throughout the town.

Thankful to be out of the strange weather, I turn the car keys in the ignition. The car comes to life, a steady thrum reverberating throughout the vehicle. Being a small town, the only bookstore is the local BlackMoon Bookstore on Amber Avenue. It will only take a few minutes to drive over there. Since it is a small town though, I have to park out of the way, and walk to the store.

Pulling into a parking lot at the back of Second Chances, the local thrift store, I get out of the car and begin walking toward the bookstore located across the street. I stop at the crosswalk to push the walk button...only there isn't a walk button. Since the weekend has begun, Stormfield is pretty quiet. Most people would have gone into Brookville, the larger town located a few miles away for their weekend festivities. Without bothering to look before crossing, I take a step off of the curb, and into the road.

After a couple of steps, a bright light and a loud noise echoing down the street blind me to my right: a car horn. Everything freezes around me. The wind picks up, and blows my hair across my face, momentarily blocking my vision. My heart is beating a mile a minute, as if trying to escape my chest. I'm sure that if anyone were near, they could hear its loud beat. My airways constrict, making it difficult to breathe. I try to move my feet, but they seem to be glued to the ground, forbidding any movement. Fear overwhelms me as I see the car getting closer.

During times like this, most people would say their life flashed before their eyes. I don't know what kind of situation those people went through, because the only coherent thought running through my mind is Crap, I'm going to be hit by a car.

Suddenly, the sky darkens, lightning cracks overhead, thunder booms directly above, and the intensity of the wind increases; the car is less than a foot away from me. Since moving is impossible, I close my eyes, and wait for the pain—wait for my inevitable death.

It never comes.

The car horns blares, nearly blowing out my eardrums, and at the last possible second, a large gust of wind blows through the street, picking me up, and depositing me on the other side of the road. I put my arms out to try and stop the momentum, but I only manage to scratch my exposed skin.

My body collides with the curb, successfully stopping the rolling. Turning onto my back, I try to catch my breath because the wind was knocked out of me during the fall. I can't suppress the painful groan from escaping my lips as feeling returns to my body. Black spots start to dot my vision. Moaning, I attempt to roll over and sit up, but am overcome with dizziness. I hear the sound of a bell, a door open, and then footsteps running toward me. The car speeds past me while the driver yells all sorts of obscenities out the window.

"Oh my goodness, dear. Are you hurt? I saw what happened, but couldn't make it to you soon enough."

I look toward the sound of the voice, but can't concentrate on who is speaking to me. The world is spinning, creating duplicates of everything. I feel the woman reach for my hand. Wrapping my arm around her neck, her other arm wraps around my waist, and she pulls me up. Leaning almost all of my weight on her, she walks me toward her store: the BlackMoon Bookstore.

"Colton, go get me an icepack, and some Advil from the back," she yells to someone once we step in the doorway.

Muffled into the background, I hear a book being dropped, and the sound of footsteps receding. The woman guides me toward a nearby chair. Overcome with a headache, I lean my head forward and place it onto my knees. My long, dark, curly hair falls forward and creates a curtain around my face, encasing me in my own world. I take a deep breath, hoping that the pain will stop soon.

After a couple of minutes, the room slowly stops spinning, and I am finally able to lift my head and look around. Large shelves of books, both old and new, clutter the small shop. I can tell by looking around that certain sections have more visitors than others. Some shelves have more dust lining their edges, while others are completely clean. The wallpaper is a deep shade of purple, fading with age, with small golden stars dispersed evenly on its surface. The back of the shop has large, leather-bound books behind a display case at the register.

"Are you okay, honey? Where does it hurt?"

Flinching at her loud tone, I start shaking my head and reply, "Ugh, my head." It comes out as nothing more than a whisper. I can't muster anything louder. Placing my head into my hands, I close my eyes, and block out my surroundings again. How the heck did I get across the street? I should be dead right now or, at least, on my way to the hospital. This doesn't make sense.

"I couldn't find an icepack, but here's the Advil. Is she hurt?" inquires a deep voice that I'm assuming belongs to Colton.

Without moving from my current position, I answer. "I'm fine." I don't feel fine, but I don't want any more attention than is necessary.

"Well, you don't look fine," he retorts.

"Colton, leave the girl alone. She was almost hit by a car. Here dear, take this. It'll help the headache."

Lifting my head, I squint because of the bright lights. Seeing her outstretched hand with two small pills in it, I reach out and grab them along with bottle of water that she offers me. Throwing the pills back, I take a sip of water and swallow.

When my eyes adjust, I finally get a look at who is talking to me. The woman who is crouching in front of me looks to be in her late forties or early fifties. She has tanned skin, as if she spends a lot of time outdoors, and light blonde hair with small streaks of gray. Her face is scrunched together with concern, emphasizing her wrinkles. She is beautiful. Her aged appearance gives off an aura of wisdom, and for that, I immediately trust her. My eyes don't stay on her for long though, because I am drawn to the man standing behind her, looking at me closely.

He looks like he walked straight out of photo shoot for GQ. Looking to be about six feet tall, he stands almost a whole foot taller than me. His arms are crossed in front of his chest, emphasizing his muscular physique. He has dark, shaggy brown hair that shines under the dulled light of the store. My hand twitches with the desire to reach out and touch it—to push the long ends out of his eyes. My eyes slowly travel down from his hair and meet his gaze.

When our eyes connect, my stomach tightens. There is something mesmerizing about his eyes. The color maybe? He stares back at me with deep emerald eyes; the color of the leaves in the fall, right before they begin to change colors. I swallow audibly, and try to clear the fog in my mind. He is gorgeous, and I can't stop staring at him. It takes everything in me not to let out a girly sigh at the attractiveness of this man. Talk about awkward...

"Ryanne?" he asks. "Ryanne Arden?"

His deep voice breaks my trance. Dang, even his voice is hot. Why didn't I notice that before? Blinking rapidly, I look away. He looks familiar. I rack my brain trying to recognize him. I must have a look of confusion on my face, because the corner of his full mouth rises slightly, as if I had said something funny.

"How do you know my name?" I ask, slowly trying to keep the obvious embarrassment out of my voice.

"We go to the same school." His straightforward answer baffles me. I know I would have recognized him had I seen him at school. When I continue watching him, he starts smiling at me, a full-blown smile that would cause any grown woman to stop in her tracks and gawk. Diverting my eyes, I stare down at the patterned carpet. I can't think straight with him looking at me like that.

Fidgeting in my chair, the only response I can come up with is, "Oh." I'm not very attentive in school, but I hope that I would have recognized this totally attractive guy if I had seen him before. I can't be that out of it all the time, right?

Outside, the storm begins to pick up again. Loud thunder sounds, shaking the windows of the old shop. Startled, I jump and look out the window, watching the heavy rain flood the street. The sudden movement and loud noise causes my headache to worsen. I hear the woman talking, but I can't tear my eyes from the window.

Feeling someone tap my leg, I jerk my eyes away, and look at the woman crouching in front of me. "Sorry, what?"

Slightly amused, she repeats, "Why didn't you move when you saw the car coming?"

"I tried, but I couldn't. I felt like I was frozen."

Colton gives me a look that I can't decipher. "Then how did you end up...not...getting hit?"

With a sigh, I turn and look out the window again. "I don't know. One second I was looking at the car coming toward me, thinking I was about to die, and the next second I was on the other side of the road." I turn and look back at them, debating on whether or not I want to tell them more. "This is going to sound crazy, but I think the wind pushed me."

They both glance at each other briefly, and then turn back toward me. "The wind?"

"Yeah, right before the car was going to hit me, there was a huge gust of wind. I felt like I had been picked up and blown to the..." Judging by their facial expressions, they both think I'm going insane. "You know what? Never mind. Forget I said anything."

"No, dear, we believe you."

"You do?"

The woman reaches out, and puts her hand on my knee. "This town is full of unexplainable things. Not everything is as it seems."

"Wh—"

While I try to respond, Colton throws the woman an enigmatic expression. "Well, I have to be getting back to work. I hope you feel better soon, Ryanne." Abruptly, he turns around and walks away. My eyes follow him as he leaves the aisle, and disappears from my sight.

"I apologize for the rudeness of my nephew. How is your head?"

I pause and think about it. I'm not in as much pain anymore. "Actually, it feels much better, thank you. The Advil really worked."

"Indeed, the Advil. Well, if you are feeling better, is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, I'm...Well, yes. I actually came here to buy a book. Do you have The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis? I'm supposed to read it for school."

"Ah, C.S. Lewis. Yes, I do. Follow me."

I follow her back to the fantasy section where she steps onto a step stool to reach the books on the top shelf. "Hmm, I know it is up here somewhere," she mumbles to herself.

Eye level to me was a thickly bound book: Witchcraft 101: Guidebook to Basic Spells. Its black cover and cursive violet text outlined in gold, captures my attention. Taking it off the shelf, I turn it over, and read the back cover.

"Do people actually buy these books?"

"You'd be surprised. Will this be all?" She hands the book to me.

Reaching for it, I say, "Yes, thank you very much for everything."

"You're very welcome. No need to thank me. I hope you are feeling better. Now, go to the front, and ask Colton to check that out for you."

Firmly holding the book in my hands, I walk to the front of the store and see Colton, with his back to me, reaching toward the top shelf, dusting it off. I just watch him. He barely has to stretch to reach it. His shirt has risen slightly under his extended arm, exposing a patch of tanned skin. Is there anything wrong with this guy? I must have made a noise, because he turns around and catches me staring. I jerk my eyes from him, but the damage is already done. He raises his eyebrows and smirks at me. "Can I help you with anything?"

My face turns a deep shade of red. I can't help it; I'm a blusher. I place the book on the counter, and push it toward him. "I need to pay for this," I reply, while still avoiding eye contact. I pick up a pen from a small display on the counter, and pretend to be interested in it.

At that moment, lightning lights up the sky and thunder rumbles, causing me to jump and drop the pen I had in my hands. Feeling my face turn a deeper shade of red, I bend over and pick it up, putting it back where I found it. I can feel his eyes on me the entire time, but I refuse to look up at him. Moving on, I pretend to be interested in the set of bookmarks lining the front counter. Chuckling, he grabs my book and rings it up.

I hand him the cash without looking at him. I know I'm already blushing insanely and, if I look at him, it'll deepen.

"Do you need a bag for this?"

"Umm, nope. I can carry it. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Oh, and drive carefully. The weather is pretty bad."

Nodding, I turn around and walk out of the store. This time, I look both ways before crossing the road. That was enough excitement for one day.

I AM SURROUNDED BY DOZENS of people, all looking at me with menacing glares. Their weapons are drawn, and they look ready to kill. I start backing up until I can move no more. Pressing myself up against a tree, I look around, hoping to find something or someone to help me, but I come up empty. I am completely surrounded, yet totally alone.

A feeling of panic sinks in as the men start swarming me. "Ryanne, run!" someone yells from my right. I turn to see who is talking to me, but I can't see anything but the mysterious man's profile. His body is outlined by the shadows. He runs past me with his sword out, and into the group, hitting many men in the process. I can't move or take my eyes away from him.

Caught up in the moment, I don't see the man that got past my hero. Grabbing me around the waist, he starts dragging me into the forest, covering my mouth to keep me silent. I try screaming, but no sound comes out. My struggling is futile as the man is much larger and stronger than me. He carries me farther into the forest, surrounding me with darkness.

WITH A GASP, I BOLT upright, and frantically look around. I'm alone in the dark living room. No one is dragging me into the forest. It was just a dream. Something falls off of my lap, and lands with a thud onto the floor. My breathing is fast and labored, and my body is covered in a sheen of sweat. I wait a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the darkness around me. Apparently, I fell asleep on the couch. I'm still in the clothes I'd been wearing earlier. Jane must have spent the night at Ross's because she would usually wake me up.

Grabbing the book that I kicked off the couch when I awoke, I get up and walk upstairs to my room. Turning the ceiling fan on, I crawl into bed, hoping to get a dreamless night of sleep. I lay in bed for hours until sleep finally comes to me.

My dreams that night are filled with a man with deep green eyes.

SHORTLY AFTER GOING TO BED, I am woken up by the sun streaming from my bedroom window, hitting my face. Groaning, I get out of bed and walk to the bathroom to take a shower. I step into the shower, and turn the water on as hot as it will go, hoping that it will help wake me up, and shake off the remnants of the dream last night. Standing beneath the steady stream, I slowly feel the exhaustion leave me. My muscles relax, and the fog in my mind drifts away, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

As I walk down the stairs, I stop to look at all of Jane's photos on the wall. I walk past these photos every day, but have never actually stopped to look at them. It upsets me that she has so many photographs and memories, while I have nothing. The wall is covered with photos of her, her friends and family members, all smiling and laughing, happy and content.

I am suddenly overcome with a feeling of sadness. I'll never have that. I am an only child. My father left before I was born, and my mother died in a car accident a year ago. My mom hated taking pictures, so I don't have many of her. I have one picture in my possession. I stop at the most recent photograph of Jane and her boyfriend, Ross, both staring into each other's eyes, smiling. Will I ever get that?

I continue walking down the stairs until I reach the floor length mirror near the front door. I look at my reflection in the mirror. I'm wouldn't say I'm pretty, but I'm not that ugly either. I'm pretty average, I think. I'm a little over 5'3" and thin, yet curvy. My pale skin tone accentuates my long dark, curly chestnut hair that reaches down to the middle of my back. Light hazel eyes look back at me.

Unless I get out of this town, I'll never have that Jane and Ross relationship. No one wants to hang around the quiet girl, and no one will take the time to get to know me better. Everyone is quick to jump to conclusions, and listen to the rumors swirling around.

Tears well up in my eyes, and I blink rapidly to get them to go away. I won't cry. I refuse to. I haven't cried since my mom died, and today will not be the day I start again. Walking into the kitchen, I see a note on the counter from Jane:

Ryanne,

Going away for the weekend with Ross. You better read that book and study while I'm gone! Failing is not acceptable. I've left the car for you in case of an emergency. See you again on Monday!

-Jane

I drop the letter, letting it fall back on the counter, and go to the refrigerator to look for something to eat.

When I get back to my room, I plug my iPod into the dock, play the newest Ed Sheeran song, and then turn on my laptop. Singing along with the words, I log into my Facebook account. I don't get on it often, because frankly, I don't care about it. Today, however, I have a goal. I go to Lily Mooris's page, the most popular girl in the school, and search through her friends list, looking for one person in particular. I don't know his last name, so finding him is going to be difficult.

After an hour of searching, I start to feel like a stalker. Colton didn't show up on anyone's friends list. I guess he doesn't have a Facebook account. I though t everyone had an account these days. I mean, nothing is official unless it's on Facebook, right? Turning off the computer, I grab the book, walk over to my bed, and sit down. Opening it, I start reading: "Then she noticed that there was something crunching under her feet..."

After half an hour, I throw the book across the room, watching as it falls to the ground near my closet. I can't believe that Mrs. Applegate is making me read this. I read it a long time ago, but definitely do need the refresher. I wonder how close the movie is to the book...

Getting off the bed, I go and search for a snack. Grabbing an apple, I walk into the living room, and turn the TV on. Harry Dillion, the local news weatherman, is talking about the strange weather.

"Unexplainable weather patterns have been popping up recently throughout the central part of the state. No storm systems have shown up on our radars, so there's almost no way for us to track these storms."

I walk back into the kitchen and grab the jar of peanut butter to add to my apple slices. Opening the kitchen drawer, I grab out a butter knife, and head back into the living room.

"Another Maine teen has been reported missing: seventeen year old Missy Granger was last seen walking home from school last Thursday." A school photo of Missy flashes across the screen. "At the moment, police have no leads. This most recent report brings the total tally up to seven girls. If you have any information, call 1-555-STP-CRME."

Seven teens? That's a little scary. I turn the TV off, grab my snack, and walk back upstairs. Suddenly, I am overcome with an eerie feeling that leaves goose bumps on my arms. I look around the room, looking for anything strange or out of place, but can't find anything. Everything is in order, but it feels like someone is watching me. The feeling leaves as quickly as it came, making me wonder if I ever even felt it.

I sit on the bed and prop myself against the wall, attempting to get comfortable. "Ugh, you can do this Ryanne. You need to do this," I tell myself.

Opening up to the page I left at, I begin to read again. I only make it a few sentences, but I stop reading and look around, wishing I could escape into another world that easily. It would be nice to go somewhere else, to start over fresh, with new people who don't know of my history, and can't judge me because of it.

Finishing the chapter, I close the book, and put it against my pillow. Looking around, I begin to realize how boring this weekend is going to be, all alone in this house, working on homework and studying. Oh, joy. I bang my head against the wall. Realizing how much force I used, I am anticipating the loud thud and a headache to start, but it never does. The wall is soft. Confused, I turn around and look at it. It is the same off-white color it has always been. I touch the wall, not quite sure what I am expecting, but it doesn't feel any different. The wall is cold and hard again.

Puzzled, I turn around and scan the room. The strange feeling has returned. The bottom of my stomach tightens, and my airways constrict. I'm just being paranoid. Calm down. I always get like this when I'm home alone. Everything makes me paranoid. Every floorboard creak or electronic sound makes me question if I'm actually alone.

Closing my eyes, I lean back to rest against the wall, trying to calm my nerves. However, this time, I don't hit the wall. I am thrust backward, and am overcome with a feeling of falling. The world around me begins to blur as bright colors, random shapes, and symbols cloud my vision.

Then everything goes black.

"UFFH," MY BODY HITS THE ground hard. The wind is knocked out of my lungs, and I'm having trouble catching my breath. This is the second time I've been thrown to the ground recently. I close my eyes and try to breathe normally, willing my body to cooperate. Every bone, muscle, and fiber in my body begins to ache, so I just lay there waiting for the pain to subside. With my eyes still closed, I assess myself, and realize that nothing is broken or sprained. Groaning, I push myself into a seated position, and open my eyes. Looking around, I'm utterly confused by what I see.

"Where the heck am I?"

I am no longer in my small second-story bedroom. I'm in the middle of a grassy field. The sky is a shade of blue that I have rarely seen before: the vibrant blue that only seems to exist in those desktop wallpapers of the beaches on new computers. The grass is the greenest green possible, and there are huge trees with voluminous leaves everywhere around me. Random wildflowers are dispersed throughout the open field. I would have loved this area if I had any idea where I actually was.

Jane is going to kill me.

My body aches as I attempt to stand. Looking around, I see movement in the closest tree.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" I call out. There is no reply, and no more movement. I brush it off as paranoia, and look around again in search of a trail. Unable to find anything, I'm about to give up, and walk blindly into the forest, when I see the movement again.

I cautiously step closer to the tree, trying to see what is there. I'm starting to get scared. I'm in an unknown place, and don't know how to get back to Jane's. When I freak out, my mind starts racing. I imagine every possible horrible scenario. What if someone is out there? It would be easy for someone to kidnap or kill me. No one would know what happened to me. What if there are cannibals in the forest? I can't image that I would taste very good. I'd be a breaking news story for a day, and when there was no evidence found in the case, I'd be forgotten. With no family to alert, or friends to mourn me, my file would be put in another unsolved case box and placed in the back of a storage room to collect dust.

Without warning, the wind begins to pick up, and the leaves on the trees begin to fly everywhere, swirling in a vortex around me.

"Stop that!" yells a deep voice from the tree.

"Stop what?" I call back. "I'm not doing anything." I can't see anything through all the leaves of the tree, but I know he's up there.

He jumps down and says, "Calm down. Your emotions are affecting the weather."

Putting my hands on my hips, I push my chin out, and defiantly retort, "How the heck are my emotions affecting the weather? That's not possib..." I trail off. The rest of the sentence is completely forgotten when I see the man standing in front of me.

He looks slightly older than me. It is hard to tell. He has long black hair that moves with the wind, and gray eyes the color of steel. The most interesting combination I've ever seen on anyone. A long, jagged silver scar runs across the length of his left brow, and extends onto his cheekbone. His nose is crooked, as though it has been broken a few times before. His full pink lips are set in a straight line as his hard gaze focuses on me. He is wearing a tight black t-shirt, emphasizing the muscles in his chest and arms, and has a dark leather belt strapped around his waistband. Around the width of his right upper arm is an extravagant flamed tattoo that disappears beneath the fabric of his shirt. Filled in with black ink, it reminds me of the tribal tattoos I've only ever seen on the Internet, or on those teen novels with the shirtless men on the cover. A large matching silver, flame-shaped pendant hangs around his neck.

He is very good-looking in that bad-boy way—the kind of boy that your parents would hate if you ever brought him home.

At the sound of him clearing his throat, I break out of my trance-like state. Still staring at him, my cheeks turn a deep shade of red. What is wrong with me? This is the second time in two days that I've been caught openly ogling an attractive guy.

Let me try this again. "What do you mean my emotions are affecting the weather?"

"You were confused and scared. It picked up on that. Watch what you think and feel. Everything is affected by what you do," he says, as he begins to turn and walk away.

"What I do? Why?" When he doesn't stop walking, I begin to follow him. "Where are you going? What is this place?" I get no reply. I stop and look around. Realizing that without him, I'm alone in this unknown place, so I do the only rational thing, and follow him into the dark and eerie forest.

I have to jog to keep up with his long quick strides. After following in silence for a couple of minutes, I speak again. "Hey, wait. Stop! Where am I? What is this place?"

Silence.

I pick up my speed, and run in front of him. When I stop, he collides into me. I would have fallen flat on my butt if he hadn't reached out and steadied me. He lets go of my arms quickly and stares straight at me, silently demanding that I move.

"Why won't you answer any of my questions?"

His piercing gray gaze locks onto mine. I can tell he's debating with himself. The angry expression on his face softens, and he sighs in defeat, finally choosing to answer me.

"Because I can't. You are not supposed to be here. This isn't your world." He tries to step around me, but I follow his step to block his move.

"And what world would this be? Narnia?" I snap sarcastically.

As he opens his mouth to reply, the sound of a twig snapping nearby causes me to jump, and for both of us to turn in the direction of it. There is nothing behind me, just darkness. The small distraction allows him to move past me and continue walking.

"Can you at least tell me your name?" I ask, and begin to follow him again.

Without stopping, he says, "Liam."

"I'm Ryanne," I tell him though he never asked, and based on his attitude, he probably doesn't care or want to know it.

The sound of another twig snapping causes Liam to slow his pace, but not stop. I keep glancing behind me, searching for the source of the sound. I don't know what sorts of creatures are found in this "world," but I know I don't really want to find out. The sound of footsteps begins to resonate through the darkness. The forest seems to get darker and the wind starts picking up again.

Stopping, he turns and looks at me. "You have to remain calm. There is nothing out there."

"How do you expect me to remain calm when you won't tell me anything? One second, I was in my room reading a book, and the next second I'm here. I'm sorry if I'm a little confused. And how do you know that? How do you know that there isn't something out there?" I point behind me. "I think something is following us. I keep hearing footsteps."

I start rambling when I'm freaked out. For some reason, I think that talking will make a solution magically appear. It never does.

"It's your imagination. You are scared, and the forest recognizes that. I already told you this," Liam says, and takes a single step forward, but then stops and looks up. The branches on the tree to my left, beside him, begin to shake as if someone or something is moving throughout them. He looks to me as if questioning my emotions. I shake my head at him. I am not responsible for that...at least I don't think I am.

A dark figure jumps from the tree, and crouches on the ground before straightening out. Standing tall, the figure would have been over seven feet, but it's hunched over. Surrounding its body is a thick black cloak with fraying edges and rips along the seams. A large mouth with huge jagged teeth dominates its face. Dark liquid seeps from the corners of its mouth, piling on the ground, while its piercing red eyes stare ahead at us. The beast appears to be floating an inch above the ground. An orb of gray with swirls of black and red surrounds the being.

A beastly dementor is going to kill me. That's it! I'm in the Forbidden Forest.

Liam reaches out, grabs my arm, and pushes me behind him, shielding my body with his. Cowering behind him, I watch as the mysterious figure opens its mouth, and lets out a deep, earsplitting growl. I double over in pain, and put my hands up to my ears, trying to block out the sound.

"Don't move." Liam pulls a long knife out of his belt, and runs toward the beast. The knife seems to have a glow around it. The beast lets out an even louder cry, as Liam jumps on its back and stabs it in the side. Sticky green liquid oozes out of the wound and cascades down its body. When the liquid hits the ground, it begins to smoke and dissolve. With the swing of its arm, the beast knocks Liam to the ground, and begins to walk toward me.

I break out of my fear-induced state. Trying to ignore my frantically beating heart and shaking limbs, I take a few steps back. I don't know what to do or where to go. The wind begins to pick up again, causing my hair to fly across my face, obstructing my vision. Pushing my hair back, I scream when I see how close to me the beast is now. Standing less than three feet in front of me, it's staring at me with its beady eyes. I don't have any sort of weapon to defend myself with. I can smell its putrid breath as it moves toward me. A second later, it abruptly stops. Throwing its head back, it lets out a deafening wail. Again, my hands cover my ears to block out the sound. A bright piercing light appears behind it, and a long knife blade pokes through the middle its chest. Its short ugly arms reach toward the knife, trying to pull it out. Letting out one last scream, it begins to disappear right before my eyes.

Behind where the beast stood seconds before, Liam falls to the ground, breathing heavily. "I hate those things. They don't usually die that easily. We have to get out of the forest," he says casually, like this is an everyday occurrence for him.

I just stare at him, unable to speak or move. He begins to walk away, but stops when he notices that I still haven't moved.

"W-w-what was that?" I yell, demanding that he finally give me an answer.

"A gorgoth. I'm not going to go into too many details. They are very dangerous creatures. They can suck your life essence out of you. It's a painful way to die." I feel like I was thrown in a fantasy book. When I don't move, Liam continues, "Now, I repeat, we need to get out of the forest. There are other dangerous things in here."

He grabs the crook of my elbow, and drags me forward. I stumble, but try to keep up. He is walking too fast for me. The wind begins to pick up again, and he looks at me questioningly, but doesn't say anything. With each of my stumbles, I can see the corner of his mouth rise a little. Is he trying not to laugh at me?

When I am finally able to catch my footing and keep up with Liam, he lets go of my arm. "How much longer?" I ask. I don't want to be whiny, but goodness gracious, we've been walking forever.

"You're not very patient, are you?" he asks me, as he pushes a large tree branch to the side.

"You're not very patient, are you?" I mimic as I walk past him. I hear Liam's deep laugh behind me. I really want to be angry with him, but the laugh makes me smile. I keep my back to him so he can't see my reaction though. Walking out of the dark forest, and into the bright sunlight hurts my eyes. The sudden change forces me to close my eyes, and wait as they adjust.

Exhausted, I turn toward him and say, "Can you please tell me where I am?"

"Where is not important. The question is why. Why are you here?"

"How in the world would I know that? I already told you. One second, I'm in my room reading a book, and the next, I'm here. I don't understand what is going on, and I'm really confused." I place my hands on my hips, and glare up at him. He tries to suppress another smirk as I continue to stare at him.

"Most people don't know that they've come here; they experience it in a dream. You're different, though. You are fully awake." He stops looking at me, and focuses on something in the distance, apparently lost in his thoughts.

"Then, why are you here?"

He glances at me out of corner of his eye, but turns away, and stares straight ahead. "That's not important," he repeats. I'm getting really tired of that line. "The important thing is that I have to help you get back."

"What if I don't want to go back?"

"You have to. This isn't where you belong."

"You don't understand. I don't want to go back home. My life is boring. I have no family. I have no friends. I have nothing. At least this place is exciting." My mouth speaks the words, but my mind is telling me otherwise. I don't like this place. It freaks me out, but there is a part of me that doesn't want to leave yet.

His face transforms. Instead of a hard calculating look, a look of pity crosses his features. Pity is one expression I'm completely tired of seeing. I've seen too much of it lately. As he opens his mouth to respond, the sky begins to darken again. The clearing transforms from a peaceful and serene spot, to something out of a horror movie. For what seems like the hundredth time today, the wind increases its speed as dark gray clouds loom overhead, and the familiar sound of thunder rolls through the sky. Liam looks up, and his body tenses as if anticipating an impending threat. Instinctually, I move closer to him, gripping onto his arm for support.

A large winged beast descends from behind the clouds, heading for where we are standing. Its dark and scaled body blends in with the sky. The length of its tail is covered with sharp, blade-like spikes. It has curved red horns, and deep purple spots on its back, while two large pointed incisors poke out of the mouth. Huge round eyes peer at us, daring us to make a move.

Liam stands up, hands me the knife he used against the Gorgoth earlier, and takes out another weapon. The weapon feels foreign in my hands. I hold the pointed end away from my body, and look up at him. I have absolutely no idea how to use a weapon. Liam's holding a larger weapon in his hands. It looks like a long dagger. He starts speaking in a language I don't recognize, and the blade begins to glow. Before my eyes, it transforms into a long and sharp, pointed sword.

Noticing my shocked look, he shrugs his shoulders and says, "It comes in handy." He begins to turn in circles, assessing our surroundings. The beast lands on the ground, and stares at both Liam and me, only pausing for a second, before moving toward us. Liam takes a step forward and moves in front of me, pushing me behind him like he did earlier in the forest.

He takes off toward the beast with his blade pointing forward. Knowing what he is going to do, the beast turns around, attempting to hit him with his tale. Liam ducks at the last second, avoiding the bladed appendage. The beast turns back toward Liam when he realizes he wasn't hit. This time, his tail connects with Liam's torso, sending him flying toward the nearest tree.

With effort, Liam gets to his feet and silently walks toward the beast as it steps closer to me. I stare at it as it closes the distance between us. I attempt to back up, but my legs refuse to move. Why does this always happen to me in life or death situations?

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Liam bring his weapon over his head, and thrust it into the beast's back. About a foot away from me, the beast howls in pain. Saliva spews out of its mouth, soaking my clothes with its putrid spit. It quickly turns around, and gives its attention back to Liam. He and the beast circle each other, waiting for the other to make a move. It is bleeding profusely, but doesn't appear very affected by it. Liam, on the other hand, appears sluggish and quickly tiring.

The beast lunges forward, hitting Liam in an attempt to knock him backwards. He momentarily loses his balance, but catches his footing. He swings his sword over his head, and thrusts it toward the beast's chest, but misses him as it moves back. With a scream, it stops moving and begins to flap its wings with such force that it knocks the sword out of Liam's hand. The wind from the wings of the beast combined with my fear becomes so strong that it causes Liam to fall to the ground. Already down, I stare in shock, not knowing what to do to help.

As it begins to move toward weaponless Liam, I know that I have to do something. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. The wind begins to die down. I can't let Liam die because I'm too scared to do anything. Opening my eyes, I stand up and take off running toward Liam's sword beneath the tree. When it is firmly in my grasp, I turn and move toward the beast with the sword pointed ahead. For Narnia, I guess.

The beast has his attention focused on Liam lying on the ground, so it doesn't notice me coming toward it. I reach the beast, and jump on its back, plunging the knife into its thick and scaly skin, causing it to screech out in pain, and fall to the ground. I look at Liam, and see him smiling at me. It's a good look for him. I watch as his features quickly transform from a smile into a grimace of shock.

"No, watch out!" Liam shouts as an immense pain shoots through my abdomen. My eyes widen and mouth opens as I try to gasp for breath. The beast pulls its spiked tale out of my back as it falls to the ground dead. I land beside it, and try to remain calm as blood begins to seep from the wound onto the grass. Panicking will not help anything. My body becomes cold, and my vision starts to blur. The colors around me collide into one another, creating a swirling vortex of color masses. Liam jumps up and runs toward me. When he gets to me, my eyes are already closing. He starts yelling something at me, but I can't hear anything and am quickly losing consciousness.

I OPEN MY EYES AND look around. I am back in my bedroom, lying on my bed. The book is lying open on my stomach. What? What just happened? How did I get back?

Rubbing my eyes, I look around my room, searching for anything out of the ordinary. A sharp pain shoots through my abdomen as I sit up. The rain outside starts beating against the glass window; the loud sound echoing through the empty house. It is a slow steady rain, as if Mother Earth is crying—sad about a sudden change. Tearing my gaze from the window, I yelp as I glance at my pillow. Lying on my pillow, is the flame shaped pendent that Liam had been wearing.

EVER SINCE THAT DREAM, I'VE worn Liam's pendant around my neck. For some reason, I believe that it is going to protect me like Liam did. Protect me from what, though? I'm not really sure. I still don't understand what actually happened while I was...there, but I'm taking the pendant as a sign.

I finished reading the book, and spent the rest of the weekend studying like I used to before mom passed away. I could have been at the top of my class, but I stopped caring. Mom loved that I was doing so well in school. When she died, I no longer felt the need to try anymore. A part of me died when she did, and I still haven't gotten it back.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I roll over and turn my alarm off. I swear I'd just lain down to sleep; it can't be time to get ready for school already. Unless my eyes deceive me, it is definitely time to start getting ready. I slowly get out of bed, and walk across the hall to the bathroom. I don't hear Jane, so she probably already left for work this morning.

I can feel the excitement in the air as I walk through the doors of the school. I only have to survive three more days. Three more days to bring up my English grade. Oh dear.

The bell rings after second block, signaling the time for first lunch. I despise lunchtime. Everyone crowds in the cafeteria, gets their lunches, and then separates into their cliques: the stereotypical cheerleaders, the jocks, the nerds, etc. These cliques have been formed since middle school. Now in high school, everyone has a place. They're sitting together, laughing, and discussing the latest gossip. Those who don't have a place are the loners and outcasts. That's where I fit in. I didn't fit in at any table, and never really have, so I eat lunch in the library.

"Good afternoon, Ryanne. How are you today?" the librarian, Mrs. Templesmith, asks politely.

"I'm good. A little worried. I have to pass a test during fourth block if I want to pass the class."

"Oh goodness, you better get to studying now!"

Laughing, I reply, "I will. I'll sit in the back, so I don't disturb anyone."

Walking to the back of the library, I place my bag on the table that I've officially claimed as my own. No one comes to this part of the library. It's full of old historical books that only history buffs like to read. The area is filled with the aroma of aged pages. Some people like the smell of gasoline, freshly mown grass, or flowers, but I love the smell of old books. The yellowing pages and rough covers fascinate me. Books have many stories to tell, both on and off their pages. The words within the binding take me to a world much different than my own. When I get lost in a book, I forget about all my problems because I'm so engrossed in the character's lives. They are full of fact and fiction, fully intertwined to create a masterpiece of unthinkable proportions.

I sit down at the table and open up my lunch sack, pulling out my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I take a bite out of it, and reach for my book to flip through it one last time. I learned in my psychology class last year that cramming and last minute study sessions don't actually help scores any, yet we all still do it. After about ten minutes, I hear footsteps in the row beside me, and a man starts whispering to someone.

"No, I don't know for sure if it is her yet, but I'm pretty positive it is. She doesn't appear to know anything though. No, I've only spoken to her that one time. You were with me. You know what happened." The man sighs. "I've been trying. I haven't seen her yet. Fine. Fine. I understand. Class is about to start. I have to go." I hear the sound of a phone shutting, and then footsteps walking away from my vicinity.

I stay quiet for the next couple of minutes; afraid that whoever that was will catch me eavesdropping. When no one shows up, I pack up my belongings, and walk toward the front of the library.

"Did anyone come in here during this block?" I ask Mrs. Templesmith when I stop by her desk.

"No, I haven't seen anyone. Why?"

"No reason. Just wondering. Thank you. I'm going to head to class now. Bye, Mrs. Templesmith!"

"Bye, dear! Good luck on your test." She smiles and waves at me. She is always in a good mood. She's one of the only people from this school that I will actually miss once this year ends.

"Thanks!" I walk out of the library and down the hallway, staring at the floor as I go, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes. Most people avoid me anyway. I enter my third block class, Government with Mr. Zane, right as the bell rings. He gives me a stern look. He hates when students are late to class.

Mr. Zane is old. He wears large glasses, about half the size of his face that magnify his eyes. He reminds me of Geri from the Pixar short, Geri's Game. He can't hear very well, so he talks incredibly loud. Apparently, he thinks our hearing is as bad as his. To top it all off, his lectures are incredibly boring. His monotone voice drones on until the very end of the block, making the class seem twice as long.

Still giving me the stern look, he walks over to the door, shuts it, and turns off the lights. The only light comes from the PowerPoint presentation being projected at the front of the classroom, but because the background is white, it gives me enough light to continue my doodles.

An hour and a half later, he turns the light back on, and the bell rings. I close my notebook without fully looking at it, gather my belongings, and walk out of the classroom.

I am the first student in Mrs. Applegate's classroom. The look of surprise when she sees me is priceless. I'm rarely on time to class. I sit at my desk, patiently waiting for class to start. Mrs. Applegate keeps shooting glances at me, most likely confused about what I am doing. I am determined not to fail this test. When the bell finally rings, I get a number two pencil out of my bag, and stare at the board in the front of the room.

Mrs. Applegate stands up and walks to the podium, bringing her attendance list with her. Because my last name is Arden, I'm always first. When she is done taking attendance, she gives a brief spiel about this test: "This test has fifty questions, and a small essay afterward. You have the full class period to finish it. Good luck."

When I get my test, I look at the first question and smile. I know this. I can easily get an A on this. An hour later, I turn in my test, feeling confident that I did well. Mrs. Applegate looks at me, a question in her eyes. I smile at her. I can see the relief in her expression as I turn around and walk away.

Walking back to my desk, I stumble on a backpack in the aisle. I hear snickers throughout the room, and know that my cheeks turn red from embarrassment.

I sit back down, look out the window, and notice the peculiar weather. The sun is still out, but small rain clouds are slowly covering it up. After a few seconds, and without any rain, the clouds leave as quickly as they came, dissipating into the distance.

I sit back in my chair, and get out my doodle notebook. I look down at the drawing I was working on earlier, and gasp. I see a few heads turn in my direction, but I ignore them. Encompassing the entire page, I'd drawn flames with intricate swirls and designs located inside. These are the same flames that were tattooed on Liam's arm.

When the bell rings, I jump up, and leave the room quickly. No one says anything to me as I make my way through the school and out the front doors. Rounding the corner, I look toward the house, and see that Jane is home again.

"Hey, Ryanne, how did your test go?"

"It was easy. I'm almost 100% positive I passed. Why are you home so early?" I ask, right as something falls in the kitchen. "Who's in there?"

"That's excellent. Oh, Ross is over. He's making dinner for me. You're welcome to join us." She looks so excited. She hasn't stopped smiling since I walked through the door. I don't want to intrude on them.

"That's okay. I can go to the library."

"Are you sure?" When I nod, she smiles wider. "Thanks, Ryanne." She walks up to me and gives me a hug, before skipping back into the kitchen.

I walk up to my room, and gather up some things: my iPod, my notebook, and a couple pencils. I don't really want to go to the library, but I don't really have anywhere else to go. I grab the car keys off the small table beside the front door. I can hear Jane's laughter in the kitchen as I pass, and I'm glad she's happy, but I'm also sad, because I know that it's happening already. The only person in my life who actually cares for me is going to push me aside and forget me.

I quietly lock the front door, and take a step outside. I stop after a minute and groan. It is incredibly muggy; the muggy weather that occurs after a long bout of rain in the middle of a hot summer. The kind of muggy that makes your hair frizz, and leaves your body feeling sticky. This is the type of weather that dampens your mood the second you step out into it.

Getting in the car, I turn the air conditioning on as high as it will go. My hair needs some sort of angel to save it from the impending poof. Whenever moisture is in the air, my hair becomes uncontrollably curly, frizzy, and I end up looking like a poodle.

The library is located on the outskirts of town, so it doesn't take long to get there. I drive the 35 mph speed limit, only having to stop at the one light in town. It is right in front of the BlackMoon Bookstore. My eyes are drawn to the building, but I am unable to see anything inside. I have this strange urge to go in, but I know that it will only lead to further embarrassment. When the light turns green, I pull away, and continue driving to the library.

I park in the library parking lot, and notice the others cars there. There is a shiny red jeep parked at the far side of the lot. Crap. Lily and Adam are here. Lily and Adam are the most popular couple in school. Lily is the head cheerleader, and Adam is the head jock. Despite their amiable exteriors, they are full of evil. Santa wouldn't even give them coal for Christmas.

I walk into the library, and head to the back. Similar to the library at school, this one has an old historical section that I am most content in. Not many people frequent this area, so I should have some privacy. Everything is fine for the first half hour. I sit at my table with my headphones in, listening to The Cab while adding more details to the flame drawing. I want it to be perfect.

I don't hear the footsteps coming toward me until it's too late. The notebook I'm drawing in is ripped off the table out of my reach. Even before yanking my headphones out, I know who did it. It was only a matter of time before they found me.

With a frustrated sigh, I ask for my notebook back.

"Look Adam, she can talk," Lily says. "Maybe after I finish looking at it, Ryan." She never says my name right. Ryanne. Ry-Anne. It's not that difficult. I know Lily only does it to bother me, and I usually just ignore it, but I'm not going to take it today.

I jump up from the table, and walk toward her. With my most challenging voice, I put my left hand on my hips, and reach for it with my right. "Please give it back."

Nothing I could have said or done would have helped my case. She is about 5'11" without heels on, and I am a good eight inches shorter than her. I wouldn't have been able to reach the notebook anyway.

"I don't think so. Your mother wouldn't want you to spend so much time drawing. She would be very disappointed in you. I hear you aren't graduating with the rest of us. How sad."

I hate when anyone talks about my mom, especially people who never met her. I feel tears well up in my eyes, but I refuse to let them see them. She pushes the notebook toward Adam, and returns to looking at her nails. Adam opens it up, and starts flipping through the pages. The lights in the library flicker as the thunder rolls outside.

I turn around and gather up my stuff. Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I start to walk away when I hear a deep voice behind me.

"Give it back to her." Lily, Adam, and I all turn to see who is speaking.

Colton.

I ignore the slight flutter in my stomach at the sight of him. Lily and Adam scoff; no one tells them what to do.

"Walk away, Colton. She's not worth it," Adam says.

"Give her back the notebook."

"It's fine. I don't need it." I just want to get out of the library. I don't like confrontations. I try stepping past Adam, but he moves in front of me, blocking my exit. His large hand fully wraps around my upper arm as he pulls me toward him. I can tell that I am going to have a bruise there. I let out a surprised gasp as I collide into him. Slowly, his hand starts moving down my back.

This brings back too many memories, and I start to panic. He wouldn't try anything in public, would he? I try pushing away from him, but Adam has a strong grip on me.

"Let go. You're hurting me, Adam." He isn't looking at me though. He is looking over me at Colton.

While the two are locked in an angry glare, I kick Adam in the shins, and grab my notebook from his hand when he bends down. Before anyone can think about what I did, I run out of the library, and go straight to the car. How do I always get myself into those situations?

By the time I make it to the park, it is getting dark, but I know I can't go home yet. Pulling off to the side of the road, I turn the engine off and get out. The park reminds me of my childhood. My mom and I used to come here, sit under the gazebo, and have a picnic almost every Sunday in the summer. I have many fond memories of this place.

My body instantly takes me where I want to go. The gazebo looks the same as it did years ago. The park is covered in trees, so the gazebo blends in with its surroundings. It is old and wooden, it's brown coloring faded with age. Vines wrap around all eight posts, and small twinkling lights wrap around the top, illuminating the whole structure. It almost has a magical feeling to it.

I walk up the small stairs, and brush my hands across the old wooden façade. I can tell that no one comes out here anymore. The gazebo looks neglected. I brush away some dirt from the ground and sit down. Leaning my head back against the post and getting lost in my thoughts, I let a few tears fall—the first tears I've cried in over a year. This place reminds me of her.

I close my eyes, pull my knees up my chest, and rest my head against them. With my eyes closed, I just listen to my surroundings. All around me, I can hear the sound of the light rain hitting the top of the gazebo, and the subtle breeze rustling the leaves against each other. In my mind, I can imagine them communicating with each other in this manner; their slight touch creating whispers in the wind. On this early summer day, I can hear the crickets chirping somewhere in the distance. Every now and then, the sound of a car driving by can be heard. The road is far enough away that it's not disturbing to the woodsy atmosphere.

"Are you okay?" I jump up. I wasn't expecting anyone to find me here. I didn't think anyone knew where this was, my secret place. I look over, and see Colton staring at me with concern in his eyes.

I quickly wipe my tears away. "I'm fine."

He walks into the gazebo, and sits his large frame across from me. He looks awkward; it is almost comical. The gazebo is meant for children, and his six-foot frame barely fits under it. I would have laughed if my mind weren't elsewhere. He shakes off the rain from his jacket, and pushes his hood back. His hair is messy, but on him, it's a good look. Running a hand through his hair, he attempts to fix it.

"You don't look fine."

I just stare at him. I barely know this guy. The first time I ever met him was at the bookstore last weekend. "I'll be fine."

"This isn't about what happened at the library, is it?"

I wrap my arms around my legs, and look off into the distance. He's perceptive; I'll give him that. "No, I'm used to that." I pause and look down, avoiding eye contact. "My mom and I used to come here when I was a kid," I whisper.

"I'm sorry about your mom."

"I don't want your sympathy, Colton. I can't take it anymore. Everyone treats me like I'm so fragile—like I'm made of glass, and going to break at any second."

He continues to stare at me, expressionless. I can't decipher what he is thinking about, but that doesn't matter, because he speaks up after a few seconds. "I understand what you're going through. I lost my parents too. I live with my aunt and brother. You've met her. She owns the bookstore."

"Oh." I wasn't expecting that, so I'm not sure how to respond. He won't stop looking at me, and his incessant staring is starting to bother me. I begin to fidget under his gaze, my thoughts turning into mush. I can't concentrate or think straight. I know that my face is slowly turning a deeper shade of red, but I'm hoping that it isn't as obvious under the dim illumination. "Stop looking at me like that."

With a small laugh he replies, "Like what?"

"I don't know," I point at him. "Like that. Like you're doing right now."

He starts laughing—it's a pleasant laugh that sends my stomach into a fit of butterflies. I just met this guy. I shouldn't be reacting like this already. "Ok, I won't look at you."

"Thank you." At that moment, my phone beeps. Thankful for the distraction, I open the text. It is a message from Jane: Going over to Ross's for the night. You have the house to yourself. Good luck on your finals tomorrow! I frown. Alone again.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I have to go." I get up, and walk out from under the gazebo. Then, remembering what he did earlier, I stop. "Thanks for helping me in the library, Colton." I turn back around, and run down the path toward the car, trying to avoid the steady rain.

I feel his eyes on me the entire time.

TUESDAY CAME AND WENT WITH no problems. It finally stopped raining too. I got an A on my test in English and B's on both my Government and Art History finals. The only final I have left is English. I just have to get a C to pass the class. So I'm not really worried about it, but I've been studying a lot for this test. I got another message from Jane telling me that she isn't going to be home at all this week. She and Ross are going on a business retreat with their company.

I roll over and look at my alarm clock. It's 6:55 a.m. My alarm is set to go off in five minutes. Groaning, I get out of bed, and just turn my alarm off. I won't be able to fall back asleep anyway. The house is quiet while I am getting ready, so I plug in my iPod, and dance around my room to pass the time. I am in a good mood by the time I have to leave the house. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping. It is going to be a good day. I'm determined to make it one.

Entering the school parking lot in the morning isn't fun. Most people are already at school, and everyone is talking with their friends. Because I don't drive to school, I'm watched as I pass through the lot. More people are looking at me than usual, pointing and whispering. I meet a few eyes, but focus on the ground as I walk the remaining distance to the door.

I walk into the main entrance and down the hallway toward my locker. I get a lot of glances as I walk through the hall. No one ever looks at me during the school day. I'm the school outcast...the loner, the invisible girl.

As I get closer, I notice people standing around my locker, pointing and laughing. In bright red paint, someone had written the word FREAK down the length of it. I instantly know who did it. I look around and find Lily and Adam standing at the other side of the hallway, smirking at me.

I walk right past them all, and into my first block class. Since it is the last day of school for the seniors, most teachers don't have anything for the students to do anyway. The teachers put a movie on just to pass the time. The majority of the day goes by in a blur. I don't stop at my locker, and won't, until school ends.

By the time fourth block comes around, I become even more anxious. This test is worth twenty percent of my grade. I am barely passing at this point, so I have to do well. My heart starts beating harder in anticipation. Each step Mrs. Applegate takes toward me increases my heart rate. When she gets to my desk, I'm sure the whole classroom can hear its loud beat. She places the paper down on my desk, and whispers good luck.

Writing my name on the final is the easy part; everything after that is a different story. On every question, I second-guess all my answers. I know them, but something in my mind keeps pulling me toward another response. The room is so quiet that I can hear the clock ticking on the opposite end of the room.

Every pencil squeak, chair scrape, and shuffling of feet sounds a thousand times louder than usual. Every tick of the clock tells me that I am one second closer to the end, and each one makes me more nervous. I keep fidgeting with the flame necklace, a nervous habit I'd recently acquired, while I stare down at the test. When the bell finally rings, and it is time to turn it in, I am not as confident as I was when I entered the classroom.

I smile at Mrs. Applegate, and wish her a great summer. Everyone is screaming, throwing paper around the hallway, excited for the summer. I turn to the left and walk around the school, hoping that by the time I get to my locker, everyone will be gone. A few minutes later, I turn right and walk down the math hallway—the hallway where my locker is located. The crowds have lessened by this time, but there are still a few people roaming the halls.

I stop at my locker, and look at the word written across it, frowning. At least I didn't have to see this everyday this year. I open my locker and grab everything out, shoving it into my bag. I carry around a large canvas tote bag that I have drawn leaves and vines on. Holding my doodled notebook in my hands, I turn around to leave. Right as I turn, someone slams into my back, knocking me into the locker.

Throwing my hands out, I avoid physically hurting myself against it, but the momentum of the hit causes me to drop my bag.

"Watch where you're going, freak," a man's voice calls out to me as he runs away, not bothering to help. I have no idea who he is. Tucking my hair behind my ears, I bend down to gather my belongings from the ground. All my notebooks have spilled open, the papers from my folders are randomly dispersed in the hall, and my pens and pencils are rolling in opposite directions.

"Here, I'll help you with that."

I look up and see Colton bending down. "It'll ruin your reputation. You don't want to be seen associating with the school freak," I mumble.

"What?" he stops, his hands hovering over a book, and looks directly at me.

"I said, thanks."

He knows that I didn't say that, but he doesn't comment. Together, we are able to gather the things relatively quickly. My doodling notebook has fallen open onto the page with the flamed drawing.

"Did you draw this?" he asks, while looking intently at the page.

Grabbing it out of his hand, I say, "Yeah, but I'm not finished yet."

"It's really good."

Still sitting on the ground, I place the notebook in my bag, and look around, making sure we have gotten everything. Colton stands up and puts his hand out to help me. I accept it, thankful that someone is being nice to me for once.

When I stand, I realize just how tall he is. Looking straight ahead, I am staring at the middle of his chest. I crane my neck back to look up at him to thank him. When I open my mouth to reply, it feels like pins and needles shoot up my body. Ice cascades through my arms. I can't move or breathe. The pain travels up my arms and recedes into my head, where it remains. It's so intense, I feel like I am going to pass out. I let go of Colton's hand, slam my eyes shut, and grab my head. I am unable to think. All at once, I start hearing numerous voices, echoes of those around me. All of them are weighing me down. I let out a whimper as my legs give out. Colton reaches out and grabs me before I hit the ground.

"Ryanne? What's wrong?" I barely hear him, and can't respond. The pain is too much. So many thoughts are running though my head: What's wrong with her? Why is she acting like that? Why is he talking to her? Do these pants make me look fat? I'm really hungry. SUMMER TIME.

Colton grabs my bag off the ground. Putting an arm behind my knees and the other at my back, he scoops me into his arms, and carries me out the school into the parking lot. With hurried steps, he makes it to his car and places me in the passenger seat, buckling me in the process.

I lean forward and rest my head on my lap, but the voices don't ease. It feels like everyone is screaming at me. Colton runs across the front of the car, jumps into the driver's seat, and puts the car into reverse. He speeds out of the parking lot, not even bothering to buckle his own seatbelt.

Grabbing his cell phone out of his jeans pocket, he dials a number. "Claire, it's definitely her. I'm bringing her over now. I need your help."

What does he mean with it's definitely her? When I am about to respond, a new wave of voices crashes into my head. What should we do tonight? We have to go celebrate. I need to do laundry. I have to hurry home. Dr. Oz is on. Ugh, my car won't start, just my luck. I whimper again, this time louder than before.

The pain proves to be too much for my body.

"RYANNE? RYANNE, DEAR, CAN YOU hear me?"

"Are you sure she's going to be okay? She's been out for a while now." I can hear people talking to me, but my body isn't able to respond. The voices are still in my head, and I know that if I open my eyes, they will amplify again.

Slowly, my body starts to come back to life. I can move my hands and feet. With my eyes still closed, I try to take in my surroundings. I don't know where I am, but it feels like I am laying on something soft. A couch, maybe?

Groaning, I grab my head—the remnant of my previous headache still lingering. I attempt to sit up, but my body refuses to cooperate. Someone puts their hand on my back, and helps me. I blindly thank them.

"Ryanne, can you open your eyes?" a woman asks me.

"I'm afraid to. It hurts. The voices are too loud," I whisper.

"I'm going to help you, but I need you to look at me first."

I take a deep breath, and mentally prepare myself for the onslaught of voices. I slowly open my eyes, and see three worried faces looking back at me. Colton and his aunt are sitting on the coffee table directly in front of me while another guy stands quietly behind them. He looks just like Colton facially, but isn't as tall, has shorter hair, and broader shoulders.

I wince as the voices get slightly louder, but it isn't nearly as loud as before. "Ryanne, look at me. Concentrate on my voice."

Turning toward her, I focus only on her. "My head hurts."

"I know and it will. I'm going to try and help you," she tells me. "Think only about me. Forget about what you are hearing. Focus on my voice."

I try to only listen to her, but I can't. It is too hard. Too many voices are trying to get my attention. I'm not able to hold on to just one. I hope she's okay. She looks so pale. Hopefully, she can get a handle on this.

In frustration, I slam my eyes shut. "I can't do it. They're too loud. I can't concentrate."

"Aunt Claire, can I try?" asks Colton. "I'm the one who woke her magic up, maybe I can help her control it."

"I guess it can't hurt anything."

"Ryanne, open your eyes."

I hear the sounds of shuffling, and someone touches my leg. Hesitantly, I open my eyes, and stare into an abyss of green.

"I'm going to try and walk you through this. Concentrate on me. Block out all the background noise. Don't listen to any of the voices. Focus on my voice and my voice only. Now, think of somewhere you feel safe. The gazebo maybe," he suggests. "Imagine yourself there. Think about the scenery. Forget the voices. What color are the trees? What season is it? Who are you with? Think about that."

I close my eyes, and think back to the time where my mother and I went to the park and ate under the gazebo. It was during the summer when I was eight years old. We set up a picnic, and I remember being really happy. It was sunny while I ran around in the grass surrounding the gazebo, chasing insects. When we were eating, a blue butterfly landed on my arm. My mother said that the butterfly meant that I was special. That someone was watching over me.

"Keep that thought in mind. I want you to think about the voices, but don't fully concentrate on them. I want you to push them aside. Push them to the background. Push them into the corner, and lock them there. You are the only one with a key. Only you can unlock the thoughts."

I try to follow everything that he said. It is a little difficult to push them to the side. It's like trying to hold a wet bar of soap. Right when I think I have them in my grasp, they slip away. However, after what feels like hours, though it is probably only a couple minutes, I finally get a hold of them. I push the key in and mentally lock them to the side. It's finally quiet, and I can think again.

I open my eyes and look around the room. I don't hear anything. I smile up at Colton with tears in my eyes. "Thank you." He stands up moves to the side, so his aunt can sit back in front on me.

"It worked? You can't hear our thoughts anymore?"

My eyes widen, shocked at her question. "I can hear your thoughts? That's what those voices were?" I scoot more toward the right, away from her. There's no humanly way possible that I can read minds.

"Yes, you have the power to read minds. The change was supposed to be gradual. I'm not sure why yours appeared so fast." She pauses and looks at the two guys in the room. "If my intuition is correct, you are going to be able to do many other things as well. You're going to be very powerful."

I stare at her in disbelief. Magic doesn't exist. It's not possible. "I think you have me mistaken for someone else. It can't be me." I stand up and am about to leave, but I'm overcome with dizziness again. I sway, but Colton stands up, and grabs my arms to steady me. When the room stops spinning, but doesn't stop swaying, I decide that sitting is probably the best option for me right now.

"It's you, Ryanne. I know it. We also believe that you have been causing the recent weather fluctuations." The weather? I can't control...

Calm down. Your emotions are affecting the weather. I pick up the pendent hanging from my neck and study it, confused. Was it all real?

"Claire, maybe you should start from the beginning," says the man standing in the doorway.

"You learned about the Salem witch trials in school, right?" I nod. "Well, a long time ago, many people performed witchcraft and wizardry; some of these were real, and others were faking. We are descended from a long line of magicians. Not the kind that you are thinking of. We don't pull rabbits out of hats and perform parlor tricks. We are commonly referred to as Mage.

"Mages have been around forever. We aren't sure when we came into existence or even how. The pyramids of Egypt? Made by mages. Stonehenge? Mages. Moai statues on Easter Island? Mages. We come from a long line of beings that have supernatural abilities. One of yours is reading minds. I have a heightened sense of intuition. David, Colton's brother, is telekinetic. Colton hasn't come into his power yet. Mages get their gifts at different stages and ages, and, usually, it is a gradual change. Most get their gifts around the age of eighteen, but some don't show up until the mid-twenties."

"So, you're telling me that I can affect the weather and read minds. Do you know how crazy that sounds?"

"When you were almost run over by the car, you told us that you thought that you were lifted by the wind. You were right. The wind did assist you then. You needed help, so your magic took over, and got you out of a dangerous situation. Think of another time recently when you were upset or angry. Was it raining or storming?"

When I was sitting under the gazebo, thinking about mom, it was raining. Couldn't that be just a coincidence? Weather changes are a natural thing, but it was always raining when I was upset lately.

How cliché.

"So, you're telling me that whenever I'm upset, I have to worry about flooding the whole town?"

Everyone chuckles at me. David is the only one to respond. "You'll learn how to control it. We'll help you."

Claire clears her throat. "There's more." She pauses. I think the pause is just for dramatic effect. If I ever deliver very important news, long pauses always increase the importance. "You are an intricate piece to ending the supernatural war."

Shut the front door. What the heck have I been thrown into? I glance between all three of them, waiting for the laughter to start. They're joking, right? When nothing happens, I take a deep breath and decide to play along.

"A war?"

She continues. "Long ago, it was prophesized that a girl, born into a non-mage family, would be gifted with magical abilities that surpassed all mages. When this girl turned eighteen, she would come into her magic. She'd be unlike anything we've ever seen before. A beautiful warrior." She stops talking and smiles at me before going on. "With her help, the war will be ended. Granted, that is a very condensed and summarized version. The original was written in Latin, but the point is still valid. You are the girl we've been looking for, Ryanne."

"How do you know that I'm that girl? It could be referring to anyone."

"My intuition tells me that it is you. I knew something was different about you when we talked in my shop. You're special, Ryanne."

"You think I'm Harry Potter?" I ask her.

Claire smiles at me, but it is David that speaks. "You're a mage, Ryanne, not a wizard."

I start violently shaking my head. What they are saying doesn't make any sense. "It's not me you are looking for. I'm not a beautiful warrior. Beautiful has never been used to describe me, and I've had a lot of adjectives used in reference to me. And warrior? Do I look like a warrior?

"I'm not the one who can help end this war going on. I'm a vegetarian. I can't even eat meat without feeling bad for the animals, and you're telling me that I'm supposed to fight in a war and harm people? I can't do that. I don't have any friends, and blush all the time. I'd rather sit in the back of a room, unnoticed, because I hate attention. That kind of sounds like a lot of attention and responsibility. There's nothing special about me, Claire. I'm not that girl. I can't be that girl."

CLAIRE, DAVID, AND COLTON ALL just stare at me. I understand that I just went on a rant, but what did they expect? Did they think that I would just accept everything they said, and take it like a champ? Psh, no. I freak out. I don't like change. Everything they just told me would result in a giant lifestyle change. They think that I'm this awesome girl who is supposed to bring an end to this freakishly long war? Well, they've got another thing coming. I'm not that person. I don't want to be responsible for their debacle.

"Ryanne," Colton says. "Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing."

"That's from Transformers, Colton. I've seen the movie."

Shrugging, he tells me, "It still fits." I probably would have laughed at the movie reference had the voices not started up again. It's strange to know that these are actually someone's thoughts. She's taking this better than I thought she would. I wonder if there is any food in the refrigerator. I haven't eaten in a while. She just needs some time. It's a lot to take on.

"Oh, no. Not again." I close my eyes, and concentrate on pushing the thoughts back. Following Colton's instructions, I'm able to get a handle on them rather quickly this time. When I feel them lock in place, I open my eyes back up. Everyone is still staring at me. I wish they would stop doing that. It is too much attention.

I stifle a yawn, realizing for the first time how tired I actually am. Exhaustion is finally setting in. My eyelids feel like they weigh a ton, and my body is starting to feel very sluggish.

Claire speaks to everyone in the room. "That's enough for today. Why don't we all get ready for bed? Ryanne, you should probably stay here for the night. Tomorrow, we can work on getting your gift more under control. Do you need to contact anyone?"

"No, Jane is away for the week. I would have been home alone anyway."

"I'll find some clothes for you to wear for the night." Turning toward Colton, she says, "Can you show her to the guest bedroom?"

"Yeah, follow me."

I get up slowly, hoping the dizziness won't make another appearance, and follow him. "So, I probably should have asked this earlier, but where exactly am I?"

"In our house. Well, Aunt Claire's house."

"No, I know that, but where in town is this exactly?"

"Oh, you know the large patch of woods a little ways behind the bookstore?" he asks, still walking.

"Yeah."

"We're in there."

I give him a sideways glance, wondering if he is being serious. When he doesn't say anything, I reply, "So, we are in the woods, behind the bookstore?" He nods in confirmation. "Far enough in, so that if you guys tried to kill me in my sleep, no one would hear me scream?"

He smirks. "Yep."

"May I ask why?"

"So no one will hear you when you scream," he nonchalantly states. I stop walking. I know that my mouth drops. Shaking his head, he laughs. "It's because, sometimes, our magic gets out of hand, and we don't want everyone to find out about us. It could cause a lot of problems, so we live in isolation."

"I love the woods. I go and sit in the woods behind Jane's house all the time, just to think or draw. It's relaxing."

He looks at me strangely, his expression unreadable. He stops walking and opens a door to the right. "This is the guest bedroom."

When the door swings open, and I see the expansive room, I immediately back away from the door. "I can't stay here. It's too much. I can just sleep on the couch. I don't mind."

Colton reaches out, grabs my arm, and drags me into the room, barely putting any effort in, even though I am trying really hard to remain outside. "You're going to sleep here tonight. Claire wouldn't let you sleep on the couch. It's not proper for guests." He does a perfect imitation of Claire's voice like he's heard those words a handful of times before. It's a little creepy how good it is.

"This room is twice the size of my actual bedroom. I don't need anything this extravagant."

"I know. That's why I gave you the smaller of the guest bedrooms." The smaller of the..? I can't imagine what the other rooms look like. I haven't seen anything but the living room since I've been here, and I didn't really pay attention as we were walking.

Colton starts walking around the room, as if he is looking for something. He walks over toward the large bed in the middle of the room, and flips the covers down. I watch as he walks toward the window, checking to make sure they are locked. He is wearing a tight black shirt again today that fits him like a glove. Biting my lip, I try to look away when it rises slightly with his arm movements.

With the windows secure, he then walks into the bathroom adjacent to the bed on the left side of the room. Wait, what? There's a bathroom here too? I knew it. They are definitely rich.

"Okay, it looks like everything is in order. Claire should be up any minu..."

Claire strolls into the room. "Ryanne, I had a little trouble finding clothes to fit you. You're a lot smaller than me, but this will have to do." She turns toward Colton. "Sorry for interrupting you."

He bats his hand toward her, but doesn't look away from me. "It's fine."

"Look, Claire." I turn and look at her, making sure I have her attention. "I appreciate everything you've done, but this is too much. I can just stay on the couch. I'm the one intruding."

"You are not intruding. And it is not proper for guests to sleep on the couch. You'll sleep in here."

Colton reaches his arm behind his head, and looks across the room before mumbling an I told you so. I glare at him, but don't say anything. It doesn't look like there is any way I am going to win this battle.

"You look exhausted, dear." I try to hide my yawn, but she sees it anyway. "Why don't you get changed and go to bed? In the morning, we can start working on controlling the voices, as you call them, a little better."

She and Colton both walk out of the room. Claire is out of sight first, but Colton lingers in the doorway. With a smile, he says quietly, "Goodnight, Ryanne," and disappears too. I stare at the door for a few seconds after they're both gone before I look back at the room around me.

What on Earth just happened?

I grab the pile of clothes Claire gave me and walk into the bathroom. The bathroom is also large. It is just slightly smaller than my bedroom at Jane's. A spacious shower encompasses one whole wall of the bathroom. The toilet and marbled sink are located across from it. A small chandelier hangs from the center of the ceiling. A girl could get used to this. I quickly change out of my clothing and into Claire's. The shirt is too big, reaching down to my thighs, and the pants are too long. I have to roll the waistband and the bottoms up to even walk.

I step of the bathroom and back into the bedroom, heading toward the bed. At the rate I am walking toward it, one might fear that it would come to life and eat me. The bed is high. I have to jump a little to get into it, but it is the softest and most comfortable bed I have ever been in. I get under the large white duvet cover, pull the blanket up to my neck, and snuggle into the pillow. The smell of lavender fabric softener invades my senses, causing me to smile as my eyes close. I'm already falling asleep, when I realize I had forgotten to turn off the bedroom light.

I LOVE WAKING UP FROM an excellent night's sleep to the sounds of birds chirping and the sun shining. Smiling, I roll over and freeze. This movement should have knocked me off of my twin bed, and onto the floor. Where am I? I open my eyes slowly and look around. I am in a large white bedroom. Realization dawns on me, and the past night's events come rushing back. They think I'm a mage. The only person born of two non-magical parents to ever possess powers. Do I actually believe that?

Gradually, I get up and walk to the bathroom to take a shower. I grab my clothes from the previous night, and place them on the counter. Standing under the hot water, I think about the previous day. Everything is happening too fast. I need time to think and process everything. I have to make sure I get control of this mind-reading thing before anything else. I can feel the thoughts in the back of my mind, but I'm not going to let them come out. I'm in control. They don't control me.

After successfully steaming up the entire bathroom, I get out and get dressed. I look around the bathroom. The counter is completely spotless. I want to brush my teeth because I know I have morning breath. Opening some of the smaller drawers, I find everything I need: a brush, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a blow dryer, and even some make-up. Wow, convenient.

I walk out of the bedroom, and turn to the left. I remember that much. However, I get lost soon after that. Nothing I pass looks familiar. When every hallway I turn down looks the same, my frustration grows. The halls seem never ending; this house is too big. Hearing footsteps behind me, I turn around, and find David smiling down at me.

"Morning. You look lost."

With a relieved sigh, I say, "I am. I thought I was heading downstairs, but I can't find any stairs, and have no idea which way to turn. I was too tired last night to pay attention to how I got to the room."

"Let me help you. There is an enchantment on this house to confuse any intruder. We can't have others finding out our little secret, now can we?" He puts his arm around my shoulder and guides me down the hallway. "Through here."

He opens a door that leads to another hallway. At the end of that hallway are the stairs. The stairs are wide enough that we can both walk down beside each other.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you? You look older than Colton."

"You're right. I'm a year and a half older than Colton. I'm twenty." We're almost to the kitchen; that's probably where everyone is. "Now, you on the other hand, don't look old enough to be eighteen."

Laughing, I look up at him. "That's because I'm so short. Everyone thinks I'm younger than I actually am. We can't all be giants."

"Good things come is small packages, my little friend. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

"That's so cliché, David." He laughs and squeezes my shoulder. I glance up at him just as we walk into the kitchen. I notice his face transform from a confused expression to an amused one.

I stop looking at him, and turn to look around the room in front of me. Claire is sitting at the island with a muffin and a bowl of fruit in front of her. Colton is leaning onto the counter with a scowl on his face, staring at David. My eyes move between the two brothers, wondering what's wrong.

"I found our little friend here roaming the hallways lost," says David with a smirk. "I was just helping her find her way to the kitchen." He winks at me, and then turns to leave the room. My eyes follow him out. When I turn back around, both Colton and Claire are looking at me, each with different expressions.

"Did you sleep well, dear? I noticed that it was sunny this morning." Looking out the window, she adds, "And still is."

"Yeah, I slept well. Thank you for asking." I walk over to the island. "Is there any way I can run home and get a change of clothes?"

"Of course, there's no need to ask. You're not being kept prisoner here. We just want to help you. Colton can drive you to your house." I glance at Colton to see if he's all right with that, but he doesn't seem to be paying attention.

"Thank you."

"Oh, and if you want, you could stay here a couple more nights. It would make helping you a lot easier." She's right. I know that, and it'd be a lot better than staying at Jane's by myself.

Colton pushes himself off the counter, walks over to grab a set of keys off the hook, and leaves the room. Claire looks at me, and shakes her head, giving me a look that shows she's just as confused as I am. I walk through the door that Colton had just disappeared into, and see him sitting behind the wheel of an expensive looking car. I don't know anything about cars, but I know that this car is worth a lot. As the garage door starts opening, I hop into the passenger seat, and buckle up.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

Colton looks at me from out of the corner of his eye and nods. Putting his arm on the back of my seat, he turns around to see out of the rear window, and backs out of the garage slowly.

When we get out of the garage, I finally see how massive their home actually is. I feel my eyes widen in surprise. I must have gasped because Colton turns toward me. I am too distracted by the sheer size of the house to try and regain any composure. It is beautiful. Large stones cover the whole exterior. The main focus is a central bay window with black metal swirls decorating the windowpanes. Muted green shutters are located on each side of all windows. Victorian style ornaments separate the two floor levels, and run along the base of the roof. A large wraparound porch covers the exterior of the first level. It fits perfectly with its surroundings. I instantly love it. Something about it looks familiar though.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I just nod, unable to speak. "It's been in my family for generations. Each family has added onto it. It wasn't this big when it was originally built." He continues to tell me the family story of the home, but I only half-listen. The closer we get to town, the harder I have to concentrate to keep the thoughts locked away. More and more voices are swarming into me, overflowing my mind with thoughts that aren't mine.

When we pull up the driveway, I pause and collect myself. There doesn't seem to be many people around, so it isn't too difficult. "Colton, do you have my bag from yesterday? My key is inside."

"What? Oh, yeah." He reaches into the backseat, and grabs my bag from the floor. As he moves toward me, I can smell the cologne he is wearing. It reminds me of the outdoors, and I want to move closer to him to fully surround myself with it.

Wait. Where did that come from?

"Here."

I blush at my own thoughts, as if he is the one who can read minds. I reach into the front pocket of my bag, take out my key, and open the car door. Stepping out of the car, another wave of vertigo crashes into me. I grip the door to keep from falling over. "Something's not right."

When the dizzy feeling passes, I nod to Colton, telling him that I am okay to go in. He walks in front of me, and holds his hand out. "Stay behind me." I hand him the key. He casually opens the door, and walks inside, signaling me to wait. He surveys the area before waving me in. I walk past him into the living room and go up to my room. Grabbing a duffle bag from under my bed, I go to my closet, and dump in random articles of clothing, hoping that I gather everything I need. My skin keeps crawling. Something doesn't feel right, and I want to get out of here as soon as possible.

I run down the stairs, taking them two at a time. At the bottom of the stairs, I pause. Hearing grunts in the living room, I slowly turn the corner to see what is happening. Colton is fighting a man wielding a large sword in the middle of the room. Despite not having a weapon, Colton appears to have the advantage. He is bigger and visibly stronger. He swings out and kicks the man in the shins, causing him to lose his footing and fall backward. Then he punches him in the face with so much force that he catapults into the wall, and after hitting his head, he slumps to the ground unconscious.

I am so enraptured and frightened by what I am witnessing that I don't hear the footsteps behind me. A large hand wraps around my waist, pulling me against someone's chest, and the cold metal of a dagger is pressed against my neck. I have got to become more aware of my surroundings. I struggle to get free, but that only causes the dagger to slice into me. I let out a small cry as I feel the warm blood sliding down my neck, and pooling into the edge of my shirt.

"Put the weapon down or I kill the girl."

Colton turns toward me, his face a mask of shock and anger. He slowly reaches toward the ground, and places the sword a few feet to the left of him. Standing up with his hands in the air, he looks the man straight in the eyes and says, "What do you want?"

"Why, I want her. She's the prophecy girl."

How does he know that? No one should know that. I know he won't kill me. He needs me, but that doesn't make the situation any less frightening. The man bends down and smells my hair, sighing in satisfaction. It's repulsive. His thoughts hit me like a ton of bricks, causing my knees buckle under me as I read his mind. His grip is the only thing holding me up. His plans for me make me want to puke, and I immediately start struggling again, not caring about the dagger at my neck. I hear thunder crack from the outside, and the lights in the room begin to flicker.

Colton's eyes dart from me to an area slightly above and behind me. I know he is trying to tell me something. "Please move the dagger. Can't you see you're hurting her?" he pleads.

"If she would stop struggling, I may think about removing it."

I stop moving. To my surprise, he moves the dagger from my neck, but keeps it hovering near. He takes a few steps backwards, dragging me with him.

The sound of glass shattering echoes through the room, and small shards rain down on me. The arms around my waist suddenly loosen, and the knife falls to the ground at my feet. I attempt to get out of his embrace, but his body slumps forward, knocking me to the ground with him. I'm trapped under the weight of him. Four arms reach down, and pull the man off of me. I look up and see Colton and David, both reaching down to help me stand.

Letting them help me, I stand up but sway, falling back into Colton's arms. The world is spinning around me. Colton bends down and picks me up, cradling me against his chest. David walks across the room, and grabs my duffel bag from the floor. Without a word, both run out of the house and get into the car quickly. David jumps into the driver seat, and Colton sits in the passenger seat with me in his lap. No one bothers to buckle their seatbelts as we speed out of the driveway, and back toward the house.

I'M PRETTY SURE I WENT into shock. That seems to be the only possible explanation as to why I don't remember anything, from getting into the car to arriving at the house. In a day, I have gone from being a nobody who lived a boring simple life to a mage who is wanted by both sides. When we get to the house, I finally come back to my senses. Colton gets out of the car, and carries me straight into the kitchen, calling for Claire.

Claire runs into the kitchen, and gasps when she sees me. "What happened?"

"I'm fine. Colton, you can put me down now."

Colton looks at me, the hesitance obvious in his gaze. Once he's sure that I'm okay, he gently puts me down, and keeps his arms on my shoulder to make sure I don't fall. When I don't sway, he drops his arms, but doesn't step away from me.

"When we got to the house, Ryanne stepped out of the car, and said that she thought something wasn't right. I surveyed the house, and didn't find anything wrong, so she went upstairs to get some clothes. While she was gone, some guy came in and attempted to hack me to bits. He had a sword, but I was able to knock him unconscious. When I turned around, I saw a man holding her with a dagger to her neck. David snuck up behind him, hit him with a vase, and knocked him unconscious too. I'm a little surprised that worked, by the way. I thought he would be a little harder to fight, but whatever. We grabbed Ryanne and left," he explains quickly.

"Oh my gosh, sweetie, let's see what I can do for that cut." She puts a finger under my chin and lifts it up, examining the cut. "It doesn't look too deep. One second, let me get the first aid kit." I stare at the door she just walked through for a couple of seconds before turning around and looking at the two guys behind me.

"Thank you, both of you." They are both looking at me so intensely.

David clears his throat. "Ryanne, you don't ever have to thank us."

"I—"

"Okay, here we go. I brought a shirt for you to change into. Yours is covered in blood. Colton, David, turn around." I feel a little self-conscious changing in front of Claire with Colton and David in the room, but I listen anyway. I pull my shirt over my head, and grab onto the one that Claire brought for me.

"This will probably sting a little." I gasp in surprise when the wet wipe hits the cut. It did sting. A lot. "This doesn't need a healer since it's pretty shallow. There's not a whole lot I can do for it, though. On the plus side, since you have come into your gifts, you should heal quicker. This cut will probably be gone in the morning after a good night's sleep."

"Thank you, Claire." I reach out to hug her, surprising both us. After a couple seconds, her arms wrap around me, and she hugs me back.

Facing Colton and David, I ask, "Do you know who those men were? Why did they try to kidnap me?"

The two brothers glance at each other. David speaks first. "Well, they were probably working for Dravin Kione. He's kind of the ringleader for the Gadramicks. They all want power and control, and don't care who they hurt in the process. They think you are their token to getting that."

"Oh...is that all?"

TEN MINUTES LATER, WHEN I finally wrap my mind around what they are telling me, I decide that I need a break.

"Colton, is my bag still in your car?"

"Yeah, I'll go get it for you." I walk to the living room, because that's really the only room I actually know how to get to, and sit on the couch. David follows me in there, and sits across from me.

"You okay?"

Ignoring his question, I ask, "Do you think you could train me? Just some basic self-defense moves, so I know what to do if I'm ever in a similar situation again."

"Umm..." He runs his hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess I could do that."

"What could you do?" Colton, who had just walked back into the room, hands me my bag.

"Ryanne wants to learn self-defense. I think it would be a good idea."

"I agree."

I reach into my bag, and grab out my notebook. Pulling my knees under me, I place the notebook on my legs. Turning it open to a blank page, I begin to draw. I tune out the brothers in front of me as I start to sketch the grassy field I dreamt about once. I can remember the details as if I had actually been there. The tall trees with the thick trunks; the rough textured bark; the way the trees form a circle, leaving a large open field in the center. Uncut grass covers the area with random wild flowers dispersed throughout. Butterflies of all different colors fly around. I remember everything.

"You're really good at that. Can I see?" Before I have a chance to reply, Colton grabs the notebook out of my hands, and flips to the front page.

"I really don't like people looking...at...my drawings."

He disregards me and continues flipping through the notebook, nodding occasionally, until he reaches the flamed one—the one he had briefly seen at school. He looks at the page for a second, and then looks at me, his eyes landing on my pendant. "This one looks like the necklace you're wearing right now."

I pick up my pendant. "That's actually a drawing of a tattoo I saw on someone once. I thought it looked really interesting." I pause, glance down at the flame and continue. "This necklace was his actually."

"Whose?" asks Colton.

"His name was Liam, is Liam. I...uh...met him in a dream, I think." I feel my face turning red again. I know I sound crazy, but there is no other way to explain it.

"In a dream?" asks David incredulously.

"Well...kind of. I was awake when it happened."

"What do you mean, when it happened?"

"Okay, but I'll warn you, this is going to sound crazy. I fell through my bedroom wall, and landed in a different world, I guess. I don't know. Liam was there and wouldn't tell me anything. He kept saying, 'You are not supposed to be here. This isn't your world.' Then we got attacked by something called a gorgoth, and later a dragon-like thing. I got stabbed by its spiked tail, and woke up in my bed after dying in the field. My stomach hurt whenever I moved, and I found this necklace on my pillow. I've worn it ever since."

They both stare at me like I have three heads. Before either of them can say anything, Claire walks back into the room.

"Ryanne, I would like to work on controlling the thoughts if that is all right with you."

"Yeah, let's do it." I am glad for the interruption. I don't know why I tried to explain everything to them when I don't fully understand it myself. Claire walks in front of me, and shoos Colton out of the way, so she can sit there. Colton gets up, with my notebook in hand, and goes over to the window seat.

"I would like you to try and unleash the thoughts from their locked place. It shouldn't be too painful because there are only three of us here." She stops talking to me, turns toward David and Colton, and says in a stern voice, "Monitor your thoughts."

She puts her hands out as an anchor, and I graciously grab onto them. I close my eyes and search my mind, seeking the large locked box. Finding it, I concentrate on turning the lock, and opening it. With a click, the lid turns, and the thoughts come swarming out. The headache isn't as bad as I anticipated, because there are only three people here. I open my eyes and look at her, telling her that I am ready.

"Good. Now, I want you to focus solely on me. Push the other thoughts back, but keep mine out." I attempt to do that, but I can't. The thoughts are jumbled up. I can't tell which one is hers.

"I can't. I can't do it."

"Yes, you can, Ryanne. Try again." This time, when I look at her, I see her faith in me. I know that she believes I can do this. I close my eyes and think of Claire, repeating her name over and over again. For a couple seconds nothing happens, but then one of the thought strands gives off a lighter hue. I mentally grab onto that strand and pull it forward, pushing the others behind. Come on, I know you can do this. I believe in you. Her thoughts are all encouraging.

I open my eyes and look at her, smiling. "I did it." She laughs and squeezes my hands. "I told you so. Let's see if this works. I'm going to think a few random thoughts, and you tell me what I'm thinking."

"Sounds easy enough."

I focus intently on Claire, and what she is thinking. It turns out to be easier than I thought it would be.

My favorite color is purple.

"You like purple."

"Correct. Okay, another one."

I have to go open the bookstore soon.

"You have to open the bookstore soon."

Nodding, she continues. I hate having to clean up after two boys all day. They are such slobs.

I laugh, and turn toward Colton and David, who are both looking at us. "She just called you both slobs." They both glance at Claire, who shrugs sheepishly.

I think you like Colton.

"You think I—what?" I peek out of my eye, and see both Colton and David still looking at us. I feel myself blush. I just shake my head at her.

I think he likes you too.

I shake my head again. It isn't possible. Claire just stares at me, I can feel her eyes on me, but I'm looking at our hands. A guy like him would never be interested in me. With a sigh, she lets go of my hands, and pats my leg.

"David, can she try you next?"

"She can try me anytime." David grins widely, and winks at me. I bite my tongue, but my laugh escapes anyway. With that, he comes over and sits in front of me. He puts his hands out just like Claire did, and I grab hold of them. Following her instructions, I repeat everything I had just done. When I am ready, I look at him waiting for him to think something.

I'm hungry.

"You're hungry."

"He's always hungry," Colton mumbles.

I have a fear of sloths. I think they are weird looking. If they ever decided to assert dominance, they could probably rule the world.

I can't help it. I start giggling. "You're afraid of sloths?"

"Hey, I just told you why."

"I know, but it is still a little funny. They could rule the world?" I continue laughing.

Stop it now. I could kick your little butt.

"But you wouldn't, because you're a gentleman." He just scoffs at me.

Says who?

"Okay, she can read my thoughts. Colton, your turn." Colton puts my notebook down, and walks toward me, sitting beside me on the couch, instead of in front of me like everyone else. I angle my body toward him, and place my hands in his outstretched hands. Ignoring the butterflies that shoot through my stomach, I close my eyes, and concentrate on his thoughts only, but get nothing. There are only two thought strands running through my mind, and I have already determined they are Claire's and David's.

"I can't read your thoughts," I mumble as I slowly open my eyes, and glance up into his green ones. "I can't read your mind."

I CAN'T READ HIS THOUGHTS. There is a void. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. "Are you thinking of anything?"

"Yes, I was thinking about something."

"About what?"

"Well, if you can't read my thoughts then there is no point in telling you, now is there?" He smiles. "You really can't read my mind. Interesting."

"How is that interesting?"

He just shrugs, and refuses to reply. I look at David to see if he can enlighten me, but he shakes his head.

"Maybe his thoughts are too bad for you to hear," David suggests, smirking.

"I highly doubt that."

"Why?"

"Well, when we were at the house, I heard what the man that was holding me hostage was thinking. I doubt Colton's thoughts are worse than his." I shiver remembering his plans. Gasping, I look at Colton with wide eyes and say, "Maybe you're my Bella!"

"Your what?" The look of confusion on his face is hilarious. David grabs his stomach, and doubles over laughing. Claire attempts to cover her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter.

"Oh, Ryanne, you're a hoot. I like you," David says through his laughter. He turns and hits Colton on the back. "Twilight reference, man."

"Twilight? Like that vampire movie?"

"I was referring to the book, but the movie works as well." It's funny that he doesn't understand the reference, but David and Claire do. I can't stop laughing. My stomach starts to ache, and I have to concentrate really hard on calming down. Taking a deep breath, I turn toward Claire. "Does it mean anything that I can't read his thoughts?"

"I don't know. I've never heard of it happening before. I'll do a little research." She turns and leaves the room.

Colton is still sitting with his body angled toward mine. He reaches back and picks up my notebook, continuing to look at it.

"Can I please have it back? I don't really like people looking at it." I reach out to grab it, but he moves it behind him. I move closer to him. "Please."

"Nope." He leans back a little further, so I follow his movements. My chest brushes against his. I can smell his cologne again, and feel his breath against the side of my face. My heart starts racing against my chest, threatening to make its beat heard. Hearing Colton's quick intake of breath, I slowly tear my eyes away from the notebook, and meet his gaze. He's staring down at me with wide eyes—his expression unreadable. What I wouldn't give to read his mind right now. He swallows audibly, bringing me back to my senses.

"Fine." I sit back, and look toward David. His eyes are glancing between Colton and me as he smiles and moves his eyebrows up and down suggestively. I shake my head, and blush at his insinuation. Being around two guys is going to be difficult. I can tell that much already.

"Is this a drawing of our house?" Colton pushes the notebook toward me, pointing to a drawing at the bottom of one of the pages. I recognize it as the drawing I drew on Friday.

Confused, I looked at the page. With a gasp, I mumble, "So that's where I'd seen it before."

"You've seen our house before?" asks David.

"No, I had a dream about it once. I just remembered it now. I was walking in the woods, and I came across this house."

"You know what, Ryanne? I'm starting to think that these dreams of yours aren't actually dreams. Maybe they are some sort of vision. Maybe you're psychic."

"You've got to be kidding me. Let's just add that to the list of things that make me even more of a freak."

"You're not a freak, Ryanne," Colton says, disgruntled.

"Really? I got picked on in high school, called a freak almost every day, and I didn't even have any 'abilities' as you guys call them. You saw my locker on the last day of school. Now, I can read minds and may be psychic? On top of that, whenever I get mad, I have to worry about causing a hurricane? You don't call that freakish?"

"No, I'd call it extraordinary. You were meant for greater things," says Colton. His eyes tell me that he is being sincere.

"Potato, Patato."

David clears his throat and says, "But hey on a brighter note, I think your cut has healed. You can't even tell that, over an hour ago, you were being held against your will with a dagger to your neck."

I reach up and touch my neck. The skin is smooth, and doesn't sting as I touch it. "I thought Claire said it would heal overnight."

"Well, you keep surprising us today. It looks like you heal quicker than most mages."

"There's another thing for the list," I say under my breath. Colton glares at me, but I ignore him.

"So, can you guys give me a tour of the house? I don't want to repeat what happened this morning."

David laughs. "Sure, come on." I get up and adjust my clothes, pushing my jeans down. I notice that Colton hasn't moved from the couch. He has turned the page back, and is looking at the flames again.

"Are you coming?"

Without looking at me, he replies, "No, you go ahead. I have to go talk to Aunt Claire."

Nodding, I walk out of the room and follow after David, who is patiently waiting for me at the end of the hallway.

"Follow me, oh tiny one."

"You've got to stop making jokes about my height, André the giant."

Laughing, he wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer beside him, and says, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"You know Casablanca? That's my favorite movie!"

"Who doesn't know Casablanca? It's a classic," he says. "Okay, this house was built to confuse intruders. Claire added an enchantment to make it even more confusing. I already told you that though." We walk up the stairs, and into the hallway with the guest bedrooms. "The guest rooms are on the right side of the hallway. Colton's room and mine are on the left side, a little away from yours. The trick is you have to know what room you want to go to. There's a training room, an entertainment room, a couple of guest bedrooms, a library, the kitchen and living room, a music—"

"You have a library?"

"Ah, something sparked your interest. Yes. We have a library. Think about the library. Since you don't know what it looks like yet, think about a room of books. Lots of books, shelves upon shelves of them. The haze should start to dissipate. You should feel a pull in your gut, telling you which way to go. Do you feel anything?"

I think about the library, and after a couple of seconds, I feel a tingle in my stomach. I feel like I am on a roller coaster, and have just gone down the first giant drop. I scrunch my nose up; it feels weird. "I don't really like this feeling."

David laughs at my reaction. "You get used to it. Now, which way is the pull telling you to go?"

Walking down the hallway, I notice that the pull gets stronger the closer I get to the room. I feel like there are a thousand butterflies in my stomach, pushing against my skin, trying to break free. After many twists and turns, I stop in front of two large doors. Golden doorknobs decorate each door. David lets go of me, and walks to the door. Before opening the door, he turns toward me and says, "Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just do it." I automatically think of my favorite Disney movie when I was younger, Beauty and the Beast. Only in this scenario, beauties surround me, and I feel like the beast.

I listen to him, and hear two doors being pushed open. A small gust of air blows strands of hair into my face. I feel hands wrap around each of my wrists, and David slowly pulls me into the room. After taking a couple of steps, he lets go of my hands and walks behind me, placing his arms on my shoulders.

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"Yes, go ahead."

I open my eyes, and gasp in delight. I take a few more steps further into the room, and look around. The library has two levels. The bottom level looks to hold more modern books. Two rounded wooden staircases with heavily ornamented banisters align the right and left walls leading up to the second floors. The second level appears to have older books. Directly in front of me is a large fireplace, extending upwards the entire height of the room, and, in front of that, there are two couches and small side tables. To the left of the room, next to the stairs, are two computers. The walls have deep green wallpaper, decorated with golden swirls.

"Oh my. This room is beautiful."

"Claire is the only one that really comes in here anymore. She loves books."

"I used to love reading. I haven't read a lot since my mom passed, but I love just sitting in a library. Something about the smell of old books is comforting to me." I walk toward the stairs and slowly ascend. David follows behind me. At the top, I walk to the nearest bookshelf, and run my fingers across the bindings of a row of books. Many of them are adorned with a sturdy canvas cover, but some of the larger ones are leather.

I feel tears start to well up in my eyes. I don't know why. I hadn't cried in over a year, and now I seem to cry a lot. I wonder if it had anything to do with coming into my gifts. My magic is correlated with my emotions. Dang it, it's like going through puberty all over again.

Something about this place...I don't know how to describe it. It is relaxing and quiet, and I instantly feel safe here. I wipe the tears away, and turn toward David. Without saying anything, I walk up to him and wrap my arms around his waist, giving him a hug. His body tenses against mine initially, but after a couple of seconds, he relaxes and hugs me back.

"Well, if I knew this was going to be your reaction, I would have shown it to you earlier."

"What's going on here?" I feel David stiffen again as he turns and looks at Colton. He slowly drops his arms, and pushes me back. I don't understand the sudden change in behavior.

"I was showing Ryanne the library. She apparently has a thing for books."

I hear them both continue to converse in harsh whispers, but my attention is elsewhere. I grab a step stool from the corner, and place it at the bottom of the third bookshelf. Stepping up, I reach up to the top shelf, and pull down the book.

"Is this what I think it is?" The whispers stop behind me. "Is this a first edition of Pride and Prejudice?"

Colton walks over to me. "Probably. Claire collects books like that."

With my best British accent imitation, I say, "'I have no pretension whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man.' That's one of my favorite lines. This book is worth a lot of money. I can't believe I'm actually holding a first edition. Oh my goodness, it's in excellent condition." I start rambling. I stare at the book in awe. It's amazing. I'm more excited now than when I found out that I had magical gifts. That's not a very good example because I wasn't very excited then, but whatever.

Standing on the stool, Colton and I are about the same height, but he is still slightly taller. He steps behind me and leans forward, reaching for a book on the top shelf. His chest brushes against my back. I bite my lip to keep from making any noise, as his breath hits my neck. I watch his hand as it moves upwards, and grasps onto a dark clothed book.

"This one is one of my favorites," he says lightly, and hands me the book. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.

"You read? I'm sorry, but I wouldn't have guessed that."

With a shrug, he says, "'Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of a man could invent.' But don't go spreading that around. I wouldn't want to ruin my reputation."

"Who would I tell? You two are the only people that actually talk to me." I turn my attention back to the books; refusing to acknowledge the looks they both give me.

David walks over to me, and puts his hand on the small of my back. "Would you like to see the rest of the house?"

"Maybe some other time. I want to look around here a little more." Colton hisses something to David, but David just laughs. Removing his hand from my back, he winks at Colton. What is going on between them? Both brothers turn away, and start descending down the staircase, quietly whispering to one another. I put the books back on the shelf, not wanting to damage them, and walk down the other set of stairs, running my hand along the banister as I go. At the bottom, I walk past Colton and David, and head over to the newer section of books. I see many books that I recognize, and some that I don't.

I grab a book that has a collection of the fairy tales, and head over to the couch to sit down and read.

I AM DREAMING ABOUT THE man in the woods again; the man that grabs me and drags me into the forest, surrounding me with darkness. I try screaming, but nothing comes out. I can hear my name being called, but I can't call back, because the man is covering my mouth, preventing me from making any noise. Though muffled, I can hear my name reverberating through the darkness. Ryanne. Ryanne. Ryanne.

"RYANNE!" I open my eyes, and slam them shut once light hits me. Disoriented, I open them slower this time, and see Colton standing over me, shaking me, trying to wake me up.

"What happened?"

"You fell asleep," Colton says. "You started mumbling something, and then you started screaming. What were you dreaming about?" I sit up and recount the whole dream, not leaving out any details.

"Why didn't you tell us this before?"

"I only had the dream once before, and didn't think anything of it. I thought it was just a nightmare, you know?" I pause, and then go on. "I noticed something this time though. I think the man that dragged me away was the same guy that attacked us today."

Colton looks at David. "We have to tell Claire."

"She's at the shop. We'll have to wait until she closes."

With a defeated groan, Colton runs his hand through his hair. "Fine. Have you had any other dreams that may be visions?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Okay, then. Just tell us if something happens again." I nod, not trusting myself to say anything. An uncomfortable silence descends on the room. I can feel their eyes boring into me as I look at the carpet.

The fairy tale book is lying on the floor. I must have kicked it off the couch during the dream. Reaching down, I pick it up, and push myself off the couch. Walking over to the shelf, I place the book back where it belongs. When I walk back toward the couch, both guys are standing up, talking quietly again. When I stop in front of them, they quit whispering and turn toward me. "Are you hungry?" David asks. "We can order pizza."

Without waiting for a response, David takes out his cell phone, and starts walking down the hallway, ordering a pizza at the same time.

I look to Colton. "He has the pizza place on speed dial?" I meant it as a question, but it came out as a statement.

"Food is very important to him."

We follow David down the hallway, and back into the living room. Passing through the doorway, I hear the faint sounds of my phone ringing. Rushing past Colton, I grab my bag and pull out my phone, checking the caller I.D. It's Jane. I answer the phone, and glance around the room, looking for somewhere to go for some privacy. Colton points toward the kitchen. I silently thank him and walk away.

"What's up, Jane?"

"Hey, Ryanne. Nothing. Just wondering how you were doing?"

"I'm doing fine. How are you? Are you still at Ross's?"

"I'm great, Ry. Thanks for asking. Yes, I'm still at Ross's house." She pauses. I can practically hear the excitement on the other end. "I think he is going to propose to me soon! I can feel it. Oh, are you okay by yourself? Do you need me to come home?"

"No, no I'm fine, Jane. I'm an adult now. I can be on my own. Stay with Ross. I'm really happy for you! That's so exciting." I am a little disappointed, but grateful at the same time. This will allow me to spend more time at Claire's, and train a little. We talk for a little while longer, and then say our goodbyes.

I walk back into the living right as the doorbell rings. I sit down next to David on the couch. He reaches out, and put his arms around me. He is definitely flirty, but in a friendly way. I'm at ease around him. I lean into his side, relaxing. Colton pushes himself off of the couch, and walks to the front door, grabbing cash off the table in the process. I hear the sound of a door opening, and Colton talking to the deliveryman.

"Sup, Colton? How's summer going?" I tense when I recognize the voice. Adam is at the door. David glances down at me, wondering what is wrong.

"Pretty good so far. We've only been out of school for a day, man. Not much has happened yet."

"True." Adam gives the pizzas over to Colton and continues. "I heard this rumor that you were seen leaving the school with that freaky girl, Ryan."

"Don't call her that, and her name is Ryanne."

"So, it's true. Seriously, dude? You remember what I said about her, right? If you want a hook-up, I know some girls. You don't need all that baggage. She's not even that good looking.

I hear the sound of a punch being thrown, and someone grunting in pain. David jumps off the couch, and rushes toward the front door. I follow shortly after. Standing in the doorway, I can see Colton and Adam swinging punches at each other, trying to get a hit in. Adam has blood dripping from his nose, while Colton appears uninjured.

David runs up, grabs Colton from behind, and pushes him behind him. Pointing at Adam, he says, "You need to leave." David turns around, and starts pushing Colton toward the door. Both boys stare at Adam as they walk away.

Adam lingers in the driveway. Slowly, his eyes travel over their heads to the doorway, widening a little in surprise when he sees me standing there. His eyes run down the length of my body, before returning to my face. With a scowl, he says, "She's not even worth it." Colton tries to walk back to him again, but David puts his arm out stopping him.

"Don't." It's David that makes a move this time. He deftly walks up to Adam, and punches him square in the jaw. Adam spins around before falling to the ground, where he remains writhing in pain. David turns around, leaving him there, and walks into the house, grabbing my upper arm, and pulling me after him. Colton follows suit, and loudly slams the front door. Once in the living room, David lets go of me and starts pacing. "You just attract trouble, don't you?" He tries joking, but his anger is still visible.

Colton walks up to me and says, "I'm so sorry, Ryanne. Don't listen to anything he said."

I wave him off. "I've heard worse."

"What's his problem with you anyway?" I pale at his question. Seeing my response, he asks softly, "Ryanne, what did he do to you?"

I lean against the doorframe, and look across the room at the window. It is starting to rain. "I've never told anyone this before, but I'm sure you've heard the rumors," I pause, collecting my thoughts. "It happened right after school ended last year. I was walking home from the park, when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around, and he was right there. I just continued walking, trying to ignore him. He'd never been nice to me—always had some sort of cruel or derogatory comment to say. He ran in front of me and then suddenly stopped, causing me to run into him. I apologized and tried to walk around him, but he moved to block my step.

"I looked up at him, and asked him to move, but he said no. Then, he pushed me back into a large tree, and pressed his body against mine, telling me that if I screamed, he would hit me until I shut up. He stepped on both of my feet, so that I couldn't try to run away." I start blinking rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay.

"I tried pushing against him, but he didn't budge. I wasn't strong enough. I yelled for help once, but he slapped me across the face. He hit me so hard that my vision blacked out momentarily. I wanted to cry, but I didn't want him to see me cry. He put both his hands on my waist; one went up under my shirt, and the other crept up my shorts."

David stops me. "You don't have to continue, Ryanne."

"Yes, I do. I need to get this out. I didn't know what to do, so I tried yelling out again, but he punched me in my stomach. I couldn't breathe. Then he tried to kiss me. Long story short, I bit his lip, drawing blood. He jumped backwards. I kicked him in the balls, and then ran away. He told everyone at school that I came onto him, and Lily made it her long-term goal to humiliate me from then on. I went from being the school loner to the school freak." I stop talking. I can feel tears falling down my face. Embarrassed, I try to turn away, and wipe them off my cheeks.

David exhales crossly. "I should have punched him harder."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Colton get up from the couch and walk toward me. He pauses in front of me and looks down, his eyes searching my face. His strong arms envelope me in a fierce hug. I tense for a moment, but then relax, leaning into him. I can't help myself. I wrap my arms around his waist, put my head onto his chest, and begin to sob into his shirt. Within minutes, his shirt is soaked.

When I am finally able to calm myself, I take a small step back, rubbing under my eyes with my sleeves. I'm sure I look like a raccoon. I catch a glimpse of his shirt and grimace. I ruined his shirt. The front is soaking wet with mascara stains on it. His arms are still around me. I drag my eyes from his shirt, and open my mouth to apologize, when he starts vigorously shaking his head.

"Don't you dare apologize to me, Ryanne. You didn't do anything wrong." He stops talking and looks toward David. "If only I knew. I could have done...something... anything. He shouldn't have gotten away with that."

"No one would have believed me if I said anything. It would have been my word against his," I whisper. "He was the quarterback. The jock. One of the popular guys, and I was the class freak, remember?"

"You weren't a freak, and it doesn't matter. He still shouldn't have gotten away with that."

"It happened a while ago," I say. "I've moved on from it."

He looks down at me, and can tell that I don't want to talk about it anymore, so he lets go of me.

"Are you hungry?" David gets up from the couch, grabs the boxes of pizza, and heads into the kitchen. Colton walks over to a cupboard, and takes out a couple of plates.

"Could either of you tell me where a bathroom is?"

David points toward the door. "Go out this door and take a left. It's the second door on the right."

"Thank you." I walk out of the kitchen, and go to the bathroom. I stand at the bathroom sink, and look at my pale reflection. My eyes are bloodshot, and my face is puffy from crying. I splash some cold water on my face, trying to get some color to return to my already pale complexion. I grab some Kleenex and dab under my eyes, trying to get rid of the mascara stains. When I finally feel presentable again, I walk out of the bathroom and back toward the kitchen. The closer I get, the more I am able to hear the whispers going on.

"I heard those rumors, David. I was with Adam when he told everyone. I couldn't believe it. This shy, quiet girl that I had a crush on for over a year threw herself at the school jerk? I couldn't wrap my head around it, but I got mad at her. I didn't spread any of the rumors or anything, but I didn't stop them either. It's partially my fault." I listen to the whole thing, but can only think about one thing: Colton had a crush on me? How is that possible? I had never met him until a couple weeks ago.

"Don't blame yourself, Colton. There..."

I put on a blank face, and decide to enter back into the room. "Why is Colton blaming himself?"

"Colton broke one of Claire's favorite plates," David says quickly, while pushing the pizza box toward me. "Here, have some pizza."

I grab one piece and eat it slowly. I've lost my appetite. The guys inhale a whole pizza by themselves.

When I finish eating the piece, I wipe my hands off with my crumpled napkin, and turn toward Colton. "Can you teach me how to fight when you are done eating?"

"Yeah, just wait a little bit, so our food can settle."

I nod and walk back into the living room, grabbing my notebook to start a new drawing: Liam. I'd never been very good at drawing people, so I don't know why I feel compelled to draw him. My hands start moving on their own accord. I draw his crooked nose, his full lips, the way his eyes seem to look at you and see all your secrets, the faded scar above his eyebrow, and the way his hair falls across his face. I don't know how I did it, but I drew a perfect likeness of him.

David walks over and sits beside me. "Is that Liam?"

I look intently at my notebook, nodding.

"He looks familiar, like I've seen him somewhere," he pauses, his eyes remaining fixated on the drawing. He blinks rapidly, and touches my upper arm. "Are you ready to train?" When I nod, he continues. "I'll walk you back to your room, so you can get changed, and then we'll walk up there together, considering you still don't know where the room is." He smiles. "We wouldn't want you to get lost again." I can tell that he isn't going to let that go anytime soon.

We walk to my room, well the guest bedroom, quietly chatting on the way. It is easy to talk to David. He is funny, witty, and doesn't say anything that makes me second guess their meanings. He is straight forward and to the point. We stop at my door and I walk in, confused. New outfits are scattered across the bed.

Claire.

She knew I would need more clothing. I know that I didn't grab anything that would work today. I was more focused on getting out of the house quickly than finding matching outfits.

I walk over and sort through the workout clothes. Everything is way more form fitting than I would have grabbed for myself. I know that I am not fat, but I don't necessarily have the confidence to wear something like this. I grab an outfit and walk to the bathroom, trying not to think about how ridiculous I'll look in this. After changing, I walk over the sink, and search the drawers underneath, until I find a small container with a bunch of hair ties in it. I grab one, put it on my wrist, and leave the room.

I open the bedroom door and find David standing on the other side, hand outstretched, ready to knock. His eyes widen as he takes in my appearance.

I cross my arms self-consciously, and look at the floor. "I know I look stupid. There wasn't anything else to change into." I grab the bottom of the shirt, and pull it away from my body, trying to stretch it out, but it only sinks back into the previous shape.

"You're not reading my mind right now, are you?" he asks.

"No, I decided I'm going to try and not use that unless it is absolutely necessary. I feel like it is an invasion of privacy."

David exhales in relief, shakes his head, and rolls his eyes. Before I am able to ask what that was about, he grabs onto my wrist, and starts walking down the hallway.

"I'm going to have to talk to Claire when she gets home."

"Why?"

He turns toward me with a look that screams, seriously? "Never mind."

"This house has three floors?" I ask, as we head up another set of stairs.

"The third floor is the training room. It used to be an attic, but we converted it when we moved in."

Colton is already in the room, setting up the mats when we walk in. This is the biggest attic I've ever seen. The room is in the shape of a square, with large red mats outlining the bottom half of the walls. A long rope hangs from the ceiling in the far corner. Looking up, my eyes stop at the high ceiling. Wooden beams overlap each other in an interesting cross work pattern. I drag my eyes from the ceiling, and turn toward Colton, who is staring at me with eyes the size of saucers, mouth slightly open. My eyebrows rise in confusion. When he catches me looking at him, he coughs and diverts his gaze.

"Are you okay?" I walk toward him.

"Fine." He looks past me at David.

"Yeah, I know," David agrees. I look between the two brothers, wondering what they are talking about.

"You know I could just read your minds, right?" That knocks them back into their senses.

"Okay, Ryanne, we're going to just teach you some basic self-defense moves, and how to defend yourself if you are ever attacked without a weapon," says Colton.

"Will I get to learn how to fight with a weapon too?" The thought of fighting someone in general scares me, but I want to know what to do if I'm in the situation. I know it will probably show up again.

He smiles at my eagerness. "One step at a time."

Nodding, I listen to what he is telling me: how to block my body if someone comes toward me from the front, how to deflect punches from the side, what to do if someone grabs me from behind, etc. After about ten minutes, I put my hair into a high ponytail, because it keeps falling into my face, blocking my vision.

"You're pretty small, so your opponents will almost always be larger than you. You have to look for their weaknesses. Anything that will give you an advantage on them." I listen intently to everything that he is telling me. Colton pretends to attack me, slowly, to see if I can deflect his advances. After each move, he would stop, tell me what I did right, and what needed to change. David would come up and correct my stances if I was off. This is harder than I thought it would be. They teach me how to use my arms and legs to incapacitate someone, and ways to knock someone unconscious.

"From now on, if you can, you'll probably want to tie your hair into a bun, or something close to your head. You have long hair, and anyone can come up behind you and pull your hair, knocking you down." To demonstrate, Colton steps closer and reaches behind me. Grabbing the end of my ponytail, he wraps it around his hand, and gently pulls it down. I arch my head back and stare up at him. I can feel his breath against my face as he looks down at me—his green eyes staring into mine. My heart starts racing, and I can feel a blush creeping up into my cheeks. Seeing it, Colton clears his throat and releases my hair, continuing on with the training session.

Two hours later, I am lying with my back on the mat, sweating and trying to catch my breath. "Why didn't I get a power where I could just think of what I wanted someone to do and they would do it? Fall down. Run off that cliff. Punch yourself. Do the hokey pokey. That would be convenient in a fight," I say breathily. Both guys are sitting beside me, barely winded.

"I think that is enough for today. You did well, Ryanne," says David.

I attempt to laugh and sit up, but both prove to be too much work. I am more comfortable where I am. After a couple minutes, my breathing returns to normal, but the ache remains in my muscles. I'm definitely going to be sore tomorrow.

"How long have you guys been training?" I ask.

"Since we were five. Uncle Tom...," I laugh. Uncle Tom's Cabin. Oh gosh, I'm delirious. This is why I don't exercise anymore. David stops talking and glances at me, silently asking if I am okay.

"Sorry, continue."

"He would come over every weekend and teach us random moves, usually martial arts. We didn't know then that he was training us. It worked out though; now we are always ready in case something should happen."

"Do you still talk to your Uncle Tom?"

Colton answers. "Yeah, he comes over occasionally. He's stopped training us a while ago, but still helps train other mages. I bet you'd like him."

I look toward him, smiling. We drop off into a comfortable silence. When my muscles finally stop aching, I sit up into a seated position. David and Colton both get up and stand around me. Colton extends his hand, offering to help me up. I gladly accept it, and let him exert himself trying to get me up.

I feel a hand fall on my shoulder, and unfamiliar deep voice says, "Who's this?"

Startled, I scream, jump around, and end up bumping into Colton. He reaches out and steadies me; all three guys start laughing at me. I bend down and grab my heart, trying to slow down the frantic beating. My heart is beating against my ribcage like a steady drum.

I straighten up as David turns toward me. "What a coincidence. Ryanne, this is our Uncle Tom. Tom, this is Ryanne Arden." Tom smiles and extends his hand. I reach out and take it. Still holding his hand, I look at him, and have to stifle the giggle that almost escapes my lips. Is it possible for anyone in this family to not be good looking?

Standing at over six feet, Tom has a stocky build, similar to David. He has dirty blonde hair, falling around his face with subtle waves touching the slight stubble that appears on his jawline. His warm eyes are surrounded by soft wrinkles. Full lips pull back into a smile, revealing a perfectly straight set of teeth. Despite being in his forties, this man is obviously fit. He looks very...Brad Pitt-esque – similar to how Pitt looked in Troy.

"Nice to meet you," I say lightly.

"It's very nice to meet you too."

So this is the infamous, Ryanne. Claire's description doesn't give her credit. She's beautiful. I'm sure she already has these boys wrapped around her finger. I giggle and close my eyes, concentrating on pushing his thoughts back into the locked box with the others.

"She's trying to lock your thoughts away. She feels it's an invasion of privacy to hear other people's thoughts," David explains to Tom, trying to imitate my voice.

"That's understandable," he replies sincerely. "It's kind of a blessing in disguise. Burdening, yet helpful."

When I get them pushed back, I open my eyes, and see Colton walk up to his uncle and give him a manly hug, patting him on the back. "What brings you here?"

"I don't know. Claire called and told me that I may be needed here."

"You're about two hours too late," David replies, chuckling. "We were showing Ryanne some self-defense."

"That's fine. I'm staying here for a couple of days. I can help."

"Great, it'll probably take me that long to learn the simple steps. I need all the help I can get," I say. "They were telling me how you used to train them when they were younger. You trained them very well. With all three of you helping, I'm sure I can learn something."

He beams at me, and I find myself swallowed in a tight hug. "I like this girl already."

He pulls back, and I step out of his embrace. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to take a shower. I feel gross."

"Sure, go ahead," says Colton.

"Do you know how to get back to your room?" David asks.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I remember." Turning around, I start walking away. I call over my shoulder, "I'll see you guys in a little bit." I make it back to my room with no problems, and jump into the shower, wiping off all the sweat from my body. I smile to myself, knowing that now I will at least have some knowledge on how to fight back if needed. It feels empowering knowing that I'm not going to always be the damsel in distress anymore.

I GET DRESSED INTO A pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt, leaving my hair to air dry. It would end up curly either way. I walk past a room and hear voices inside. Peeking in, I see David, Colton and Tom all sitting on the couch, watching a movie.

"Come on in, sweetie. Join us," shouts Tom.

I walk in and look at the TV. I have no idea what they are watching, some loud movie with lots of car explosions and shooting. Typical guy film. I stop on the left side of Colton, looking for somewhere to sit. All three guys take up the whole couch. I move to sit on the ground in front, but Colton reaches out, pulls me over the side of the couch, and into his lap. I gasp in shock and stare at him. Winking at me, he readjusts me off to his side, leaving me sitting on his lap, with his arm around my shoulder. I fit perfectly against him. He turns his attention back toward the screen. Normally, I would have moved myself, but I'm surprisingly comfy.

All the guys laugh at me because I jump each time a shot is fired. I am okay with PG-13 violence, but this isn't that. This is gruesome, showing each injury graphically, blood and gore everywhere. I hide in Colton's shoulder for most of the movie, refusing to look at the screen.

Hearing music, which I assume is the end credits, I speak into Colton's shirt, "Is it over?"

I feel his chest rumbling, as if he is laughing at my question. "Yes, you can look now."

I slowly turn around, and see a black screen with white names scrolling up. I breathe out a sigh of relief, which causes another round of laughter.

"That movie was horrible," I say.

David shakes his head amused, "No, it was awesome."

Disbelief courses through me, "Awesome?"

Tom gets up and straightens his designer jeans out. "Well, I'm hungry. Got any food?"

Without moving, Colton replies, "Yeah, there is a box of pizza on the kitchen counter. Help yourself."

Nodding, he walks out of the room. My eyes follow him the entire way out. I can hear his heavy footsteps receding as he gets further and further from the room.

Colton starts moving the leg directly beneath me. "Sorry, my leg is starting to fall asleep."

"Oh, goodness, I'm sorry." I hurriedly move off of him, sitting between him and David. I look out the window and notice that it has started getting dark.

David speaks up first. "Claire should be home soon."

Shifting my body toward David I ask, "Would you mind telling her everything for me? It's been a long day and I'm starting to get tired."

He nods understandingly. "Yeah, go to bed, Ryanne. We'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks, David." I get off the couch and start walking toward the door. "Goodnight. Sweet dreams," I say without looking back.

I walk into the guest bedroom, turn off the light, and crawl into the bed, falling asleep before my head even hits the pillow.

I WAKE UP FROM A dreamless sleep, my body feeling rejuvenated. Smiling, I stretch and exhale sleepily. I quickly change out of my wrinkled clothes into a pair of white shorts and a blue tank top that Claire had left for me. I'll have to thank her later for them. I skip down the hallway and slowly descend the stairs, proud that I am finally figuring out my way around the house. As I get closer to the kitchen, I slow when I hear voices.

"So, Colton...I saw how you looked at Ryanne yesterday. This is same girl you told me about last time, right? She's pretty cute." I recognize the voice as Tom's.

"Yes, it's the same girl, but nothing is going on. We're friends." He stops talking, and I hear him sigh. "I admit that I used to have feelings for her before I knew her. But now those feelings are gone. Purely platonic. She's not really my type anyway." So now that he knows me, he doesn't have feelings for me anymore? That's what every girl wants to hear.

I hear David scoff, and Tom replies, "Whatever you say, Colton."

"I feel bad for her. I'm just trying to help boost her confidence." It feels like my heart is free falling, plummeting into my stomach at his words. There goes my good mood. I walk back to the bottom of the stairs and make a noise, giving them a signal that I am coming. It also gives me time to compose myself. I knew that someone like him would never be interested in someone like me. He is gorgeous and I am...well, not. He would not have given me the time of day if I weren't this prophecy girl.

I enter the room and am greeted by three sets of smiles. "Good morning, Ryanne. How'd you sleep last night?"

I turn toward Tom, plastering on a smile that I know doesn't reach my eyes. "I slept fine. No nightmares at least. You?"

Colton and David both look at me as if they know something is wrong. Tom's smile falters a little at my nightmares comment. So, they explained everything to him and Claire. "Pretty good, thanks for asking."

David turns toward me. "Are you hungry, Ryanne? Help yourself."

I walk toward the fruit basket on the counter in the corner. I grab a gala apple and bite into it. The room descends into an awkward silence.

Swallowing, I say, "If I'm extending my stay here, I can go back to Jane's."

"Why would you think that?" asks David.

At the same time, Colton replies, "You will not. You saw what happened last time you went back there! You almost got killed."

I shy away from him, because his tone scares me. "I don't know. I don't want to impose on you guys. And he wasn't going to kill me. I heard his thoughts."

"So, you'd rather get raped than stay here?" he yells.

I step toward him defiantly, placing my hands on my hips, and say in my sternest voice, "I'd rather stay where I'm wanted." I turn to walk out of the room. Stopping in the doorway, I turn around and stare straight at Colton. "And I don't need your help boosting my confidence." His face pales with realization. Satisfied and angry, I storm out of the room.

Back in my room, I sit on the edge of the bed, wishing that I had grabbed my notebook. It's still sitting on the couch in the living room. Frustrated, I start pacing. Just when I think I have finally met people who could actually care about me, I find out it is all an act. I am just a means to end their war, nothing more. I'm only the prophecy girl.

Once a freak, always a freak.

Caught up in my thoughts, I don't hear my door open. When I turn back around to pace to the other side of room, I freeze. Colton is standing in my doorway, and when he sees me looking at him, he steps into the room, "Ryanne..."

"Please don't, Colton. I've heard enough."

He walks over to my bed, and sits on the edge. "I didn't mean it."

"I doubt that."

"Ryanne, if you had been reading my thoughts, you'd know that I didn't mean it. I was tired of everyone grilling me about you." He places his head in his hands, not looking at me.

I walk up to him and lean against the bedpost. "Well, for some reason, I can't read your thoughts." I pause, and look around the room, before continuing. "I haven't had any friends in a really long time, and just when I think that I might have some, you say that you're only being nice to me because you feel bad for me. You think that's a confidence booster? It's not. I don't want your pity, Colton."

He drops his hands and turns toward me. "You really think that I want to be your friend because I pity you? God, Ryanne, you are oblivious."

"What?"

He gets up from the bed and stops in front of me, looking down at me. I don't know what he means by that. Shaking his head and running his hand through his hair, he says, "Nothing. Just please believe me. I didn't mean anything I said. I'm very sorry. I don't want you mad at me."

I look up at him and study his expression. Reluctantly, I agree. He looks very upset at the prospect that I might remain mad at him. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't have stayed mad at him for too long. "I forgive you," I whisper.

He puts a finger under my chin, and tilts my head up. Leaning down, he kisses my forehead. His lips linger on my skin for a couple seconds before he steps away from me. My skin tingles where his lips touched. Trying to keep a blush hidden, I turn and watch him as he brushes past me toward the door.

"The rest of us are going to train today. Do you want to join?" I nod my head, not trusting myself to speak. When he closes the door, I walk to the closet, and get out an outfit similar to the one I wore yesterday, though in a different color. This shirt is a pale green, bringing out the green specks in my eyes. I loosely braid my hair back, and then put it that into a messy bun.

I walk into the training room and notice that everything is already set up, but no one is here. Tom comes into the room and says, "Today, I want you to take what you learned yesterday, and try to stop the boys' attack."

"Whose attack?" Tom ignores me and walks backwards, smiling at me as he goes.

He's up to something.

I see David run out of the corner of the room, and head straight for me. Oh, I get it now. I get into a stance, and wait for David to reach me. When I see that he isn't going to slow down, I move out of the way. He runs past me, and then stops, turning to face me. He reaches out and tries to swing at me. I duck and swing my legs out, trying to knock him off balance. He anticipates my move and grabs my leg, pulling me toward him. I let him pull me, and then I swing my arm out, and hit him in the gut. He doubles over, trying to catch his breath, and loosens his grip on my other leg. I jerk back and jump up, preparing myself for another attack.

I have an idea, and just hope that I can accomplish it. David straightens up and smirks at me, before slowly walking toward me again. I stand my ground and wait until he gets close. He spins around, swinging his leg out, and hits the back of my calves. I fly backwards and land on the hard mat. Despite the pain, this gives me the momentum I need. I reach my hands back behind me, and swing me feet out, kicking him in the chest. As he falls backward, I kick my feet up and over my head, before straightening up and facing David, who is still lying on the ground.

"David. Out." I hear Tom call.

I don't have much time to prepare, before I hear the sound of someone landing behind me. I turn around just in time to see a fist coming straight for my face. I duck at the last second and kick my foot out, connecting with Colton's shins. He staggers backwards, but remains standing. Eesh, this totally isn't a fair fight. He swings another punch toward me, so I put my arm up like I learned yesterday to block the attack. I wince as his arm connects with mine. That is going to leave a bruise. I swing my foot up to kick him in the face, but he grabs my leg and throws me across the room. I twist my body, so I can land on my feet. Ten years of gymnastics is proving to be useful.

I decide to try and incorporate more of the moves I have learned. It's been over a year, so I hope I'm not too rusty. I get a running start and jump, bringing my hands forward and over my head, connecting with the mat, giving myself enough momentum to swing my feet up. I'm able to flip twice before coming to a stop in front of Colton. He stares at me surprised, giving me enough time to swing around and kick him in the gut, similar to what I just did to David. When he falls to the ground, I jump on top of him, placing my knees on both side of his thighs, and hold down his arms. I know that he is strong enough to push me off, but he doesn't.

I am already breathing heavily, but when I see him staring back at me in wonder, I have more trouble getting air into my lungs. Thankfully, I'm not sweating as bad as I was yesterday. My heart, which is already racing from the exercise, starts beating faster. On the other side of the room, I hear someone clapping. Drawing my eyes away from Colton's, I see David and Tom walking toward us. I look back at Colton briefly, and find him smiling at me. Blushing, I push myself off of him, and offer my hand to help him stand up.

David runs toward us, wraps his arms around my waist, and swings me in a circle. Placing me down, he says, "Where the heck did you learn how to do that?"

Trying to catch my breath still, I smile up at him and explain, "I was in gymnastics for ten years. I didn't know I could still do any of that. It was a gamble, but it worked."

Tom puts a hand on my shoulder. "That went way better than I thought it would. No offense, but I thought that the guys were going to annihilate you." He looks toward both David and Colton and says, "But it turns out, she beat you." He smiles mockingly and continues, "You got beat by a girl—a girl way smaller than you."

He puts his hand up in front of me for a high five. I slap his hand, laughing. He hands me a bottle of water, and I greedily drink half of it. I put my hand on my waist, finally able to breathe at a normal rate again.

Colton still hasn't said anything yet, so I look over at him. He's staring up at me, eyes wide, and a slightly awed smile on his face. He blinks quickly and looks away. "Well, I don't think we really have to worry about you losing in an attack. Just do some of those flips. You'll shock anyone enough to get the upper hand." He smiles at me. "I lost all train of thought when I saw you coming toward me, flipping through the air. Of course, they all came back when you kicked me in the stomach. That hurt, by the way."

I smile sheepishly at him. "Sorry."

"Were you reading their minds at all during that?" Tom asks.

I look at him, my eyes widening. "No, I forgot that I could do that!" Of course, I can't read Colton's mind, but it would have been helpful against David.

"Well, I think it is safe to call it a day. Good job, kid."

"Thanks." Tom exits the room, and I turn toward Colton and David again. Both of them are rubbing their chests where I had kicked them. I smile, remembering what David told me. Hmm, maybe good things do come in small packages.

I pause and listen, as someone else's thoughts come to me. Somebody help me. Oh gosh, he's going to find me.

"Someone is in the woods and needs help." I hear a loud boom in the distance. A gunshot? "I can hear her thoughts. We have to go," I say, already running out of the door. I reach the stairs before I hear footsteps behind me, telling me that the guys are following. We hear the sound of a door banging shut, and then loud voices sound in the kitchen.

"David, call Logan. We need a healer." Still running toward the kitchen, David pulls out his cell phone and calls Logan, telling him we need urgent help.

I get into the kitchen first. Colton is right behind me. Tom and Claire are both carrying a girl into the room. Her torso is covered in blood, and her breathing is very weak. What happened to her? I'm about to ask Claire when my stomach starts tingling. Suddenly, dark spots invade my vision and the room around me begins to spin. I can feel my body falling backwards as I'm sucked into my first vision while awake. Someone's arms wrap around me, and cushion my fall, as a scene starts playing out before my eyes.

HE'S GOING TO KILL ME. I just know it. I don't have the information he needs, and now he is going to kill me for it.

I discreetly look around for a way out of this situation. We're moving through a dense forest. I'm surrounded by trees... nothing but trees. I hear the sound of water flowing in the distance. Dravin isn't the one carrying me, but I know he is close.

I pretend to be limp. They didn't bother tying me because they thought I passed out from the pain of their torturing. I know they are going to get rid of me; I am no longer any use to them. They are probably going to throw me into the stream and watch me sink, laughing manically as I go deeper and deeper into the water. Okay, they probably aren't going to be laughing, but the evil guys always did that in the movies.

They kept asking me, "Where's the girl? The girl from the prophecy? I know you know her." I have no idea who this girl is, but they didn't believe me. Dravin would beat me until I was knocked unconscious. After attempting four times, over two days, to get information out of me, they finally got it through their thick skulls that I had no idea what they were talking about. I knew of the prophecy, but that was the extent of it.

The man carrying me isn't being gentle. Why would he be? He's about to kill me. My body keeps banging against his chest every time he steps on uneven ground. He is squeezing my arms and legs too tight, cutting off the circulation. The sound of the water gets louder, telling me we are close. If I am going to do anything, it has to be soon.

Stopping, the man says, "Where's Dravin? Shouldn't he be here by now?"

"I don't know. Let's wait and see he if comes soon. If not, we'll dispose of her ourselves."

It is now or never. I reach up and punch the man in the nose. Shocked, he drops me to the ground. I jump up and kick him between the legs before running off in the opposite direction. I can hear the man groaning in pain behind me.

"Don't just stand there! Go after her!" he yells.

I hear heavy footsteps following me, twigs breaking beneath his feet. He is gaining on me. I am too weak to continue at this pace for too long. I divert from a path and persist, dodging trees and low-lying branches in the process. I keep up this pace for a while, ignoring the throbbing in my arms and legs from the vigorous movement. Thinking that I lost him, I slow down. I take this time to catch my breath. I'm still hurting from their attacks.

A few minutes later, I hear his heavy footsteps again. Somebody help me. Oh gosh, he's going to find me. I frantically search for somewhere to hide, but there is nothing. I'm out in the open, without energy to defend myself, and nowhere to hide.

He breaks through the tree line, and smiles at me. I watch as he brings his right arm out, and points a gun at me. A gun? Gadramicks usually only use swords. I don't have time to think. The sound of a gun firing echoes throughout the forest as pain shoots across my abdomen. I fly backwards before landing on my back in the middle of the trail. I try to keep my eyes open, but it's too difficult. Everything in my body starts to slow down: my breathing, my heart rate, and I start losing feeling in my limbs. Time even seems to slow. I feel someone grab onto me, and try to drag me back. Someone else runs past me toward the man with the gun, and knocks it out of his hands. He kicks the man in the head, knocking him unconscious. Before the man even falls to the ground, he turns around and comes toward me, helping the other person pick me up and carry me away.

I COME BACK INTO MY own body and see Claire, Tom, and another man leaning over the girl on the ground. I am leaning against Colton, and David is staring at me with a worried expression on his face. I try to ask him what happened, but a blinding pain shoots across my stomach. I reach down and place a hand on my stomach where the pain is. My shirt is moist. I draw my hand back, and see that it is covered in blood.

My blood.

I can't breathe. I look up and see David, staring at my abdomen in shock. I let out a weakened cry as my legs give out beneath me, and I start falling. Colton tries to reach out and stop me, but we both fall to the ground.

"Logan, we need you!" David yells, bending down and sitting beside me. Colton is trying to talk to me and calm me down. I can see his mouth moving, but I can't hear anything.

"Apply pressure to the wound. I'll be there in a minute," Logan replies. Colton lays my body flat on the floor, as David reaches over and puts his hands flat on my stomach, trying to slow the bleeding. I can't get any air into my lungs. It is like trying to blow up a balloon that has a hole it in. I feel my body start to convulse; the pain is excruciating.

Darkness is slowly creeping into my vision. I can barely see anyone standing over me. Someone is shouting, but the ringing in my ears is louder than him or her. I can feel someone reach out and brush loose strands of hair from my face. The hands pressing onto my stomach are removed, and a numbing feeling spreads through my body. I stop fighting and start drifting away, losing consciousness.

"ARE YOU SURE SHE'S ALRIGHT?" Colton asks. "She's been out for a while."

"She's fine, Colton. Stop worrying. She has to rest to regain her energy," Claire explains, her voice further away.

"She's the prophecy girl that they are always talking about? I thought she would look different," says an unknown female voice. I hear two angry growls in the room "Hey, hey. Down boys. I didn't mean that as a bad thing. I just thought she would be...I don't know, taller or something. She looks so small. So fragile."

My stomach is throbbing, but the pain isn't as unbearable anymore. I can hear everything around me, but I can't get my body to respond. I want to tell everyone that I am fine...or going to be fine.

"Don't underestimate her," Tom says.

"How come I woke up so much faster than she is?"

There is a moment of silence, before Claire speaks up, "I think that going into a vision for the first time, depleted a lot of her energy. I'm guessing she experienced the vision through your point of view, and that's why she sustained the same injury. I think it was just too much for her body to handle at once. She just learned that she was a mage a couple days ago. She hasn't quite learned how to control everything yet."

I feel my finger twitch. I wait a few more seconds until full functioning is restored. I turn my head and groan inwardly.

"Ryanne, can you hear me?" I haven't opened my eyes yet. I can feel everyone looking at me. Extra thoughts creep into my mind. She's the one they are looking for. I can't believe it. She's the girl from the prophecy. Look at those guys pining over her. The shorter one is cute. I hope she's okay. I need her to wake up so I can check everything to make sure there are no other injuries. I reach up and grab my head, trying to push them back.

"Guys, back up. She can hear your thoughts," says David. He sounds like he is right beside me. I hear people shuffling and the thoughts quiet. They are still there, but it doesn't feel like anyone is screaming at me anymore. I push the thoughts back and lock them with the others. It takes a little longer to accomplish this time; my body is so exhausted.

When I am left with my own thoughts, I slowly open my eyes. David and Colton are sitting down at my side. When I turn and look at them, they both give me small smiles. I feel my long bangs fall down on my forehead.

"Hey, guys. How long was I out?" I whisper.

Colton reaches out and tucks my hair behind my ear, "About four hours."

"Oh." I try to sit up, but my body won't have it. Grunting in pain, I decide to lie back down.

"Guys, move out of the way, I need to take a look at her."

A man walked toward me and bends down where David and Colton just were. "I take it you're Logan."

Smiling, he says, "Yeah, I'm Logan and you're the famous Ryanne. I wish we were meeting under different circumstances, though." I try to smile at him, but I'm sure it looks more like a grimace.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Just my stomach."

He lifts up my bloodstained shirt and examines my abdomen, putting slight pressure on it, looking for sensitive spots. Nodding to himself, he pulls my shirt back down and grabs my wrist, checking my pulse. Then, he gently takes a hold of my chin, moving my head, and looking me in both eyes.

"Everything appears to be fine now," he says to no one in particular. Looking directly at me, he says, "I think you just need to rest some more. Do you think you can walk?"

He puts his hand under my head, and helps push me into a seated position. I shake my head. If he wasn't holding me up, I know that I would fall back. I'm too weak to do anything but sleep for the next month straight.

"Colton, do you think you'll be able to carry her to her room?"

"Yeah." Colton comes over to me. "Put your left arm around my neck." I listen, and he wraps one arm around my back, and the other under my knees. Cradling me against his chest, he lifts me in his arms, and begins walking toward the stairs.

"Thank you, Logan," I call out.

"You're welcome."

I rest my head against his chest, losing my battle to stay awake. I must have drifted off as he carried me to my room because I jolt awake when he is placing me down on the bed. He apologizes quietly, telling me to go back to sleep. I close my eyes again, and feel the blanket being pulled up around me. A hand brushes the hair out of my face, and someone leans down and kisses my cheek.

Then I fall back asleep.

I dream of Liam. I am lying in the field where I first met him. I just listen to life happening all around me. I can hear the crickets and birds communicating. The soft wind caresses my face, blowing strands of hair into my eyes. The leaves of the trees are brushing against each other in the breeze, creating soft whispers that ride the gentle gusts of wind. The sunlight warms my skin as I lean back and close my eyes, pointing my face toward the sky.

"You're actually sleeping this time." I know who is speaking to me before I even open my eyes. I feel someone come and lie down next to me. I blink, allowing my eyes to adjust to the light, before turning and facing him.

"Hey, Liam. Nice to see you too."

"I see you're wearing my necklace." I look down at his necklace.

"Oh, you can have it back if you want it." I reach down and am about to take it off, when his hand stops me.

Holding onto my arm, he says, "No, it looks better on you." I smile at him and let go of it.

"We're not going to be attacked this time, are we?" I ask.

"No, I don't think so. This isn't the same place as last time, just similar," he replies honestly. "So, why are you here exactly? You only enter here if you're in a very deep sleep."

"I got shot."

"You what?"

"Before I elaborate, can I ask you something?" I turn my body so I am facing him. I am lying on my side, my head resting on my palm.

He turns and mimics my movements. "Sure."

"Are you real? Or are you a figment of my imagination?"

He reaches out and grabs a tendril of my hair that is blowing in the wind, before looking me in the eyes and saying, "I'm real, Ryanne. Not a figment of your imagination.'

For some reason, that makes me happy. I go on to explain everything from the beginning. I don't leave out any details. I tell him about almost failing English, Adam, almost getting hit by the car, meeting David, Colton, and Claire, finding out I was a mage, my attempted kidnapping, learning about Dravin, realizing that my dreams aren't actually dreams, training, and lastly the most recent vision.

"Is that all?" he jokes.

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Maybe," he replies hesitantly.

"How come I can only see you when I'm dreaming or whatever? Do you live in the 'real world' too?"

He looks up at the sky. I turn back toward him, and see him exhale a deep breath. "I do live in the real world. I'm a mage like you. I'm what most call a dream-walker. I can go into mage's dreams. I'm supposed to help them battle their inner demons, solve problems, resolve conflicts, etc. But you..." He turns and points toward me. "You're different. When we first met, you weren't dreaming. I can enter into the dream world, but no one else is supposed to be able to, so I don't know how you got here."

Nodding, I think about everything he just told me. We are in a different world right now: dream world. I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. While I'm thinking, my body starts to tingle.

"I have to go back soon. I feel its pull," I say sadly. I like talking to Liam. Like David, he's easygoing and I'm comfortable talking to him. However, unlike David, he doesn't show many emotions. His expressions are usually stoic and unreadable.

"I know. You're starting to wake up."

"Will I see you again?" I ask.

"Hopefully." He cracks a smile. "Just please don't get shot again."

I ROLL OVER, OPEN MY eyes, and look around my room. It's still dark outside. The clock on the nightstand reads 5:30 a.m. It's still early, but I figure I have gotten enough sleep. Getting out of bed proves to be a difficult task. My body is sore from sleeping for so long, but my stomach is no longer throbbing, and I feel more energized than before. I walk over to the bathroom to take a shower, and gasp when I see my reflection. My hair, still partially braided, is sticking out in every direction. I reach back and pull the hair tie out, gently releasing the hair from the braid. Braiding curly hair never works out well. My clothes are a wrinkled mess, with bloodstains still on them.

I turn the water on and let it warm up. I undress, throw the clothes into a pile in the corner, and look at my stomach in the mirror. It's amazing. Besides my old scar, there's nothing showing that I was shot yesterday. I step into the shower, and let the water cascade down me, washing away all the pain from the last couple of days. I feel like a new person. I stay in for so long that the hot water starts to cool. I turn the handle, and wait until the last drop falls from the showerhead before getting out. I wrap a towel around me, and walk back to the room, to pick out an outfit from the closet.

I hear a knock on the door. Turning away from the closet, I walk to the door and open it, using it as a shield to hide my towel covered body.

David stops pacing when he hears the loud squeak of the door opening. Seeing me, he rushes into the room, and pulls me to him for a tight hug.

"You've had us all worried. Colton and I have checked on you periodically for the last 24 hours," his chest rumbles as he speaks. I feel him tense under me when he realizes what I'm wearing. He pushes me back, running his eyes down the length of my body. I grab the top of the towel, making sure it stays securely in place. I feel very vulnerable, and I know my face turns crimson.

"Sorry...I'll...uhhh...leave you to...get dressed." He is blushing too and won't look at me. He swiftly brushes past me and leaves the room, shutting the door in the process. I've never seen him blush before. It's adorable.

I grab a pair of jean shorts and a black shirt. It's a little tight across my chest, but loose on the stomach. It reveals a little more skin that I am comfortable with, but since I need to do laundry, it'll have to do. I walk downstairs and find Claire, Tom, Colton, and David all sitting in the living room. I am surprised to see them, considering how early it is, but happy nonetheless.

Colton jumps up from his seat, and runs toward me, engulfing me in a hug. "Are you okay? Do you still hurt?"

I laugh at his concern. "I feel great. How long was I asleep?"

Claire comes up to me, and gives me a small hug. "It's been about 36 hours. Your body needed it."

"Thirty-six? I was out for over a day?"

Colton puts his arm across my shoulder. "I hope you didn't want to go to graduation, because you kind of missed it."

"Oh! I missed graduation?" I say, with mock sadness. Graduation isn't on the top of my priorities right now.

Tom walks up to me. "I'm glad to see you up and about. You scared us there."

"You must be hungry," says Claire. At that moment, my stomach decides to loudly growl. I look down at my stomach, and back up at everyone.

"I must be."

I follow Claire into the kitchen, where she has pancakes already made, cooling on a plate. I grab three, slather them with peanut butter, and then drench them in syrup. I'm so hungry. I feel like I haven't eaten in...well, over a day. Claire pats my shoulder and kisses my temple. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I have to go into the shop today. Alex called in sick this morning." I nod, not able to speak with the food in my mouth.

Tom turns to me and thumps me on the back. "I'm going to shower. I'll be back down in a little while."

Colton and David sit across from me. David hasn't spoken to me since I've come downstairs, and diverts his gaze every time I look at him. When I finish eating, I drop my fork loudly onto my plate, and look at him.

"Are you going to avoid me forever?"

Colton looks at David. "Why are you avoiding her?"

"I'm not avoiding you."

"You can't even look at me."

Colton is clearly confused. "What happened?"

David clears his throat and turns toward his brother. "I...uhh... well..." he stutters.

"He walked into my room this morning after I had showered. I answered the door, and he rushed in and gave me a hug. Then, he freaked out when he realized I was only wearing a towel." He starts blushing again.

"That's all? It's not like you saw her naked or anything," says Colton.

"I know. I know...it was just embarrassing. I shouldn't have barged in like that. Thank goodness you couldn't hear my thoughts." David stops talking and looks directly at me. "You didn't read my mind, right?"

I shake my head.

Colton scoffs. "What guy wouldn't think inappropriate things if they saw a beautiful girl in just a towel?"

I feel my eyes widen and eyebrows rise at their conversation. My face turns even redder. They seem to have forgotten that I am standing across from them. I clear my throat and they both turn to me. A look of surprise crosses both of their faces.

"So...on a different note, I met Liam again."

David looks happy for the topic change. Colton's expression is indecipherable. "What happened?" he asks.

"I don't know exactly. I woke up in the middle of a field, similar to the one where I first met him. He came and sat down beside me. We talked for a while, and I found out that he is actually a real person, not a figment of my imagination. He's a mage like us. He said he was...a dream-walker?"

David's eyes widen. "He's a dream-walker? That's incredibly rare."

"Well, I don't trust him. Something doesn't seem right," says Colton.

"I trust him."

Logan walks into the kitchen at that moment. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty. How are you feeling?" I look behind me to make sure that he's talking to me. Logan laughs and nods. "Yes, I'm talking to you."

"I feel great. Thank you so much for everything you did." For the first time, I notice how young he actually is. He looks to be in his early twenties, with short dark brown, almost black, hair and bright blue eyes. He looks like the perfect boy next door. He is equally as muscular as all the other guys in the family.

"You're very welcome, sweetheart." I smile at him. This whole family is very casual about using endearments on others.

"Good morning, everyone." The girl who got shot walks into the kitchen, joining the rest of us, looking chipper.

Everyone turns around and says, "Morning, Emma."

She walks over to me and says, "Hi, I'm Emma."

"Ryanne," I reply.

"Yeah, I know who you are."

I look toward her, confused, and suddenly remember my vision. Dravin, who is trying to find out information about me, tortured her. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you. I can't help but feel like I'm responsible."

She starts violently shaking her head. "No, no! Don't feel like that. You are in no way responsible for anything that man is doing."

"He's torturing people to try and find me."

"You can't think about what he is doing. You know what he did to me; I can't imagine what he would do to you if he got his hands on you." We all shiver thinking about it. "Oh, and I'm sorry you got shot because of me."

I smile at her. "That's fine. It didn't hurt that much."

She laughs at my comment. I hope that she is going to stay here for a while. It would be nice to have a girl around. I get up, and put my plate in the dishwasher. Tom walks back into the room, rubbing a towel through his hair.

"So, Ryanne, you up for training today?"

Three heads whip toward Tom. Logan, Colton, and David all start complaining.

"She still needs to rest."

"She just woke up, man."

"Let her relax a little."

I turn toward him, ignoring the chorus of voices. "I would love to. I've slept for too long. I need to exercise and get the blood flowing, you know?" All three turn toward me. I can tell that they don't want me to do anything, but I need to do something. I'm tired of sitting around. Danger won't wait. It's coming for me, whether I want it to or not, and I need to be prepared. I brush past everyone. "I'll meet you up there in five." Leaving them shocked at my departure, I walk back into my room and change.

I get up to the training room before anyone else, so I start stretching. I forgot a hair tie in my room, and don't want to go back to find one, so I hope that I will be fine without pulling my hair back today.

I feel someone walk up behind me. I turn around, and smack straight into Logan's chest. Laughing, he grabs my arms to steady me. "Watch where you're going there, shorty."

"Is there anyone in your family shorter than six feet tall? My neck is starting to hurt from looking up so often."

He thinks about it for a minute, and replies, "Nope."

I hit him on the chest, playfully, "Are you serious?" I honestly can't tell.

He pokes me in the stomach, causing me to jump back. I am extremely ticklish. His eyes widen, and he looks at me with the biggest grin I've ever seen. I know the look in his eyes.

"Oh no, you don't." I start backing up. He starts stalking toward me. I turn around and run. I make it a few steps before he jumps behind me, and starts tickling my stomach. I double over laughing, and try squirming away, but he has a strong grip on me, following me everywhere I go.

"Say it." He continues tickling. I fall to the ground, laughing.

"Never," I manage to get out through the giggles. He follows me to the ground. After my stomach starts hurting from laughing so much, I finally say, "Mercy. Mercy!"

He stops tickling me. With his body perched over mine, he smiles down at me. We stare at each other for a little bit, while I attempt to catch my breath.

"Thank you. I needed that." I haven't laughed like that in so long.

"What's going on here?" I arch my head back on the mat, and see David, Colton, Tom, and Emma strolling into the room. I know what this looks like: me lying with my back to the mat, smiling like an idiot, and breathing heavily, with Logan propped over me. I feel my face redden for what seems like the millionth time today.

Logan gets up, and reaches down to help me up.

"I found out that Ryanne is very ticklish." I stand up, and take a couple of steps away from him, covering my stomach. I look around the room and see David and Tom with amused expressions. Emma is staring at David, and Colton is glowering at Logan.

"Once Ryanne is finally able to breathe again, we can start weapons training," says Tom.

"We get to train with weapons today?" I ask, suddenly excited.

"Yeah, but first we'll just spar. Emma and Ryanne, you can spar each other. It'll be a little fairer that way. Emma knows martial arts," Tom says to me. "And Ryanne knows gymnastics and basic self-defense techniques," he tells Emma. "David, you work with me. Colton and Logan, you two spar together. Go."

Emma and I walk to the back of the training room and get into defensive stances, each of us waiting for the other to attack first. I hear grunts and hits throughout the room, telling us that the others have already started. We both turn and see everyone sparring. Logan and Colton seem especially into it. David and Tom aren't as aggressive. Turning our attention back to each other, Emma swings her arm out, aiming for my head. I deflect her blow, hitting her in the stomach with my other arm. She leans forward and grabs her stomach. Giving me a serious look that says, oh it's on, she runs at me again.

This time, jumping in the air, foot outstretched, she aims at my chest. Her foot connects, sending me backward, knocking the wind out of me. She attempts to hold me down, but I roll out of the way, placing my palms down on the mat beside my head. I arch my back, and kick my feet up, giving me enough momentum to flip over and stand, facing Emma again. I take a few steps back, distancing myself. I run toward her, before jumping straight into the air, and lunging forward. My hands connect with the mat, and I swing my feet over my head into a flip, rotating twice in the air, before successfully landing in front of her. Without missing a step, I drop to the ground and swing my leg out, knocking her down. She connects with the mat and stays for a second, before jumping back up and facing me.

There is hair-pulling, punching, and kicking. We continue sparring for a while; neither one of us gaining any leverage on the other. When I can tell both of us are getting tired, we hear a whistle. We stop what we are doing and turn in the direction of the noise, meeting four sets of eyes. Logan, David, and Colton are all staring at us with their mouths hanging open, while Tom seems really proud.

Tom says, "I think that is enough for now. Let's take a ten minute break." He walks toward Emma and me with bottles of water in his hands. We each take one, and thank him, before opening it and drinking half of it right then and there. We are both breathing heavily and sit, well more like fall, on the ground worn out.

I turn toward her. "I'm sorry if I hurt you at all during that."

She grabs her shoulder, wincing. I'd kicked her there at one point. With a smile, she adds, "Don't worry. I retaliated just as hard."

"Yeah," I laugh. "I think you pulled out a fistful of my hair."

We fall into a comfortable silence, drinking our water, and trying to catch our breath. The guys walk over and sit across from us, still staring.

Emma speaks first. "What the heck are you guys staring at?"

David looks at me first, but his eyes linger on Emma. "You guys were great. We couldn't concentrate on our own sparring, because we saw both you doing flips off the walls and stuff." He turns and looks at me again. "It was better than watching you kick Colton's butt the other day." I laugh, remembering the surprised looks on both of their faces the first time I pulled out my gymnastics training.

Colton jokingly punches his brother. "Hey, hey. She beat you too!" He hits my leg. "I can't believe that you learned some of that a couple days ago.

"It was very impressive," says Logan. I smile at him and continue drinking my water. I tip the bottle back, and frown when nothing comes out.

Colton chuckles at me. "Here, have the rest of mine." I gratefully take it from him, and drink the rest. I am still thirsty when I finish his, but I know that I shouldn't drink too much, because we still have more training to do.

I fall back onto my back, gazing up at the ceiling. I close my eyes, waiting for Tom to come back into the room, and start the weapons training.

"I think you killed Ryanne, Emma," says David.

"Not likely. I'll think twice before I call someone small again. She's feisty," she says with a laugh, and everyone follows suit.

Without opening my eyes, I point in the direction of the guys sitting across from me and warn, "Yeah, that's right. Think twice before bringing out another short joke. David. Logan."

"Okay, are you guys all prepared to start again?" David, Colton, and Logan jump up, eager to start. Emma and I remain on the ground, still tired from the earlier sparring. David reaches down to help Emma, while Colton and Logan both extend a hand for me. I glance between both of them, before taking both hands in mine, and letting them pull me up.

"I know you haven't, Ryanne, but have you ever fought with a sword before, Emma?" She shakes her head. "Ok, I want you two to sit back and just watch for now; get a feel for what is involved. We'll start your training some other time."

"Oh, thank goodness. I'm pooped."

I fall to the ground at Tom's feet. All eyes land on me. I shrug, not caring. Soon, Emma follows my example, and sits beside me.

"David, you sit out for now too. I have a feeling these guys will give us a good show," says Tom.

"Yeah, jealously vs. arrogance," David murmurs under his breath. I turn toward him, my brow furrowing in confusion, waiting for him to elaborate. He pats me on the shoulder, and shakes his head. I think about reading his mind, but decide against it.

Colton and Logan walk over to the wall, where an assortment of weaponry is located, and pick out two similar looking swords. The only difference I notice is the color of the handles. Logan's is black, while Colton's is gold.

They walk to the center of a mat and face each other, swords pointed out, crossed in an x formation.

"Begin," says Tom.

Logan reacts first, swinging his sword out toward Colton. Colton steps back, out of the sword's range. Lunging forward, he retaliates, swinging the sword in the opposite direction, but Logan deflects the blow. The sound of metal on metal resonates through the room, and I flinch each time the swords connect. I don't like watching them fight. I'm afraid one of them is going to get hurt. Instead, I watch their feet: always apart, one usually in front of the other. This sort of fighting requires fancy footwork.

Which means it's not for those of us who are clumsy.

Uh oh.

They start incorporating kicks and punches into the fight. I can tell by their expressions that this isn't just practice. I lean toward David to ask him about it.

"Are they mad at each other or something?"

"I don't know, Ryanne."

I can tell by his tone that he isn't telling me something. He can't look me in the eyes. I close my eyes and reach into my thought box, and searching for David.

I can't believe she doesn't know. She's so oblivious.

"Oblivious to what?" I ask.

"What?" Realization dawns in his eyes. "Are you reading my mind?"

"Well, you won't tell me anything!"

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C D E F G... He's screaming the alphabet at me? Who screams the alphabet at someone? I push his thoughts back, and lock them up. Spoilsport.

"Fine, fine. I can't hear you anymore. You're obnoxious, do you know that?"

I hear the sound of a whistle blow behind me. Tom steps over me, and moves between the two boys, stopping the fight and separating them.

"Ok, that's enough for now." The boys continue to glare at each other. Logan walks away first, puts his weapon up, and walks out of the room. Colton follows soon after.

David gets up, and helps Emma and me to our feet, before walking us down the stairs, toward our rooms, to change out of our workout clothing. Emma's room is right next to mine. We smile at each other before entering. I grab a pair of khaki shorts, a green sweat jacket, and walk to the bathroom. Five minutes later, we both come out in clean clothes, and go search for the guys.

I hear the sound of two people arguing, and walk into the room to find Logan and Colton still fighting. David is leaning back in a new chair, arms folded behind his head, feet crossed, and a smile plastered on his face.

"What the heck is going on between them?" I ask Emma. She turns to me to reply, but David interrupts.

"Ryanne! Emma!" He jumps out of his chair, and basically yells at us. Both of us jump back, startled, at his loud tone. Logan and Colton stop arguing and turn to us, with forced smiles.

David walks up and puts his arm across Emma's shoulders. "Would you two lovely ladies care to join us for a movie?" I swear I see her blush.

"What movie?" she looks up at him, smiling. They are close in height; Emma is a couple of inches shorter.

"What would you like to watch?"

"Something scary."

I groan. Hearing it, both David and Colton laugh. Logan walks past Colton, brushing his shoulder in the process, and goes over to grab a movie. David drags Emma to the couch, and they sit down near each other. I am the only one not sitting down, so everyone turns and looks at me. The only open seat is between Logan and Colton. I walk over reluctantly, not wanting to watch the movie, but not wanting to be a coward and do something else.

"If I have nightmares, I'm blaming you," I tell Colton.

He chuckles and puts his arms around my shoulders, pulling me toward him. I let him because I know I will need something to hide behind.

Emma has no problem watching the movie. She even laughs at some points. I, however, barely see a single minute of the movie. It is horrible. Colton's arm tightens around me every time I cringe into his shoulder. I hear the sounds of a saw, bones breaking, and a collective 'ouch' from the group around me. Then nothing. It is quiet. The movie is over. I slowly lift my head, and find everyone looking at me, smiling.

"So, Ryanne, did you enjoy the movie?" asks Logan.

"Oh, yeah. Let's watch it again!" I sarcastically reply.

We hear the sound of footsteps running down the hallway. All of us turn and look at the door, Tom runs by the room, and then a couple of seconds later, turns back.

"There is a disturbance in the woods. Get ready. We need all of your help." When no one moves, he yells, "Now." Jumping up, we all run to our rooms. Once in my room, I grab my shoes, put them on, and grab a hair tie. Throwing my hair into a ponytail, I hear my door being thrown open. Colton runs into my room, and thrusts a sword at me.

"Take this."

"I can't. I don't know how to use that. I'll probably injure myself more than anyone else." He steps toward me, and puts a hand on my cheek, brushing his thumb across my cheekbone.

"Please. Just take it," he pleads. I slowly tear my eyes away from the sword, and look up at him. His green eyes stare into mine, begging me to take the weapon. I don't know why, but I find myself moving closer to him. Hesitantly, I reach forward and grab the weapon from his hands. The cold metal feels too heavy under my grip. My arms aren't attuned to carrying something like this.

He is standing so close; my heart starts racing as I continue to look into his eyes. His hand slides from my cheek to the back of my neck, leaving a tingling trail beneath his touch. He searches my eyes, and not seeing any form of refusal, he begins to lean in. He is going to kiss me! I follow his movements, and lean toward him. My eyes start to close when I hear someone hit the door as they run into my room.

I jump back, distancing myself from Colton. He doesn't turn around to see who is at the door; his eyes remain on me the entire time. Trying to keep my blush at a minimum, I lean around him, and see David standing at the door, breathing heavily.

"We need you two outside. There are lots of people coming," he says, and then quickly leaves the room. I brush past Colton out of the door. That can wait.

Halfway down the hallway, Colton grabs my elbow, and turns me around to face him.

"Ryanne." Standing on the step above me, Colton is even taller than he usually is. I have to really arch my neck to look at him.

"We have to go help."

Walking down two more steps, so we're closer in height, he says, "You have to stay with me at all times. They are probably coming for you."

When I agree, Colton grabs my wrist, and pulls me down the stairs. We run through the kitchen, and out the back door, joining everyone else. I have only been with these people for a short time, but I already love them. They care about me, just as much as I do them. I haven't had someone care for me like this in a while.

Tom turns to us and says, "We are going to head into the woods, and draw them away from the house. Claire put an enchantment up, so they shouldn't be able to find it anyway, but just to be safe..." He stops and looks at Emma and me. "I want you girls to stay with at least one of the guys. You aren't as experienced as they are with fighting. Keep together, and try to not split up." He turns and looks at everyone again. "I don't know how many are out there. Claire is on her way home to help. Someone stay with Ryanne at all times. They are most likely coming to find her, and we can't let that happen." I feel all eyes move to me.

Tom looks toward the trees; we can hear people coming. "Are you guys ready?" No one says anything, but we know what we have to do. I want so fiercely to protect these people around me. Tom starts walking into the woods, and I am the first one to follow.

After walking for about ten minutes, I begin to wonder where they are. I can hear them all around us. Twigs are snapping in every direction, and the sound of branches and leaves brushing together and being pushed aside sounds throughout the forest.

Ahh, there they are. "To the right," I tell Tom, as I catch someone's thoughts.

One man bolts out from the trees, and runs straight toward Tom. Tom is prepared for the attack though. Their swords clash together a couple of times, before Tom is able to knock it free, sending it crashing to the ground. He hits the man on the head with the handled end of the sword, causing him to fall to the ground. Seconds after that, all hell breaks loose.

Tom, Logan, David, and Colton form a circle around Emma and I, and take on the attack by themselves. They are able to disarm and knock the first couple of men out, but, soon, they are outnumbered and surrounded. I am getting mad. I have to do something. If we have any chance of getting out of this, we have to move, and Emma and I have to fight.

We share a knowing look, for we know what has to be done. Without looking at the guys, Emma and I jump out of the circle, and run straight toward a couple of men, surprising them with our attack. The surprise only lasts a couple of seconds. Breaking out of their trance, they run toward us, weapons drawn.

I brandish my weapon out, though I'm not really sure what in the world I am doing. I just hope that I connect with something. The man trips on a tree root and falls toward me; my sword sweeps across his chest. Blood starts seeping out of the wound, as he catapults to the ground. I don't have time to dwell on the fact that I may have just killed someone before another person comes toward me.

This man is smaller than the previous one. He swipes his sword out, cutting me in the arm. Blood starts trickling out of the shallow cut. This awakes a natural instinct for survival. This is a fight or flight situation. I can't flee, so I'll fight. Fight with everything I have in me. I am able to disarm this man, and knock him out within a couple of seconds. I don't think they are prepared for me to be able to fight them back.

I look around and see Logan, Colton, David, and Tom all fighting off multiple men at once. It would have been fascinating to watch. Emma is a little farther off, fighting a single person. I feel like I was just thrown into an action movie where everything is choreographed. Only this isn't a movie. This is real, and nothing is choreographed. These people are fighting to kill. It is infuriating to see them try to hurt my friends. When people come toward me, I'm not going to be nice anymore. I'm not going to dwell on any injuries I cause...not now anyway. Hopefully, I can do that later.

Two men come at me at once. I swing my sword out, but don't connect with anyone. They jump out of the way, and stand back into an attack stance. I think back to our training sessions, when Colton said to me, Well, I don't think we really have to worry about you losing in an attack. Just do some of those flips. You'll shock anyone enough to get the upper hand.

I drop my weapon and run toward them, their eyes widen in shock. I lunge forward, and flip my body through the air twice, before landing in the middle of two men. I swing my leg out in a full circle, knocking both of them to the ground. Once they fall, another man comes toward me. I jump up and kick him in the gut with enough force to send him backwards. One of the men that I knocked down previously stands back up and stalks toward me again, slower this time, as if deliberating my next move. I have an idea.

I focus my attention, only on him, until I hear his thoughts. I know his every move before he does it. Sidestepping all this attacks, I am able to get an opening after he starts getting frustrated. I punch him in the jaw, causing his lower mandible to slide to the right. His eyes roll into the back of his head, and he falls to the ground. I repeat this same move to the other two men who come after me.

With the three men down, I turn around to grab my weapon off the ground. However, I stop short when I take in the sight in front of me. I am surrounded by dozens of people, all looking at me with menacing glares. Their weapons are drawn, and they look ready to kill. I start backing up until I can move no more. Pressing myself up against a tree, I look around, hoping to find something or someone to help me as the men start swarming toward me.

There are too many of them for me to try and fight off on my own. A feeling of panic sinks in, and then I hear a voice. "Ryanne! Run!" yells someone from my right. I turn to see who is talking to me, and see Colton run past me, sword out. Running into the group, he hits many men in the process. I can't move. I can't take my eyes away from him.

Caught up in the moment, I don't see the man that gets past him, until he grabs me around the waist and starts dragging me into the forest, covering my mouth. He is wearing gloves, so I can't try and bite him. I try screaming, but no sound comes out. I kick and thrash in his arms, but my struggling is futile. The man is much larger and stronger than me, so he's able to carry me farther into the forest. This is the nightmare I had before, and there is nothing I can do.

After being dragged for a couple of minutes, I start kicking his shins, and trying to squirm out of his hold again. I have to do something.

"Stupid girl," he yells at me, trying to stop my struggling. I feel something stab into my arm. The world around me starts to spin. My limbs refuse to listen to my demands, and my whole body goes limp. Throwing me over his shoulder, he carries me father into the forest, surrounding me with darkness.

WHEN I WAKE UP, I am sprawled on the floor and shivering. Disoriented, I slowly sit up, my body protesting with each movement. The left half of my body is throbbing and feels bruised. I was probably dropped on this ground. I look around, and all I see is concrete. Concrete floor, concrete walls, concrete bench on the far side of the cell. There is a small door on the opposite side of the room with metal bars connecting from floor to ceiling. I'm trapped. I can see men walking outside of the room, but no one looks at me.

My toes are going numb. I look down, and notice that I am barefoot. They took my shoes? My hair is also no longer in its ponytail anymore. They have taken everything that I can use as a potential weapon...or at least a distraction. I stand up and walk around the room, starting to pace. I don't know where I am or how long I have been here. I hope that nothing happened to David or Colton, or anyone else for that matter. I reach back into the thought box, as I like to call it, and turn the lock. I open my mind to unleash the thoughts to try and hear what everyone is thinking, but I can't hear anything. Only static.

Shoot.

I pace around the room for hours, scraping my bare feet against the concrete, until I finally hear the sound of a lock turning, and the door opening. Two men walk into the cell. One of them stays by the door, and the other walks toward me. I back up as far as I can go. He continues to come at me until he is standing inches from my face. I morph my face into a neutral expression, but inside I am terrified.

"This can go one of two ways. You can listen to everything we say, and tell us what we need to know, or we can get more creative when it comes to getting the information out of you. It's your choice." I spit in his face. I'm not going to go down without a fight.

His hand comes up, and smacks me across the face. I fly into the wall beside me, and gasp as the pain spreads across my cheek.

"Who were you staying with?"

"No one." He hits me again. I feel blood start to trickle out of my nose as the right side my face numbs.

"Don't lie to me!" he yells, and fists the front of my shirt in his hands. Shaking me, he continues, "Tell me the truth. I want the names of the people you were staying with." When I don't reply, he pushes me back against the concrete wall. My head slams into it, and my vision blurs. My body crumbles to the ground, and I can't think straight. I am in a hazy stupor of confusion that I can't get out of.

I hear footsteps receding, and the man mumbles, "We'll come back later with Dravin. She'll be more likely to talk then." A door opens, and is bolted shut again. I try to move, but a blinding pain shoots through my head.

I black out.

I FEEL SOMEONE NUDGING ME. "Wake up." My body is shaking. I can't get myself to open my eyes. My ears are ringing, and my face is throbbing. I feel someone grab the front of my shirt again and lift me up, my feet dangling off the ground.

"I said wake up!" He starts shaking my body. My head lolls back. I feel like it weighs a ton. He slaps me on my other cheek this time, causing another fit of pain to spread across my face. I open my eyes and glare at him. I can see two other men in the room. There's a man standing in the middle of the room, and another at the door. Is all this protection from me?

The man standing in the middle of the room, watching me is incredibly handsome: tall and lean, standing around David's height with Colton's physique. His skin is tanned, and his hair is slicked back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. Piercing brown eyes stare into mine.

"Thomas, put her down."

I fall to the ground with a thump; my knees tuck under me, and my arms take most of the fall. Pain shoots up them. I try to recover quickly, not giving them the satisfaction of seeing me in too much pain.

"Now, Ryanne. I need some information, and you're going to give it to me. You've been here for almost two days without food or water. If you cooperate, I'll think about giving you some. If you don't...well, you don't really want to know what happens then," he says. I can't see him, but based on his tone of voice, he is smiling.

"Now," he says calmly. "Where were you staying at? We already checked your home, and you haven't been there for a while. We looked around the area where you were captured, and there was nothing there. Where were you?" They didn't find the house? That means Claire's enchantment worked. I am finally able to sit up, but I refuse to talk. "Nothing? Fine."

He stands up, and walks to the center of the room. His eyes never leave mine, but they narrow and his face furrows in concentration. I'm about to ask what he is doing, but my head starts aching. The dull pain intensifies, causing me to cry out. It worsens to the point where I can't think straight. It's unbearable. I scream in agony, but the pain doesn't lessen. I fall back to the ground, on my stomach, curl my knees up under me, and prop myself on my elbows, grabbing my head. Panting, I try to breathe normally, but can't. I'm unable to concentrate on anything but the pain. Suddenly, images start forming in my mind.

"What's wrong honey?" she asks me, taking her eyes away from the road for a second.

I bite my lip and continue staring out the passenger window. If I share what just happened with anyone, they'd never believe me. It'd be his word against mine.

With a sigh, I turn and look at her. "Nothing happened, Mom. I'm fine." All I want to do is curl up in a ball in my bedroom and cry myself to sleep.

"You're not fine. You wouldn't have called me to pick you up if everything was fine." She turns back to me, trying to figure out what is causing me to act this way. She'll never know. I can't tell her. She'd overreact.

Messing with the seatbelt, I reach out and grab her free hand. She worries too much. I'll be fine. I just need to stop thinking about it and busy my mind.

"Mom, why are you..." Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of silver. I face forward and look out of the windshield. A large truck is driving on the wrong side of the road, heading directly for us. At its current trajectory, the truck will collide with us head on, the majority of the impact on the passenger side. My side.

"Look out!" I yell at the same time as she turns and looks at me, tears in her eyes.

"I love you, Ryanne." Throwing her hand on the horn, she jerks the car to the left.

I love you too, I think as we collide with the truck. My body is thrown forward, just as the airbag deploys, sending me back against the seat. My seatback rubs the skin across my neck and chest raw.

The sound of crushing metal fills my ears as glass starts shattering around me. The outside world blurs as the car starts flipping through the air. Glass fragments scrape across my skin with each movement. Warm blood starts oozing out of the cuts. The car slows as the back connects with the base of a large tree.

I'm hanging upside down when the car finally stops moving. I try to move, but pain shoots through my side. A large piece of glass is embedded under my ribs. In the distance, I can hear sirens headed in our direction. I turn toward the driver's seat to see if my mom is okay, but the seat is empty.

Black spots are starting to cloud my vision as the ringing in my ears worsens. I reach out and lightly touch the area. Drawing back, I see my hand covered in blood. I reach down and unbuckle my seatbelt. As I fall, I succumb to the darkness.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Mom?" I grumble as I try to open my eyes.

"Sweetie, can you hear me?"

I open my eyes and instantly shut them. The room is too bright. Fluorescent lights overhead reflect off the white linoleum tiles on the floor, instantly giving me a headache.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Where's my mom?" I ask, as I slowly open my eyes again. One look at her expression tells me all I need to know. I start shaking my head as the tears begin falling from my eyes.

"No, no, no," I repeat over and over again. Maybe if I keep saying it, she'll come back to me. As the nurse starts walking toward me, I begin screaming. I want my mom. I don't want a nurse. I. Want. My. Mom.

"I'm so sorry, honey," she whispers as more nurses come into the room. I struggle against their restraints, trying to get away from them. I know they just want to help, but there's nothing they can do. That truck was supposed to hit me. Not her.

Me.

I was the one that was supposed to die. I watch as a nurse walks over to the side of my bed, and pushes the button to inject me with morphine. I continue struggling against her until I start to feel the effects of the drug.

That is the most painful moment of my life. My body is numb; the physical pain no longer there. The emotional turmoil is worse. Leaving me with my thoughts and memories, I realize that I'd rather feel the physical pain. That moment was the moment that I realized that I had no one left in the world. The only person that truly loved me was gone, ripped from my life, and never coming back.

I was alone.

The images go away, but the headache doesn't. I turn my head, and see all the men still standing over me. I close my eyes because the lights in the room are too bright. I prop myself up, and empty the little contents of my stomach.

"So, are you ready to tell us now?" I'm not sure which one spoke to me, but I don't care. They're all crazy.

"No," I grunt. My voice cracks at the end as I try to speak.

"Stubborn, insolent little girl!" Someone kicks me in the stomach, sending me backwards, and when my body hits the wall again, the air is knocked out of my lungs. Based on the intense pain, I think he broke a couple of ribs. I roll onto my back, trying to catch my breath again.

"We'll be back." I hear their footsteps leave the room, and the door is bolted shut again. Warm tears start falling down my face as I let the grimness of my situation sink in. I may never get out of here. I wish that I would pass out again. At least, I can't feel the pain that way, but my body will have nothing to do with it. I lay on the concrete floor for hours, before my body finally gives in, and I fall asleep.

I WAKE UP AND FIND myself still lying on the concrete floor in the cell. I try to sit up, but am too weak. I haven't had anything to eat for days now. I'd wake up, and find small bottles of water in my cell. They give me enough to keep me alive, but nothing more. I don't even react when I hear the sound of the door opening for the third time.

The handsome man, who I assume is the infamous Dravin, sits on the ground beside me. "My patience with you is running out." He reaches out and touches my swollen cheek. I flinch away from his touch, but he forcibly grabs my chin, and jerks my head closer to him. Aggressively opening my mouth, he pours a vial of clear liquid down my throat, placing his hand over my mouth, coercing me to swallow.

"What I just gave you was a truth serum. Now, I'm going to ask you again. Who were you staying with?"

I turn toward him and give him the most menacing look I can muster. "Why do you want to know?"

"Why do you think I want to know?" I know what he will do if he ever finds out about them. He will use them against me in an attempt to make me do whatever the heck he wants to me to do. "Now, tell me where they are! Where are the mages that are helping you?" he yells.

The serum is starting to go into effect. I can feel the liquid moving throughout my body, the majority of it coating my vocal chords. My mouth is urging me to reveal everything, but my mind is screaming at me to remain silent. He asks the question many more times. Each time I don't reply, he beats me, kicking me in the stomach, legs, and arms, while punching and slapping my face. My left eye is almost swollen shut. I can barely see him anymore.

Each hit pushes my body one step closer to telling everything. But I keep picturing Claire laughing, Colton and David smiling, and Tom giving me a hug. I can't do anything that would put them in harm's way. Thinking about them makes me stronger.

Dravin is getting frustrated. He hits the ground beside my head. I jerk my body away from him out of fright. My whole body aches from the torture, but I don't want him to know how much pain I am in. I'm not going to give him that satisfaction.

"Thomas, go get the new recruit." Thomas walks out of the room, and down the hall. Dravin slaps me across the face one last time, splitting my lip. I can feel the blood drip down my chin and neck. He growls and gets up, walking out of the door. I close my eyes and wait for this new recruit to arrive. There isn't anything that he can do that could be worse than what I've already endured.

Shortly after they leave, I hear the door open, but I refuse to open my eyes. From the ground, I can hear the sound of footsteps stopping right beside me, and the sound of clothes rustling together, as someone sits next to me.

"Interesting predicament you're in here." I tense. I recognize the voice—the voice that had haunted my dreams, the one that had terrorized me through high school.

I open my eyes, and stare angrily at Adam. Using all of the strength I have left, I try to scoot back, but can barely move. He looks at me, and smiles wickedly. I struggle harder to get away from him. He crawls closer to me, and punches me in the stomach, knocking me on my side. Rolling me onto my back, he straddles me, inhibiting movement.

"Why don't we finish what we started last summer, eh?" I struggle harder, but freeze when I see the dagger in his hand. He reaches down, unzips my sweatshirt, and pushes one side off of my shoulder. I gasp as he presses the dagger to the side of my neck, applying slight pressure, and dragging it down to the edge of my shoulder. Blood oozes out of the wound, and drips down my back. He pins my hands above my head with one hand and bends down, trailing kisses down the cut.

Reaching the end of the cut, he moves away from my neck, and looks at me. His face is covered in blood. My blood. I want to throw up. It is repulsive. I feel tears start running down my face again, and I start screaming, trying to get out from under him.

"Now, now. Calm down, Ryanne." When my struggling increases, he says, "Fine. I didn't want to have to do this. I'd rather see your reaction, but either way will be fine with me." He brings his hands up and grabs me around the neck, cutting off my oxygen supply. I try scratching his arms to get him to loosen his grip, but it causes him to squeeze harder. I continue grasping at his arms until I feel mine go limp. My eyes roll into the back of my head.

I can still hear everything around me, and feel the pain running through my body, but can't move or see. Adam's laughter echoes around me. I hear the sound of the cell door being thrown open, and Adam's body weight is thrown off of me. Grunts, and the sound of punches being thrown, echo through the room. Then, it gets quiet.

I am quickly losing consciousness. Strong arms reach under me and lift me up.

"I've got her! Bragden, clear the exit."

I FEEL SOMEONE'S ARMS AROUND me, cradling my limp body against his chest. He is jogging, trying not to jostle my body too much. In the distance, I hear the sound of running water. The closer we get to the stream, the more I come back into awareness. I can feel all the injuries on my body. Every movement sends another wave of pain through me.

Coming to a stop, near what I assume is a small creek, I feel myself being lowered to the ground. I hear what sounds like fabric being ripped, and then something cold and wet is placed on my face. I gasp at the sudden coldness and jerk away. Opening my eyes, I try to reach out and hit whoever is near me, wanting to get as far away from everyone as I can. I roll over, ignoring the pain that shoots through my stomach and arms, and attempt to crawl away. It is a pitiful attempt, but an attempt nonetheless. Arms come around my waist, and roll me over.

"Ryanne, Ryanne! Calm down. I'm trying to help you." I try batting the person away. Steady arms pin my arms above my head. I turn to see who is holding me down, and gasp in surprise—a pair of mysterious gray eyes stare down at me.

"Liam?" I croak. I can feel more tears getting ready to spill out of the corners of my eyes. Tears of happiness.

"Yes, now please stop fighting me. I want to wash some of the blood off your face."

He walks back over to the stream, and pushes the cloth back under the water, rewetting it. He crouches down beside me, and starts wiping the blood from under my nose and mouth, cleaning off my chin and neck as well. His face gets angrier and angrier, as he looks me over and finds more injuries.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get to you earlier," he whispers.

"You found me though, and at a perfect time." I shudder at the memory; he clenches his fists and grinds he his teeth together.

"If I ever see him again...I'm going to..."

"Hey, jump in line, buddy."

He caresses my forehead, brushing some hair that has fallen into my eyes away from my face. "Are you able to walk?"

"No, I'm too weak. I used all my energy to try and get away from you earlier." He reaches down and lifts me up again. I snuggle into his chest, my eyelids feeling heavy.

"I'm going to pick up the pace. It'll take all day to get back. I'm sorry if this hurts." He starts running. It did hurt. My head keeps swinging to the side, increasing the intensity of my headache. The movement causes the cut on my neck to rip open, and start bleeding again. I don't say anything to Liam though. The sooner we get back, the better. I can endure the pain until then.

I must have fallen asleep, or passed out, because the next thing I know people are screaming my name, and their thoughts are just as loud.

"Oh my gosh, Ryanne!" She's back!

"What did they do to her?" She looks horrible. I can't believe anyone would do that to someone.

"Someone go get Logan!" I'm going to kill whoever did that. I should have stayed beside her.

"Everyone, move! Clear off the couch." Dravin. She was gone longer than me. I can't imagine what they did to her. She looks so much worse than I did.

I groan and slowly open my eyes, surveying the room around me. My left eye is still swollen shut, so I can't see too much. I am back at Claire's. Everyone is in the room, except Tom and Logan. Liam is walking over to the couch in the living room, where Claire told him to put me, and gently lays me down.

Once I am out of his arms, Colton jerks him away from me and slams him into the wall. "Who are you?" he yells—his face turning red, the veins in his neck bulging.

Claire turns toward him. "He just saved Ryanne, returned her to us, and you're going to berate him?"

Liam just stares at him, shocked that he is being questioned.

Colton, using more force than necessary, pushes him back into the wall again. "Name!"

"Liam. I'm Liam."

"Liam? Like the Liam?" I can tell that Colton doesn't believe him. Without loosening his grip, he asks, "What does Ryanne have of yours?"

"My pendant necklace. The flamed pendant necklace."

I whisper, though barely audible. "Colton, leave him alone. He saved...me." Because my throat is so dry, talking scratches it, making me cough uncontrollably. The movement of my stomach hurts my ribs, causing me to cry out in pain.

"Where is Logan?" I hear David ask frantically.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Logan and Tom run into the room. "Where is she?" Everyone who is standing around the couch moves out of the way. "Oh," he says when he finally sees me. My coughing fit has finally subsided. He walks quickly over to the couch. "Hey, sweetheart." He is trying to lighten the mood in the room, since everyone is so tense.

I try to smile back at him, but it feels more like a grimace. He reaches his hands out over my torso and closes his eyes, concentrating. I look toward Colton, who is standing behind the couch looking at me. I can't form any words, but he understands what I am asking.

"He's seeing everything that they did to you. He needs to know where the worst injuries are." I close my eyes and start shaking my head, trying to move away. I don't want anyone to see what I went through. I don't want them to know.

"Someone, go get a bottle of water. She has a concussion, three broken ribs, many bumps, cuts, and bruises; she's malnourished and dehydrated. Oh..." He shakes his head, mumblings obscenities to himself. His hands start glowing, and he places them over my ribs. I feel the bones pop back into place. I arch my back, and gasp in surprise. It hurts momentarily, but then the pain subsides. He moves his hands and places them around my face. The headache I had fades away, and I am finally able to think straight. I feel the swelling on my face go down, and the cut on my lip heal.

After a couple minutes, the only thing left that needs healed is the long cut that runs down my neck to my shoulder from Adam. I am still laying flat on my back on the couch, but now I'm able to move. Logan moves so that he is closer to my head. He reaches out and slowly moves my jacket off my shoulder.

Colton exhales sharply when he sees the cut. "Who did that?"

Logan and Liam speak at the same time. "Adam."

"What?" yells David. I really should have hit him harder.

"Adam was there?" asks Colton.

"Yes, I'll explain everything later, after she's healed and rested," says Logan. I feel my skin pulling itself together, stitching closed. He moves his hands away, grabs the bottle of water that Emma had gotten, and hands it to me.

He reaches behind me and helps me sit up. "Take small sips." I nod, slowly sipping the water and savoring every drop. She looks exhausted. She's lost so much weight.

Everyone is staring at me, waiting for my reaction to everything. David is in the back of the room pacing. Colton and Liam are standing against the back wall with menacing expressions. Claire and Emma look upset; their eyes are on the verge of tears. I can feel my headache starting to return. I close my eyes and put all my remaining energy into locking their thoughts away. Turning the mental lock, I open my eyes again. Logan looks very tired; there are dark shadows under his beautiful blue eyes. It must have taken a lot of energy to heal me.

"Logan, I..."

"Ryanne, don't. You may be the one that can read minds, but I know what you are thinking. I would give up my powers to lessen any bit of the pain you just experienced."

Tears glisten in my eyes. Again. "Thank you so much. I don't know how...." I choke up, and can't finish my sentence. I stand up, a little unsteady on my feet. Logan reaches out, and engulfs me in his arms. The tears start flowing out of my eyes, and I can't stop them. All of the pain I had endured comes rushing out as I sob into his shoulder.

He holds onto me until the sound of my sobbing dwindles. He rubs my back and slowly leans away, silently asking me if I am going to be okay. I nod up at him and step out of his embrace. He places his hands on either side of my face, wiping my tears away with his thumbs, before leaning down and kissing my forehead.

I turn around and look for Liam. Spotting him leaning against the wall, I slowly walk toward him. I stop in front of him.

Trying to joke about the situation, I say, "Well, I didn't get shot this time."

He reaches out and grabs me, crushing me to him. "When I saw him...on you...choking you," his voice cracks. "I thought I was too late." I wrap my arms around his waist, and lean into him.

"You weren't, Liam. You weren't."

"If I was a couple minutes later...he would have..."

I lean back and look at him. "You can't think about that. I'm fine. You saved me."

I yawn, and look for Colton next. He finds me first. "Hey, Ry."

Walking out of Liam's arms, I walk toward him. I start babbling, "I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you. I just saw so many people coming toward you, David, Logan, and Tom, and I didn't want anything to happen to you guys. I love all you guys. You're my family now. I just panicked. I didn't..."

He covers my mouth. "You don't need to apologize, Ryanne." Taking his hand down, he says with a small smile, "Come on, you need to go rest. I'll carry you upstairs." I let him pick me up. I know that I won't be able to walk up there on my own. "I'm taking Ryanne to her room. I'll be back in a little bit."

I snuggle into his chest, dozing off before he even reaches the stairs. I am jarred awake when he puts me in my bed.

"Wait, I have to change. I'm covered in dirt, sweat, and blood," I say groggily, sitting up on the bed.

"Wait here. I'll grab you something." My eyes start to shut while I am sitting up. My head falls forward, jolting me awake again. I rub my eyes, trying to remain alert for a little longer. Colton is on the other side of the room, searching for clean clothes for me. I should be embarrassed that he's going through my drawers, but I'm not. I feel disgusting and am in desperate need of a shower, but that will have to wait. He shuts the dresser drawers, and walks back to me, placing a t-shirt and pair of athletic shorts on the bed beside me.

He starts to turn around to leave, but I reach out and grab his arm, "Wait, please don't leave me." So many fears I have bubble to the surface, and I start to panic. I'm afraid to be alone. I'm afraid that someone is going to come and take me again. I'm afraid that when I close my eyes, I won't see any of these people again. I'm afraid that I am dreaming, and that I'm still in the concrete cell.

I'm afraid.

"Just turn around while I change." He listens to me, and turns around, patiently waiting. I discard my dirty clothing on the floor, and put on the clean ones. The clean soft fabric feels like heaven against my dirty rough skin.

I reach out and tap him on the shoulder, telling him it is safe to turn around. "Will you lay with me until I fall asleep? I don't want to be alone."

He watches me for a few moments, before crawling over to the other side of bed. He pulls me against him with one arm, and grabs the covers with his other hand. I press myself against his side, resting my head on his shoulder, finally feeling warmth for the first time in a couple of days.

"Go to sleep, Ry."

And I do just that.

I ROLL OVER, STILL HALF-ASLEEP, but hear voices outside my door; I try to get as far away from them as I can. The image of Adam coming toward me keeps running through my head. My heart starts beating rapidly, like it wants to escape, and my breathing increases. I don't want him anywhere near me. I start thrashing and squirming. Only when I fall to the ground with a thud, twisted amongst the blankets and covers, do I fully wake up.

My bedroom door slams open, and two sets of hands reach down to untangle me and help me up. Standing up, Liam and Colton both look at me with a worried countenance. I sway as the room starts spinning around me. Colors stream together, making it impossible to focus on my surroundings. I realize for the first time how long it has been since I've eaten anything. Colton reaches out, and grabs me before I fall. As if reading my mind, he asks, "Ryanne, what was the last thing you ate?"

"Umm...Claire's pancakes."

He turns me around so I am facing him. "Claire's pancakes? The ones she made a week ago?"

I was gone for a week? I'm not sure if I am surprised because how long I was gone or because it feels like it was longer than that. "I guess."

He hands me over to Liam, like I am nothing more than a ragdoll and says, "Help her. I'm going find her something to eat." I watch his back as he leaves the room.

"I'm in desperate need of a shower. I'm sure I reek," I tell Liam. He walks me over to the bathroom, grabs a towel, sets it on the counter, and turns the water on for me. He turns back to me, a lost look in his eyes.

I giggle at him. "Just knock on the door every now and then to check to make sure I haven't passed out or anything." Relieved, he nods, and gently closes the bathroom door behind him.

I undress and step into the shower, sitting directly under the showerhead. I don't trust myself to stand up. The last thing I need is to slip and fall. The water warmed to perfection feels amazing against my skin. All the negativity starts to slip away the longer that I'm in here, and peacefulness overcomes me. I'm completely alone, but tranquil. I close my eyes and angle my head up, enjoying the feeling of the water cascading down me. I lather shampoo through my hair, smiling as the sweet-pea aroma wafts through the bathroom.

I hear a knock on the bathroom door, reminding me that I am not actually alone anymore. People who care about me and are worried surround me. I reach over and turn the water off, slightly depressed that I have to get out. I know the second that I leave this room, I will be pushed into a corner with pity, sympathy, and unwanted attention.

I grab the towel and wrap it around me. Wiping some of the steam off the mirror, I gasp as I see my reflection for the first time. My skin is paler than usual, and that's a lot, considering I'm always paler than everyone else anyway. I knew that I had lost some weight, but I didn't know it would be so noticeable. I brush my hands through my damp hair, trying to make it manageable. I know this is a lost cause, because my hair will curl no matter what I do to it. It has a mind of its own.

I peek my head out my door, and see Liam sitting on my bed, waiting.

"I need to get dressed. I forgot to grab any clothes."

When he leaves the room, I run over to the dresser. Do I want to wear sweats, or do I want to look nice? Decisions. Decisions. Deciding to try and look nice, I grab a pair of white shorts, and a black top. I frown when I put the shirt on. It had once been tight, but now it hangs loose across my stomach.

I walk back to the door and open it, signaling for the two guys standing outside that they can come in. Colton is carrying a small tray of food: crackers, small pieces of fruit, and a cold bottle of water adorn the tray. Condensation is dripping down the sides. I stare at it, feeling my mouth water in the process.

Colton pats the area beside him on the bed. My eyes stare at the tray greedily. Liam laughs at me, and grabs my hand, dragging me along behind me. He puts his hands around my waist, and lifts me onto the bed. Sitting Indian style, I stare down at the food that Colton has placed in front of me. I'm hungry—my stomach is growling loudly in anticipation, but I can't get myself to actually eat anything.

Colton says, "Ryanne, eat something. You need it. I can tell you've lost weight."

I grab an apple slice and slowly nibble on it, trying to avoid their piercing gazes. "Please stop staring. I'm fine."

"Logan told us what happened."

I grab one of the crackers and bite in it, trying to keep my expression neutral. "Everything?" They both nod at me. "Oh." They continue staring at me, as if expecting me to break at any second. "I don't like feeling weak," I admit.

Liam pats my arm. "Ryanne, you are anything but weak. You were tortured and refused to give any information away. That's not weak."

"I don't think any one of us would have been as strong as you were," says Colton.

I look between Colton and Liam. "So, what's going on between you two?" I turn to Colton. "Yesterday, you attacked him when he brought me here, and today you guys are talking like you're friends."

"We realized that we have a common goal." I wait for either of them to explain, but neither one does. Boys.

"I can't eat any more. My stomach is starting to hurt." I only ate half of the tray of food, but my stomach feels like I have eaten nothing but junk food for a week straight.

"At least you ate something," says Colton, picking up the tray. "I'll go take this back downstairs. I'll be back in a minute."

When Colton leaves the room, Liam turns to me. "How are you holding up? What happened this morning? Colton and I heard you cry out."

I look out the window and notice the rain, steady and heavily falling. I slowly draw my gaze toward him. "I dreamt about him last night. Adam. I was fine with just being slapped around by Dravin and that stupid Thomas guy," I say. "But Adam made it personal. He wasn't looking for information. He wanted to actually cause me permanent damage." Liam's body tenses, his hands clenching. He stares off into space, seemingly lost in his thoughts for a moment.

Without looking at me, he says, "I'll do what I can to make sure you don't have any more nightmares about him. I can help."

"How did you find me anyway?"

"Emma. She was having a nightmare, and I was sent to help her fight it. She was dreaming about what could be happening to you. I knew right then that that wasn't a nightmare, but her actual fears being visualized. I was able to tell from what she was thinking where you might be. She helped save your life, Ryanne."

I open my mouth to reply when I hear a knock at the door. Turning around, I see Emma standing there, with the same worried expression I've seen on everyone else's faces.

"Sorry for interrupting. I just wanted to see how Ryanne was doing."

Liam reaches out and pats my leg, silently telling me that he is going to leave. "You didn't interrupt anything. I was just leaving. You two girls talk."

Emma walks past Liam, and takes his place on my bed. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Really, you don't have to worry about me. I'll be back to full strength in a couple days' time." I smile, hoping that she will stop reminding me about the situation. I just want to forget what happened, and move on. "Can we please not talk about it anymore?"

"Of course. I understand."

"I'm sorry. I just don't want people to worry about me for too long. I'm alive, and I'll get better. I want, no need, to move on. I don't want to dwell on what could have happened. It's in the past and I can't change it, but I can change the future, and that is what I want to focus on. You know?"

"Yeah, you don't have to explain yourself to me." I can tell that she doesn't understand fully, but knows enough not to question me further. She remains silent for a minute, before turning back to me grinning mischievously.

"So...that's another cute guy you've got pining for you."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Psh, Liam. You should have seen them. All the guys were pacing outside of your door last night, making sure you were all right and everything. They were freaking out. It was kind of adorable. They care so much about you."

Shaking my head, I reply, "Liam's not 'pining' for me. I'm not even really sure if I know what that means. I've talked with him a couple times during dreams, or dream-ish things, but nothing is going on. Anyway, what about you and David?

Her eyes widen. So, I am on to something. "David...is...well he...I-I'm not the one he's interested in."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because he can't keep his eyes off of you."

"Emma, I'm the one who can read minds here. Granted, I don't do it often, but I know for a fact that he isn't interested in me like that. David is like an older brother to me, and he's never treated me as anything but. He likes you."

Getting up off of the bed, Emma starts walking toward the door. Motioning to me, she says, "Come on, Ryanne."

"Where are we going?"

"To the entertainment room, to watch a movie with our friends. What else would we do in a time of war?" Laughing, she walks out of the room. I start to follow her; a movie sounds nice at this moment. "Oh, and you can't tell David that I like him."

"I won't tell him."

"Thanks. Oh, and I won't tell Colton that you like him." How does she know about that? My mouth falls open, my eyes widen, and I feel my face redden. When I finally come back into my senses, she is already walking into the room.

Running after her, I say loudly, "What the heck are you talking about?" How did she know about that? I was pretty sure I wasn't that obvious.

Everyone in the room turns around and looks at me as I enter the room. Emma turns around and winks at me before sitting next to David.

"What are you two girls talking about?"

"Umm..." I rack my brain for anything to say, but draw a blank.

"We were talking about which actor was hotter, Chris Evans as Captain America or Chris Hemsworth as Thor. She doesn't agree with me when I say that Evans is hotter," she covers smoothly.

I quietly thank her and scoff, "I can't believe you think that. Thor is way better. Hemsworth is a fine specimen of a man."

"Ha, and Evans isn't?"

"Girls, girls. There's no need to fight over this. You are in the presence of someone better anyway," David says. "Me."

Emma and I share a glance before cracking up. It feels good to laugh. I've missed these guys.

I walk over to the chair that Tom usually sits in, aware of everyone watching me. "I'm fine, guys." No one moves. "Really, I'm okay. What movie are we going to watch?"

"Well, since you are so interested in Thor, how about that?"

Everyone is waiting for my response. I know that they just want to make sure that I am doing fine. I don't want them to feel obligated to do something that they wouldn't have done before. "I know what you are doing. You don't have to do all of this stuff for me. I'm fine. I mean it. Watch whatever movie you guys want to."

David looks around at everyone else. "So, Thor it is?" They all nod. With a dramatic sigh, I snuggle into the chair, and get comfortable, while Colton gets up and puts the movie in.

An hour into the movie, my neck starts to get stiff. Sitting up, I look around and notice how engrossed everyone is in the film. Eyes wide at the screen, they look as if they have never seen this film before. I thought everyone had seen this.

"Liam, can I speak with you for a moment?" I don't wait for a response. I get out the chair and walk into the hallway, hoping that he will follow. A couple seconds later, he appears.

"What's going on?"

"What happened to Bragden, and who is he? I remember you saying his name in Dravin's compound, but I never saw him."

"Bragden is my older brother. He stayed to make sure that we got out okay. I've contacted him and he got away. Nothing happened to him, don't worry."

"You have a brother? Why did he stay behind? He could have come with us."

"He had to make sure that no one followed us for a little while. He was giving us enough time to get away. We didn't want you to get captured again. It would have been worse the second time."

Goosebumps cover my arms thinking about it. "Where is he now?"

"Back home in Rockwood."

"So he's okay? Nothing happened to him?"

"Ryanne," Liam grabs my shoulders, and forces me to look at him. "Nothing happened to Bragden. He's back home. He escaped without any harm." He is safe. Nothing happened to him because of me.

Liam starts to walk back into the room. "Wait," I grab his wrist, and pull him back toward me. "Do you want to go back? I mean I don't want you to, but I don't want you to feel forced to stay here if you don't want to. You have a family and they probably want you back with them...I just..."

"Ryanne, you're rambling again." I stop talking and look up at him. "I don't want to go back. I know what the dreams are trying to tell me now. I'm meant to be here, protecting you." He grabs my wrist, and starts pulling me back into the room.

"Actually, I think that I'm going to go talk to Claire and Tom really quick. I'll be back in a minute." Liam looks at me for a few moments before nodding and letting go of my arm. Turning around, I walk downstairs to find them. I don't know what I want to say to them, but I don't want to go back into the entertainment room for some reason. Something is dragging me down the stairs.

When I enter the kitchen, I find Tom sitting at the table reading the newspaper, and Claire dicing some fruit.

"Can I help you?" I ask. Claire smiles at me, and hands me a cutting board and small strips of pineapple to dice. I chop them in silence for a little bit. It's refreshing. No one is watching to see if I am going to break down at any second or suddenly pass out. No one is expecting me to act a certain way or do a certain thing at that moment.

"Can I ask you something, Claire?"

"Sure, dear, what is it?"

"I've been thinking about this since I've been back here. While I was in that compound, I tried to open my mind and listen to what everyone was thinking, but I couldn't. I kept trying, but nothing worked. There wasn't a single thought. Is it possible for others to block their thoughts from me? I don't know about the weather, since I couldn't see out any windows, but I don't think that power worked either."

"They can't block their thoughts from you specifically, but there is magic that can block you from reading their minds. It's very complicated though. They have to have a very powerful mage, but if you were perfectly healthy, you probably would have been able to overcome the blocks. That's probably why they didn't feed you anything. They didn't want you to regain your strength.

"As for the weather, I think it was the same thing. Magic. We thought that we would be able to find you based on the weather, but nothing happened out of the ordinary. We searched for three days before I got a feeling that we should stop looking. The boys," Claire smiles and looks at me. "They didn't like that. They argued with me for a whole day before they listened. They would have continued searching forever, probably, if I didn't stop them. My intuition told me that you were going to be brought back to us soon."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. Do you think that there is any way to train me to use my powers more? I don't really know what I am capable of yet." If she doesn't agree, I know that I will just practice on my own. However, Claire's presence will make it easier. She knows more about this magical stuff than I do. I want to be able to protect those around me with my magic if I have to.

"Of course, I would love to."

"Thank you, Claire."

"There's no need to thank me, darling. I want to help." Smiling, I go back to chopping up the pineapple. I wonder if Claire knows that pineapple is my favorite fruit. She probably does. I can't help but eat a couple of the pieces before putting them into the larger fruit bowl. Hearing the sound of a chair scraping back, I turn around, and see Tom standing up.

"I can't listen to this anymore. Claire and her classical music." He flips through the radio stations until finding a song he likes: "Out of my Head" by Theory of Deadman. I smile gratefully toward him, and start bobbing to the music. Once the chorus comes along, I can't contain it anymore. I put the knife down gently on the cutting board, and turn to face Tom. Jumping in front of him, I start singing and dancing enthusiastically. He laughs at me for a couple of seconds, before standing up and dancing with me. He twirls me around the room a couple of times, and dips me on the instrumental bridges. The dancing doesn't go along with the song, but I don't care. I'm having fun.

The song stops, and I jump up to give Tom a giant hug. "Thank you for the dance." Hearing the sound of clapping behind me, I tense. Turning slowly, I see everyone standing in the doorway smiling widely at me. Even Claire has stopped what she was doing and is watching. Blushing, I ask, "How long have you guys been there?"

David laughs. "Long enough."

"Oh gosh." I cover my face. No one was supposed to see that.

"How come you never told us you could dance?" asks Emma. "I love dancing!"

"Don't be embarrassed, Ryanne. It's nice to see you smiling, and having a good time again," Logan says. "You've got some moves, old man," he tells Tom.

Ignoring the rest of their conversation, I go back over to the chopping board, and finish cutting up the pineapple that Claire had originally given me. I can feel everyone's eyes on me the entire time.

"So, Claire, do you want to start now?"

TWENTY MINUTES LATER, EVERYONE IS outside in the back yard. Claire has put another enchantment up to make sure no one can find us here. Logan, David, Colton, Liam, and Emma are all sitting on a fallen tree to the side, and Tom and Claire are standing in front of me. I have to squint to see everyone because of the sun. I don't really want to have an audience while I try to see what I am capable of. I don't know what is going to happen, and I don't want to hurt anyone.

"Since you're a little weak still, we won't do too much today, Ryanne. I think that we should work with the weather first. We know the least about that ability. I want to see if you are able to change the weather without getting upset. Think about the weather before a storm. The dark clouds are rolling in. You can hear the thunder in the distance. Birds are flying away. The world gets quiet and dark. Think about the way the Earth smells before a storm comes. Concentrate."

I close my eyes, and think about everything she just said. I think about how I feel during those times. Storms are mysterious. No one knows for sure what they are going to bring. They can be loud and booming, with lighting striking the earth, and thunder clapping every few minutes. They can bring little rain with heat lightning, or they can bring the threat of tornadoes. Afterwards, the earth is calm and everything goes back to normal. Greenery regrows, and people work together to bring back order.

I think of the clouds rolling in and the thunder. The way lighting looks against the darkened sky. No rain. Even on a warm summer day, the wind that brings a storm always feels different, cooler.

Just when I am about to give up, I feel a shift in the wind. The breeze blows my hair in front of my face. The heat dwindles, and cool air moves in. I concentrate harder on the weather: the darkness that comes with a summer storm, the ominous bluish gray coloring in the sky. Everything.

"It's working, Ryanne. Open your eyes." When I open my eyes, I no longer have to squint to see. The sun isn't out anymore. In its place are tenebrous clouds. Everything that I had just visualized is here exactly as I envisioned it.

"I did that?" I whisper to myself. I still can't believe that I'm able to do any of these things; that magic actually exists.

The wind starts picking up more. Concentrating hard, I think about the sunshine—about how it feels to just sit outside during the spring. Not too hot, not too cold. I think about the way the light reflects off everything, brightening the world around me; the sounds of birds chirping, bees buzzing, and animals scurrying through the trees.

The wind starts to die down. The cool air disappears, while the heat reappears. Through my closed eyelids, I see the light return. The sun warms my chilled skin, inviting me to open my eyes again. Everything is like it was when we first came outside. Without my permission, a smile escapes.

"Good job! It looks like you are able to control the weather whenever. It just takes more concentration. However, it's stronger when you're emotions are brought into play, I think."

"How about we see if she can do anything else? I have a feeling that there is more to her powers," says Tom.

"Sure. Umm, David, come here," Claire calls. David gets up from the log and walks toward Claire. "I want you to see if Ryanne can move things with her mind like you can." I forgot that David is telekinetic. I've never seen him use his powers.

As if he could read my mind, he explains, "I don't use my powers often, because I don't want to get too used to them. I want to live like everyone else. It's easier that way, but they do come in handy sometimes." I understand that. I'm doing the same thing with the mind reading. It's easier to not read everyone's mind.

He stops beside me, folds his arms across his chest, and looks around the yard for a little bit. Seeming to find what he's looking for, he turns toward me.

"Okay, Ryanne, I want you to look at that tree branch lying off to the side over there." He points across the yard to a small branch. "Do you see it? I want you to try and bring it toward us. In your mind, picture what you want to happen. I find it easier than trying to say what you want. Picture it. Feel the power running through your body. Try to grab onto a strand of that energy and harness it. Bring it to the front, and force it out. Push your energy toward the branch, and mentally grab onto it."

I don't close my eyes this time. I just stare at the branch, willing it come to me. I don't have to try very hard. After the first couple of seconds, the branch starts vibrating on the ground like a cell phone does when placed on a hard surface. I can feel the energy and power running through my body. It feels like I am in a massage chair. When you first sit down in a massage chair, the feeling isn't exactly pleasant, but your body adjusts to it, and you start to feel relaxed. This magic is the same way. At first, it feels like pins and needles spreading throughout my body, but the more I start to use it, the more my body gets accustomed to it, and I welcome it.

Mentally, I begin to search for another strand of energy. It is harder to find a single strand. It is like searching for the end of a ball of string after throwing it around—everything gets tangled together in an unruly mass. Finally finding the end, I grasp onto it and pull, separating it from the rest. Thrusting it forward, it slithers toward the branch.

The branch lifts in the air, but won't move toward me. It's hovering a few feet off of the ground. I search for another wave of energy and push it forward, sending it toward the branch with more momentum than the previous one. When the energy hits the branch, it begins to hurtle toward me.

I scream and feel a hand on my arm, pulling me to the ground. I land with a thud on my stomach. David falls beside me as the branch crashes to the ground behind us. I look behind me and see the skid marks in the grass from the branch. That would have hurt.

"Are you okay?" David asks while helping me stand up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I'm a little winded but, overall, I'm fine. "Sorry about that. I realized that I pushed too much magic at it a little too late."

"Don't apologize. Do you realize how long it took me to get anything to come toward me? I started off with a saltshaker, which was way smaller than that branch, and that took a lot of energy. You did it in less than a minute."

"Oh...."

"That was excellent, Ryanne. I had a feeling that you would be able to do that. Thank you for explaining everything, David. Your powers are incredible. Are you okay to keep working? We can stop if you are getting tired."

"No, I actually feel good. I'm not tired at all. I can go on."

"Good. You probably won't like this next thing, though. I want to see if this will work. I want you to bring that rock over here, and place it in front of us." That doesn't seem too difficult. I concentrate solely on the rock, and send one larger strand of energy into it, instead of a couple smaller ones like I did last time. The rock lifts off of the ground, and slowly moves toward me. I release the energy, and it drops to the ground a foot in front of us.

"Excellent. Now, I want to see if you are able to liberate a single element of weather. I want to see if you can strike this rock with lightning. Just lightning. No storm. Just manifest the energy into a lightning bolt to strike that exact spot. To do this, I have a feeling that you'll need to be angry or upset. Do you need someone to help you with this?"

I nod. "Liam, can you help me?" I told Liam everything about me when I met him in the field after being shot in a vision. He knows most of my fears and other issues that will induce anger.

"What do you need help with?"

"I need you to make me angry. Please." I need to know what I am capable of. I want to know everything that I can potentially use to help others. He stares at me, searching my eyes for any sign of apprehension, and finally nods. He understands. I've tried to push everything into the back of my mind. I avoid thinking about anything that would allow for me do what Claire is asking. Liam saw what happened to me, the end of it anyway, so he knows what to say to make me upset.

Claire and Tom take a couple of steps backwards, giving us enough room. David walks back to the log, and sits near Colton, Logan, and Emma.

"I'm so sorry for anything I'm about to say," says Liam.

"Claire, is this really necessary? Hasn't she been through enough already?" yells Colton.

"I'm fine. Don't worry," I tell everyone. Turning toward Liam, I ask if he is ready. I don't wait for a response. I just turn, and put all my concentration on the rock.

"I'm really sorry, Ryanne," he repeats. He really doesn't want to do this, but I need him to. If he can't, I'm sure I can think of enough stuff to manifest anger, but it's easier to get mad when someone else is telling you everything. "Your father abandoned you when you were a baby. Your mother left you a year ago. She saved your life, but left you alone when you needed her most. Now, Jane spends all her time with her new boyfriend, and has forgotten all about you. You aren't important to her anymore."

The wind starts to pick up. I concentrate harder on the rock and lightning. I push the clouds away. I don't want to bring a storm.

"Adam harassed you in the park last year, but you got away, so he accused you of coming onto him. He and his girlfriend tormented you your entire senior year. They made fun of your name, called you a freak, told too many rumors about you." I can feel the power building up inside, pushing to the surface. It's still sunny around, but the wind is intensifying even more. I concentrate more on the rock. I can't see anything else around me.

Only the rock.

"Now, Adam is working for Dravin. Dravin kidnapped you, and tortured you for information. Adam is his new recruit, and will do anything to finish what he started last time. You were weak, and weren't able to escape on your own. You have to rely on everyone around you to keep you safe. You don't have any family left. You're all alone."

I am literally vibrating with the power that is surging to the surface. It's too much magic. I double over and scream. Everything inside me is released, and shoots toward the rock. A lightning bolt manifests out of the clear sky, and hits the ground in front of me. When the energy hits the rock, it shatters. Fragments catapult in every direction, and all the energy I had just pushed out ricochets back. Energy and rock pieces hit Liam and me, sending us flying backwards.

I freefall through the air momentarily before landing on the hard ground. "Ugh...that went well."

Groaning, I try to sit up. My bones and muscles protest with the movement, before a set of hands pull me into a standing position. I can hear Colton talking to me, but there is a slight ringing in my ears. Swaying, I lean back against his chest, waiting for the haze to pass.

"Did I do that?" The grass around the area where the rock was previously is now brown and dead. Smoke tendrils are rising out of the ground, and coalescing with the air. Rock pieces are scattered haphazardly all across the yard.

"Yeah, you did," Colton replies. He brushes his thumb across my forehead. "You're bleeding."

"I'm fine. Where's Liam?" I turn around and find him on my own, standing with David and Emma. "Oh my gosh, Liam! I'm so sorry. Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine, Ryanne. I said too much. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lie all that out like that. Are you okay?" He pauses, and his eyes linger on my forehead. "You're bleeding."

"You didn't say anything that I haven't thought about. This exercise allowed me to release some pent-up issues I've had. It was a good thing. Very cathartic...I just wish I could have controlled that a little better."

Claire and Tom finally make their way over to us. "Ryanne, that was excellent. You did it." She beams, but when she fully looks at me, her smile falls. "You're bleeding."

I feel something wet start to drip down my face. Reaching up, I put a hand to my forehead. When I bring it down, I find that it's covered in blood.

"Oh." Suddenly, I feel woozy. If I weren't still leaning against Colton, I probably would have fallen down again. I was never able to stand the sight of blood.

"I got it," says Logan. He cups my face in his hands and inhales, concentrating on the spot. A couple of seconds later, he opens his eyes and smiles down at me. "All better."

"Thank you."

David bumps me with his shoulder. "Remind me never to make you angry." I playfully shove at him.

"Claire, I'm so sorry about your yard. I'll clean it up!"

"Goodness, girl, you apologize a lot. Come on, I made dinner." She starts walking back toward the house.

I arch my head up and ask Colton, "Does she want me to clean the yard up?" Shaking his head and chuckling, he grabs my wrist and drags me inside. "Well, does she?"

DINNER WAS EXCELLENT—VEGETARIAN LASAGNA with a side salad and fruit. It was full of immature banter, laughter, and an attempted food fight between David and Logan. Claire wouldn't allow that, and sent everyone upstairs while she cleaned. I attempted to help, but she shooed me away.

Sitting in the entertainment room, we just relax and enjoy each other's company. No movies are playing. We just talk. Between conversations, we sit in a comfortable silence. I am getting a little tired, but it is only a little after eight at night, so it's way too early to actually go to bed.

"Ok, first kiss. When and who. Go," says Emma.

David speaks up first. "Mine was when I was fourteen to a girl named Marissa Gomez. She was our neighbor."

"You kissed Marissa? She hated you," says Colton.

"Yeah, afterwards. I kissed her on a bet. She didn't like that apparently." At least he has the decency to look guilty.

"None of you will know mine, but I kissed a guy named Darren Wilkins when I was sixteen. We dated for like a year, and then he cheated on me...so that was the end of that." Emma looks down at her hands, and then back at Colton. "Who was your first kiss Colton?"

"Ha...umm, mine was Sarah Martin when I was fifteen."

"Sarah? Are you serious? She's a jerk now," I say.

"Yep, it was a party. I was kind of forced to kiss her." He smiles and looks at me. "So, Ryanne, it's your turn to tell."

"Well, umm..." I start to blush. Absentmindedly, I grab on to my flamed necklace, and start twirling it, avoiding everyone's eyes. "I've...never been...properly kissed, I guess."

"What?"

"Seriously?"

"I don't believe it." Everyone speaks at once; I can't tell who said what.

Looking down at my hands, I explain, "I mean, I've been on dates and stuff, but nothing ever happened. I went out with Dan Peterson and John Parker a couple of times junior year...I was never that outgoing in high school. I mainly kept to myself. There was always someone better, so most guys weren't interested in me. I was kind of the social outcast, and then my mom died, and no one wanted that kind of baggage. Also, there was the whole Adam thing. Technically, Adam kissed me, but I consider that more along the line of sexual harassment..."

My spiel makes me think about everything that was said earlier—everything that Liam said to me. I know that he was just doing what I asked him to, but it made me realize how true all of it was. I'm always going to be the weird girl, the one who's way different than everyone else. I'm always going to be the brown slimy, bumpy toad in a world of beautiful green tree frogs.

"I'll be right back, guys. I want to go get my notebook." Getting up from the couch, the room begins to spin, and black spots cloud my vision.

Emma touches my arm. "Is something wrong?"

Blinking rapidly, my vision clears. "No. Just got up too quickly. I'll be back." Ignoring their worried looks, which have become a common placed countenance around me, I leave the room and walk down the hall to mine.

Halfway down the hallway, my ears start to ring. The hall begins to tilt, causing me to lose my balance. Leaning against the nearest wall, I feel the tug in my mind. I am losing all conscious awareness of my surroundings. Everything starts to blur together as my mind moves onto another place. I try to slowly walk the rest of the way down the hallway, but only make it two steps, before I lose my balance and slip into another vision.

IT IS NIGHTTIME. FIREFLIES LIGHT up the night sky, and the moon casts looming shadows across the backyard. The house awakens from its daily slumber. The humming of electronics, creaking of floorboards, and water running through the pipes can be heard. Laughter emanates from the second floor. Tom is sitting in the living room flipping through a magazine, while Claire is in the kitchen washing the dishes. The digital clock on the wall above the sink reads 8:45 p.m.

I am an invisible third party in this vision. Nothing is happening though. What am I supposed to see? I look around trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. Everything looks the same. I don't understand.

Walking to the large sliding glass door, I peer outside. The grass in the yard is still burned in the spot where I blew up the rock earlier. Seeing movement along the tree line, I draw my eyes over there. Underneath the cover of the trees, two men are talking, a dagger gleaming in the hand of one of them. Squinting, I try to look at who it is. Something about this vision has to be important. I need to remember every detail. I blink, and suddenly, one of the men disappears.

Just like that, he's gone. I frantically search the yard for him, but he is nowhere to be seen. The sound of glass breaking diverts my attention from the yard back to the kitchen.

The mysterious man is standing behind Claire. She is gasping for breath—her body going limp in his arms as the dagger protrudes from her side. Tom jumps off of the couch, and shouts at the man. Before he can reach him, he disappears again. Tom reaches out and grabs Claire as she starts falling to the ground.

"Logan! Logan!"

Claire coughs up blood, and her already sporadic breathing begins to slow. Tom rocks her body in his arms, putting pressure on the wound. Her body convulses once before going limp.

"RYANNE! RYANNE!" I RAPIDLY BLINK back into the present. I am lying on the floor in the middle of the hallway with everyone surrounding me.

"What time is it?" I ask, attempting to sit up. Everyone looks at me like I have grown three heads. "What time is it?!" I yell. This is important. It could mean the difference between life and death.

"It's 8:44, why?" Ignoring their question, I jump up, and push past them, running the rest of the way down the hall, and catapulting down the stairs.

"Ryanne, what's going on?" They follow me downstairs, their footsteps echoing mine. I run through the living room. Tom bolts up with a puzzled expression. I enter into the kitchen right as the man materializes behind Claire. Not slowing down, I run straight into him, knocking both of us onto the ground. The dagger flies across the floor, and stops moving, lying precariously on the ground to my right. Without thinking, I grab the handle, and whack him in the jaw with it. Adding some magical energy to it, I am able to knock him out.

"He'll be able to blink out of here when he wakes up," I say. Everyone is standing in the entryway to the kitchen, bewildered and confused. Claire is staring at the man, mouth hanging open. Logan and Tom grab the man off of the floor, and tie him to a chair.

"What the hell just happened?" yells Tom, looking around the room, his eyes landing on me.

"I had a vision. I saw him standing in the backyard talking to someone, and then he blinked into the kitchen, and stabbed Claire. Logan wasn't able to get downstairs in time, and she died in your arms." I turn and look at Claire. "I couldn't let you die."

Claire gets tears in her eyes, and runs toward me, wrapping me in her arms. She's already a motherly figure in my life. Jane acts like she wants to be my friend, not a parental figure. Claire has been able to help me when I have been utterly confused about what was going on with me. She helped, and continues to help, me come to understand my magic, and how to harness some of my powers. I can't lose another parental figure. Those men were after her because of me. They want to get rid of her, so she can't protect me anymore. "Thank you for saving my life, Ryanne."

"There's no need to thank me."

She lets go of me and steps away. "Yes, there is."

"What do we do with him?" Emma points toward the unconscious man tied to one of the kitchen chairs.

"Well, we'll need to question him. See why he was going to kill Claire. We have to wait until he is conscious though. It shouldn't take too long for him to wake up."

"Umm, I knocked him out with magic too. I knew I wouldn't be able to knock him out with just the dagger handle, so I drew some magic into it." Tom looks surprised.

"I wasn't aware that you could bring magic into a non-magical object. I've never heard of anyone who was able to do that."

I shrug. "I can try to read his mind though."

Tom's eyes widen. "That's an excellent idea."

"Now, wait a second," says Colton. "We don't know what is going to be running through his mind. She's already seen and been through enough lately. Is that really the best suggestion we have?" He places his hand down my on shoulder as he looks at Tom.

Turning around, I address him myself. "There's nothing else we can do, Colton." I reach out and put my hand on his arm. He glances down at it, before meeting my eyes again. "Thank you for thinking about me, but this is the best option. I'll be fine."

He takes a step forward. Why does he have to do that? I have to crane my neck back to look at him because he's so much taller than me. "I'm just tired of seeing you get hurt. Why does it always have to be you?"

"Because I'm the prophecy girl, remember?" I give him a sad smile. He opens his mouth like he wants to say something else, but realizing that everyone is looking at us, he closes it again. Running his hand through his hair, he clears his throat and steps back. I feel the heat wash over my cheeks as I divert my gaze to the ground.

Speaking to no one, I say, "I'm going to try and go into his mind, not just read his thoughts. That way I'll see whom he is working with, and what exactly he was supposed to accomplish tonight. Claire, do you think you can try to strengthen those enchantments you had up? The person he was with got away. We don't need him attacking also."

Claire nods, and walks out of the room. I turn toward the unconscious man. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and focus on breaking through the barricade in his mind. Someone spent a lot of time putting it up so no one could access his thoughts and memories. I feel my body swaying, and a pair of arms wraps around me to keep me upright, but I don't let it lessen my concentration. I search until I find a small crack in its exterior. I push all my energy into the crevice until it caves in, breaking down the mental barrier. The second the barrier ruptures, images and voices swarm around me.

I see him growing up. He hit his growth spurt before everyone else, so kids picked on him because he looked different. He was beaten up at school. He came into his powers when he was nineteen. He could think of anywhere and travel there. I saw Dravin approach him one night, telling him that he could be extraordinary if he joined him, which he did. He wanted to feel like he belonged somewhere.

Those images leave, and are replaced with Dravin standing in front of a large crowd. "There's a girl who will be born to non-magical parents who plans on killing us all. She's ruthless and determined to put an end to us Gadramicks. She doesn't think that we should work with humans, and feels that we should remain hidden. We know that we are superior to those measly humans, but she wants to let them continue to rule. Find out who she is, and bring her to me!"

Next, I see him walking stealthily through a dilapidated building. He is searching for someone with another man. Quietly walking up the stairs, he sees old pictures lining the walls—a family smiling in each one. Walking into a bedroom, he finds the family from the photographs. The man behind him rushes forward, and stabs the father quickly. The woman and child start screaming at the violent act. He moves on and stabs the woman. "Larkin, grab the girl." The girl is crying when he reaches for her, but doesn't fight. She's too weak. They go back to the compound, and lock her up, thinking she was the girl from the prophecy. When they found out that she was just a human, they killed her.

He is sitting on the bed in a small room when he hears someone knock on the door. Opening it, he finds Thomas standing there. "We found her," he says and walks away.

"They weren't supposed to find her so soon." Slamming the door, he walks into the middle of the room. Running his hand through his hair, he starts pacing and muttering under his breath. He walks over to the desk in the corner, and knocks all of the books onto the floor. Angrily, he picks up a large stack of papers, and throws them across the room, watching as the papers slowly float to the floor in disarray.

I see him walking down a long cemented hallway. He stops in front of a door with a frown on his face. He is standing outside the cell I was being kept in. I am lying unconscious on the ground with blood running down my face, and nose from their last attempt to get information out of me. Thomas walks up beside him, smiling at his handiwork. "Is it necessary to torture her that much? She's so small."

Thomas turns to him. "Don't let that fool you. She's stronger than she looks, and someone needs to break her. She's going to be the end of all of us."

He's standing in a darkened room, candles providing the only source of light. Eerie shadows dance across every surface. Larkin has his back to Dravin, with his shoulders hunched and eyes downcast.

"Do we really have to kill the woman? Can't I just find a way to get the girl back?"

"No, Larkin. Killing Claire will make Ryanne upset. People do stupid things when they are upset. She'll react violently toward Gadramicks. Because of that, we'll finally be able to convince everyone that she really does need to be stopped. We can get her back here in no time. Without Claire in the picture, we'll be able to find her. She won't be surrounded by those stupid spells."

Larkin is standing outside our house, talking with Thomas. "I don't need to tell you how important this is. We need the girl. For some reason, Dravin thinks you are the only one capable of doing this. However, if you can't do it, don't bother coming back. If you think what we did to her was bad, you'll be in for a surprise."

I've seen enough. I push out of his mind, and am thrust back into my own. My body is limp. Colton has his arms wrapped around my waist, leaning me against him. I straighten my legs and support my weight, taking a small step away from him.

"Thanks for catching me. His name is Larkin. He is working for Dravin, but I don't think he wants to be. Dravin got to him right when he came into his powers, promising that he could help him. He is telling his followers that I plan on killing all of them. He says that I am 'ruthless and determined to put an end to us.'" I put air quotes around what Dravin said.

"He didn't want them to find me. He seemed genuinely upset when Thomas told him that they captured me. He even asked them if it was necessary to torture me as much. Oh, he was obeying Dravin's orders tonight. Dravin told him that killing Claire would cause me to act out, proving that I needed to be stopped. He also knows about the enchantments, so killing Claire would make it easier for them capture me. He didn't want to do it, but they threatened him." I think that's about it. I hope that I'm not forgetting anything.

"You're trying to tell me that he's a good, bad guy?" asks Emma.

"I'm saying that he doesn't like what they are doing. He didn't want to kill Claire."

"But he was going to," says David. I nod. I can't defend Larkin any more than that. He didn't want to do what they were forcing him to, but he didn't really have a choice. They would have killed him if he didn't.

Larkin starts groaning in the chair. "What are we going to do about him?" asks Colton.

"I don't know," says Tom.

He starts moving again. I take a tentative step toward him, but Colton reaches out and pulls me back. "We don't know what he's going to do."

He opens his eyes, starts struggling for a second, and then stops. His eyes sweep the room before landing on me. He is younger than I initially thought. He appears to be a little older than Logan. I start squirming under his gaze, and step back until I hit Colton's chest. I don't like how he is looking at me like I am some prized possession that he wants to hoard. "How did you know I was coming?"

"I had a vision." His gaze never wavers.

"Why are you staring at her?" demands Logan.

"She's the girl from the prophecy. The one that is going to save us all."

Save us all?

"I thought Dravin said that she was going to kill everyone." Logan looks at me, questioning my earlier response. That's what Dravin is telling them.

"She's going to save us from Dravin."

I step toward him. "You don't believe in what Dravin is saying?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I discovered who you were long before Dravin. When I first saw you, you were in the park, and a little girl was lost. She was cold and crying because she was lost and alone. You gave her your jacket, and helped her find her mom. A killer wouldn't have done that. I knew you weren't what Dravin was telling everyone you were."

"That happened over Christmas break. I didn't even know I had powers then."

"You hadn't come into you powers yet, but the magic was still in you. I could see the magic inside of you. It surrounds your aura."

"My aura?"

"I can read people, so to say. I see colors, but mainly I get descriptive words about people. I can tell that you're afraid. You don't want to let everyone down. You're strong, but you feel weak. You're meant to be a leader, but you still need someone to help you lead. You want to trust me, but you think that everyone will be disappointed if you do. You look for the good in people, and always end up getting hurt. You love everyone in this room, and would rather put your life in danger than see them harmed. You're afraid to open yourself up to others, because everyone that you have opened yourself up to before is gone. You-"

"That's enough." I don't like that he can tell so much about me based on my aura.

"He's going to come back for you. It's not safe here. Even with the enchantments, they know you are near." He stops looking at me and turns to Claire. "I'm sorry I tried to kill you. I didn't want to." They would have killed me if I didn't. They're going to kill me now.

"Larkin, why didn't you ever leave? I've seen your thoughts. You haven't wanted to be there for a while."

"I couldn't. You know what they would have done to me. I've seen so many people die. I've been beaten so many times because I tried to stop them from hurting others. I tried to make them stop hurting you."

"I know. I saw your memory."

"You motivated me to do something. I just didn't have a plan on how to do it. You didn't reveal any information about these people when you were being beaten. I've never seen anyone who was able to fight a truth serum. It was amazing. When that boy came in and got you," He looks toward Liam. "I knew that I didn't want to be around Dravin anymore. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He is polluting everyone's mind. He thinks that he should rule over humans, not live with them."

I look to Tom. "I think we should let him go. He's not going to harm us."

"He was going to kill Claire!"

"But he didn't."

"Because you tackled him, and knocked him unconscious."

"Tom, those ropes aren't containing him. He could have blinked out of here at any point, or killed us, but he hasn't."

"This is the motivation I need. You guys aren't safe here. Go somewhere else. Anywhere else. Don't tell me where. Don't tell anyone where. I'll be able to sense you sooner or later. You have a lot of magic in you, Ryanne. I can work with you. I'll keep Dravin off your trail for a while."

The room is silent as Tom thinks.

"I think we should let him go," Claire says, as she continues to look between Larkin and me.

"You do? Even after he tried to kill you?" asks David.

"Yes, Ryanne trusts him. So, I'm going to trust him. I know that he could have left at any point since he woke up. Those ropes wouldn't be able to hold back anyone with his ability. He could have harmed us, but he didn't." David nods, seeming to understand what Claire is saying. Tom and David share a look before they both untie him.

Larkin stands up, and walks toward me. I want to let him go free, but something about him makes me a little uncomfortable. I back up toward Colton again, trusting his presence more. He continues to walk toward me, until he is standing just inches in front of me. I have to tilt my head up fully to see him.

"He'll come after you again. He won't stop. You need to find somewhere safe to go. Don't. Underestimate. Him."

"WHERE ARE WE GOING TO go?" asks David. "We can't stay here. If they were able to find us, there's no telling how soon someone else will."

Tom begins pacing the room, mumbling to himself. I wonder where Tom actually lives. Like Liam, Emma, and I, he seems to have moved in with Claire. Suddenly, he stops pacing and grins like the Cheshire Cat. It's kind of creepy.

"Aha, I have a cabin up north that could fit all of us." Nodding his head, he continues. "Yeah, it's smaller than this house, but there is enough open space outside that we can keep training, and there are enough rooms, though some of us may have to share."

Claire thinks it over and begins nodding as well. "That sounds like a good idea. We can go up there first thing tomorrow morning. Just pack essentials and clothing. I have means to get more stuff later. Go now. Be ready early in the morning." Everyone leaves the room, but I linger behind.

"Claire, can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything."

"Well, I don't know if Jane will be home anytime soon, but do you think that you can put one of your enchantments around her house? I don't want anything to happen to her because of me."

"Of course. That's actually a good idea. I'll go do it now."

"Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. Now go get packed. I'll see you in the morning." I leave the room, and walk back to mine slowly, giving myself enough time to think about this situation. Claire is willing to uproot her family because someone is looking for me. It doesn't make sense. How did I go from barely having anyone in my life, to having so many people care for me? It's a little overwhelming, but in a good way. I've never had a big family before. It was always just my mom and me. Now, I have so many people who want to make sure I'm safe.

Once inside my room, I throw open the closet. I start to search for a duffel bag or small suitcase to use, but there is nothing. I hear a small knock, and turn around to find David standing in the doorway, holding a small suitcase. "I thought you might need one."

"Thank you." Turning to the dresser, I start throwing random pieces of clothing into the suitcase. I don't look at what I grab—because that worked so well before.

"So, umm...Ryanne, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, of course. What's up?"

"Have you talked to Emma recently?"

I turn around, cross my arms across my chest, and smile at him. "Yes, why?"

"Well...I umm... she..." He is running his hand across the back of his neck, and looking at everything in the room except for me. A small blush is creeping onto his cheeks. I know what he wants to ask me, but it's amusing to see how uncomfortable this conversation is making him.

Walking over to David, I touch his cheek to make him look at me. "You didn't hear it from me, but I think your chances are pretty good with her." Relief floods his eyes, and he pulls his lips back into a small smile.

"Really?" I nod. "Thank you, Ryanne."

"Remember, I didn't say anything to you." I playfully push him out of my room. "Now, go. I have to finish packing."

I grab the rest of my clothes, and shove them inside the suitcase. Hopefully, Claire will be able to get everything that I didn't bring, or maybe I can borrow from Emma. I lay out an outfit for the morning, and decide to go to sleep.

I turn the bedroom light off, and crawl into bed. This will be my last night in this home. I can hear voices down the hallway, so I know the others are still awake. I roll onto my side and bury myself into the blankets, letting their warmth surround me.

Adam invades my dreams.

At 5:00 a.m. the next morning, I hear someone knocking on my door again. "Ryanne, rise and shine. We're going to try and leave in an hour," Tom says. I feel like I haven't slept at all. All night, I woke up when I saw Adam coming toward me.

Moaning, I roll over, and stretch. I slowly get out of bed and take a quick shower, washing and conditioning my hair and shaving my legs. I am not going to spend too much time, since I'll be in a car for a couple of hours anyway. Throwing on a pair of jean shorts and a large t-shirt, I walk over and make the bed, cleaning up any simple messes that I made. Satisfied with the condition of the room, I bring my suitcase downstairs, and grab a muffin off the counter. Claire and Emma are already downstairs, waiting for everyone else.

"How come the girls are always ready before the boys are?" Emma asks. "What did they do all last night? They were all awake when I went to bed."

"Who knows, but if you want to bring your suitcase out to Tom, he'll pack it in the car for you, Ryanne," says Claire. I grab my suitcase and walk to the garage. Tom is standing at the back end of a freakishly large vehicle; its shiny black exterior looks brand new.

"I have another suitcase for you."

"Are any of the boys ready?"

I shake my head. "They were still packing when I came downstairs."

I go back into the kitchen, and sit down at the table. Laying my head down on its cold surface and letting my hair fan around my face, I close my eyes, and wait for someone to wake me up to tell me that it is time to go.

"Is she okay?" asks Colton. I would have replied, but my body just doesn't want to cooperate. I'm comfortable drifting between consciousness and sleep.

"She's been dreaming about Adam. I've been trying to block out his images, but I can't stop all of them."

David must have walked into the room because he asks, "Why hasn't she said anything to anyone? They are just dreams right? Not visions?"

"She doesn't want anyone to worry about her. But yeah, I'm positive they are just dreams."

Someone is nudging me. "Ryanne, it's time to go." I open my eyes, and see Claire standing over me. I am still a little out of it, so she grabs my arms, and guides me to the garage. Everyone is standing outside of the vehicle.

"Emma and Ryanne, you two will have to sit in the back, because the seats are smaller. One of the guys will join you two," Tom says. I blindly walk to the car, following Emma. I take a seat in the back, to the left of her, in the middle, and lean my head against the headrest of the seat directly in front of me. Someone sits down in the seat to my left, but I don't move to see who it is.

Hitting a bump in the road, my head bangs against the headrest, jerking me awake. I quickly look around the car. Emma is asleep, and leaning her head against the window. Tom is driving, while Claire reads in the passenger seat. David and Logan are talking amongst themselves. Colton is also asleep in the seat beside Logan. I can only see his profile. His expression is relaxed. His long, dark eyelashes are fanning across his cheekbones, and his mouth is raised in a slight smirk. He looks younger when asleep. To my left, sits Liam. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired." Rubbing my eyes, I blink a couple more times, trying to become more awake. "Are we almost there?"

"I think we'll be there in about thirty minutes." Nodding, I lean back against the back of my seat, and close my eyes again. I breathe in deeply, and let sleep come over me again.

"Ryanne. Ryanne. We're here," someone whispers to me. "Ryanne. Wake up. We're here." I open my eyes and see...a neck? Lifting my eyes, I see that it's Liam's neck. I must have fallen asleep leaning against his shoulder. I sit up further, but don't make an effort to move much more. Everyone else is still sitting in the car.

Tom turns around from the driver's seat. "Ok, we're here. I'm going to get out with Claire, and check the perimeter while she puts up the enchantments. Stay in the car."

I bring my attention back to my surroundings. Looking down, I realize that I am practically sitting in Liam's lap. I'm not sure how I accomplished that, considering I'm still buckled. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry." I readjust myself in my seat. The corner of Liam's mouth raises a little, giving off the impression that he wants to smile, but doesn't.

A couple of minutes later, Tom comes back, and gives us the okay that it is safe to leave the car. Surrounded by large trees, is a luxury log cabin. A stone exterior surrounds the lower level, but the upper levels have a dark timber frame. Large bay windows encompass a sizable portion of each level with dark olive green trim. Light earth-tone shingles line the roof creating an earthy appearance.

Following Tom, we all walk into the cabin. The first thing I see is an expansive open area. Walking through the door, the living room is off to the right, with a large curved staircase on the left, leading to the second floor. I can see the railing, and partially down the hallway on that floor. The living room has a floor to ceiling length fireplace made of stones. The wood walls give the room a darker feeling, but the windows and subtle illumination creates a cozy atmosphere.

"I'll go get the suitcases. Why don't you guys show the girls around? Oh, and Liam too."

David deepens his voice and says, "If you'll follow me, I'll be your cabin tour guide for the day." With a sweeping hand motion, he starts walking backwards. "Through here is the kitchen area. Large bay windows are built into all three walls, giving a scenic view of the outdoor landscape. This lovely room is a great space to prepare meals, grab a snack, sit and read a book, or start a food fight—just make sure Claire never finds out."

The room is beautiful. I love the large windows that surround it. They let in a ton of light, and the dark green landscape outside is breathtaking. I can't image what it would look like to be here in the fall when all the leaves are starting to change colors.

Apparently, it's time to go because Emma links her arm through mine, and all but drags me out of the room to follow everyone else. My eyelids are beginning to feel heavy again, and my feet feel like they are made of bricks. Walking back into the living room area, we take the stairs to the second floor. "This floor is where all the bedrooms are. There is also an entertainment room similar to our previous arrangements. There are enough rooms, all similarly furnished, for almost everyone to have their own room. However, two will have to share."

"We will," Emma volunteers us.

"Excellent, we can gawk at the rooms later. If you continue to follow me, we'll go to another set of stairs leading to the attic." Walking single file up the small narrow staircase, we enter into another room. Colton and Logan can barely stand upright with the low ceilings. Liam and David can stand upright, but have to be careful not to make any sudden movements. I have no such problem. Three of the four walls in this room are made entirely of windows. The other is a large mirror. I walk over to the window, and look out at the scenery.

"We used to come up here and train when David and I were little," whispers Colton.

"This house is beautiful."

"You should see it in the winter time when the fireplace is going. Frost webs on all the windows, and icicles hang off all the tree branches. I like to come up here and watch the snow fall. It's so peaceful."

"That sounds amazing. I love being this close to nature."

"I do too," he says. I tear my eyes from the tree line and gaze up at him. He places a hand on my shoulder. "Come on. Everyone already left."

What? I look around the room, and see that we are the only two people still here. I let him grab my hand, and guide me out of the room and back downstairs to get our suitcases. Grabbing both of them, he walks back up the second floor.

"Your room is here with Emma. Everyone else is a little down the hall." I nod, and walk into the room to find Emma already unpacking.

"So, what were you and Colton talking about? I saw you two chatting by the window as I was leaving." Emma grins at me, fishing for any juicy details.

"It wasn't like that. We were just talking about how this place looks in the wintertime. It sounds beautiful," I say as I walk over to the unoccupied bed, and place my bag on it.

"Whatever." She shakes her head and continues putting her clothing in the small closet off to the side. We both share a bathroom and the closet. "Hey, are you okay? You seem a little out of it today."

"I think I'm fine." Shaking my head, I try to distract myself. I can't fall asleep again.

"You think you're fine?"

"Yeah, I don't know. I've been really tired lately. I feel really sluggish. It's hard for me to stand up right now." She's now looking at me like a concerned parent. "Never mind. Come on. Let's go find the guys. See if they want to do something." I slowly walk past her out of the room, and down the hallway toward the other voices.

"Ryanne. Are you sure you don't want to just lie down or something?" Emma calls after me, chasing me down the hallway.

"What's wrong with Ryanne?" David asks, as he stops in front of me.

"Nothing is wrong with me. Emma's just paranoid."

Colton walks out of his room and stops at my side, placing an arm over my shoulder. I ignore the butterflies in my stomach that flutter every time he touches me. "Who's paranoid?"

"Oh goodness, I'm going to go find Claire." I'm surrounded by a bunch of worrywarts. I can feel their eyes on me as I walk away, but I don't stop or turn around. I walk down the stairs to the kitchen, and find Tom and Claire in their usual positions: Claire baking something and Tom sitting at the table reading.

"Claire, do you know of any way to get rid of exhaustion? I can't seem to wake up fully. I just want to go back to sleep, but I know everyone will start to worry about me if I do."

"No dear, I'm sorry. I can make you some coffee or something if you don't want to go to sleep. I think that sleeping would be your best option at this point, though." I crinkle my nose at the prospect of drinking coffee. I hate coffee, but if it will help right now, I'll drink it.

"Sure, coffee sounds great." I walk over and sit down next to Tom. He smiles at me, but doesn't say anything. I look out the window and watch the squirrels in the yard, running up the bases of the trees. There are a couple of small birds pecking at the ground. It's so peaceful outside. None of them have to worry about someone chasing after them, or bringing an end to a war. They just have to gather food and survive. Their biggest worry is whether or not they can make it across the street without being hit by a car. Suicidal animals.

Claire puts a mug of coffee in front of me, jolting me out of my thoughts. I smile at her and thank her. The cup is warm. I bring it up to my lips and swallow some. It is hotter than I anticipated. I start coughing as the scalding liquid travels down my throat. Tom slaps me on the back with a giant thud. Wincing, I nod at him, telling him that I am fine. That's going to leave a mark. I take smaller sips, trying to quickly swallow, so that I don't taste it for too long.

I sit at the table for a couple more minutes, before venturing back upstairs. I feel slightly more awake now. No one is in the hallway anymore, so I continue walking until I hear voices. Hearing my name, I stop outside the doorway.

"I'm worried about Ryanne, guys. I think something is wrong with her," says Emma.

"I agree. I was watching her earlier, and she seemed to have trouble standing on her own. She kept leaning on everything whenever we stopped walking," Logan responds. "I wanted to tell her that I may be able to help, but I didn't want to draw any attention to her. If it's just simple exhaustion, she needs to sleep."

Goosebumps rise on my skin, and I start shivering. The hall is freezing cold. I quietly walk back to my room and unzip my suitcase, searching for a sweatshirt. Of course I didn't pack one. I walk back to the entertainment room and interrupt their conversation.

"Does anyone have a sweatshirt I can wear? I forgot to pack one." I'm visibly shaking at this point. Seeing me, Colton jumps up and leaves the room. Logan walks over to me and grabs my shoulders, turning me toward him. He closes his eyes and concentrates. After a couple of seconds, he shakes his head, and reopens his eyes. Colton comes back into the room, carrying a sweatshirt. I gratefully take it from him, and put it on. It's way too long and covers my shorts completely, but it's warm, so I don't care.

"There's nothing I can do. Her body is not used to having so much power inside. That and the lack of sleep. You're exhausted, Ryanne. Why don't you go lie down?"

"I'm fine." I brush past him, and sit at the end of the couch, near Liam.

"No you're not. Quit being so stubborn. Do you want to pass out again?" I ignore him, bring my legs up to my chest, and pull the bottom of the sweatshirt over them. Colton's sweatshirt is so big on me; I don't have to worry about stretching it out. No one moves; they all just watch me.

"Please stop staring at me. You know how I feel about the staring. I'll be fine."

"Ryanne, we care about you. We don't want anything to happen to you," says Colton.

I yawn and lean down, so I am resting against the armed cushion of the couch. "I know, but there's nothing to worry about." I close my eyes. "I'm fine."

I AM WALKING DOWN A darkened hallway with candles casting eerie shadows along the walls. It goes on for miles with an end not in sight. I keep turning around, hearing footsteps mirroring my own, but no one is there. I don't know where I am or where I'm walking. Nothing is visible on either end.

After a while, I see movement in front of me. A male figure appears. "Larkin?" Moving closer, his features begin to morph into someone else; his hair lengthening, frame shortening.

Taking small steps toward me, he smiles wickedly. "Hello, Ryanne." I try to scream, but nothing comes out. I turn around and run as fast as I can down the hallway. I can hear him running after me. A hand pushes into my back sending me falling forward, crashing into the hard ground. Dust and dirt stirs around me. My lungs instantly protest against the foreign materials I just inhaled. Once I roll over, a foot comes down on my stomach, pinning me to the ground. "Let's finish what we started."

My scream finally comes out as he bends down, dagger in hand.

He is going to kill me. There is nothing I can do. My body is paralyzed with fear. The look in his eyes is more feral than the previous times I've seen him. A high-pitched noise echoes through the room.

"Ryanne, wake up."

Gasping, I open my eyes and see Colton, Liam, and Logan standing over me. I am still lying on the couch in the entertainment room; a movie is paused on the television screen. The high-pitched noise was my scream. I roll over hiding my face from everyone, but I can't stop the tears as my body is racked with sobs.

"Dude, I thought you said that you were trying to help her with the nightmares!" yells Colton.

"I've been trying!" says Liam, equally as upset. "I don't like seeing her like this either. I can't get them all the time. She's blocking me somehow."

Finally able to control my tears, I still. The room is silent, and I am sure everyone is waiting on me. I sit up slowly, and push my hair out of my face. Without thinking about it, I use the sleeves of Colton's sweatshirt to wipe my tears away. Some mascara rubs off as well. I tuck my knees underneath me and avoid everyone's eyes.

"I'm sorry I interrupted your movie."

After no one replies, I slowly lift my eyes. I'm lost in a pair of green eyes that are looking at me and wanting to help, but not knowing what to do.

"Adam?" whispers Colton. I nod and drop my head into my hands.

"He keeps trying to kill me," I say barely audible. "I try running, but he always catches me and knocks me down. I become paralyzed with fear. The last thing I remember is him reaching toward me with a dagger in his hand, smiling. He's always there. Always."

"How long?"

Looking back up, I glance at Colton and say, "Almost every night since Liam rescued me. They are usually different, but always end the same."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Because there is nothing anyone could do." I look down at the sleeves of the sweatshirt. "I'm sorry I stained your sweatshirt. This is the second time I've ruined your clothes." I can't sit here anymore, with everyone looking at me. I want to get up and punch something...do something. Anything.

As if reading my mind, Colton grabs my arms, and pulls me off the couch. "Come on." He pulls me out of the room.

"Where are we going?"

"To train." That instantly gets my attention, exhaustion forgotten. "Let's go destroy something." Looking over my head, he yells, "You guys coming?"

TWO HOURS LATER, I AM lying on my back in the yard, trying to catch my breath. It feels excellent destroying all the dead logs around the yard, and trying to disarm Liam and Colton. Training was the distraction that I needed. I feel more awake now than I have in a while.

Rolling on my side, I face Colton. "Thank you. That helped. A lot." He rolls over and smiles at me. I can't draw my eyes away from his face, his eyes specifically. Every time he looks at me, I have trouble breathing. He seems to have the same difficulty. Reaching out, he slowly tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

Hearing giggles across the yard, I break my eyes from Colton and sit up, attempting to hide my blush. David is chasing Emma across the yard. She pushes with all her might to try and get away from him. Watching them makes me smile. Standing up, I lean back, keeping my eyes on them and ask Colton, "When do you think they'll realize that they are both crazy about each other?"

Putting his arm across my shoulder, he replies, "Knowing David...probably never." David runs over and grabs Emma around the waist, pulling her toward him. Her smile is infectious. I hope to someday have something like that.

"I hope they come to their senses soon. No one wants to see them pining after each other anymore," I say but don't mean. It is endearing to see them together. It is like watching a romantic comedy—a friendship that slowly turns into more.

"Dinner is ready!" yells Claire from the kitchen. I walk away from Colton, and over toward Logan and Liam, who are trying to pick up all the larger pieces of wood to put into the pile for the fireplace. I concentrate on the pieces and thrust my power out, connecting small pieces of energy onto each wood piece. Forcing them to come together, I create a smaller pile near the house.

I smile sweetly at them when I see their mouths hanging open in surprise. "You're welcome."

Walking past everyone, I head into the kitchen and stop short when I see four extra people. People I've never seen before: a man, in his low twenties, two teenagers, and a small child. Colton slams into my back when he comes into the room. Steadying me, he looks around the room, and runs over to greet the man at the table.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here? Where are your parents?"

"Working, but Tom called us over. Haven't seen you guys in a while, thought we could catch up."

"Awesome. Yeah, that sounds great. Oh, Conner, this is Ryanne. Ryanne, this is Conner, Natasha, and Natalie, they're twins, and Madison. They used to be our neighbors a while ago."

"It's nice to meet you all," I smile at them. Natasha glares at me while Natalie stands at her side quietly. Conner and Madison seem nice enough though. "Oh, Claire, do I have time to go take a quick shower? I feel gross."

"Of course. I just said dinner was ready for everyone to start cleaning up. I forgot how quickly you could finish it for them." Laughing, I walk out of the room, and back up the stairs into the bedroom. After a quick shower, I change back into a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt. Being in a much better mood than I have been in a while, I skip down the stairs.

Ugh, she's back. Slut. Look at what she's wearing. Her shorts are way too short, and her shirt is super tight. She just wants attention. This is my only chance at getting Colton back...if she ruins it...

I turn toward Natasha and ask, "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"W—what? H-how?" How did she know that?

"Ryanne can read minds," explains David. Crap. Turn them off. Don't think about Colton. Grunting, Natasha stalks out of the room.

"I'm great with new people, can't you tell?" I ask Conner, trying not to smile.

She's pretty. I wonder if she'll play with me.

Bending down, I stop at eye-level with Madison. "Thank you. You're very pretty too." She giggles, and jumps up to give me a hug.

"Looks like you made a new friend," Conner says.

Claire calls out from the kitchen, "Okay, someone go get Natasha. Dinner's ready."

I follow everyone into the kitchen, and turn to Logan. "Are my shorts too short?" I ask him.

He looks me over once and shakes his head. "No, I don't think so. Why?" I can't really tell if he's being serious or not.

"Natasha said my shorts were too short, and my shirt was too tight. Apparently, I want attention."

"Well, she doesn't know you very well, now does she? Ignore her," he tells me.

I nod and sit down at the table, between Emma and Liam. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on pushing their thoughts back into the mental box in my mind.

"What the heck is she doing? Praying?" says Natasha.

"She's blocking your thoughts. Unless you'd rather have her read your mind all night," Logan explains a little rudely. Natasha glares at him. I look over at him and smile. It is nice to know that I'm not the only one that doesn't like Natasha. Her twin, Natalie, just sits to her left, looking down at her empty plate.

Logan is sitting in front of me, Natasha to his side, and Colton beside her. Throughout the whole dinner, Natasha keeps touching Colton's arm, and flirtingly flipping her perfect blonde hair over her shoulder. I'm a little envious of how straight and smooth her hair is compared to my curly mess. I look around the table...all the girls are blonde. Is that another mage thing? Logan keeps telling me jokes, trying to keep the conversation going. It actually works.

"Okay, if you were on a reality television show called Elevator Shenanigans, what would you do?"

"Elevator Shenanigans? That's the best you could come up with?" I ask. I can't help but laugh.

"Yes, now what would you do?" Logan asks.

"Hmm, I'm not sure, what would you do?"

"I'd stand really close to everyone that came in. Maybe occasionally smell them. Pretend that I've met them before."

"Smell them?"

"Yes, got anything better missy?"

"Hmm, I think it would be really funny to stare at a person for a long time, making your eyes get larger and larger, until they can't get any bigger." I demonstrate that. "When they ask what's wrong, start backing away until you hit the wall, and point a finger at them at the same time. Once they start squirming and right before the elevator opens, whisper 'You're one of THEM' and then run out screaming." I start laughing before I finish talking.

Logan joins me, and I end up laughing so hard that I snort, sending us both into another fit of laugher. I cover my mouth to try and quiet my laugh a little. Liam and Emma, who had both heard our conversation, are laughing with us.

"Oh gosh, my stomach hurts," Logan says. Finally taking a deep breath, I'm able to calm the laugher. The table is awkwardly silent. Tom, Claire, and Colton are smiling at us, probably happy that for once I'm not about to pass out or anything. Avoiding everyone's eyes, I glance down at my lap. One last giggle escapes, and I glance up at Logan to see him still smiling.

"You totally have to do that sometime. It would be hilarious coming from you," says Logan.

"I don't think so. I'll videotape it, and you do it. We could be YouTube stars!"

Colton looks around the table. "Does anyone else feel really out of that conversation?"

"You had to be here, man," says Logan.

"I was here, man." Colton does his best imitation of Logan.

"I meant here." He circles his arms in my immediate direction. "You were over there," he says, while pointing to the other half of the table.

"Is everyone done eating?" asks Claire. "Why don't you guys go hang out in the entertainment room while I clean up?" Everyone starts getting up from their chairs and leaving the room.

"Can I help you clean up, Claire?"

"No. Go hang out with everyone else. I've got this."

"Are you sure?" I don't want to leave the mess for her to clean up on her own. There are a lot of dishes to do.

"Yes, go. Go." She pushes me toward the door. Taking the hint, I walk out of the room, and up to the entertainment room. The couch is already occupied, as are both of the smaller chairs.

Natasha is sitting very close to Colton on the couch. Emma and David are sharing a chair. Logan is sitting on the other side of the couch. Conner and Natalie are sitting with Madison on the floor. Liam is sitting by himself against the wall, so I walk over and sit beside him. Wrapping his arm around me, he pulls me close to him.

"You feeling any better?"

"Yeah, I really am. I promise this time. I am hoping that, if I get back in the habit of training, things will slowly start to return to normal. I could really use normal right now."

Liam squeezes my shoulder a little, "I hate to break it to you, Ryanne, but none of this is really normal."

"True. Well, any semblance of normal would be fine." I rest my head on his shoulder, and look around the room. Everyone seems to be involved in his or her own conversations.

"Natasha keeps giving you the stink eye," Liam tells me.

"I read her thoughts earlier. She thinks I'm ruining her chances of getting back with Colton. Apparently they were an item at one point. I'm not standing in her way, so I don't know why she keeps glaring at me like that."

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Colton isn't giving her any attention because he keeps glancing at you."

I lift my head off his shoulder, and glance over at Colton and Natasha. He is quietly talking to her, not looking at me. I don't know what Liam's talking about. "He does not."

"Does too."

"I'm not having this conversation." We settle into silence. Listening to the conversations around us, I hear Conner mention that he missed last week's episode of The Big Bang Theory. Gasping, I turn around and ask, "You watch The Big Bang Theory?"

"Yes, it's weird, but it's one of the only shows that I can stand to watch."

"I love it. Sheldon is so hilarious." We start animatedly talking about Leonard and Penny's relationship, the quirkiness of Howard and Raj, and strange friendship/relationship between Sheldon and Amy.

"Aww, look they're having a nerd moment," says David.

"Hey, hey. Don't diss it. Just because you can't understand anything more complicated than a rock..." I smile innocently at him.

"Ooooohhhhhh."

"Oh, little girl. You asked for it," says David, while standing up. Walking toward me, he wiggles his fingers.

"You wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't I?" He is getting closer to me. My eyes dart to the door, right before I run toward it. He runs after me, and catches me in the hallway. Wrapping his arms around my midriff, he starts tickling my stomach.

Doubling over laughing, I say, "Mercy, Mercy." I am laughing so hard; I can barely get a word out. "You're a genius," I manage.

"I know." He drags me back into the room. I yank my hand out of his, and sulk back toward Liam. Sitting on the ground, I fake pout toward David. "You're not very nice, picking on girls smaller than you." He chuckles before sitting back in the chair, and wraps his arm around Emma. She snuggles into this side.

An hour later, Madison has fallen asleep, and Conner decides that it is time for them to leave. Standing in the living room by the front door, everyone is saying their goodbyes. Natasha is still glued to Colton's side.

"It was very nice talking to you, Ryanne. I hope we meet again soon," says Conner.

"Me too."

"Colton, can I speak with you? Alone," asks Natasha. Colton runs a hand through his hair, and I think I see him glance at me, but I don't know for sure.

"Umm, sure." She pulls him outside, shutting the door after her. Out of sight and out of hearing range. For some reason, I just stare at the door, unable to pull my eyes away.

"He's not interested in Natasha," David whispers in my ear.

Blinking, I draw my eyes away from the door. "Okay?" I look at him trying to find the underlying meaning to his statement. When he doesn't explain further, I shake my head and say, "I think I'm going to go to bed. I'm pretty tired." I turn away and head upstairs slowly.

"Goodnight, Ryanne," a chorus of voices says behind me.

Even buried under the comforter, I start shivering. I don't have any warmer clothing to change into. Spotting Colton's sweatshirt folded on the dresser, I push the covers back and put it on, inhaling. The shirt smells like his cologne. I walk back to the bed and pull the covers back, nestling under the sheets. Closing my eyes, I slowly drift into a dreamless sleep.

I WAKE UP TO THE sound of a shower the next morning. Instead of waiting for Emma to get out, I get up and go down to the kitchen to look for Claire. Instead, I find Colton searching through the cabinets. Looking down, I realize that I had slept in his sweatshirt. Shoot. I try to back out of the room quietly without catching his attention. Since I have absolutely no luck, he turns around at the last second.

"Morning, Ryanne," he says, giving me his thousand-watt smile. His smile grows when he sees what I am wearing. I walk over and lean against the island behind him.

"I got really cold last night," I try to explain. "Do you want it back?" I start to pull my arms out of the sleeves to take it off, but Colton reaches out and grabs my hand.

"Keep it." I blush and look away. Stepping closer and lightly caressing my cheek, he says, "You blush so easily." That, of course, just makes me blush more. His breath against my cheeks makes goose bumps rise on my skin. Thankfully, because of the sweatshirt, he can't see that. My heart is pounding a mile a minute. The hand on my cheek moves down to my chin, slowly tilting it up. "Ryanne..."

I look up and gaze into his eyes. I'm about to lean forward when I hear laughter.

Laughter? Who would be laughing?

Hearing people entering the room, I try to step back, but I am already pressed up against the counter. My blush darkens. Muttering a few choice words, Colton takes a few steps back, but never takes his eyes from me. I, however, turn and look at who came into the room. Emma is grinning like a madwoman at me, while David is standing there with a smirk on his face, looking at his brother.

"Oh, morning, guys," I say quickly.

"A good morning it is, I see," David says.

"I'm going to go take a shower now that Emma is out." Keeping my eyes on the ground, I brush past them, and run up the stairs. That was close.

Too close.

Turning the water on as high as it can go, I get into the shower. After a couple of seconds, the room is already full of steam. The shower is one of my favorite places to think. There's no one to disturb you. It's just you and the water in a peaceful little bubble. Washing my hair, I start going over everything.

That's twice now that Colton has tried to kiss me, and we were interrupted. I think he tried the night of the backyard attack at the other house...and that didn't end well. Is that a sign? Maybe the universe is telling me that Colton and I aren't meant to be together. I don't even know if I like him in that way. Any girl would be crazy to not find him attractive. He's probably only interested in me because I'm one of two girls he's around all the time, and the other one is possibly accounted for already. There's no other reason why a tall, muscular, incredibly good-looking guy would be interested in a short, awkward girl like myself. Natasha mentioned something about wanting to get Colton back, meaning they were together at one point. We are two completely different people. Colton and I are in two distinctly separate leagues. I don't want to be someone's toy—a thing to pass the time until something better comes along. I want to be someone's first choice, not a replacement.

That's it. I'm going to try and stay out of situations like that with Colton without making it too obvious. Maybe he'll get the point and move on.

Hopefully.

WALKING OUT OF THE BATHROOM and into the bedroom, I see Emma sitting on the bed reading through one of Tom's outdoor magazines. Emma would never read one of those magazines, so I know that she has something up her sleeve.

"So...you and Colton, huh?" she says, without glancing up from the magazine.

"There's no me and Colton."

Dropping the magazine, she jumps off the bed and walks over to me. "Well, why not?" I brush past her and leave the room, hoping that the conversation will end with my departure. "Ryanne, why not?"

Stopping on the stairs, I look down into the living room, and when I see no one, I continue. "Because I'm no one's first choice, Emma, and I never have been. I'm the girl that gets picked on. The easy target. Everyone picks on the insecure girls. I've been told by a crapload of people that I'm not good enough. You think if a guy like Colton had a choice, he would pick me?" I don't wait for her to respond. "No. He wouldn't. We belong in two completely different social classes. And I can't seem to keep danger away from me. I'll just get someone killed, and I don't want it to be him. I don't want it to be any one of you guys."

"What if you were his first choice?" she calls after me as I walk down the rest of the stairs.

Walking into the kitchen, I say, "I'm not."

"Not what?" asks Logan. I briefly glance in his direction. He's sitting with David, Colton and Liam at the kitchen table.

"Tall." I walk to the fridge, grab out a water bottle, and leave the room, heading back upstairs. Emma is still trailing me.

"Ryanne, please talk to me." I hear the sound of chairs scraping in the kitchen, so I have a feeling that the guys are trying to listen in.

"I don't want to talk." Stopping down the hallway, I lean against the wall. "Please."

"So, what are you going to do? Just ignore him from now on?"

"No, I'm not going to...crap." I feel the tug of a vision, pulling me away from the present, and into the future.

I AM SITTING IN THE attic, looking down at the yard, when a figure materializes in the corner of the room. Larkin. I briefly look at him, before turning my attention back to the window. It is partially cloudy, but I don't know if it is because of me, or if it is supposed to be like that today.

"Ryanne, Dravin's coming for you again. He doesn't know where you are exactly, but he'll find out soon enough. I've tried to divert his attention elsewhere, but I'm pretty sure he is suspicious," he says.

"I know. It's fine. Don't let him suspect you. I don't want you to get hurt because of me. Let him come. I'll be ready."

"He is going to try and rig the house to blow up. It won't happen until after he is here though. He wants you out, and wants to see the destruction he'll cause. So, you'll have some time."

I COME BACK, AND FIND everyone standing over me. Pushing back their hands, I stand up on my own and dust off my clothes. "Dang, why can I never have one of those when I'm by myself?" I mutter. "And why do I always end up falling over?"

"Ryanne, what did you see?" asks Emma.

"Not a whole lot happened. I was sitting in the attic, by myself, and Larkin came. He told me that Dravin is coming for me again, and the house is going to get blown up." Nonchalantly, I walk past all of them and head upstairs to warn Tom and Claire. They all remain frozen.

About halfway up the stairs, they all say, "What?" and start to follow me.

"It doesn't happen for a while though."

"How do you know that?" asks Colton.

"The leaves were changing colors. Oh, and because my hair was longer, and so was Larkin's. Apparently, I don't get a haircut anytime soon."

"Good," mumbles Colton. I turn around and look at him, but he is looking elsewhere. Entering Claire's room, I find her sitting on the window seat, reading a book.

"I had a vision." I go on to tell her everything that happened in the vision. It wasn't very detailed, so I'm not worried about forgetting anything.

"Okay." Claire starts nodding. "That gives us some time then. That doesn't mean that we won't get attacked before then, but we'll be fine in the meantime. I'll tell Tom when he gets out of the shower." I nod and brush past everyone standing in the doorway.

Colton grabs my arm. "Can we talk?" Without looking at him, I shake my head, and walk out of the room.

"Give her time," I hear Emma whisper to him.

I walk back to the room I share with Emma, grab my notebook, and head outside. Sitting on the stone steps, I open my notebook and start drawing. I don't think about anything. I just draw. My pencil scratches across the page leaving behind a dark line, bending to the will of my hand. The sun keeps going behind clouds, creating shadows across my page. It is hot out, but not hot enough to be uncomfortable. A slight breeze keeps blowing my hair in my face. Every ten seconds, I have to retuck my hair behind my ears.

Someone touches my back.

"What are you drawing?" Startled, I scream, throw my notebook into the air, and jump backwards. I turn, and see Liam sitting beside me with a huge grin on his face.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," I say, as I try to catch my breath, and return my heart to a normal rate.

"I wasn't really being quiet. The door slammed shut because of the wind. I thought you would have heard that."

"Well, I didn't."

"Obviously." I exhale loudly and walk down the last couple of steps to grab my notebook that I had thrown into the yard and return to my previous spot. "What are you drawing?" he repeats.

"I don't know exactly. Just doodling." I look down at the drawing. It is just a bunch of random swirls and spirals, wrapping around each other in an intricate design. They don't form any obvious shapes. "How long have I been out here?"

"Two...Three hours now."

"Seriously? It's been that long?" It feels like I have only been out here for a couple of minutes.

"Yeah, Emma said you needed some time by yourself. She wouldn't tell us any more than that. Is something wrong?" I am thankful that Emma didn't say anything. I'll have to thank her later. "Colton seems upset."

I look over at him to see if he is going to say anything else. When he doesn't, I take a deep breath and lean my head on his shoulder. "Nothing is wrong specifically. Emma was right; I just needed to relax, and to be alone for a little while. I'm okay now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I stand up, and grab my notebook and pencil off of the ground. "Let's go back inside."

THINGS FROM THAT POINT ON are a little awkward. I talk to Colton in group settings, but avoid being around him alone. No one seems to really know what is going on besides Emma. We all train everyday and Conner, Natasha, Natalie, and Madison come over every night. After a couple of days, things start settling down. Natasha always finds a way to corner me and threaten me about Colton, because apparently I am standing in her way or something. She would mention all of the reasons why I'm not right for him. Colton stopped trying to get me alone to talk. I start to hang out with Liam more, while David and Emma are still in the flirty friendship stage.

It is Saturday night, and I am in the entertainment room with Liam and Logan. They're both watching a movie. Leaning against the armrest of the couch with my legs in Liam's lap, I'm doodling in my notebook when Colton comes in with a giggling Natasha. I don't look up at either of them. Liam looks over at me, trying to decipher my reaction, but I keep my eyes glued on my notebook, drawing and detailing leaves on my flower.

"Colton, why are we in here? Let's go somewhere more private." She is practically growling at him. I grimace at the sound of her voice.

"I'd rather just watch a movie right now...if that's okay with everyone." Liam and Logan nod, both turning to look at me. I bite my lip before glancing over at Colton, and giving him a small smile. "That's fine."

Colton walks over to the seat at the end of the couch. Because of how I am sitting, I can see him clearly.

Natasha walks over, and stands in front of him. He looks at the chair next to him, indicating that she should sit there. With a huff, she sits down angrily, and crosses her arms. I bite my lip harder to try and hide the smile that threatens to break out.

"What are you drawing, Ryanne?" Natasha asks.

I glance up at her, but put my attention back into my drawing. "Umm, I'm sketching a butterfly on a flower right now. Drawing helps me clear my mind."

"Oh. Cute," she replies. Yeah, I can hear the sarcasm in her voice. The mean girl inside me really wants to come out, but I withhold it. I imagine myself turning animalistic and tackling her, like the cafeteria scene in Mean Girls. The look of surprise and fear on her face is priceless.

Mentally picturing that, I can't stifle my giggle. All eyes in the room turn to me, causing me to laugh harder. Covering my mouth, I quiet my laughter. I manage to spit out an apology. "Sorry, just...thinking."

"Ryanne, can I talk to you?" I look around and see Emma peeking through the door, frowning.

"Yeah, one second." Turning back around, I close my notebook, and push my pencil through the metal spiral on the side.

"What's that about?" asks Liam.

"I have no idea." I get up and place my notebook on my seat. "I'll be right back." Walking out in the hallway, I find Emma pacing. "What's wrong?" Grabbing my arm, she drags me down the hallway, toward our room. Opening our door, she looks down at me with huge eyes. What is going on? Gasping, I step in the room.

Our room is trashed. Clothes are thrown everywhere, and our dresser drawers are broken, with pieces of it lying all over the room. Cosmetics and makeup are wrecked and spilled on the floor. Magazine pages are ripped and thrown around. The glass on the only picture of my mom and me is shattered, and the picture is crumpled on my bed.

I walk across the room and pick up the broken frame from the ground. With tears in my eyes, I unwrinkle the photo. Creases mar our smiling faces. I bite my lip to keep the tears at bay. There has to be an explanation.

Something red catches my eye in the bathroom. I carefully walk over to the bathroom, avoiding pieces of wood on the floor. On the mirror, written in red lipstick are the words: GET OUT OF MY WAY. HE'S MINE.

"Natasha," I whisper as I turn toward Emma again. "Natasha did this."

"Are you serious?" she asks incredulously. "I know she doesn't like you, but was all this really necessary?"

I storm past Emma, and run back into the entertainment room.

Natasha is staring at the door, smiling at me. "Did you get my message?"

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Emma runs into the room and slams into my back, knocking me into the couch. Steadying myself, I glare at Natasha. "You ruined the only picture I had of my mother."

All the guys are looking between the three of us, confused. Natasha gets up from the couch, and walks over to me. "And now you'll listen to my warning."

"I was never standing in your way! When will you get that through your thick skull? We've barely even talked lately. I'm not trying to take him from you." My voice rises to a yell the closer she gets to me, stopping just inches in front of me; I tilt my head back and glare up at her. Natasha is a lot taller than me, but it doesn't faze me.

"You don't even have to try!" She pushes me backwards, causing me to fall to the ground. "You've got all these guys wrapped around your tiny little finger." I feel the energy in me bubbling to the surface. Getting up, I push a small piece toward her, sending her flying into the wall.

"Ryanne!" Colton and Liam both simultaneously say. Natasha slumps to the ground before narrowing her eyes at me. She gets up and stalks toward me. When she is standing in front of me, she smiles wickedly, and places her hand on her hips.

Suddenly, I can't breathe. There is no oxygen going into my lungs, so I slump to the ground, grabbing at my throat. It feels like ice is shooting through my veins, making me immobile. Blood vessels start to pop throughout my body, and black spots fill my vision. I'm on the verge of passing out, when Logan yells, "Natasha, stop! She can't breathe!"

In the background, I hear someone scream followed by a loud thud. Air rushes into my lungs, and my body collapses in relief. While coughing, I try to stand back up. Halfway there, someone's arms wrap around my waist, and they pull me the rest of the way up. I turn to see Liam holding me. Logan places his hands gently around my throat, and starts working his magic. David runs into the room and grabs Emma, who is fighting with Natasha. Wrapping an arm around her torso, he pulls her backwards, separating the two of them. She struggles in his arms, before finally calming down. Natasha pushes herself off the ground when no one comes to help her stand up.

"What the heck is going on?" yells David.

"Go look at our room," Emma says, never taking her eyes from Natasha. David motions for Logan to go check it out. Logan leaves, and when I am finally able to breathe normally again, Liam releases me.

Logan rushes back into the room. "Their room is trashed. Everything is messed up. There is a message written in what looks like lipstick on the mirror that says 'Get out of my way. He's mine.' I'm assuming that is referring to you Colton."

Colton turns to Natasha, his expression unreadable. "Did you do that?"

"Yeah, she," she glares at me, "needed to know that—"

"You should go," Colton says.

She stares at him, eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, please go." The room is silent. When she doesn't move, he speaks louder. "Now." She stomps her foot on the ground like a toddler would when upset, and rushes out of the room, pushing me out of the way in the process. Liam reaches out to steady me again.

A couple seconds later, I step away from him and quietly leave the room as well, walking back to our bedroom to clean up. Colton kicked her out, yes, but that doesn't really mean anything. I can't let myself go there. I can't let myself read into anything. It means nothing.

Once in the room, I start assessing all the damage. Ugh, where to start first? There is so much to do. Bending over, I start gathering up all the clothing, trying to avoid the broken pieces of glass and wood that's haphazardly scattered on the floor. I begin separating Emma's clothes from mine, and sorting them into piles. Soon, everyone else comes into the room, and starts helping. The guys clean up the glass and wood, while Emma and I work on the clothing and cosmetics.

While wiping up the spilled shampoo from the bathroom floor, I turn to Emma and whisper, "So, now I don't just have to worry about Dravin and Adam, I have to worry about crazy ex-girlfriends too? I'm sorry some of your stuff got destroyed."

Throwing the towels in the basket, we walk back into the room to see what else needs cleaned.

"Hey. Don't apologize to me. I thoroughly enjoyed tackling that skinny girl. She's been a complete jerk to you the past couple of days."

"What do you mean she's been a complete jerk to you?" asks Colton.

"Nothing." I walk over to the folded photograph of my mom.

Emma looks at me and shakes her head. "Natasha has taken every free moment to make Ryanne feel like crap. Telling her that she's not good enough for anyone, that she'll end up getting everyone she loves killed. That she's not worth all the trouble, and we'll all abandon her like her family."

"Emma, please stop. I don't need to hear it all again." I can feel the tears coming. Rain starts hitting the windows. Holding the photo, I walk out of the room, and slide down the wall in the hallway as the tears begin to fall, mimicking the rain outside. I need to let everything out. No one follows me.

"Why didn't you say anything? I didn't know anything was going on."

"Because she asked me not to. She didn't want to upset you, you big goof! She thought you were happy with that girl, and wanted you to be happy even if she wasn't."

"I was never interested in Natasha."

"Yeah, it sure looked that way," she sarcastically retorts.

"Ryanne's the one that stopped talking to me. I tried talking to her, but she wouldn't listen," says Colton, his voice rising almost to the point of yelling.

"Because she's convinced that no one would want her, and that she's not good enough for anyone. She said that if there were other girls here, you would never be interested in her, and you kind of solidified that argument in her mind with Natasha."

I suddenly feel claustrophobic. I don't want to hear how the rest of the argument will play out. Feeling like the walls are caving in on me, I push myself up, and walk toward the backyard, leaving the photo on the floor. I need some fresh air.

"Ryanne, are you okay?" Claire calls out as I pass through the kitchen.

Wiping the tears from my face, I reply, "Yeah, I just need some air."

Closing the back door, I sit on the bottom stone step, breathing deeply. It's no longer raining as hard. Right now, it's just a simple mist falling. Emma didn't have to reveal all of that to everyone. If they didn't already think that I was weak, they definitely do now. I'm insecure; I'm not a hopeless cause. I should keep everything to myself from now on, because I can't hurt myself like others can.

I miss how things were before I got kidnapped, before everything started to change. When I woke up and trained for fun. When I knew that I was supposed to somehow help bring an end to a war, but I wasn't really a part of it. Back when I didn't worry about being kidnapped once I fell asleep, when I didn't worry about everyone around me getting hurt. Now, I'm the girl that always needs protecting. I want to be strong and confident, but I always put myself in a situation where I'm proved to be the opposite.

I look up at the sky. Its vast openness is all I can see. Out of the billions of people in the world, why was I chosen for this? I'm not a leader. I'm a follower. It's a lot easier to listen to what someone is saying than to be the one actually speaking. Leading takes guts...something I don't have. I'm going to get swallowed up in this war, and probably not make it out alive. I've already had a couple close calls. When the fighting gets rough...well, the fighting will be rough. I've not been trained for years like everyone else has. I just started. I'm not prepared for anything major, and probably never will be.

Gazing up at the stars, I realize how small and insignificant I actually am. Similar to a star, I am just a piece in the larger constellation—a simple pawn in a bigger game of chess. Nothing too special, just a way to set things in motion.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, I turn slightly to see who is coming toward me. Colton sits down on the bottom stair, and looks up at the stars with me. Neither one of us speaks for a while. I watch him out of the corner of my eye as he opens his mouth to speak multiple times before deciding against it.

How did we get here? How is it that neither one of us can be in a room alone anymore without feeling awkward? I don't understand how and why things have changed so much between us. Where's the Colton that followed me to the gazebo to make sure that I was okay? I want that Colton to be here. Not the Colton that has Natasha following his every footstep.

After a few minutes, he sighs and says, "Did you know that most stars are over a billion years old?" I look over at him, watching the stars. Even his profile is swoon-worthy. Stupid Colton and his attractiveness.

"Look, Colton. I'm sorry I ignored you. It's just that so much was changing so fast that I kind of freaked, and I took it out on you. I miss talking to, and being around, you. Can things go back to how they were before? I want us to be friends again."

Bringing my attention back to the stars, I wait from his response. I feel him watching at me, but he doesn't say anything. Oh dear, he doesn't want to be friends anymore. I've ruined it. I'm too much baggage, and he'd rather be with Natasha. He exhales, and I finally look over at him, searching for an answer.

"Just friends?" After thinking it over, he gives me a small smile and says, "I'd like that, Ry. I've missed you." He hugs me and I let him, taking comfort in his embrace. I really have missed him. I try to hide my yawn but can't. Laughing, he stands up, pulling me with him. "Come on. We finished cleaning your room. You need to go to bed."

FOR A WHILE, EVERYTHING RETURNS to normal. We train every day with Tom. Emma and I become closer. She's the best friend I've never had. My relationship with Colton also returns to how it was before. Colton and Liam seem to be becoming pretty close. David and Emma are still stuck in the flirty friendship stage with neither one wanting to be the first to initiate anything more. Conner and Madison come over occasionally, but Natasha and Natalie haven't been back since that incident.

Days pass without anything exciting happening. We just prepare. Claire says that we have to stay at this house. That this is what is best for us. She does know best; she has the intuition after all. It's a Wednesday when I finally crack. Boredom can cause someone to do that apparently.

I am sitting in a chair in the entertainment room with my notebook in my lap. This is the first time that I have no idea what to draw—no inspiration is coming to me. I'm having a doodle block. So, the only logical thing would be sit upside down in the chair, and wait for inspiration to strike, right? I think so. I put my feet up where my head should be and lean back, my head facing the ground. I can see the ceiling and the other chair directly across from where I am sitting... and I wait. Inspiration has to strike sometime.

I can hear people shuffling down the hallway. I know that pretty soon everyone will come into this room and find me sitting here, but I don't move.

"Hey...Ryanne...what...are you doing?" David asks slowly, as if I can't understand simple English.

Turning my head toward them, I reply, "I'm bored, and can't think of what to draw."

"And is that working?" asks Emma.

"Nope."

"Would you rather watch a movie?" I can hear the laughter in Colton's voice as he asks the question.

"Nope. I'd rather see how long it takes for all the blood to rush to my head and I pass out." They all laugh. "I'm being serious."

"Oh, we know," Colton says as he sits down on the couch.

Liam comes over to the chair I am sitting in, and starts nudging my shoulder with his foot, wanting to sit down in the chair with me. "Come on, Ryanne. Get up."

"You can't make me." His eyebrows rise. Giving me a look that says challenge accepted, he smiles down at me, and raises his hands, fingers pointed outward in the universal tickle signal, and starts moving toward my exposed stomach. I kick my feet back, and do a backwards flip, until I am sitting on the ground facing the chair I was just sitting in.

"Never mind, I think I'd rather watch a movie." Liam leans down, picks me up, and sets me in his lap since there are no available seats anywhere else. "You know, that was pretty rude," I whisper to him.

"You just have to threaten to tickle Ryanne, and she'll do anything," says David.

"Don't get any ideas, Buster."

He just smiles at me. "Already have some." Emma looks at me like she knows what I am going to do, and gets out the chair to sit on the edge of the couch. I gather up a small strand of energy, and visualize knocking the chair that David is sitting in backwards. I thrust the energy strand with the visual imprint toward him, and wait for the scene to play out.

When he realizes what I am doing, his smile falters. His chair tilts backwards, and while he tries to move forward to counteract the movement, he still falls. He lays on his back for a couple of seconds, surprised, before he starts laughing. Once everyone hears his laughter, they join in. Getting up, he returns the chair to its proper position, sits down, and stares at me. "Well played, little one. Well played."

Liam shakes my shoulder. "You're devious."

I turn my smile on him and say, "I know."

An hour later, a movie is put in, and everyone's attention is on the screen. "It's so sad that they kill his wife at the end of this movie. He doesn't remember her. The poor hot mutant," says Emma. She has a crush on Hugh Jackman.

I feel something brush against my stomach, and look down to see Liam holding the flame necklace that he gave me. I still haven't taken it off. "My mother made this for me."

"Really?" I whisper back, intrigued. I turn so that I'm facing him. I can feel a story coming on. Liam doesn't often share personal information about himself. He isn't an emotional guy. The only thing I really know about him is that he has an older brother named Bragden.

"Yeah, she used to make a ton of jewelry for everyone. It was one of her many hobbies. She made this leather bracelet that I'm wearing too." He holds up his wrist so I can see. The tanned leather is braided into a complex pattern, intertwining in a zigzag formation. "She gave me this necklace when I was ten years old. She passed away a month later."

He isn't looking at me, but at the necklace, seemingly lost in his memories. I reach up and start to bring the chain up around my neck, to give it back to him. His mother made it for him and him only. She made the necklace with her love, intending for him to always keep it on it him as a token of that, and as a reminder of where he came from.

"You take it back. I can't keep something like that. Your mother gave it to you specifically." Grabbing my arm, he halts my progress.

"Ryanne, I didn't tell you that to get the necklace back. I want you to keep it. She would have wanted me to give it to you."

"Why?"

"Growing up, my mother used to tell me to cherish life. Think of a candle flame. It burns bright, but slowly dies out. When it's burning bright, it represents living life to its fullest. Each flicker is an obstacle that is overcome. In the end, the flame slowly wanes. You have to make the most of what you have when the flame is brightest. You never know when the flame is going to be blown out. Life is short, but it can also be beautiful. It's a symbol of hope. Candle flames take away a small portion of darkness, giving the slightest bit of illumination in the darkest of times."

I watch his face as he speaks. Despite the roughness in his appearance, there is softness underneath. Under all the black hair, is a guy who had to grow up too quickly. Looking up at him, I can see small pieces of sadness in his gray eyes. He is very handsome, his crooked nose and scar only adding to his appearance. Something about the way he speaks tugs at my heartstrings. I can tell that Liam loves and misses his mother, so I can relate to him in that way.

"I'm sorry about your mother, Liam. She sounds like a very smart woman."

"She was." My eyes travel down his face, and land on his rather large arm. I can see the outline of his flamed tattoo peeking from underneath the sleeve of his t-shirt. Slowly, I roll the sleeve up to get a better look at it. I can feel him watching me, but I don't look up. When the full tattoo is visible, I slowly trace along the edges with my finger, barely touching his skin.

"Is that why you got this tattoo?"

"Yeah. I got it when I was seventeen after a bad period in my life. It's a reminder for me to not dwell too much on the bad things. Flickers in the flames don't remain for long. The flame will return to its bright luminance once again. Everything happens for a reason, and we can't live too long in the past. Otherwise, the future will fly past us." He brings his hand under my chin, and tilts my head back, making me look at him. "Please don't forget that, Ryanne. It's always better to light a candle than dwell in the darkness."

I stare into his gray eyes for a couple of seconds before nodding. He's right, but making myself follow that idea is going to be difficult. I lean back against his shoulder, and curl into his side.

My mom wouldn't want me to be sad that she is gone. She would want me to cherish the fact that I got a second chance. She swerved so that I would be able to live. I can't change the past, and she wouldn't want me to. Everything does happen for a reason. I know that my mom can see me; that she's always rooting for me to succeed. I feel a single tear run down my cheek. I am stronger now than I was, and am slowly getting stronger every day. It's going to take some time, but I know that I'll grow to appreciate what she did for me down the long road ahead.

"Did we disturb the movie?" I ask, when I realize that the room is silent and everyone is watching me yet again.

"No. The movie's been over for a couple minutes now," Emma replies.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that eavesdropping was rude?" Liam says in a light voice, laughter hidden beneath the words.

Shrugging, she replies, "Someone may have...once...I don't really remember." David laughs and picks Emma up, throwing her over his shoulder. She screams at the suddenness of his actions. With her giggling, he runs into the hallway. Everyone's eyes follow them, confused.

He runs back into the room, sans Emma. "Are you guys coming? It's training time," he says. Running over to me, he grabs my arms, and pulls me off of the chair, dragging me toward the door. When he touches me, I get the sensation that is starting to become familiar to me. "David..." is all I can get out before I fall forward into a vision.

The backyard is decorated for a special occasion. Small lights, shaped like lilies, line the stone pathway. Tall, thin columns are erected around the perimeter of the yard, enclosing a small area large enough for this reception. Sheer fabric connects the columns on either side of the lawn, letting sporadic strips of sunlight shine through. White flowers with pink accents line the base of columns. The grass is sparkly, as if someone had thrown glitter all over it, and numerous lawn chairs are lined in rows on both sides, with people sitting in them.

David is standing at the end of the aisle, fidgeting nervously. Wedding music starts playing and everyone stands up and turns around, awaiting the bride. At the end of the aisle is a beautiful bride staring at David. Wearing a short white silk dress that flows around her knees, Emma beams at her future husband as she starts walking down the aisle.

I come back to the present and find myself leaning against David. "Did you have another vision? What happened?" He looks concerned. I look behind me and see Logan, Liam, and Colton with similar expressions. I look back at David and start beaming. Concern turns to confusion. I just laugh and hug him, before turning around and skipping out of the room. I know everyone is confused, but I don't think I should share that vision. That is one vision that I don't want to risk changing. I walk back to my room, and find Emma changing into her training clothes. My smile widens when I see her.

"Are you okay?" she asks. "You're scaring me." I shake my head, my smile never wavering, and grab an outfit to change into. Once outside, we find that all of the guys have beaten us and are already stretching. Joining their circle, Emma and I begin to stretch with them.

David is still looking at me, wondering what is wrong when he sees my barely-contained smile. I know that I look like a crazy person, but I can't help it. I'm happy for them. "So, are you going to tell us what you saw?"

I bend down to touch my toes, stretching out the muscles in my legs. My hair falls forward, creating a curtain around my face. Crap, I forgot a hair tie again.

"Wait, you had a vision? Is that why you're smiling like that?" Emma inquires. "You had a vision that wasn't bad?" I nod, still not saying anything. "But you won't tell anyone...?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"Because it could change the future." Turning toward Emma, I ask, "Do you have an extra hair tie I could borrow?"

"Yes, but you have to tell me your vision," she challenges.

"That's okay. You guys can just pull all my hair out. I've had worse."

"Oh, that's low. Fine. Here." She throws the hair tie at me. I smile sweetly and thank her. Rolling her eyes, she gets into the stance that we always get into when training. It doesn't take us long to realize that we are both getting much better at fighting. We are able to disarm the guys much quicker when we don't have our weapons drawn though. We know the basic maneuvers to use when holding a sword, but it is much easier to fight without one. I am able to use magic to knock out any opponent much quicker and easier than I could before. When practicing with Emma, I don't use it, because it wouldn't be fair. She's taller and stronger than me, but I am faster, so I can maneuver out of her attacks better than she can mine.

I hear the sounds of metal clanking against metal around us. The boys are all training with swords. Tom joins us after a while, and helps train us with weaponry. Neither one of us can seem to get the hang of it. It doesn't come as naturally to us as it does for the guys. My arms are starting to cramp up. That's one of the reasons why I hate training with the swords. My strength is improving, but I'm still not used to holding a large metal weapon in my hands.

When my arm starts to feel like jello, Claire walks outside. "Maybe it's time for a break. You guys have been out here for a while. I cut up some watermelon." She winks at me, before turning around and going back into the house.

I hand my sword to Tom, and follow Claire.

There is a giant bowl of watermelon in the middle of the island. Grabbing a few pieces, I move out the way, knowing that the guys will probably devour it before anyone else gets any. Emma and I stand off to the side, slowly eating our pieces. When I finish, I wash my hands, and walk back to the island to chat with everyone else. Emma soon joins me, bumping shoulders with David.

I'm starting to get a headache from wearing my hair so tight in the ponytail. Pulling my hair out of it, I shake my head, and run my fingers through my almost waist-length hair, trying to tame it. Handing the ponytail to Emma, I realize that I'm being watched.

"What?"

"It's like a freaking shampoo commercial. How the heck do you do it?" Emma asks.

"Do what?"

"I'm a completely straight girl, and I'm attracted to you right now. I don't want to know what these guys are thinking."

"Well, I could tell you what they're thinking." I myself want to know. I don't understand what she is getting at.

"Please don't," says Colton, shaking his head.

"I second that," agrees Liam. Logan just nods.

"Okay...I don't really know what just happened here, but I'm going to go change."

In the room, I lock the door, change out of the athletic clothing, and am standing in a pair of jean shorts and a bra, looking for a shirt.

"Hmm." Someone clears their throat behind me. Jumping around, I find Larkin staring at me.

"Can't you knock or something?" I demand. It is rude to just show up like that without giving any notice.

"I could, but that's no fun." His smile widens, and I watch as his eyes slowly travel down my body. "Would you like to finish getting dressed?"

"What?" I look down and gasp. I'm still not wearing a shirt. I'm standing in front of Larkin in nothing but a black lacy bra. Quickly, I try to cover my chest. I notice that Larkin's eyes linger on the long scar under my ribs. "Oh my gosh." I turn around and grab the first t-shirt I find, which is just a plain black form-fitting shirt. Throwing it on, I turn around, and grab Larkin's arm, pulling him downstairs.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Assuming you probably wouldn't just show up unless you had something important to say, I'm taking you downstairs, so you can just tell everyone at once."

Entering the kitchen, I announce, "Look who just popped into my room while I was changing."

"What?" Colton stands up, and glares at Larkin.

"Oh, sit down pretty boy. She was almost fully dressed." He smirks at me. With my arms crossed, I motion for him to continue. "I have important news." When he has our attention, he continues, "Ryanne, Dravin's coming for you again. He doesn't know where you are exactly, but he'll find out soon enough. I've tried to..."

"What? It's too early. The leaves haven't started changing yet," I interrupt what he is saying. I've had this vision before, but it was different. What changed?

"What are you talking about?" Larkin asks me.

"I had a vision that you were telling me that exact thing. Is he also going to try to rig the house to blow up?"

"Well...yeah. He's going to try."

"When?"

"I'd give it about a week, maybe a little more. Soon though."

Colton and Liam curse, Logan and David both just shake their heads, and Emma reaches out and grabs my arm. Dravin is coming for me. I always knew he was, but I thought I could just live happily until the day actually came. I thought I would know when he was searching for me—when he was close. I feel more prepared this time, but it still scares me that he is trying so hard to get me. I can hear the wind outside start to pick up, but I can't control it. When I think about Dravin, my thoughts drift toward Adam. Adam is working for him, and they both want to harm me.

Tom and Claire run into the room. "What's wrong? The weather's changing," says Claire.

Taking a deep breath, I try to control my emotions. I walk over to Larkin. "It's fine. We've been training. We knew that this would happen. It's just a little sooner than I originally thought. Thanks for telling us. Please don't get caught. I don't want you to get hurt because you are helping us."

"Don't worry about me. Just try to keep safe." With that, he blinks out of the room. I return to the spot I was standing in before. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on calming down. I feel someone start rubbing my back.

"Don't worry. We'll do everything to make sure Dravin doesn't get you. We'll keep you safe," says Colton.

"Colton, it's not herself that she's worried about," Liam says. "She's worried about all of us."

I lift my head, and look at him. "Can you read minds too?"

"No, I just know you."

"Okay, so what are we going to do?" Logan demands.

All eyes look at Claire. "We stay here. There's not a whole lot we can do at this moment. You guys can continue training. My intuition is telling me that we need to remain here."

"That's all we're going to do? Stay here and let Dravin come to us?" Colton yells at Claire. I'd never seen him talk back to his aunt before.

I reach out and grab his arm, bringing his attention to me, and away from Claire. "It's the best thing to do right now. You knew that he was coming."

"Yes, but I thought that we would come up with a plan to get away safely. Not just stay here, waiting. Do you want to get captured again?" I can feel the anger radiating off of him. He's not yelling anymore, but his tone is still harsh.

"No, but we can't keep running. He's going to catch up to us sooner or later."

He hits the table behind me, scaring me. I lean back as he takes a step closer to me. I can see the anger in his gorgeous green eyes melt away to something else. No one has ever looked at me like that. Looking down at me, his voice lowers and is laced with concern. "I can't watch him take you again, Ry. I just can't." His voice is barely louder than a whisper. I know he is pleading with me, begging me to understand, but I've accepted that the war is going to come after me. No matter how fast I run away, it will always find me.

He is standing so close to me that I can smell his cologne. He has me caged between his body and the table behind me, and his breath is hitting my face. I draw my gaze from his eyes down to his mouth. I know that this really isn't the time for that, but I can't help it. I realize now how important this guy is to me. Why did I refuse him twice before? He truly cares about me; otherwise, he wouldn't be so angry. I lift my eyes back up to his, and see him watching me. It feels like time stops. I don't think about anything else but how close he is standing to me. His body heat is radiating off of him and hitting me. I try to control my breathing, while the butterflies in my stomach flutter out of control. I want him to lean down and kiss me.

Someone behind me sneezes, bringing my attention back to my surroundings, but I don't remove my eyes from Colton. He looks over my head at the room around us, and slowly exhales. He leans closer to me as he uses his arms to push away from the table. Stepping away, he runs his hand through his hair. Without looking back at me, he shakes his head and walks out of the room. I follow him with my eyes until he is out of sight.

"He'll come around." Claire comes over to me and gives me a hug.

Emma runs over, pulls me away from Claire, and out of the room. "Oh. My. Gosh. I know that look on your face!" I start blushing and try looking everywhere but at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I mumble, hoping that she will drop the conversation, and start walking away.

Running after me, she says, "You're totally in love with Colton!" In the quiet hallway, she might as well have screamed that.

"Shhh! You don't have to tell the whole world."

She squeaks and starts jumping. "This is so exciting!"

"No, it's not. You can't say anything. I've kept your secret about David. You have to keep mine. Please, Emma. Don't say anything. Let me figure out what is going on first."

As she stares at me, I can see the gears turning in her head. She really wants to meddle, but respects my wishes. I have done what she has asked me, so now she has to do what I ask of her.

Linking our arms together, she starts pulling me toward the entertainment room. "Come on, let's go watch a romantic comedy, and dwell on the fact that our lives are nothing like that."

COLTON SEEMS TO BE THE one doing the avoiding this time. The only time I see him is when we are training or if we ever watch a movie. That seems to be our group thing. It reminds me of Friends. Instead of Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey and Ross meeting in the Central Perk for coffee, we all meet in the entertainment room for a movie. During these times, I sit with Liam, while Colton sits brooding on the couch, on the farthest end from me.

While watching The Princess Bride, David calls from his seat across from me, "Ryanne, I look nothing like André the Giant."

"Oh my gosh. I totally forgot that I called you that! How did you remember that? That feels like forever ago." During one of my first conversations with David, I called him André the Giant right before he showed me the library at their home.

Tapping on his head, he says, "I have an excellent memory, oh little one." I laugh and lean back against Liam. He has become my comfort zone. He doesn't talk much, but he always seems to know what I am thinking, and what I need to hear. I feel my eyes drift toward Colton; just looking at him makes my heart race. I don't understand why he is ignoring me. I hope that he comes to his senses soon. Liam squeezes my shoulder, and I bring my attention back to the movie.

I always loved this movie, so it isn't hard for me to become glued to the screen, unlike a lot of the movies we usually watch. I laugh every time Wesley says, "You warthog-faced buffoon." This time my laugh is accompanied by another. I instantly tense, recognizing the voice standing in the doorway.

"Hey guys, did you miss me?" Natasha sweetly coos. Walking in the room, she sits incredibly close to Colton. He doesn't look at her though; he keeps his attention on the screen. It sickens me how good they look together. She keeps reaching over and touching his arm, trying to get his attention. It gives me great pleasure to see that he isn't paying any attention to her, but I'm still angry with her for what she did to our room. My magic is bubbling to the surface, screaming at me to unleash it.

"I need to go...do...something." No longer able to stand being in the same room as her anymore, I get up and walk out. Colton isn't encouraging her, but he's not telling her to stop it either. Soon, I hear footsteps behind me, and find Emma trying to catch up with me.

"I couldn't stay in there with her. I'm still mad at her for what she did to our room. I keep imagining myself hitting her." We walk back to our room, and change into our training outfits. After a movie, we always go outside and train. The sessions are becoming more vigorous lately, considering that Dravin could attack any day now. We have to be prepared for the worst.

"Training time already?" Claire asks, while stirring pasta in a boiling pan.

"We're a little early. Natasha walked in while we were watching a movie. We still aren't on friendly terms with her at this moment," Emma responds as she takes a seat at the table.

"Ahh, I understand what that's like."

"Shoot. I forgot a hair tie again. I'm going to go grab one." I turn around and walk out of the kitchen.

Once in my room, I walk over to the nightstand beside my bed, and grab one of the random ones that I have lying around. I walk back to the entertainment room to see if anyone is still in there, but the room is empty. I notice that Colton's door is open across the hall though. I can probably catch him before he joins everyone else for training, and find out what's been wrong lately. I need to know.

I stop in his doorway. The sight in front of me threatens to bring tears to my eyes. I feel like my heart has plummeted, and crash-landed in my stomach. Colton is standing in the middle of his room, his hands on Natasha's hips, kissing her.

I start to move away, trying not to make any noise, when an arm wraps around my waist. Liam pulls me toward him, and wraps me in a hug, while simultaneously walking down the hallway. I come back to my senses when we reach the stairs and am able to walk down on my own. "I'm sorry you saw that."

"Saw what?" asks Emma, standing up when she sees me.

"Nothing," I say. At the same time, Liam replies, "Colton kissing Natasha."

Emma gasped. "No! He wouldn't. Not after..."

"It's fine, guys. I knew that I wasn't good enough anyway...not compared to someone like her."

"Ryanne, that's—" Liam starts to reply when Colton walks into the room, Natasha trailing behind him, smiling at me.

"You!" Emma says, and points angrily at Colton. I grab her extended hand, and silently demand that she stop. He can't know.

"Me?" Colton is clearly confused, but there is no way I am going to inform him of what is going on.

"Would you train with me today, Liam? I could really use a good beating right now," I ask. I really do want to fight someone who won't hold back.

"I'll train with you, but I'm not going to hit you," Liam says.

"Ugh, Fine. I'll just go attack some dead trees. Making things explode works all the same," I mumble while walking outside.

"What's wrong with her?" asks Colton.

Emma snaps at him, "Wouldn't you like to know!" and storms after me.

"Actually, I would..."

Once outside, I walk to the edge of the yard, and start searching for all the fallen tree limbs. Extending some magic, I bring all the logs into one giant pile. I can hear the sound of metal clanging in the background, signaling that the others have already started training. Colton is working with Logan today, while Emma and David are sparring. Liam is standing behind me a bit, not training like the others. He's most likely keeping an eye on me to make sure I don't do anything too rash. Natasha is standing on the stairs, eyes fixated on Colton. That spurs on my anger even more.

When my woodpile is about waist high, I step back a couple of feet, and narrow my eyes. Concentrating, I gather more energy than I usually do. The magic inside me is bubbling to the surface, waiting for my command to be released. I look around to make sure no one is really close to me. Imagining the pile of wood as Natasha, I thrust out all the magic, taking out my anger and hurt on it. The magic floats through the air before it hits the target.

The force of the magic causes the pile to explode, and the energy flies back toward me. When the expelled magic hits my body, I am sent flying backwards, similar to what happened when I hit the rock with lightning. I free fall through the air before landing a couple feet from my original destination. Once on the ground, I roll a few times before finally coming to a stop.

"That felt nice," I mumble to myself.

I actually mean it too. It did feel good. The landing could have been a little softer, but besides that, I am fine, and feel a little better now that I have taken some anger out on an inanimate object, but I still want to hit something. This new me surprises me. I've never wanted to take my anger out on a person before. Liam runs over to me, and tries to help me up. Yanking my arm away, I thank him, but politely tell him that I can manage on my own. "Are you okay? You're bleeding."

Logan and Colton rush over to us. "Ryanne, are you okay?" Colton asks.

"Just peachy." My words are laced with sarcasm. He flinches at my tone, and takes a step back.

Logan reaches out and touches my cheek. "Here, let me help you."

I move away from his hand. "Leave it." I turn back to Liam. "Will you please beat me up now? That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I wanted it to be," I say, indicating to the destroyed pile of wood.

"I told you already. I'll spar with you, but I won't just attack you." I give him my most menacing stare, which he gladly returns.

When I realize that he isn't going to relent, I exhale. "Fine, I'll take what I can get."

An hour later, I am lying on my back on the ground, panting. Liam wouldn't hit me just because, but he was able to get a few kicks in. I, however, got more in on him. I know that he took it slightly easier on me, but he's still a very good sparring partner. I'm surprisingly not as angry as I was when I came outside. I am still upset, but I don't want to make Natasha explode like the pile of wood earlier anymore.

Accepting Liam's offered hand, I let him pull me up. When I am standing up, he pulls me close. "How are you feeling?" he whispers in my ear.

"I'll be fine." A broken heart does heal. It just takes time, I think...I don't have a whole lot of experience in this field for comparison.

Liam looks at something over my head as Claire opens the backdoor and yells, "Dinner's ready."

I walk with Liam into the kitchen. When I see Natasha sitting at the table beside Colton, I lose my appetite. Turning toward Claire, I said, "Thank you for making dinner, but I'm not really that hungry right now. I'm just going to go take a shower."

I take longer than usual in the shower, hoping that by the time I get out, dinner will be over. I even blow-dry my hair afterwards, trying to waste more time. I grab a pair of yoga shorts, and layer Emma's white zipped sweatshirt over a black cami. Besides a couple of scratches on my face from the wood, I am actually pleased with my reflection. I've kept my curves, but my muscles are becoming more toned. All this training is actually doing something. I'm not as self-conscious about my body as I used to be.

Walking down the stairs, I realize how sore my feet are. I feel like I have just run a marathon. Looking over the stairs banister, I see into the living room. Emma is standing beside the couch, talking to Logan, laughing at something he said, while David and Liam talk on the couch. Colton is sitting alone in one of the chairs. Natasha doesn't seem to be here.

I walk up beside Liam, closer to Colton than I would have liked. David starts smiling and nods. He thanks Liam and jumps up. Walking briskly across the room, he interrupts Emma and Logan's conversation. Emma is staring at him, a puzzled expression on her face. Seeing something that the rest of us can't, Logan starts backing away. David pauses briefly in front of Emma, before pulling her toward him. She smiles up at him right as he bends down and kisses her. She wraps her arms around his neck as his arms snake around her waist, pulling her even closer.

I look down at Liam, "Finally." I can't help but smile. I am happy for my friends. I know more about the situation than they do, but it is still exciting. They are meant to be together.

I step over Liam's feet, and plop down on the couch next to him. He smiles at me. "He wouldn't stop talking about her, so I told him that I heard her mention to you that she really liked him to try and get him to finally act."

"Did you actually hear her say that?"

"Nope," he smiles wider and leans back, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"If I tell you something, will you promise to not tell anyone?" Leaning closer to him, I whisper in his ear, "I had a vision about them. They're going to get married one day." I move back and look for his reaction.

"Was that why you kept smiling that one day?" I nod in affirmation. It feels good to share that with someone.

"Hey, lovebirds," Logan says as he sits on the coffee table in front of me. He glances between Liam and me. Winking at me, he continues, "Will you let me heal those cuts now?"

I purse my lips, pondering his question, and slowly nod. He reaches over and touches my face. It is easy for him to heal shallow cuts, so it only takes a couple of seconds. He backs away and looks at me, eyes moving to various spots on my face, examining his work. He leans back the rest of way, and grabs my leg, placing it in his lap. "What are you doing?"

"Well I was going to give you a foot massage...but if you'd rather I not..."

"How did you know that my feet were sore?" Smiling, he ignores my question, and starts massaging my foot. His thumb is pressing to the arch of my foot, moving in a circular motion. It feels heavenly. I close my eyes and lean back. I can hear Emma giggling in the corner of the room.

After a couple of minutes, Logan lowers my right foot, and grabs the left one. I open my eyes and find Colton staring at me. I quickly divert my eyes. I don't need to be reminded of the kiss. I glance to the other side of the room, and see Emma sitting in David's lap, whispering to him. Both of them are smiling, lost in their little bubble. Logan releases my other foot. "Any better?"

"Yes, thank you." I lean forward, and gave him a small kiss on his cheek. I push myself off the couch, and start walking toward the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge when I run straight into someone's chest. I scream and then jump back.

"Larkin, you've got to stop doing that to me. My heart can't take it." I reach out and place a hand over my chest, where my heart is.

"So I make your heart race, huh?" His eyes travel down the length of my body, "My, your clothes are tight." I hear a couple of growls behind me. I am apparently surrounded by a bunch of dogs based on the sound. I cross my arms over my chest, and then realize that that probably isn't a good idea, so I place them at my side.

"What do you want, Larkin?"

"You have two days. He'll find you at sundown on Wednesday."

I nod. I knew this was coming. "What should we do?"

"Find as many people as you can. He's bringing about fifty trained fighters with him. He's determined to get you back. You'll need way more people to help you."

"Okay, anything else?"

"He has a lot of people with telekinesis. He's not going to fight fair. So, tell your people to use whatever magic they have, to try and gain an advantage. Also, once the fighting starts, don't go back inside the house. Take anything you absolutely have to keep, put it in a car, and park that car a ways down the road." I nod and look behind me to see if everyone is paying attention. I turn back around when I hear Larkin start to speak again. He isn't looking at me, but at everyone behind me. I step out of the way.

"Adam will be coming with him. You have to keep an eye on Ryanne at all times. He has an unhealthy obsession with her." I hear a clap of thunder outside. I couldn't control that one. I just get so angry whenever I hear Adam's name. Everyone turns to look at me, so I walk to the refrigerator to grab that bottle of water. When I come back into the room, Larkin is gone.

"Okay, we have time to prepare. We have all of Tuesday, and the majority of Wednesday," says Liam.

Logan stands up. "I'll go talk to Tom, and see if he can start calling people."

I try to open the water bottle, but my hand keeps slipping from the condensation on the outside. Liam grabs the bottle from me, and twists the cap. It opens right away for him. "Thanks." I take a sip and then speak up. "We can avoid all of this."

Colton starts shaking his head. "You are not going to hand yourself over to him."

"Why? It'd be so much easier. They won't kill me. They want to use me! We wouldn't have to call anyone. No one would get hurt because of me. I could protect you all!" To me, it sounds like a very good idea—one person in exchange for the safety of the many.

"We don't need your protection, Ryanne. We want to protect you. They are coming for you, not us. Do you know what it'd do to us if something happened to you? You're our family now too," he whispers while leaning toward me.

"Do you think I'd be able to live with myself if anything happened to any of you guys? Dravin won't stop at hurting any of you to get to me. I'd be cutting out the middle, and going straight to the conclusion." My voice is getting louder, and I'm on the verge of yelling now.

"Ryanne, promise me you won't go on some self-sacrificing mission." I remain silent, my eyes focused on the ground. "Ryanne. Please." I can't promise that. Even if I don't go in with that mind-set, I know it will probably come to that.

Standing up, I say, "I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you all in the morning."

I WAKE UP THE NEXT morning after a dreamless night of sleep. Despite the situation, I feel really good. I'm fully awake, it's sunny outside, and for some reason I'm happy. I push the Colton situation to the back of my mind; I have bigger things to focus on. I look across the room, and see that Emma is still sleeping. Quietly, I get out of bed, and get dressed. I walk down to the kitchen, and find almost everyone sitting around the table.

I grab a bottle of water, and lean against the back of a chair, wanting to join in on whatever is going on. "Eat something, Ryanne." Liam walks up behind me, and places a hand on my back.

"I'm not hungry."

"You didn't eat dinner last night. Eat a muffin at least." He pushes a basket full of muffins toward me. I scoff, but grab a muffin. Sticking my tongue out at him, I break off a piece, and eat it. I try to keep my annoyed expression, but seeing Liam struggle to keep a smile down brightens my mood even further.

Tom is pacing around the kitchen, talking on the phone. "Yeah, members of the Gadramicks are going to attack the house tomorrow. She's had a vision. Yes, yes. It's her. She's very powerful. We haven't even cracked the surface of her abilities. She needs protection. Dravin has already captured her once, and we can't let that happen again." Tom pauses to listen to what the person on the line in saying. I look around the room. Liam and Colton are both watching me to see how I react. I keep a blank expression, and continue listening to Tom's conversation.

"No. No. We expect about fifty members. Yes. Thank you. Tomorrow." He ends the call, and looks at the table. "The Wilson's are going to come and help. They are excited to meet you, Ryanne. That makes a little more than thirty people right now."

I grimace. I'm horrible at meeting new people, and I'm really awkward in new situations. Liam and Colton laugh at my expression. Wait? Colton laughed. He isn't ignoring me anymore? I look over at him, and see him looking back at me, smiling. I wonder what changed. I open my mouth to ask him when Natasha runs into the room. "Mommy and Daddy can't come, but Conner said he would. Natalie and I have to stay with Madison. Daddy won't let me fight." She stands behind Colton's chair, and places an arm on his shoulder. I pull my eyes away from him, and bring my attention back to Tom.

"That's probably for the best, Natasha. You have a useful power, but it won't be useful if you are dead. You haven't been trained to fight like the others have." She nods, obviously relieved that she isn't going to have to fight. I bet she doesn't want to break one of her perfectly manicured nails.

"When will people start to arrive?" asks Liam.

"Tomorrow morning. We don't have a ton of extra room here to keep a lot of people. Your brother is welcome to stay here, though."

I almost choke on the muffin. "Bragden is coming?"

"Yeah, I called him last night. He's more than willing to fight against Dravin, especially after he saw what happened to you last time you were there." I'll finally have a chance to fully thank him for his part in rescuing me.

"What happened to her last time?" Natasha asks, obnoxiously chomping her gum. Liam glances my way, asking for my permission. I shrug. I don't care if this girl knows. Maybe she'll leave me alone.

"Dravin kidnapped her and tortured her for five days straight, refusing to give her any food. He questioned her about our whereabouts, and she never told them anything. She was very strong."

"It doesn't sound that bad."

The room silences as everyone turns and glares at Natasha.

This girl is really pushing my buttons. "Not that bad?" I pause to see if she is serious. Sticking her hand on her hip, she nods. "Not that bad?" I repeat. "How would you like to be constantly picked up and dropped flat on a concrete floor? Every time I didn't listen to their demands, I was punched, kicked, and stepped on. Think of any way to beat someone up, and I endured it.

"The only break I got was when I passed out from the pain. Then I would get slapped awake and it would start all over again. Dravin was able to look at me and give me a blinding headache. I felt like my head was going to explode from the pressure. I screamed in agony, but the pain never lessened. Then, he forced me to replay the most painful experience of my life. How would you like to re-watch the day when your mother was killed in a car wreck that was supposed to kill you?! I was supposed to be the one that died, not her. In that moment, I wanted them to kill me so the pain would end. I didn't think I could take anymore.

"How you like to be given a truth serum that makes it feel like your insides are being slowly ripped out if you don't speak? Huh? Or how about having a man who had previous assaulted you come in to your cell when you are too weak to move, cut into your skin, and tell you all the gory details about how he is going to rape you, and enjoy doing it? Then strangle you to knock you out, so it's easier for him? If that's not bad enough, I have a constant reminder in your nightmares.

"You don't know what it's like to look in someone's eyes, and see pure evil and hatred for you, knowing that he would enjoy killing you." I collect my breath, and say in a quiet voice. "Don't you dare say it wasn't that bad."

Natasha's eyes are huge by the time I finish. She has taken a couple of steps back. Scooting my chair back, I quickly and quietly walk out of the room, leaving everyone stunned at my departure. I don't know where that came from, but I don't care. It feels really good to get all that out.

I don't really have anywhere to go, so I just stand outside the kitchen door, pacing back and forth. Liam walks out, and envelops me in a hug. I don't like thinking about what happened to me at that compound. I've tried to push it back, but it is always going to be there in the back of my mind. I lean into his embrace. Silently comforting me, he starts rubbing my back. My mother used to do that when I was younger. It feels comfortable and safe. Taking a deep breath, I step out of his arms, and tell him with my eyes that I am fine. He pulls me back into the room. I can feel everyone's eyes on me as I sit back down in my chair, and am silent for a couple of seconds.

I loudly exhale and look at Natasha, who's warily staring at me. "I'm sorry for my outburst. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"I had no idea." It wasn't really an apology, but I don't see Natasha as the apology type.

"You couldn't have known. Besides maybe Logan and Liam, I don't think anyone knew the whole truth."

"I didn't know the whole truth, Ryanne. I only saw what externally happened to you," Logan replies.

At that moment, Emma runs into the room. "Sorry I overslept," she stops. "Whoa, there's a lot of tension in this room. What's going on?" She looks between Natasha and me for a moment. I shake my head telling her that nothing is wrong. She walks over, and sits down in David's lap.

"Ryanne...I..." Colton starts, but seems speechless.

"Please don't. I don't know why I just said some of those things. They were all true, but I didn't want anyone to know." I pause, and look around the table. "I apologize that you all had to hear that." I glance at Natasha and give her a sad smile. "You seem to bring out the worst in me."

I hope this is the right house. It's the only luxurious cabin I've seen. Holy crap, this place is freaking huge. "Someone's at the door." Tom's cell phone rings at the same time as the doorbell. Tom walks out of the room to answer his phone while Logan gets up to get the door. I concentrate on blocking the man's thoughts. Logan walks back into the room with a tall man following him. I instantly recognize him.

Bragden.

There's a strong family resemble, except he's taller, has shorter black hair, a straight nose, tanned skin, and no scar above his eyebrow. Liam gets up, and hugs his brother before stepping aside.

"Everyone, this is my older brother, Bragden."

Bragden scans the room, saying hello to everyone before his eyes stop on me. Smiling, he waves. "Ryanne."

I can't help my reaction. I fly out of my chair, and run toward him. He drops his small duffel bag on the ground, and catches me as I launch myself at him. My feet lift off the ground as his arms wrap around my waist. I tightly fasten my arms around his neck, hugging him close to me. I am so thankful for both men in the Kane family. They have both saved my life. I feel tears start to fall down my face. "Thank you so much for helping rescue me. I can't even express how thankful I am that you guys came when you did."

He bends down, and puts me back on the ground. "There's no need to thank me." He reaches down to wipe the tears from my face. When he is done, he smiles at me.

I step back a little, to give him more space. I can feel a small blush building. "Sorry. I basically just attacked you."

"If this was the reaction I knew I'd get, I would have come sooner." He glances at Liam and then back at me. "Why, Liam's description of you doesn't do you justice." He takes a step closer to get a better look. "You're just beautiful, aren't ya?" Time for full blush mode. Liam grabs my arm, and pulls me back to my seat, a small smile on his face. Bragden lets out a deep laugh. "Ahh, she's one of those girls."

"One of what girls?" I hesitantly ask from my seat. I'm not sure if I want to know what he's talking about.

Bragden grabs a chair and flips it around. Resting his arms across the top of it, he looks at me. "One of the girls who are obviously beautiful, but doesn't know it. I bet every time you get a compliment, you blush and then disagree." He points his index finger at me. I open my mouth to refute him, but someone else's words come out. "She does." Okay more than one person says it. Basically everyone at the table agrees with Bragden. "Don't worry. It just adds to the beauty. Just don't go fishing for compliments. That's not attractive."

Emma turns and looks at me. "Oh, Ryanne doesn't fish for compliments. In fact, she hates them. She hates anything that brings attention to her. Like right now, she hates that we are talking about her while she is sitting right there."

I raise my hand. "Yes, Ryanne does hate that." I reply, saying my name in third person since everyone else already is.

"Ahh, humor also. You're killing me here." I glance over at Bragden, confused. Seeing my expression, he just laughs at me. I turn to Liam to see if he can explain to me what's going on, but he's also laughing. Colton and Logan are both smiling at me. Natasha is still standing behind Colton, seeming just as lost as I am. I cross my arms and slouch in my chair, accepting that being surrounded by this many guys all the time is a recipe for disaster, because I don't understand how their brains work.

"Okay. The Taylor's are also coming. Everyone is excited to meet the 'prophecy girl' as you call yourself, Ryanne," announces Tom. Seeing Bragden at the table, he extends his hand. "I'm Tom," he says. "I'm Colton and David's uncle." Bragden shakes his hand, and introduces himself.

I scrunch my face in that weird expression that I tend to get in uncomfortable situations, and bite my lip, my nervous habit. Tom abruptly turns and leaves the room. So many people are coming to fight alongside me. People who don't know me, and only know of the girl that's mentioned in the prophecy. What if I'm not what they are expecting? I know I don't look like much. Would they leave after seeing me? I wouldn't believe that I was the supposed girl from the prophecy if I just met me either. What if I'm not able to do what everyone needs me to do? I don't want to let everyone down.

"Stop it, Ryanne." Liam pats my arm, drawing my attention away from my thoughts.

"Stop reading my mind, mister."

"You can read minds, Liam?" his brother asks.

Colton explains. "No, he can't. Liam just has an uncanny ability of knowing what Ryanne is thinking. It's a little scary. Ryanne is the only one that read minds here."

"Are you reading my mind, Ryanne?" Raising his eyebrows suggestively, he flashes a toothpaste commercial worthy smile.

"No, I blocked out your thoughts when I heard you at the front door wondering if this was the right 'luxurious cabin,'" I imitate his voice as best as I can. It sounds more southern than manly.

"Am I suddenly from Texas?"

"Shut up." I never claimed to be good at imitations.

Tuning everyone out, I think about how, despite my visions, I have no idea what is going to happen in thirty-six hours. Will I ever see these people again? I haven't had another vision depicting myself in any situations after tomorrow. I don't remember seeing myself at David's wedding; I was watching the event, invisible to everyone else. Maybe something happens to me. The prophecy never claimed which side I would end up on, or how long I would even be a part of this war. Everything is still up for grabs. Maybe I'm going to die tomorrow. It would explain so much.

"What?" asks Liam.

I blink back, look around the table, notice that everyone has stopped talking, and is looking at me. I didn't realize that I had said anything out loud. Oh dear, those weren't exactly positive thoughts I was having.

Slumping my shoulders, I glance over at Liam. "What did I just say?"

"You think you're going to die tomorrow." He didn't say it as a question.

"Shoot. Any of my other thoughts would have been acceptable to say out loud, but, of course, I said that." I roll my head back and stare at the ceiling. "Forget I said anything. I didn't mean to express that anyway."

"Why do you think that?" asks David.

I'm not sure if I want to share my thoughts. Some of them were pretty depressing. I scan the table, and see that everyone genuinely wants to know why I think that. "Because I'm not in any of the visions I've had of the future. I don't see anything about myself after tomorrow."

"You've had visions about the future?" Emma asks.

Focusing on the table, I mumble a response. "A couple." Okay, only one, but that's beside the point. I have a feeling that I'm not supposed to survive tomorrow. Just because I've had a vision of the future, doesn't mean I'm actually in that future.

"Ryanne—" I cut Colton off. I'm not in the mood to hear everyone tell me that they won't let anything happen to me. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. I'm the one with the visions, and I have no idea how it is going to play out. I don't want to hear promises that they aren't able to keep.

"Look, let's just forget I said anything. It was just a thought; nothing is permanent until tomorrow." I stop and look toward Liam, trying to lighten up the mood. "I'm getting really good at bringing up depressing topics." He grabs my chair, and pulls me toward him, until I'm as close as I can be to him while remaining in my chair. He wraps an arm across my shoulder, comforting me, as I lean into his side. Bragden is staring at us, wondering what's going on. I can understand how close we are could confuse people. I do love Liam, but like a best friend or brother. I know he feels the same about me.

"Anyone want to train a little?" Liam suggests.

I perk up. "I do!" Liam laughs at my eagerness, and looks at everyone else questioningly. After agreeing, we all get up to go get ready.

"Colton, can I talk to you for a moment?" Natasha grabs his wrist to halt his progress. I catch him glance over at me, but I refuse to let him know how they're affecting me. He nods at Natasha, and follows her outside. Liam puts a hand on the small of my back, and leads me out of the room. Bragden stands back, and waits for us to catch up to him.

"So, what's going on between you two?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Nothing like that Bragden," Liam responds. Bragden's gaze lands on the necklace that I'm wearing.

"Is that...?" Glancing over to Liam, I see him subtly nod. They obviously know something that I don't.

"Are you two going to tell me about the mental conversation you're currently having, or am I going to have to read your minds?"

"I'll tell you another time," Liam says, walking past Bragden and up the stairs. I don't like that idea, but I know that arguing with him is futile. He's immune to my stubbornness. We arrive at my room; Emma is already inside searching for something to wear. Liam gently pushes me in and walks away.

Emma and I walk down together. When we walk outside, we see the guys stationed randomly throughout the yard. Even Bragden is going to train with us today. I turn to Emma, wondering if she knows what's going on. Both of us pass Natasha, who's leaning against the banister on the deck, without saying anything. I don't mean to be rude, but she seriously brings out the worst in me.

"Ryanne, do you remember what happened during the training session the day after you met me?" Tom asks as he approaches us. I think back. Of course I remember that. Tom had the guys attack me to see if I remembered how to use any of the defensive moves they taught me the day before.

"Of course I remember. Why...? Oh no."

"Oh, yes. I want you and Emma to see if you can incapacitate the guys when they try to attack you. Because you are girls, any opponents will consider you to be an easier target. You need to prove them wrong. Surprise them. Now, go stand in the middle of the yard, and get ready."

Tom walks away, and Emma I start toward the center of the yard. "So, they are all going to attack us, and we have to fight them off? Is that right?"

"Yep. Pretty much."

Standing back to back with Emma, I scan the yard, preparing myself for the first attack. We don't know who will strike first. Simultaneously, Liam and David both start running toward us. Emma takes on David, and I take on Liam. I can hear Emma behind me fighting. Liam pauses briefly in front of me before throwing a punch, aiming for my face. I bend backward and avoid the hit. Standing back up, I kick my leg up, trying to connect with his shoulder, but he sees my move and grabs my leg, throwing me to the side. I twist mid-air, so I will land on my feet. Without giving me any time to collect myself, he runs over to me, and I drop to the ground, swiping my leg out, knocking him to the ground.

"David out!" Emma must have gotten a hit on David. Logan starts toward her now.

Liam quickly jumps up, and runs toward me again. I do a back flip to give him more space, and to brace myself. When he reaches me, he swings his arm out again. "You know, if you loved me, you would stop trying to hit me right now," I say as I bring my arm up to block his punch.

"I'm doing this because I love you, Ryanne," he says while deflecting my hit. I duck as he attempts to swing with his other hand. In my ducked position, I kick his shins. He bends down in pain, and I take his injury to my advantage. I bring my knee up, and connect it with his stomach. When he hunches over, grabbing his stomach, I step back and thrust my foot out, kicking him in the chest, and knocking him backwards.

"Liam out." I barely have a chance to recover before I hear footsteps behind me. I whip around, and come face to face with Colton. He doesn't give me any time to react. Feeling sharpness spread through my shoulder, I start to fall down to the ground because he just punched me. While falling backwards, I bend, and do a quick back walkover. When I kick off the ground, my feet connect to Colton's abdomen, also knocking him over.

"Emma out!" Apparently Logan got the upper hand, and was able to land a hit that would have knocked her out. I hear footsteps behind me, and find Logan running toward me. "Crap." Can't a girl get a break?

Colton gets up, and both guys start to fight me. I have no idea what my body is doing. I can't really concentrate on either one of them, but thankfully, my body seems to know exactly what it needs to do. I thrust my arms out, punching and blocking simultaneously. Kicking my leg back, I am able to duck Colton's hit, and kick Logan in the stomach at the same time. I do a couple flips backwards, so I am no longer in the middle of both guys. They seem momentarily surprised at my disappearance, but quickly recover.

Instead of waiting for them to come toward me, I run toward Logan first. I know that he is starting to tire out, since he fought off Emma already. I run off to the side, confusing him, before abruptly stopping and turning around. I kick him in the back; sending him to the ground, face first. Without seeing if he would get up, I turn and give my attention back to Colton. "Logan out!" When I see Colton reach out to deflect my blow, I swing my leg up, and connect with his shoulder, knocking him down. "Colton out!"

I thought that that would be the end of it, but no. I hear footsteps again. Logan and Colton both get up, and run to stand with Emma, Liam, and David, beside Tom. "Oh, come on!" I shout. As I turn and face Bragden, I can hear everyone's laughter behind me. I'm glad they find this so amusing. Bragden's larger than the others, so I know he will be harder to fight.

He reaches me, drops to the ground, and spins, hitting the back of my knees. With a thud, I land on my back, and roll to avoid another blow, before jumping up. He attempts to punch me, but I deflect it. He is way stronger than the other guys. It hurts when I block their punches, but with Bragden, my arms start going numb. What can I do to get the upper hand here?

I'm so stupid. I have magical abilities, and I'm fighting fairly? Tomorrow, no one will fight fairly, so I should get some practice in. I start to draw magic into my limbs, so my punches and kicks are more forceful.

Bragden seems surprised when I hit him, and he staggers backwards from the force. His shock gives me the time I need to back away a little, and get a bearing on the situation. I run and do a cartwheel that transitions into three back handsprings. Stopping around ten feet away from him, I try to think about what to do next. I can hear Emma cheering me on. I close my eyes when I see him start running toward me, calling air to me. I don't know if this is going to work, but it's worth a shot.

The wind starts to pick up. I can feel my hair coming out of the ponytail, and hitting me in the face. I lift my arms out, and imagine the wind picking me straight up into the air. I open my eyes, and see that Bragden is two feet away from me. The wind is still increasing in intensity, and when he's less than a foot in front of me, I jump into the air, hoping the wind will lift me higher. At the last possible second, the wind increases beneath me, catapulting me further into the air.

Bragden runs past the spot where I was a second ago, stops, and looks around, clearly confused by my disappearance. Landing behind him, I push some magic into my foot, and kick him in the chest as he turns around. I know before he hits the ground that the fight is over. "Bragden out!" Tom yells.

I'm so out of breath, it isn't even funny. I collapse to the ground from exhaustion. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Emma jumping excitedly from her spot. She runs toward me, and never slows down, barreling me farther into the ground, hugging me. "Oh my gosh! That was amazing! I didn't know you could do that!" She gets off of me. "Sorry for attacking you, but that was awesome. I don't know how you do it!"

David, Logan, and Colton all make it over to us. Bragden crawls over, and sits down beside me, rubbing his chest. "Ouch, girl. That hurt."

"I'm sorry I used magic against you. You're just so much bigger than me. I didn't know what else to do." David starts cracking up; he literally doubles over laughing. Bragden is shaking his head in amusement.

"You're apologizing for using magic to attack a man who's over four times your size when he was trying to attack you?" asks Colton.

"Well...yeah." Colton pats my shoulder, laughing with everyone else, but when his hand connects with it, pain shoots through my arm. Wincing, I move my tank top and bra strap to the side to see why my shoulder hurts. I grimace when I see the giant red and blue welt forming there.

"Who did that?" asks Bragden.

"I think Colton did." I turn and look at him. "You surprised me when you first started attacking. You got in a punch."

"I'm sorry." His fingers lightly touch the forming bruise.

I shake my head and smile. "You're apologizing for hitting a girl way smaller than you when she was trying to attack you?" I throw his words back at him. He purses his lips and looks over at Logan, who rolls his eyes, but crawls over to me.

"You don't have to heal it. It doesn't hurt that bad."

"I'd rather not get chewed out later so, yes, I do." He touches the bare skin on my shoulder, and concentrates. His eyes narrow while he stares at the mark. "Ouch." I know he is watching the fight again in his mind. "You've got a couple other sore spots as well." He grabs my arms, and heals them as well. "We didn't take it easy on you, did we?"

I blankly stare at him. No, they didn't. At all.

Bragden turns and addresses his brother. "You told me she could fight, but I didn't think she was that good. No one has beaten me before." He smiles at me, causing me to blush under his praise. "There's the blush again." Pointing it out obviously makes me blush more.

Tom yells from the back porch, "Why don't you all come in and get some water?" I jump up first. No longer sore since Logan healed me. I reach down and help Emma stand up. The guys can manage on their own. I walk past all of them into the house. I don't realize how thirsty I am until I see all the bottles of water lined against the counter. I grab one, and chug half of it down before anyone else even comes in the house.

"That was very impressive, Ryanne. How did you jump so high when you were fighting Bragden?" asks Tom.

"Yeah, I wondering that too," says Bragden.

"Well, I was getting desperate because nothing I was doing was working against him. He kept coming, and I was almost to the point where I just stopped fighting, and ran across the yard screaming bloody murder." I point toward Colton. "Then I remembered the time where I almost got hit by a car outside of the bookstore, and that huge gust of wind came, and blew me across the road at the last second. I pushed my magic out, so it swirled around me, and asked the wind to come and help me. I visualized being lifted into the air. When he was close enough, I just jumped, and hoped that the wind would push me higher. It was either going to work, or Bragden was going to pummel me into the ground. I took a shot."

"Amazing." Tom's face is full of awe.

"Girl, your hair is a mess," Emma comes around, and pulls it out of the ponytail. "Shake." I bend down so my hair falls around my face, and frantically run my hands through it, while shaking my head at the same time. I flip it up, and look toward Emma, asking her to fix it. I know that I have a lion's mane right now. She pushes a couple strands to the other side. "I'm so envious of your hair. It's so curly and thick and long." I roll my eyes, and turn my attention back to Tom.

"How many people are coming tomorrow so far?" I slap Emma's hand away when she continues to pet my hair.

"At the moment, about forty-five. I still have more people to call. We should have more than that by tomorrow. Larkin said that Dravin would have about fifty, right?" I nod. "We'll make sure to have more. Though, with how you fought today, we shouldn't have to worry about that too much."

"Last time, Thomas injected something into my arm. It caused me to almost instantly fall asleep."

"Yes, that's called dormirako. It's basically what you just said: a sleeping shot. It mixes with your blood stream, and slows down all your internal organs. It makes you feel like you are very tired. Your body basically becomes paralyzed as you fall asleep." I know very well the effects it has on the body. "I guess we'll have to warn everyone about that when they get here tomorrow."

"Well, I should probably get home," Natasha says, while staring at Colton. He glances at her briefly, but doesn't say anything. With a frustrated sigh, she turns around, and stomps out of the room.

Tom's phone rings again, and he leaves the room to go answer it. I back up to the counter and jump onto it.

"So, what's with her?" Bragden whispers as he leans against the counter to my left.

"That's Colton's ex-girlfriend," I whisper in his ear.

"Really?" he asks me. The look on his face is classic. I bump my shoulder into his and laugh. Bragden smiles at me, and crosses his arms.

"I don't think you work out enough," I tell him as I poke his arm. The muscles in his arms are bulging. Bragden's grin widens, and he leans back and flexes his arm. I shake my head. "Now, you're just showing off."

Liam looks over at us and smiles. I think he's glad that Bragden and I are getting along so well.

I rest my head against the counter behind me, and watch everyone. They're all relaxed at the moment, and full of smiles and laughter. Right now, it's the calm before the storm. It's peaceful, but in the back of everyone's mind, we know that everything will change in a day's time. David is standing with his arm around Emma, and she's smiling up at him, listening to what he's saying. Colton is standing near me, talking to Logan, and Liam is directly across from me, talking with his brother. We're all together and for once, there is no awkward tension in the room.

My head starts to vibrate. I instantly recognize what's happening. I jump off the counter, because the last thing I need is to face plant off the counter onto the ceramic tiled flooring. "Ryanne, what's wrong?" Liam asks worriedly.

"Colton..." I whisper, hoping that he'll catch me when I fall. Images start swarming in front of my eyes, transporting me to a different time.

I AM PLANTED ON THE porch in the middle of a battle. Across the yard, people are in the midst of fighting. Dravin is nowhere to be seen. Of course, he wouldn't show up to a fight that he initiated. Colton is off to the right side, fighting against Adam. Their swords are clanging against each other in a metal on metal beat. I watch them for a moment. Colton's movements are strong and precise. He knows exactly what he's doing. The muscles in his arms ripple with each movement of his sword. It takes everything in me to look away.

Everyone else is fighting in different locations throughout the yard against Gadramicks. Tom and Bragden are fighting off numerous people at once, while David remains close to Emma to protect her. I spot myself standing in the middle of field fighting Thomas.

I have a sword in my hand, moving in ways I didn't think were possible for me. I'm incorporating all my gymnastics tricks, but because so many people are in a small space, it's hard to do all the moves that I know I'm capable of. I can feel the magic emanating from my body. I'm not fighting fairly, but I'm still not gaining any leverage on him. Thomas is larger than Bragden, so this fight is definitely more difficult.

I hear Colton cry out. I, along with the vision version of myself, turn to see what happened. Blood is dripping down Colton's arm where Adam's sword had sliced him. That is all the distraction that Thomas needed. He knocks the sword out of my hand, and backhands me, knocking me to the ground. I quickly roll over, avoiding his foot as he attempts to kick me. I jump up and spin around, bringing my arm full of magic out to punch him in the stomach. He doesn't flinch. Smiling at me, he deflects my arm, and thrusts his other arm into my stomach. Tearing through skin and muscle, his sword implants itself in my abdomen. I gasp, and look into his eyes. His large brown eyes are looking down at me with amusement. He's going to enjoy watching me die.

"RYANNE!" I hear Colton yell. I start to run toward myself, but I know that there's nothing I can do. This is a vision. No one knows I'm here, and I can't interfere. Colton drops his sword, and punches Adam in the jaw, sending him onto the stone patio. Hitting his head, Adam falls to the ground unconscious. Thomas jerks his sword out of my body, and I stare at him before crumbling to the ground. I reach myself as blood starts to dribble out of my mouth.

Larkin blinks in behind Thomas, and stabs him through the heart. He claws at the sword, but Larkin pushes it in deeper. Yelling over his shoulder to Colton, Larkin says, "Get her out of here!" I watch as my eyes close, and my body starts convulsing. Blood is soaking the ground beneath me, turning the green grass a deep red. Colton scoops me up, and runs toward the house.

I GASP MYSELF AWAKE. I am upright, but fully leaning against Colton. Thank goodness he caught me. Everyone is watching me, waiting for me to explain what I saw. Bragden appears the most confused and worried. He's never seen me go into a vision before. It always looks and feels like I'm fainting.

"Ryanne, what did you see?" asks Colton. His arms are still propping me up, which is probably a good thing, because I'm not sure if I can stand on my own. I can't respond. My body starts shaking. I had a feeling that something was going to happen, but actually seeing it is a different story. Now, I have to go into tomorrow, knowing that I am going to die that night.

"What's wrong with her?" Bragden demands.

Colton scoops me up, and walks to the living room, placing me on the couch. Crouching down in front of me, he grabs my chin and forces me to look at him. "Ryanne, what did you see?"

"I saw my death." Colton's eyes widen, but he doesn't say anything. He's the only one. His hand falls from my chin. Sitting back, he runs his hand through his hair. I notice that he does that a lot. Everyone else starts talking at once.

"How is that possible?"

"What?"

"Who did it?"

"Where were the rest of us?"

"Quiet!" Colton yells at everyone.

Liam walks over and sits beside me. "Are you sure that's what you saw?"

"Yes. I was stabbed through the stomach. I saw myself fall, blood poured out of the wound, and then I started coughing up blood."

"Where were we? Where was I?" asks Logan. I rehash the whole vision for everyone—not leaving out a single detail. They need to know everything. Visions aren't set in stone, because the future isn't. Only the past is. There is always a chance that something will change, but I'm not going to bet too much on it.

"It was one thing assuming that I was going to die tomorrow, but actually seeing myself..." my voice cracks. "He was laughing at me..."

"It's not going to happen, Ry. We're not going to let it happen. Visions can always be changed. We've seen that already," says Colton. "What I don't understand is why we were all split up. Why didn't we stick together?"

Focusing on my lap, I stop listening to their conversation. I don't know the answers to his questions. I told them everything I know. My mind keeps drifting back to the yard when Thomas was standing over me, satisfaction in his eyes, as he watched me fall to the ground. It's weird to see how quickly life can leave a person. A second after being stabbed, I looked like death. My pale skin whitened. My eyes looked dull and void of any exuberance, and pain etched across my face.

I can't get the images out of my head. The way the blood pooled around my body, creating an orb surrounding my torso, the way its deep coloring contrasted with my abnormally pale skin as it flowed out of my mouth. The worst part was the look on Colton's face. The look that told me he blamed himself for not being able to stop it from happening. The look of pure helplessness, knowing that there's nothing that can be done.

I'm only eighteen. There are so many things that I have yet to do in life. I'll never fall in love or get married. I'll never have a chance to settle down somewhere and start a family. I don't want to die, not yet anyway. More than that, I don't want anyone blaming themselves for my death.

Even more than that, I know that I don't want to dwell on what is going to happen. I bring my attention back to the present, and find everyone still talking about the vision. I stand up and walk past everyone, toward the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Emma calls after me.

"I'm going upstairs to change out of these clothes. I don't want to dwell on my imminent death anymore. I'd rather forget that today might be my last day. I'm going to push it out of my mind like I do your thoughts. I'm going to go into tomorrow, and fight with everything I have. If something changes, awesome. If not...well there's not much any of us can do about it right now." I walk up the stairs and out of sight.

Dressed in a pair of white shorts and a large shirt, that I think I took from Liam, I grab my notebook, iPod, and go to the entertainment room. Everyone will find me soon enough. Turning on Pandora, I sit down in the chair that I usually share with Liam, and begin drawing. Drawing people isn't my expertise, but today I feel like drawing a person.

I draw an extreme close-up on a face, the eye encompassing the majority of the page. I am shading it, when I see everyone walk into the room. My music is so loud, that I can't hear anything they're saying. Liam stops in front of me. Without looking, I stand up, and wait for him to sit down. He pulls me back to the seat once he is comfortable. Sitting on his lap, I shift until I am in a decent position, and then continue drawing. The final detail is a small tear cascading from the corner of the eye.

Turning my music down, I flip the page, and begin drawing another picture: my dream house. It's an old Victorian house with a wraparound porch on the ocean. Its faded white paint chipping is in some areas gives it character. Sea gulls are flying overhead. In my mind, I can hear the sound of the ocean slamming in small waves against the shoreline. Liam reaches up, and pulls one of the headphone pieces out of my ear. "What are you drawing?"

"My dream house. It's what I always imagined I'd end up living in when I was older. An older rustic house. Nothing new. Nothing fancy. Near the ocean, so I would wake up hearing the gulls and the waves hitting the shore every morning." I smile thinking about it. It sounds so silly to want something so simple. These guys are used to large lavish homes, so I'm sure they think it's weird to want something so small.

"Something close enough to civilization that you'd still be connected to society, but far enough out for peace and quiet?" Colton whispers.

I take my other headphone out, "Yeah. Exactly."

"Can I see that?" He nods toward my notebook, and I hand it to him. After a couple of seconds, he says, "I've always wanted something similar." That surprises me. "I've lived in a large house my whole life. At times, it feels like it could swallow you whole. I want to live somewhere where I feel comfortable, and am able to fully be myself. Where I don't feel like there's a role I have to play." I've never seen Colton speak so honestly before. His whole demeanor changes when he's lost in his thoughts. He looks...younger. I can't help it. I don't care who else sees me; I can't take my eyes off of him. My heart literally hurts because of how much I like him, but I keep visualizing him kissing Natasha. Knowing he is interested in another girl hurts. A lot.

He clears his throat and stops looking at the page. Jerking my eyes away from him, I look up at Emma. She smiles sympathetically at me, recognizing the look on my face. Colton starts to hand me the notebook back, but Bragden asks to look at it. Colton looks up at me to make sure it's fine with me before he hands it to him.

"Are these flames?" he asks, looking down at the large flames encompassing an entire page.

"Yeah. Actually, it's Liam's tattoo."

"Is this Liam? You drew Liam?" Apparently to Bragden, it's preposterous that anyone would draw him.

"In my defense, I drew that before I knew him; back when I thought he was just a figment of my imagination."

"You're really good. Like ridiculously good."

Before I can respond, Tom comes into the room. "We've got some people coming over early. They're going to sleep downstairs tonight."

"Who?"

"The Stapleton's." David, Colton, and Logan all curse. Shocked, the rest of us turn to Tom to see if he'll explain what the problem is. "James and Phillip Stapleton are, how can I say this, a little brazen when it comes to females."

"I don't get it," I say.

Colton explains, "Ryanne, on a scale of one to Adam. They are just below Adam." Oh, I completely understand Adam terminology.

"I just thought that I would warn you."

With that, Tom leaves. "Emma, Ryanne, tonight and tomorrow, just don't go anywhere on your own. James has increased strength, so make sure you're not alone near him. Especially him," David warns.

Could a guy really be this bad? It seems a little extreme.

For an hour, we all sit in the entertainment room, just talking. No movie is playing. We just talk, laugh, and get to know each other more. It's probably the most I've ever laughed. No one acknowledges my supposed death tomorrow. We push all problems to the back of our minds, and just enjoy each other's company.

When the doorbell rings, we all tense. Something obviously happened between Colton, David, Logan, James, and Phillip, but no one will tell us what. Walking down the stairs, I start to get nervous. Colton and Liam stay on either side of me with Bragden in the back. David and Logan stay close to Emma. They're completely serious about these guys.

Two young men, mid-twenties I would assume, are standing with Tom in the entryway. They look exactly the same to me, except one is slightly more muscular with sandy brown hair, while the other has dark black hair. I'm assuming that the muscular one with brown hair is James.

When we stop in front of them, Colton reaches out and shakes hands with them. "Hey Colton, how've you been?"

"I've been good, James. You?" His voice is tense.

"Good." James's eyes travel from Colton, and stop on me. I take a step closer to Colton. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"

Colton is clenching and unclenching his hands. James isn't being subtle in the way he is leering at me. I am glad that I'm wearing a large t-shirt, instead of the fitted clothing that I've been wearing. Even with the large shirt, I still feel very exposed.

"Of course. James, Philip, this is Ryanne," he extends his hand. I glance down at it for a second and then look toward Colton. He briefly nods his head, so I place my hand in his. When our hands connect, he pulls me toward him, using a little more force than is necessary, so I slam into his chest. I can hear the guys exhale angrily behind me. He grins at me, before bringing my hand up to his mouth, and kissing it, his eyes never leaving mine.

"It's nice to meet you, Ryanne." Not politely, I yank my hand away from his.

Backing up, I say, "Likewise."

When I near him, Colton puts an arm across my shoulder, and pulls me closer. I let him. I don't like how James keeps looking at me. "James, this is Liam, Bragden, and Emma." He just points to each person. He politely nods to each person. His eyes linger on Emma, before looking back to me. Phillip just stands off to the side quietly.

"James, Phillip, why don't you come with me? I'll show you to the guest bathroom so you can wash up a little before dinner," says Tom.

When they leave the room, I turn toward Colton. "That guy gives me the creeps."

"Is he always that...obvious?" asks Liam, disgusted.

"Yep. And it's obvious who he's interested in," David answers. "We'll have to keep an eye out for you, Ryanne."

I start messing with the end of my shirt, another nervous habit I have acquired. It's too large anyway. Twisting it around my hand, I wonder how this night is going to go. After meeting James and Phillip, I'm definitely going to heed David's advice, and stick with someone at all times.

After witnessing my nervous habit, Liam looks at me, concerned. He seems to finally get a good look at me. "Is that my shirt?"

I glance down and nod. "Yeah, I forgot to give it back to you after I washed it. It was clean, so I just changed into it. You don't mind, do you?"

He shakes his head and opens his mouth to talk, but Claire comes out of the kitchen and announces that dinner is ready. "If either of those boys tries to touch you...Ahh." She angrily walks back into the kitchen.

"Whoa, I've never seen Claire like that," Emma says. It's true, though. I've rarely seen Claire as anything but calm and collected. James, Phillip, and Tom are all already at the table, waiting for us when we walk in. The guys take the seats directly across from them. Emma and I sit at the end of the table.

It's very awkward to say the least.

"So, Ryanne, are you prepared for the fight tomorrow?" James asks.

I feel my whole body tense thinking about my earlier vision. "Yeah, I can't really prolong it anymore, I guess." I stop eating, and look down at my plate. I'm not really hungry for spaghetti, but I don't want to be rude. "I just have to accept whatever tomorrow brings, and deal with it." I smile sadly, forgetting that I'm supposed to be ignoring him. "Life's too short, you know?"

I know he can tell that there is something more to what I am saying, but he just nods and finishes eating. He doesn't try to talk to me the rest of the dinner. However, he does keep glancing over at me. In fact, I feel most eyes on me during the course of the meal.

Once dinner is over, we head back to the entertainment room. Colton turns toward me, still gripping my arm, "What was that about?" I don't understand what he is referring to. "Talking to him like that."

"Oh, I don't know. I forgot who I was talking to. I have a lot of my mind!"

His grip lessens on my arm. He leans back against the armrest of the couch, and runs his hand through his hair. We are both aware of everyone watching us. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I just don't like how he was looking at you. Like you were some treat that he couldn't wait to devour." I roll my eyes. I know that he is being serious, but I want to lighten up the mood in the room a little. Everyone is so solemn right now.

Colton quotes "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction, the corner of his mouth rising with a small smirk with the words. He knows that I understand the reference, and is waiting for my reaction. I clamp my lips together in a tight line, trying to keep in my laugh in check, but fail at this feat. My laughter is apparently infectious because everyone starts laughing with me. I double over and finally sit on the ground when I can't catch my breath.

"I can't believe you just quoted a One Direction song." It is okay for girls to listen to a boy band, but this is Colton. The fact that Colton knows One Direction is really hilarious to me.

"Someone help the girl, she can't breathe." I glance over, and see James leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest, a cocky smile splayed across his face. My laughter dwindles when I see him looking at me. Colton stands up, and reaches down to help me off of the ground.

"Excuse me, James. Ryanne, can I please speak with you?" James slowly steps out of the way to let Claire into the room, but his eyes never leave me. Claire peeks her head into the room from the doorway. I can feel the urgency in her tone. She motions with her head to meet in the hallway. Letting go of Colton's arm, I walk past everyone, and briefly pause in front of James. He raises his eyebrows, as if silently challenging me. Understanding that he isn't going to move, I squeeze past him in the doorway, brushing up against him in the process.

Ignoring his chuckle, I meet Claire in the hallway. "I know about your vision," she tells me.

"You do? How? I told everyone not to say anything to you or Tom."

"You can't keep things from me, honey. I have ways of finding out information." Smiling cryptically, she continues. "I figured it out during dinner when you were talking to James. You seemed so lost in your thoughts. Anyway, don't worry, child. You're not going to die tomorrow."

"I'm not?" I want to believe Claire, I really do. "But I saw...?"

"You didn't see the full thing, Ryanne. You only saw a small section of what's going to happen tomorrow. You're all going to be fine...well, you'll all be alive." I jump toward her, excited at this news, and wrap my arms around her in a hug. She chuckles and hugs me back.

"Thank you for telling me, Claire." I can feel my eyes start to water; happy, relieved tears this time.

"You're welcome. You're like the daughter I never had, Ryanne. I know you have a lot of pressure on you right now, but everything will turn out right in the end. You'll see." I can hear the sadness in her voice. I look at her, and notice her eyes are tearing up as well. I open my mouth to ask her what's wrong, when she responds first. "Nothing, dear. Go back to everyone else."

It seems like everyone can read my mind when I am trying so hard to not read theirs. She lightly pushes me toward the entertainment room.

Halfway to the entertainment room, I hear someone walking behind me. "Why, hello, Ryanne." I stop dead in my tracks, and slowly turn around.

James is standing too close for comfort. I take a step back to distance us a little, but he follows my steps. My breathing starts to become erratic. He continues to walk toward me until I am pushed up against the wall. Placing his large hands on either side of my head, he creates a cage around me with his body. I glare up at him, but remain silent.

"You're hard to get alone." I frantically search for a way to escape, but come up empty. I know that James is a lot stronger than me. In fact, he's a lot stronger than any of the mages I've fought against before. This is just like what Adam did last year. My heart rate increases, and my breathing becomes erratic as the situation sinks in. I am starting to panic. I don't want to know how far James will go with this charade.

"Please let me go. Everyone is waiting for me," I whisper, my fear not letting anything louder come out.

"They can wait a little longer." James starts to lean in. I turn my head to the side, and start struggling to get out. He grips my shoulders and pushes me further into the wall, preventing me to move. He buries his face into my neck, inhaling deeply, and releases a moan of pleasure. One hand slips down my shoulder, slowly down my arm to my waist, and continues down until it is resting against my thigh. I feel his lips trail down my neck. The hand resting on my thigh starts moving north. When I feel his hand against my bare stomach, I start fighting again. He's getting angry. With his other hand, he grabs my wrists, squeezes tightly, and growls menacingly for me to stop struggling. That obviously makes me fight harder. When his hand reaches the bottom of my ribcage, I remember what happened to Natasha earlier when I got angry enough.

Calling my energy is easy because of how angry I already am. I use more on James than Natasha since he's so large. He's leaning in toward me again when I release the magic. It connects with his chest. It doesn't send him flying back into the wall like did Natasha, but it causes him to stagger back a couple of steps, and release my arms, giving me the leeway I need to run the rest of the way to the entertainment room.

Once inside the room, I turn around, slam the door, and lock it. I lean against it to try and catch my breath before, reluctantly, turning and meeting everyone's eyes. I'm attempting to keep a placid expression, despite my inner turmoil, but I know that they all can see through my façade.

Colton and Liam both jump up when they see me, and start speaking at the same time. "What's wro-" Liam asks.

"James?" guesses Colton.

I shake my head and walk over to everyone at the couch. Liam and Colton are still watching me as I lean against the armrest. I attempt to wave off their questions, but the movement of my wrist sends a jolt of pain through my hand. I examine my wrists and frown at the sight. My naturally small wrists are swollen and red, with a large bruise forming on each.

"Did he do that?" yells Colton. I flinch at the anger in his voice, before slowly nodding. He clenches his fists, and angrily brushes past me.

"Colton, don't." I stand up and try to call after him, but Liam tells me to wait here. He walks out of the door after Colton. When we hear shouting in the hallway, we all quiet and listen.

"He can't just attack her in our house! He's a guest here! Someone needs to put him in his place."

"I know, but we really need him tomorrow. Afterwards, you can put him in his place," Tom reasons.

"Listen to him, Colton," Liam says, the anger palpable in his voice. "This won't solve anything."

Colton stalks back into the room and sits brooding on the couch, mumbling something about smacking the smug look off his face. I watch him as he clenches and unclenches his hands. I want so badly to try and take away some of his anger; I want to see him smile again. He looks up and sees me watching him. His piercing gaze slowly travels down to my hands, and I watch as his hardened expression turns on Logan.

"What? Don't take your frustration out on me."

"Couldn't you have healed her wrists? They're like twice the size they should be."

"Colton, don't be mean to him. They don't hurt that much," I say, and try to tuck my hair behind my ears, but grimace when I tilt my wrist.

Seeing my reaction, Logan gets up and walks over to me, gently grabbing my hands. I feel the warmth from his magic seep into my wrists. He closes his eyes as he witnesses what just happened to me. His forehead creases with frustration, so I'm assuming that he's seeing James demand that I stop struggling. I loudly gasp when I feel a couple bones pop back into place. I didn't realize that James had fractured any bones. The pain subsides, and my wrists look and feel normal again. Once he opens his eyes, his frustrated expression turns to one of amusement. "You go, girl."

"What did I do now?"

"Did you see the look on James face when you hit him with magic?"

"No, I was little preoccupied with getting away from him."

Logan starts laughing. "He was so stunned. He wasn't expecting you to be able to do anything."

"Well, what I visualized was him flying back into the wall like Natasha did, but he's a little stronger than I was expecting." I lean against the armrest of the couch. There's something that I wanted to say, but I can't remember.

Liam stands in front of me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not emotionally scarred if that's what you're asking. He didn't really do anything. Just scared me a little." Then, I remember the reason I was in the hallway to begin with. Turning toward everyone else, I say, "Oh, guess what?" When no one guesses anything, I continue. "Claire doesn't think I'm going to die tomorrow."

Emma takes a step toward me. "Oh thank goodness. I don't want to lose you!"

"But your vision..." says Colton.

"I didn't see how the vision ended. She thinks that there's more to it. I'm pretty sure I'm still going to get stabbed, which should be fun, but she doesn't think it's going to be fatal. I don't know how, because there was a lot of blood, but I trust her." Despite knowing that I'm going to get skewered, I'm excited because this isn't going to be my last night. I still have some time.

"But you're still going to get stabbed? And I'm still going to carry your almost lifeless body?" I can tell that the whole scenario still upsets Colton.

"Well, you don't have to. I mean you could just leave me bleeding to death on the ground..." I glance over at him, and see the look on his face. "Look, this is exciting. Well maybe not for you, but I'm excited. There's so many things that I haven't done yet, and now I know that I'll at least get the chance to do them sometime."

"Do what exactly, Ryanne?" asks Logan. His light tone implies that he is specifically referring to something.

Shrugging, I reply, "I don't know...Fall in love. Climb a mountain. Adopt a pet. Get married. Travel abroad. Meet Josh Groban. Scuba Dive. Be in a flash mob. Discover a new species. Cure cancer. Anything and everything. Not necessarily in that order."

"You've never had a pet?" David seems surprised at that revelation. Actually, everyone seems a little shocked. I shake my head and explain.

"My mom was allergic to cats, so we could never have one. And growing up, she worked at lot, and with me in school, we didn't really have the time necessary to take care of a pet."

That's how the rest of the night went, locked in the entertainment room, revealing little bits of information about us. Growing closer to each other and strengthening the bond we've created. For the first time in a long time, I feel like this is where I belong. This is where I'm meant to be.

IN THE BACKGROUND, I CAN hear muffled voices. I'm not ready to wake up yet. My brain is awake, but my body refuses to fully wake up. I sigh and snuggle deeper in the bed.

"Ugh, I'm so stiff. I can't believe we all fell asleep in here," Liam mutters, sleepily. I hear the sound of something being moved across leather. "You look happy," he adds, quietly chuckling.

"Shut up." My bed shakes. That doesn't make sense, where am I? I am pretty comfy, so I decide not to open my eyes yet. Slowly, I fall back asleep. Then, I start drifting. I'm not quite asleep, but I'm not awake yet either. I can hear people talking around me, but I can't get my body to become functional yet.

"It's weird. Usually she wakes up pretty early," I hear Logan say. "I'm not surprised that Emma is still asleep."

"Let her be. Today is going to be a long day. For all us, but especially her," Liam says.

"If something actually happens to her... I can't..." Colton's voice cracks. I'm sure if I could see him, his torment would be written all over his face.

"We all care about her, Colton. She's family," says David. "We just have to make sure to stay around her at all times today." I exhale and pull my knees up, closer to my chest. For the first time, I realize that I'm lying at an odd angle. I'm not sitting straight up, but I'm not lying down either. I blink quickly before slamming my eyes shut again. It's very bright in the room.

Slowly opening them this time, I'm able to see. I sit up groggily and rub my eyes, trying to get rid of the exhaustion. I close my eyes again, and roll my neck counterclockwise, trying to get out the kinks. When I open my eyes, I realize that I am still in the entertainment room. Why did we sleep in here? I turn and see that I am sitting very close, practically on top of Colton. I blush and glance around the room, seeing everyone is in the same position they were last night. They all laugh at my confused expression.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." Logan is smiling at me, clearly amused.

I arch my back, trying to awaken my stiff muscles, and turn toward Colton. "You should have pushed me off of you or something. I'm sure that wasn't very comfortable." Liam snorts. I am too tired to try and determine what he means with that. I scoot back a little, giving Colton some room to move.

"What time is it?"

"It's a little after 9:00. Tom thinks that people will start arriving at noon," Colton says while sitting up. I sit back against the couch, and close my eyes again. I can't fall back asleep. With a sigh, I open my eyes, and get off the couch.

Standing up, I step over Colton's legs, and start walking toward the door. "Okay, well, I'm going to go take a shower."

Colton jumps off the couch and faces me. "Not alone."

I just stare at him. His eyes widen when he realizes what he just said. I know that he meant that I wasn't going to walk to my room alone, but I don't let him know that. "I-I I mean...not like that...I meant to say..." His face is turning red. He's adorable when he's embarrassed.

I giggle as I watch him try to fix his statement. "Colton, would you please walk me to my room?" I ask, saving him from further embarrassment. He follows me out of the room. Running his hands through his hair, he keeps opening his mouth and then suddenly shutting it. I know that he wants to say something, but I don't want to push him.

When I enter my bedroom, I turn and thank him. As I'm closing the door, I smile and say, "You know, you're pretty cute when you're flustered." I close the door, leaving him standing there shocked.

Fifteen minutes later, I get out of the shower, and wrap a towel around me. I find Emma rummaging through her clothes. She drops an outfit on the bed and turns to me. "So, what did you say to Colton?"

"What do you mean?"

"When he came back into the entertainment room, he was rubbing the back of his neck, you know like this." She demonstrates what he did. "And he was trying, not so successfully I might add, to hide his smile. So, what did you say to him to cause him to react like that?"

"Nothing really. I just said he was cute when he was embarrassed." I grab my clothes, and go to the bathroom to change and finish getting ready.

Once finished, I walk back into the room. Emma is sitting on the bed waiting for me. "That's all you said? He's got it bad."

"Not likely. I mean, I just saw him kissing Natasha a couple days ago. I'm sure it was something else." I start packing the small duffel bag I have of things that I absolutely want to keep. I grab the picture of mom off the nightstand, throw in my notebook, a couple items of clothing, and zip the bag up. I don't have a lot of personal items that I cherish. With Emma packed, we grab our bags and go downstairs, dropping the bags on the couch where the guys had put their things.

Laughing, we link arms, and walk into the kitchen. Stopping dead in my tracks, I turn and see at least thirty people examining me. I'm surprised I didn't hear the thoughts sooner. The sudden onslaught of voices is too much for me to handle. I collapse to the ground, knocking Emma down with me. I don't pass out like I thought I would, but I can't think or move. They're too strong. Tom rushes over to me and picks me up, carrying me out of the room. I hear some others rush after us.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get to warn you. Try to block their thoughts. I know it's a little overwhelming." Gritting my teeth, I close my eyes, and grab my head. It's pounding. There are so many people in the room. I need to get a handle on this before more people show up. It takes more time to push the thoughts back, but when I am finally in control, I look up at everyone and nod. Tom is sitting in front of me, looking upset and guilty.

"I'm fine. I just wasn't prepared for that. I'm ready now."

"Are you sure? You don't need another minute to ready yourself?" I shake my head at him and get up.

"Time to be like a fat polar bear," I say as I walk past him.

"What the heck does that even mean?" Emma asks.

"I'm gonna break the ice," I say as I walk into the kitchen, and smile at everyone. Tom clamps an arm down on my shoulder. "Everyone, this is Ryanne. I told you about her on the phone." I smile and wave at those in the room. I see a mixture of disbelief, boredom, awe, and curiosity on their faces.

"I know. I know. You expected me to be taller, right?" It seems to work. Many people crack a smile, and some even laugh.

"Don't put her size past her. She was able to beat all these guys behind me during sparring sessions." He points over his shoulder where Colton, Liam, David, Logan, and Bragden are all standing. I see a couple more awed reactions.

"So, what was with the collapsing earlier?" someone from the back of the room asks.

Looking in the general vicinity of the voice, I decide to take control of the situation. I want these people to like me. It would be difficult to get people to help fight with me if they think I'm some weak girl.

"I don't know if Tom mentioned it to you all, but I'm able to read minds. I wasn't prepared for the onslaught of all your thoughts. I was taken a little off-guard. Don't worry; I've closed off the bridge. There's no traffic coming in here." I point to my head. "It was an excellent first impression, right? Me collapsing on the ground?" I beam at everyone, hoping that my nervousness isn't too obvious.

An hour later, I'm socializing with the crowd. I'm introduced to everyone, but after the first couple of names, I have no idea who is who. That will have to wait 'til another time. Most people are asking me about my powers, and how training is coming. I politely answer their questions, and then ask them about theirs.

"No way. That's totally awesome." That power would come in handy. I narrow my eyes at the guy I'm talking to. I'm not sure if I believe him.

"Yeah, I can basically control people's minds," he says. I watch him for a few moments, trying to determine if he's serious.

"So, you could rule the world if you wanted to?"

"No, my power only works on one person at a time. It would be very difficult to control billions of people." As if sensing my disbelief, his eyes narrow on me, concentration etches onto his face. What is he doing? My body starts moving without my permission toward the man in front of me. Stopping less than a foot away, I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek. Then, I am back in control of my body.

"Did you do that? That was freaky. I couldn't do anything to stop it!"

He laughs at my excitement. "Yes, I did do that. However, now I feel like I shouldn't have. Your boyfriends don't look too happy." He looks at something behind me. Boyfriends? I turn around. If looks could kill...

He leaves to go talk to someone else, and I walk toward Liam and Colton. "I'm supposed to try and get everyone here to like me. I can't do that if you scare all of them off."

"Why did you kiss him?" asks Colton.

"I didn't believe that he had the power of persuasion, so he demonstrated it for me. It was harmless, quit worrying." I cross my arms across my chest, and look around the room. People are still glancing at me. I turn and whisper to Liam and Colton, but keep my eyes scanning the room. I don't want it to seem like I am unapproachable. "Do you think they're disappointed in me? I know I'm not really what they were expecting. I think it's going well, but people are able to fake exterior emotions and expressions, and I'm too afraid to read their minds."

Colton places his hand on my shoulder, and starts to talk. I face him, waiting to hear his response, but it never comes. His body tenses, his eyes roll into the back of his head, and he starts to slump forward. Liam jumps to try and catch him, but it catches both of us off guard. Colton crashes into me, and we both tumble to the hard linoleum floor. Liam jumps into action, and rolls Colton off of me. A couple of seconds later, he gasps, and jumps up looking around. I'm still sitting on the ground, shocked at what just happened. Tom runs over and helps me get up. "What happened? Colton, are you alright?"

I recognize the look on Colton's face. "Oh my gosh, how? You just had a vision!"

"I think you transferred a vision to me." A small smile plays on his lips.

"How is that possible? I didn't see anything. What was the vision about?" I'm really curious. I had no idea that I could cause others to see visions.

He looks at me for a second, his eyes searching. Cryptically, he says, "Maybe you weren't supposed to see it. Not yet anyway." He blinks rapidly. "I understand why you collapse every time you see a vision. That's very disorienting. Did I fall?" Now I know how everyone felt after I had the vision about David and Emma, and didn't say anything.

"Yeah," says Liam. "Right into Ryanne. Knocking her to the ground with you."

"I'm sorry! You're not hurt anywhere, are you?" He turns me so I'm facing him.

"I'm fine. I would have tried to catch you, but one," I hold up my index finger. "You caught me completely off guard, and two, I'm not strong enough." He puts an arm across my shoulder and pulls me against him. He seems rather chipper. Now I really want to know what that vision was about.

Tom sighs at us, and then addresses the room. "Sorry about that. Nothing to worry about here." He pulls Colton out of the room while I stay back with Liam. They're whispering to each other, but I can't hear what they are saying. Turning toward Liam, I ask him, "Do you have any idea what that was about?" He shakes his head. He's just as clueless as I am.

As the day goes on, I become more anxious and nervous. The anticipation is starting to get to me as my thoughts start racing a mile a minute. Most people understand what's going on with me, so they leave me alone. I smile at those who come up to me, but can't keep up a conversation. Everyone is starting to get changed and doing any and all last minute preparations for tonight. Tom sticks our bags into the car and hides it in the woods. As more people arrive, it takes a lot more concentration to keep the mental block intact. During the day, most guests remain in the kitchen. It has large windows and the back door, so everyone can be ready in an instant. I'm pacing in the living room alone, trying to think about other things.

Bragden comes up behind me and grabs my arms, gently halting my movements. "What's wrong, Ryanne? We can all tell that something's up." He points behind him. My group is standing in the doorway of the kitchen, keeping a wary eye on me.

"Nothing's really wrong, per say. I'm just thinking too much about all the things that could go wrong today..."

A voice sounds to my right. "Ryanne." I scream and jump into the Bragden. Bragden steadies me and then turns to face the man who scared me. My scream alerts everyone else, and the house goes silent. Tensing, Bragden is prepared to fight. I pat him on the chest, and turn toward Larkin.

"He's fine, Bragden." Facing Larkin, I say, "Geez, you've got to stop doing that. You scared the tar out of me."

"I don't know why there was tar in you to begin with, but whatever." I roll my eyes at him. "I just thought I would tell you that Dravin knows of your location, and knows you are prepared to fight him. He's planning on attacking in an hour."

With that he blinks out the room. I'm frozen, just staring at where he was just standing. An hour? Everything seems to stop. I can't hear anyone talking to me though I know they are. My world starts spinning, and my ears are ringing. Dravin is coming. The time has come. There is nothing we can do now but go into this battle headfirst. I feel myself being moved—a strong grip on my arm. This is actually happening. I wish there was a way that I could relive last night, sitting in the entertainment room with my friends laughing—purposely forgetting that everything could be changed tomorrow. I don't know if I'll have another chance to do that again. Ever.

It feels like my body is vibrating. So many different scenarios play out in front of me. I'm imagining the worst things happening: getting stabbed, the house blowing up, Colton getting hurt by Adam, David not being able to protect Emma, Logan not being able to heal me.

"Ryanne." More shaking. "RYANNE." I'm trembling. "Logan!" Someone is yelling, but the voice sounds muffled. I feel like I'm underwater with no way to get to the surface, struggling with no resolve. My heartbeat is increasing. I'm experiencing shortness of breath—my lungs are protesting with the limited oxygen. I feel someone grab my shoulders, and all the symptoms start dissipating.

Oxygen rushes into my lungs, and I am able to breathe again. I blink and find Logan crouching down in front of me, his arms on my shoulder. I am sitting on the floor with my back pressed against the wall. Liam, David, and Emma are standing behind him, and Colton and Bragden are on either side of me. Resting my head on my knees, so I can't see anyone, I apologize.

"What happened to her?" Bragden asks.

"She was having a panic attack. I stopped it before it reached its peak."

"Thank you," I tell Logan. "I don't...I..." I don't know what to say. I'd never had a panic attack before. Logan reaches out, palms facing up, and nods at me. Grabbing his hands, I let him help me up. "Did everyone see that?" I look toward the kitchen where most people are.

"No one saw it but us. I'm sure they know that something happened though. Claire and Tom are in there trying to distract them while we help you." Logan still hasn't let go of my hands. I notice that I'm still trembling a little. I close my eyes and deeply breathe in and out, trying to calm my body down the rest of the way. When I finally feel stable, I try to apologize again.

"I don't know why that happened. When I heard Larkin say we had an hour...I kind of freaked. I kept seeing all of this horrible stuff happening, and it scared me. I don't want anything to happen to you guys because one stupid guy wants to find me." Logan pulls me close to him, and wraps his large arms around me.

I hug him fiercely. I don't know if I'll get another chance to. This man has saved my life on numerous occasions, and I don't think there will ever be a way to fully repay him for what he's done. I step out of his arms and collect myself. Standing straighter, I square my shoulders, and hold my head high, prepared and determined. Without looking at anyone, I walk past them and into the kitchen.

FORTY MINUTES LATER, WE'RE STANDING on the back porch, waiting. Weapons are down but ready to be drawn at any moment. Anticipation is hanging in the air. Intimidation is our tactic; show them that we aren't scared, and aren't going to back down. We're here to fight. I'm standing in the front, slightly behind Colton and Liam. Since my little panicking incident earlier, neither of them will leave my side. I'm not complaining about that though. It makes me feel safe...well, safer.

The forest is quiet... too quiet. There are no birds chirping, no animals scurrying around, nothing. Just silence. We know how deceiving the silence can be. I look behind me at all the people here. All of the people that are here to help fight against the Gadramicks. My eyes land on Conner. He nods and smiles slightly at me before turning his attention back to the forest. I hear many gasps behind me. Returning my attention to the forest in front of me, I see what they're all looking at. Flying through the air are about a hundred arrows coming straight for us. Someone screams behind me. Liam reaches out to shield me, but I push him back, and concentrate on my magic. Silently calling air to me, I visualize a huge gust of air sending the arrows back toward the direction they came from.

This is going to take a lot of magic. I can feel it bubbling to the surface, itching to be freed. Drawing my arms away from my body, I slowly start raising them. I can feel the wind picking up. The arrows are at their highest point and soon they will start to descend. When my hands are raised completely above my head, I forcefully thrust out all the magic. I fall backwards into Liam from the force. He steadies me, but his arms tighten around me when he staggers forward as the wind rushes past us toward the arrows. We all freeze and wait, watching to see if my magic will be enough. When the wind coalesces with the arrows, their momentum falters. They twist through the air before reversing their direction and flying back into the forest.

Everyone rights themselves, and turns toward me, mouths slightly agape in amazement. Even Colton and Liam are looking at me in awe. "Thank you, Ryanne. You saved us all," Tom says. It's not like I was going to just stand here, and let them get impaled with arrows, when I know I can at least try to do something. "Everyone get ready. They're close."

Dravin walks out of the forest, slowly. When his eyes connect with me, he smiles evilly. "Give me the girl, and this can all be avoided." His voice rings out. Liam and Colton both put their arms out in front of me as if they expected me to give myself to Dravin. "No? Fine."

He raises his arms over his head, signaling the others to attack. Mages start running out of the forest toward us. Tom yells and everyone behind me runs forward to meet them halfway, weapons drawn. As we discussed earlier, Liam, Colton, David, Emma, Logan, and Bragden are to stay back with me unless it is absolutely necessary to join the fight.

I start fidgeting and getting antsy when I see Tom fighting someone even though he has the upper hand on him. Tom's already gotten in a hit on his shoulder, making his movements more restricted. He punches him in the face with the hand not wielding the sword. The man's head whips back and he falls limply to the ground. Tom turns around and starts fighting with another man. This one is more aggressive. We are outnumbered, and they're slowly surrounding us. I turn toward Bragden, Logan, David and Emma, telling them to go. We need all fighters. They run into the yard, prepared for the attack.

Besides us, Claire is the only person left on the porch. She is to stay here and use any spells necessary to block out their magical advances. I turn toward Liam and Colton. "We have to help them. There are too many."

Colton looks torn. He wants to help, but doesn't want me to join the fight. We have to fight if we want any shot at coming back from this. He slowly nods before turning back to Liam and me. He and Liam share a knowing glance.

I look between both of them, "I love you guys." Before the tears can come or they can say anything to stop me, I run past them, and into the middle of the yard where I know Thomas will be. I find him standing over a girl, sword raised over his head. I run straight for him, and jump kick him in the side as his sword is coming down. I briefly remember talking to her earlier, but can't recall her name. "Go!" I shout to her as Thomas falls. She scoots back on the ground before rolling over and getting up. Turning around, she runs off and begins fighting someone else.

I'm now directly in the midst of the chaos. Dravin is nowhere to be seen, but I already knew that was going to happen. All around me, people are engaged in fighting. Opening my mind, I let the thoughts in of those directly around me. Liam and Colton are running toward us. Liam is worried about me. He's basically screaming his thoughts at me. He doesn't want me to be in this fight, especially not fighting against Thomas. This is about me, and I'm not going to sit in the background and let everyone fight for me.

Thomas gets off the ground and turns toward me. I call some magic into my arms and legs. Fighting Thomas is not going to be easy. He is larger than Bragden, and I had trouble with him. However, I am already angry with Thomas. No one is going to get away with hurting me like he did.

Dravin said to bring the girl back alive. But I'm getting really tired of the all the trouble she's causing. She needs to be taught a lesson. He growls menacingly and runs straight toward me, sword pointed outward. I have a Sherlock Holmes moment. I can see every move he is about to do in my head. I'm aware of others fighting around me, but Thomas is the only person on my mind.

Jumping to the side, I avoid his sword, and kick his arm, loosening his grip on the weapon. He swings out with his other arm to punch me. I drop to the ground, and hit him in the shins, causing him to stagger backwards. He doesn't fall like I wanted him to, but it gives me enough time to stand back up and prepare for another advance.

I briefly look around the yard. Colton is off to the side, fighting Adam. Everyone else is fighting random Gadramicks. Bragden's fighting off numerous people at once, while David's staying close to Emma, helping her fight, and keeping her safe.

Thomas recovers and stalks toward me again, swinging his sword. I can tell that he wasn't prepared for me to defend myself. He thought this was going to be an easy fight. He underestimated my knowledge of swordplay and use of magic. I've been training and it shows. The magic makes me a more equal opponent, and where he has strength, I have agility.

The sword in my hand is moving in ways I didn't think were possible for me. I am incorporating all my gymnastics tricks, but because so many people are in a small space, it's hard to do all the moves that I know I'm capable of.

I hear Colton cry out behind me, but I don't turn around like I did in the vision. I hear him grunt in anger shortly afterwards, so I know he's okay. The tintinnabulation of blades in the background and grunts from punches echo throughout the yard, but I only focus on the man in front of me. I'm now fighting for my life. I've accepted that something could happen to me as long as this man is stopped. With him stopped, there's a better chance for someone to get to Dravin—to stop him.

He simultaneously swings his sword toward my neck, while bringing his other arm out for a punch. Making a snap decision, I duck to avoid being sliced with the sword. This move causes me to get punched in the shoulder with enough force to send me flying to the ground. Raising his sword above his head, he walks toward me. I pull my knees to my chest and kick toward him when he gets close enough, hitting him in the crotch. Dropping the sword, he falls to his knees. I jump up and back kick him in the face, breaking his nose. Deep red blood flows down his face.

The sound of Colton crying out in pain again breaks through my defensive bubble. I turn to see what happened. Colton is kneeling on the ground, holding his wound. Blood is dripping down Colton's arm, seeping through his fingers, where Adam had sliced him. Adam is raising his sword for a fatal attack. I gather up all my air energy and push it toward him. He flies onto the stone patio, rendering him unconscious. Colton's eyes jerk toward me. "Look out!" he shouts.

That is the distraction that Thomas needed. Turning back around, I see Thomas pushing himself off the ground and coming toward me. He knocks the sword out of my hand and backhands me, knocking me to the ground. I quickly roll over, avoiding his foot as he attempts to kick me. I jump up and spin around, bringing my magic filled arm out to punch him in the stomach. He doesn't flinch. He spits blood at me. Smiling at me, he deflects my arm, and thrust his other hand into my stomach. Tearing through skin and muscle, his sword implants itself in my abdomen. Looking into his eyes, it is obvious that he was going to enjoy watching me die.

"Ryanne!" I hear Colton yell. I look down, and see his sword sticking out of my stomach. Deep red blood pours out around the sword, and soaks my shirt. The cold is spreading throughout my body. Thomas jerks his sword out forcefully, and smiles as I fall to the ground. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth and the wetness of it trickles down my chin. Larkin blinks in behind Thomas, and stabs him through the heart at the same time that Colton reaches me. He claws at the sword, but Larkin pushes it in deeper.

"Get her out of here!"

I succumb to the darkness. My body is broken, and unable to do anything I want it to. As I begin to violently shake, Colton yells for Logan. Blood is soaking the ground beneath me. Colton scoops my limp body up and runs toward the house.

"Don't you dare leave me, Ryanne!" Colton yells while gently placing me down on the cold, tiled floor. A door slams against the wall, and heavy footsteps rush toward us. My heartbeat is slowing and I start coughing, choking on my own blood.

"Move Colton!" demands Logan. My shirt is pushed up, revealing the wound. I feel hands on my stomach as I drift farther and farther into the darkness. Seconds tick by...

Silence.

"She saved me, Logan. That's why she was stabbed." Colton lets out an exasperated sigh, seemingly choking on his words. "What's wrong? Why isn't it working?" Sadness laces his speech. Everything is muted. I can't feel my body anymore. The pain is gone.

"She's too far gone, Colton. I can't work miracles."

A CLOCK IS TICKING IN the background. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The room is silent. No one is moving, but I can feel others around me. I try to breathe in, but this proves to be a bad idea. Liquid shoots to the back of my throat, suffocating me. Rolling over, I cough up all the blood in my mouth.

When I open my eyes, I see Colton first. His cheeks are wet from tears. Logan is on the other side of me, staring at Colton. Claire is standing at the back door, chanting still as she tries to block their magical attacks.

"How?" I whisper. I'm covered in blood so I know I didn't imagine being stabbed. "I know I died."

Colton looks at Logan. I think he shakes his head, but it was so subtle, I can't be sure. "I'm not sure how. You were gone," Logan says.

Planting my palms flat on the cool tiles, I attempt to push myself into a seated position. I make it halfway before I realize I'm not strong enough. Logan reaches back and helps me up. I try to bite down the pain, but I end up grimacing with each movement I make. I know that Colton and Logan both see my reaction. The wound may be closed, but an ache is still there. Logan is looking at me like he's amazed that I'm alive. The guys aren't telling me everything, but I'm in no condition to question them. Logan hands me a bottle of water to rinse the remaining blood out of my mouth.

Larkin blinks in behind Logan. He glances down at me and frowns when he sees my appearance. "You guys have to get out of here. The house is going to blow up in less than thirty seconds." He leaves as quickly as he came. I look toward the backdoor to alert Claire, but she's gone.

Colton and Logan jump up and reach down to help me. I try to walk, but I'm still weak and can barely stand on my own. Instead of running out the backdoor and back into the fighting, Colton drags me toward the front door. Logan reaches it first, and throws it open. Pausing in the doorway, he waits for us. Colton reaches down and picks me up, carrying me the rest of the way.

Running out the front door, both guys jump off the front porch and onto the grass. After a few steps, Logan drops to the ground and covers his head. Colton falls to the ground, covering my body with his as the sound of an explosion rings out behind us. Wood splinters, glass shards, and the smell of smoke and fire fill the air. Colton's body tenses above me as debris falls and litters the ground around us. I close my eyes and pull Colton closer, waiting for it to stop raining fragments of the destroyed cabin. If I had enough energy, I would have tried to send out some magic to knock the debris in other directions, but doing that would probably cause me to lose consciousness, and we don't know if this is over yet.

After what feels like forever, the explosion starts to die down. The splintering sound of wood crackling from fire can be heard, but no large fragments are falling anymore. Only small pieces of debris are floating to the ground.

"Colton? Logan?" Tom shouts from the backyard, clearly distressed. "Ryanne?"

Logan responds to his call. "We're out front!"

Colton pushes himself up onto his elbows, wincing at the effort. His body is perched over me and his green eyes stare into mine. "Are you okay?" Technically, I'm not okay. I'm really weak, but I'm alive.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Logan start to sit up. Tom and the others round the corner and run toward us. Colton pushes up further; his arms holding his body weight above me. David and Bragden stop at Logan and help him up. Tom reaches down and helps Colton stand up. When Colton is up, Liam bends down to help me. Colton whispers to him, "Be careful with her, she's very weak."

Liam sucks in a breath, clamping his lips shut when he gets a good look at me. I'm sure I look as bad as I feel. I have to lean against him to remain standing. He wraps an arm around my waist to support my weight.

David walks over to me. "My god, Ryanne. You're covered in blood."

"What happened? One second you were there and the next time I looked, you guys were gone," asks Liam.

"I got stabbed. I don't really remember anything after Larkin showed up and stabbed Thomas. I died, I know I did, and then I woke up on the kitchen floor," I whisper, my voice sounding far away.

Liam's arm tightens around my stomach. I gasp as pain shoots through my abdomen. "Liam, loosen your grip. You're hurting her," Colton says through clenched teeth.

Liam loosens his hold, and looks between Colton and Logan. "I don't understand. That's not possible. You can't bring someone back to life, unless..." he trails off. Colton is rubbing the back of his neck; his gaze cast down to the ground as he kicks a piece of garbage in the grass. Logan shakes his head at Liam.

I arch my head back and look at Liam. "Unless what?"

Shaking his head, he answers me, "Nothing. It's impossible."

"Wait, where did everyone go? Where are all the Gadramicks?"

Emma walks toward me. She's covered in dirt with a small scratch across her right cheek. Besides looking tired, she seems to be fine. "We don't know. They scattered when the house exploded. They all just ran back into the woods."

"That easily?" Colton looks extremely shocked. "That doesn't make sense."

"I'm just telling you what I saw," Emma says. She steps back into David's embrace. He pulls her toward her and kisses her on the temple. Emma smiles and leans into his arms. I glance over at Colton. His hands are linked together resting on the top of his head. Turning around, he examines what's left of the house.

"Oh my gosh, Colton, your back..." I try to walk over to him, but my legs won't listen. The back of his shirt is completely shredded. It looks like a cat used his back as a scratching post. Blood is oozing out of the deep scratches, and pooling in the fabric that is left.

"It's not as bad as it looks, Ryanne. I'm fine." He turns back to me. It's obvious that he is in pain, but he won't admit it. "Don't worry about me. I wasn't the one just stabbed."

I scan the crowd and recognize most of the faces. It looks like everyone is there. I turn back to ask Tom what we are to do now, when I realize that something is wrong. I do a double take of the crowd. "Tom, where's Claire?"

"She's not with you guys?"

I look behind him at the burning rubble of the house. NO! I let out a wail as my body collapses in Liam's arms.

Currently a student at Ball State University, Kaitlyn Hoyt is pursuing her passion for writing while working towards a Wildlife Biology and Conservation degree. Vegetarian. Proud tree-hugger. Lover of comic book movies. Avid reader. She has an unhealthy obsession for the soothing music of Josh Groban. She discovered her love for writing during the summer of 2012 and hasn't stopped writing since!

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