 
## BURNWOOD

### The Dragon Arum

By Sarah La Rose

Copyright © 2010 by Sarah La Rose  
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof  
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever  
without the express written permission of the publisher  
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

www.sarahlarosebooks.com

For my best friend Andrew Gray for your unshaken belief in me, for my good friend Andrew Erdman for taking the risk that started this all, and for my three beautiful children for being a constant reminder of how blessed I truly am.

### Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

CHAPTER ONE

Not again! Why is this happening to me?

I turned to my side and hid beneath the cover of my thick, feathered pillow, but it wasn't enough. The sound pierced through the fluff only slightly muffled. I sunk further into my teal-covered duvet, still holding the pillow tightly against my ears. It was useless- nothing could stop this torment.

"Uncle Felix!"

It was a few seconds before the door swung open and his freshly shaved face appeared. He always looked so handsome in the mornings when he was preparing for court. His brown hair fell just short of his chin and was combed back into a low ponytail, which always seemed to get caught in one of his numerous dress shirts. This particular morning he wore a light blue shirt and the shiny grey tie I had bought him last Christmas.

"Annabelle, you're awake," he said with mock surprise. He propped himself against the door frame with his arms folded, and a grin only morning people could wear this early in the day.

"Well, that is precisely what your off-key singing will do to a person," I grumbled. "So if you wouldn't mind..."

"Tone it down? Not a chance." He crossed the room, carefully dodging the array of boxes standing in his way, and snatched the blanket from on top of me.

The cool air felt like ice against my skin. I shivered and used my giant body pillow as a poor substitute.

"What are you doing?" I shouted.

"Annabelle, you're acting like you've never endured a Monday morning before."

"You don't mean..." I couldn't bear to say the words. They were simply too horrifying to think of. He couldn't possibly mean...

"That's right! It's your first day of school."

He smiled and it made me want to launch across the room in full-on attack mode.

"But you always give me three days to adjust to a new town before I have to go to school. We just got here last night. I need more time."

"I know that's what we usually do, but today's the first day of school for everyone, and I think it would be better for you to start alongside the rest of the kids here. You will be able to start the year just like everyone else."

I hated the first day of school, usually because it was never the first day for anyone else but me. The awkward silence and wavering stares were enough to make anyone dread such a day, and I was no exception. At least this time I could blend right in with the masses and avoid the uncomfortable introductions that usually commenced the humiliation.

I sighed. "Okay."

But it wasn't okay. How could he expect me to be ready for my first day at school already? I had a routine, a system, a list of things to do before my first appearance. Without that routine, the success of my first day was in the wind. As if moving for the zillionth time wasn't enough!

"That's the spirit!" he said, ruffling my hair with his fist. "I'll let you get dressed, but be quick. I need to be in the city for court in a couple hours."

"Why didn't we just move to the city then?" I rolled to my side and flung my feet over the edge of my bed, propelling myself up. "Why did we move to this shabby little town if you have to be in the city anyway?"

"I don't work in the city," he said. "Like I said yesterday, I work here, in Burnwood. I just have court appearances in the city."

I pulled open the window curtains and peered out at the row of Victorian-style homes lining the street, and then at the vast space covered only by trees and bushes as far as the eye can see.

"I still don't see why we couldn't live in the city. Surely there has to be a greater demand for lawyers there than there is here."

He ran his hand through his hair and briefly looked away. "Just get ready for school, okay?"

I stared at him, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong. There was something very off about his behavior, and it had started the second we drove into this ancient, little town.

He left the room and I went to work getting ready for school. Most of my stuff was still packed away in boxes and I had to scramble through my suitcase to find something suitable to wear. Finally, I settled on a navy blue, high-waist pencil skirt, and a thick-strapped white striped tank top. It was plain, so I added the red belt to my waist to add some color. The heels would have to do the rest.

I maneuvered around the stack of boxes scattered around the house until I found the little kitchen at the back of the house.

The house was old, so it creaked with every step I took. It had a simple Victorian style, but modern and newly renovated fixtures. The three bedroom, two-story house was small, but it was more than enough for just the two of us.

"Ready," I announced entering the kitchen.

"Great!" He carried two paper plates to the dining room table. "There's not much to cook with so this will have to do."

"I really hate these seedy things on the top but I'm guessing there's not much better kicking around, is there?" I bit into my bagel, ignoring the crunchy feeling of the seeds in my mouth.

"I'll have the refrigerator full for you when you get home," he said as he held the front door open for me.

I nodded and followed him to the car.

"If you want we can stop at the town square and get you something else."

"I'm not so sure we should trust the culinary abilities of anyone in this..." I scrunched up my nose distastefully and continued "in this town."

I meant it as a joke, but the way his face dropped made me wish I hadn't said anything at all.

"You should try to be more open-minded to Burnwood. It has more to offer you than you think."

I laughed. I knew I shouldn't have, but it just came out of me like a catapult.

"I seriously doubt that," I said, taking another bite of my half-eaten bagel.

He didn't reply and part of me, that overactive conscious of mine, begged me to be quiet, but I never listened to that part of me.

"Why are we even here?" I blurted out. "There's nothing here. You have to drive into the city for court everyday..."

"It's not every day, Annabelle." He was quiet for a moment. "I only need to drive into Portland once a week at most."

"The city would be better," I said, hardly recognizing the desperation in my voice.

He glared at me and then he blinked and his hazel eyes softened. "You'll make new friends here. You'll see."

"Doesn't really matter, though, right?" I stared out the window with my arms folded tightly across my chest. "I mean, why make friends when another move is inevitably going to uproot me again."

He sighed. Like usual, the numerous abrupt relocations were clearly not something he wanted to talk about.

"Things are different now, Annabelle."

"How?"

"They just are!" He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles whitened.

I pouted silently until we pulled in front of a three-story brick building. It was huge with freshly painted white windowsills across the entire front of the school, which glimmered so brightly I couldn't look directly at them. The entrance had three sets of large wooden doors, which swung violently as students made their way inside. The yard surrounding the school was so large that it looked more like a park than a field.

"This is it?" I said, staring up at the castle-like structure.

It was far larger and in much better shape than I had anticipated. The windowsills sparkled under the sunlight and there wasn't a single shingle out of place. Even the large rustic doors at the front seemed in good repair as a flood of students rushed passed them.

"Oh no. No, no, no! Crap!"

Felix looked over his shoulder and then the other, frantically scanning our surroundings. "What's wrong?"

"Plaid. That's what's wrong!" I twisted around and reached across the back seat until my hand felt a long leather strap. I yanked the duffle bag onto my lap and ruffled through it until I found my red flip flops.

"What are you doing?"

"Look around- jeans and plaid. That's what they're all wearing." I kicked off my heels and slipped on my flip flops.

He took one look at my outfit and burst into laughter.

I narrowed my eyes. "I'm glad you find this so hilarious."

He coughed, trying to resume his composure, but even so a slight grin remained imprinted on his face.

"You could've given me a heads up that everyone here dressed like... well, I don't really know what to call that," I said as my eyes followed a slim brunette girl dressed in the traditional plaid and blue jeans.

He raised his hands defensively. "I didn't know."

I unpinned my hair and shook it loose. I opened the tiny mirror on the car visor and wiped the shimmering peach eye shadow from my eyelids.

He laughed. "I guess you're going to need a wardrobe change and, dare I say it, new shoes."

The words hit me like a train.

"New shoes. You don't mean..."

"I don't think you'll have any use for heels here."

I looked out the window to survey the crowd once again. He was right. There wasn't a single student in the area with heels- just flats, sneakers, and flip flops.

"Should I box up your collection and send them away?"

"Don't you dare," I shot back. "I'll store them in my closet."

"Your closet is too small for that many shoes."

"Then I'll store them in your closet."

He raised his brow and all signs of humor drained from his face. His eyes trailed off to the massive brick building in front of us and mine followed. The herd of plaid had made their way inside the building, leaving the school yard looking vast and empty.

"Want me to come in with you?"

I whipped my head around and stared at him in disbelief.

"You're not serious. As if being the new girl isn't bad enough. You come in there with me and the next thing I know I get labeled a gold-digging hussy and you a cradle-robbing perv."

He leaned back in his seat and ran a hand through his hair. "The Boston mishap of your freshmen year."

When I was a child no one ever questioned our relation to one another, but as I entered my midteens the age difference between Uncle Felix and I just wasn't great enough to deter stares and rumors. He still looked like he was in his late 20s, and in my high-heels I could almost pass for 18. It wasn't long before ill-informed assumptions made their way around the school. It was eventually cleared up, but not before a significant amount of embarrassment.

"Well, I guess I better get going then."

I opened the door but my foot barely touched the ground before I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Wait," he said, grabbing my cellphone from my hand. "In case I'm not back by the time you finish here, use this to get home."

I rolled my eyes. "I know how to use Google maps."

"Yeah, but I bet you don't remember the address." He punched in the address and slipped my phone into my bag.

"Thanks," I said, managing a small smile.

He winked. "See you later kid."

I nodded, but my feet didn't move. I forced the lump in my throat down and closed the car door before I second guessed myself and jumped back in.

He unrolled the window. "Hey, you're going to like it here. It's going to be a whole new beginning for you."

I sighed. A new beginning that would end like all the others.
CHAPTER TWO

I found my hand hovering over the brass handle of one of the giant wooden doors.

I could turn back right now and run.

I had the address in my phone and it probably would only take 20 minutes to walk home. But, that would only buy me a day, maybe two, if I could muster up enough tears to convince Uncle Felix I needed more time.

I took a deep breath, grabbed the handle and swung the heavy door open.

Inside, students filled the halls with chatter and laughter. I could only see a small portion of the building, but I could tell that it was much larger than it looked from outside, and that was already intimidating enough.

I noticed a window-lined wall to the right. The glass on the door read: Administration.

The door chimed as I stepped inside and a dark-haired secretary with circular glasses and a floral print dress looked up from her desk, peering over her glasses. "Annabelle Kennedy?"

She knew my name?

I approached the desk cautiously. "Yes."

She giggled. "Don't be frightened child. It's not every day we get newcomers."

"Oh?" I asked. "It's just such a large school."

"Ah yes, but we take kids from the small rural areas around Burnwood. There's quite a few."

She spun around in her swivel chair and reached into the file cabinet behind her. When she turned back around she had file folder in hand.

"This is your class schedule. It was a quick do up since your registration was only three days ago, but if you're uncomfortable with any of your electives we can try to find a place for you somewhere else."

She opened the folder and pulled out a single sheet of paper and held it out.

"Thanks..."

"April Hawthorne. The school has this thing about students calling the faculty by their first name, but I've managed to get the okay on Miss April."

I smiled. "Well, thanks Miss April."

"If you want to take a seat, Mrs. Crawford will be out in a minute."

I started for the row of chairs lined against the glass wall and stopped mid-way. "Who's Mrs. Crawford?"

She laughed. "Sorry. Like I said, we don't get many newcomers. Mrs. Crawford is the acting principal at the moment. Mr. Langley had a terrible accident during the summer, but we're hoping he'll make a full recovery."

I nodded and walked over to the window. I was too anxious to sit down, so I stared out into the hallway at the crowds of students slowly dispersing in every direction. Again, I was reminded of the way my fitted skirt and loosely curled blonde hair set me apart from the rest of the student body.

Or maybe not...

Our eyes met from across the hall as he casually leaned up against the grey painted lockers lining the hallway. He was tall with short light brown hair and warm hazel eyes. He had a strong, lean build and unlike everyone else, he wasn't wearing a stitch of plaid. Instead, he wore black jeans, a black T-shirt, and a black leather jacket.

At least I wouldn't be the only person to stick out around here.

I wondered if he was new as well. He didn't look like he belonged in a town like this. He looked like he belonged to one of the New York school clicks that always irritated me with their over-inflated egos and materialistic images. Better yet, he looked like he could be their leader.

"Annabelle?"

I turned to find a short heavy-set woman with a mocha complexion and curly brown hair standing behind me.

"I'm Mrs. Crawford," she said as she slicked back a few grey streaked curls behind her ear. "I trust that you and your uncle have settled in?"

"Yeah, we're definitely working on it," I replied uneasily.

"Well, I am sure Burnwood will grow on you the way it has on me. Now, Miss April has provided you with your class schedule."

She didn't pose it as a question, but I nodded anyway.

"Well then, I shall show you to your first class. These hallways can get a little confusing in a school this size, but I'm sure you'll find your way."

I glanced over my shoulder before following Mrs. Crawford into the hallway, but he was gone.

As we made our way through the maze-like hallways, Mrs. Crawford gave a quick speech about policy, regulations, academics, and sports. We passed the gymnasium, library, cafeteria, and finally to my English class at the very end of the hallway.

Mrs. Crawford opened the door and stepped inside. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Ms. Kay, but we have a new student with us today." She gestured for me to step inside.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward. Ms. Kay welcomed me with a smile much too large for her thin face and lanky body. Her mousy brown hair hung in a sloppily made braid, which somehow suited her forest green dress.

Something about her style and slim figure reminded me of my seventh grade teacher, Ms. Keller, a bubbly woman with a very warm heart who was always so kind to me. Perhaps the closest thing to a mother I had ever known.

"Welcome..." started Ms. Kay

"Annabelle," added Mrs. Crawford.

Ms. Kay nodded. "Well, Annabelle, we've just begun so go ahead and find a seat."

I glanced over the rows of desks, trying to ignore the awkward stares and deafening silence that seemed to be following my every step. I wandered down the aisle until I found an empty desk near the back of the room.

I took my seat and pulled a notepad from my bag and placed it on the desk. I dug around the bottom of my purse for a pen and pulled out a handful of different writing utensils. I kept myself busy by doodling on a blank page, but after a short time I couldn't shake the uneasiness I felt.

It would be easy to chalk it up as nerves, but it felt like more than that. Finally, out of curiosity, I surveyed the room; and somehow I wasn't surprised to see the same hazel eyes from the hallway staring back at me.

Our eyes met again as he stared at me curiously.

Could what I was wearing be that different?

I refocused on my doodles, trying to ignore the burning sensation his lingering stare left on me. From time to time I would sneak a quick glance his direction only to find his eyes still boring down on me.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore!

I turned, fixing my face into the meanest expression I could muster, and I stared back at him with equally intensity.

He blinked and, as though snapping out of a trance, the hateful look dissipated into something much softer. He looked away and I did, too.

I shifted in my desk and looked straight at the blackboard where Ms. Kay had already begun scribbling in chalk.

This would not be my favorite class.

I kept my eyes on the chalkboard for the remainder of the class. I didn't feel his eyes burning through me like deathly laser beams anymore, but I didn't check either. When the bell rang I gathered my notepad and pens and hurried from the room.

Second and third periods flew by so fast I hadn't even had time to consider how hungry I was; but now, standing in the middle of the cafeteria with my tray filled with an assortment of separately packaged foods, while I surveyed the area for a place to sit among the many different faces, I was starting to lose my appetite.

The lunchroom tables were either full or entirely empty, presenting equally unappealing options. There was no way anyone would welcome me to an already full table.

"Crowded in here, isn't it?"

Behind me was an average-sized girl with brown eyes and chemically straightened brown hair. Her mocha complexion and pink lips emphasized her bright smile and dimpled cheeks.

"I assume it's always like this?" I said.

"Pretty much. That's why we eat outside when the weather's this nice." She gestured for me to follow her, and we walked to the far side of the cafeteria and exited through a set of heavy metal doors.

She glanced over her shoulder. "I'm Jane by the way."

"Annabelle."

She smirked. "I know. It's a small town."

I wasn't sure how to respond. How much did this town already know about me?

She paused, placing a single fingertip on her chin. "You just moved into the house on Dunsley Street, right?"

Well, that answers it. They seem to know a lot.

"That's the place. My uncle and I got in last night."

"I know."

Again?

She shrugged. "I live three blocks down from you and I like to run at night. So your uncle is kind of young, isn't he?"

"I guess so. If you call 37 young."

Jane crossed the concrete patio where several picnic tables were randomly placed and onto the freshly cut grass making way to a large football field. There were a few trees sporadically placed between the courtyard and the field, and a single picnic bench sat beneath the shade of one of the large oaks.

Jane dropped her backpack next to the bench and sat down. I sat my tray on top of the table and took a seat across from her.

She took an apple from her backpack and chomped into it. "So where are your parents?"

I choked back the water I had just sipped. "Sorry, what?"

"Your parents... where are they?"

I gently patted my chest until my lungs were clear and replied, "They passed away when I was really young. Uncle Felix is my only family now."

She stopped chewing and stared at me quietly for a moment. "I'm sorry. That was horrible of me. It's just that a lot of us here only have one parent, or less sometimes, but it's usually a case of negligence or workaholic issues. I'm really..."

"It's okay. It was a long time ago."

I opened a package of carrot sticks and bit into one as I stared out across the field.

"So..." Jane started. Her gaze shifted to something behind me.

I turned to find three tall boys approaching the table. One was wearing a red and black football jacket and blue jeans. He had a dark complexion, probably of Spanish decent. There were intricate designs shaved on the side of his head, giving him a certain type of edginess.

The boy beside him was slightly taller and wore a black hooded sweater and blue jeans. He had short dark brown hair and brown eyes. The last boy was a face I could never forget only because I had seen it before.

"This is Annabelle," said Jane. "She's new."

"New indeed," said the boy with the unique hair designs.

He slid into the seat beside me, resting one arm atop the table. "I'm Cruz," he said.

I inched myself over, trying to create some space between us.

"That's Alec," Jane said, pointing to the taller boy with dark brown hair. "And that's Carter."

Carter. So that was his name.

I glanced at him, not sure what to expect since our last encounter.

"Wait, aren't you in my English class?" I asked Alec.

I had seen him before, and if my memory serves me correct, he was sitting next to Carter in English. Maybe he hadn't noticed the strangeness between Carter and me. Please let him not have noticed.

He laughed. "I'm in your English class... and your history class, and in your French class."

My cheeks warmed as the whole group chuckled, even Carter cracked a smile.

"Sorry. It's been a distracting morning." I gave Carter a sideways glance.

Alec sat down beside Jane and nudged her shoulder. "Don't sweat it. You can make it up to me with a drink at the old mill grounds tonight."

"The old mill grounds? Am I supposed to know what that is?"

Alec shook his head. "Newbies."

I frowned. "Okay, townie. What exactly are the old mill grounds?"

Alec laughed, but it was Jane who responded. "It's a big party over at the old mill. It's been closed for decades now, but students use it as a party site."

"I don't know..."

"I wouldn't."

A tall, extremely thin girl with jet black hair and pale skin approached the table. She wore all black and had a thick layer of mascara and eyeliner around her green eyes.

The whole table let out a slight sigh and diverted their eyes.

"Annabelle, this is Trish," said Jane.

Trish raised her hand. "Don't bother. I already know who you are."

"I thought you weren't coming today?" asked Jane.

"Yeah, well Grams insisted." Trish dropped her shoulder bag onto the ground and sat down beside Alec.

Everyone was quiet for a while, a long awkward silence filling the air as we all shifted in our seats.

Trish narrowed her eyes at Cruz. "You two look comfy."

Again, the group sighed and I was beginning to recognize a pattern.

Cruz shook his head and shifted to face me. "The old mill is kind of difficult to find... especially for a newbie. I can pick you up."

Trish glared at me, the vengeful look in her eyes almost tangible. They penetrated through me like ice. I knew anything I said now would have serious repercussions.

"She lives a couple blocks from me. You can meet me at my house and I'll take you," said Jane.

I hadn't even decided that I was going, but the group had and that seemed to be all that mattered.

"It's in the woods." Trish smiled, but there was no kindness in her face. She narrowed her green eyes on me and continued, "There's no lights out there. You could get lost... in the woods, all by yourself."

"Trish, you're so stupid sometimes," said Cruz.

Trish leaned back and folded her arms. "I guess I should've expected this much from you, Cruz. A hot piece of ass comes walking by and you can't help but be the hero. Pathetic!" she spit the words at him like venom.

"What time should I be ready?" I asked Jane.

I hadn't wanted to go. Truthfully, Trish's description of the Old Mill Grounds scared me. I didn't want to get lost in the middle of some dark forest all by myself, but it was the only way to stop the bickering.

Jane looked surprised. "Meet me at my house at 9 p.m." She ripped out a piece of paper from a notebook she kept in her bag, and jotted down her phone number and address.

The bell rang and everyone hurried back to the school. I started across the field alone as Jane held back with Trish.

Carter jogged up beside me. "Hey."

I looked him over. He didn't seem angry. Had he forgotten the whole incident or was this some kind of trick?

"Hey."

He slipped his hands into his pockets and glanced over his shoulder. "I'm sorry about Trish. I wish I could say she wasn't always like this."

I shrugged.

"But, you stood up to her. She'll respect you for that," he said.

I laughed. "I think it will be awhile before she feels anything but hate for me."

"She's more bark than bite."

I nodded. "Now that I believe. It's safe to say it wasn't something I said since she didn't let me get a word out."

He shook his head. "No. You didn't do anything, except maybe catch the eye of Cruz."

I laughed. "Not my intention."

Carter smiled. "Can I walk you to your next class?"

I paused just outside the entrance to the school and looked at him. His brown eyes revealed a bright sapphire ring around the outer iris. I had never seen anything like it and it captivated me.

There was something truly spectacular about this boy.

I nodded and followed him through the hallways until he came to a stop.

He looked up at the room number displayed over the door. "This is it."

"Thanks," I said, stepping through the doorway.

"So, I'll see you tonight?"

I nodded. "I'll be there."

He smiled and turned back down the hall. I watched him leave, unable to look away. Something about him captivated me and I wondered if he felt the same way. It wasn't a crush, I've experienced that before. It was something I never felt before and it filled me with excitement knowing that I would see him again tonight.

### CHAPTER THREE

I swayed from side to side in front of my full-length mirror, fussing with the zipper on my black, hooded sweater. What the hell do I wear to this place?

I found a pair of dark denim jeans and an orange-red tank top in the bottom of my luggage. I still hadn't found the boxes containing the rest of my wardrobe, so I had to make do with what I had.

I slid open my closet door and retrieved a gold pair of flats.

I shook my blond hair loose, letting it flow halfway down my back. "Perfect."

"Annabelle!"

Almost perfect.

I sighed. How could I've overlooked a very important part of tonight's plan? Uncle Felix.

I hurried downstairs to the kitchen. "You rang, oh master?"

He dried his soapy wet hands on tea towel and tossed it on the countertop. "Yeah, listen for the door, would you? I've gotta hit the shower quick time."

"Who's coming?"

He rolled his eyes. "Just keep an eye on the door, would ya?"

I followed him to the staircase. "Where are you going that you need a second shower for?"

He jogged up the stairs and closed the bathroom door without an answer.

This would've been the perfect time to make my escape, but my curiosity wouldn't let me leave.

I ambled around the kitchen, entertaining myself with frig magnets and old newspapers that hadn't made it to the recycle yet. I was almost ready to give up when the doorbell rang.

I was halfway to the door when I noticed Uncle Felix at the top of the stairs, fiddling with his favorite blue satin tie.

He was wearing black dress pants and a light blue dress shirt. His lengthy brown hair was combed back from his face and I was pretty sure he had shaved again.

Our eyes met and then quickly turned for the front entrance. I darted for the door, and he, not missing a beat, slide down the banister. We ended up side by side, racing for the lead. I shoved him with my shoulder and he bumped up against the wall, tumbling to the floor. I smiled triumphantly until his hand wrapped around my ankle, sending me flailing to the ground. We pushed and pulled at each other, struggling for the advantage.

Suddenly, the door swung open and we both stopped to stare at our guest. A tall, slender blond stepped inside. Her hair was fashioned into a long bob-style and she was wearing a navy blue pant suit.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I heard a ruckus and immediately thought the worse. I didn't realize you were just... actually, what are you doing?"

Felix helped me up. "Sorry. She's a bit nosey, that's all."

I glared at him. "I prefer the term inquisitive."

The woman smiled uneasily and offered her hand. "I'm Lucinda Goldfield."

"Annabelle," I said.

I looked to Felix for an explanation, but he diverted his gaze to the gold watch resting on his wrist, polishing its flawless glass cover with his sleeve.

What wasn't he telling me?

"So...what do you guys have planned for the night?"

Felix tossed his head back and ran his hand through his hair.

"Your father and I..."

"He's not my father."

"I'm not her father."

Lucinda's cheeks reddened and a puzzled expression set in on her face. "Sorry, I just assumed..."

"I'm his niece," I said.

She smiled and nodded. "Well, your uncle has graciously offered to assist me with a case I'm working on tonight."

I glanced over at Felix who was still avoiding eye contact and patted him hard on the back. "How kind of him."

He grabbed his coat from beside the door. "We should go."

I glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was almost 9 o'clock.

"Good idea." I grabbed hold of the door and ushered them outside. "Lots of work to get done tonight."

I closed the door, hearing a faint "it was nice to meet you" coming from outside the solid oak door.

I pulled out my cellphone and punched Jane's address into my Google maps app. I left through the back door to avoid running into Lucinda and Uncle Felix. I was already late so I walked quickly.

Jane's house was the last on Darsky Street and the only one that strayed from the generally accepted Victorian style. Instead, the house looked very modern with its large windows and cherry-stained wood siding. It even had a double garage and double-decker doors.

I walked up the stone path to the porch and knocked.

I heard a series of thuds and then the door swung open.

"I'm almost ready," Jane puffed breathlessly.

Her hair was half down, beautifully straightened while the other half was tied up in a ponytail on top of her head.

"Sorry I'm late," I said, feeling less guilty about my tardiness.

She waved her hand. "No problem. I'm just glad you came. I was starting to wonder if... you know."

I arched my brow. "If I would chicken out?"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't have held it against you if you did."

I raised a finger and smiled. "But I didn't."

She laughed. "I'll be ready in a minute. Help yourself to anything in the frig."

She hurried back up the stairs, disappearing into what I could only assume was her bedroom.

I wandered into the room next to the entrance with every intention of distracting myself from thinking about the party I was headed to with a bunch of strangers, which happened to be located in the middle of the dark, secluded area.

I walked over to the brick fireplace. On top of the dark wooden mantel was an assortment of framed photographs and trophies, including one glass-encased football.

I leaned in, examining its worn appearance and the black ink scribbled across the front.

"It belongs to my father."

Startled, I turned and saw a tall muscular man with the same mocha complexion as Jane. He was wearing black track pants and a tight grey T-shirt. Sweat seeped through the shirt, causing the material to stick to his chiseled frame.

"He keeps it as a reminder of his glory days."

I took a quick step away from the mantel, feeling as though my presence alone could somehow cause its destruction.

He laughed. "It's fine. Jane's knocked it over at least twice since I've been here."

"Wait, you guys aren't originally from Burnwood? I thought Jane was a townie."

He nodded and stared straight ahead at the encased football. "She is."

"I'm sorry, I'm still confused."

He sighed. "Jane is from Burnwood - born and raised. I came here from West Virginia to spend more time with my dad."

"Oh," I said brilliantly. "Well, traditional families are overrated. I read somewhere that blended families are becoming more common anyway."

He smiled. "If only everyone saw it that way."

"Ready," Jane called as she hurried down the staircase. She jumped from the third stair and landed near the entrance with a smile that quickly dissipated when her gaze found him. "Lamar, what are you doing here, and why are you talking to Annabelle? Didn't you say you were going for a run?"

"I did," he said. "Two and a half hours ago."

She narrowed her eyes on him. "Whatever. I'm leaving anyway."

He shook his head and passed her without saying a word. He paused at the staircase, one foot hovering over the first stair. "It was nice meeting you, Annabelle."

Jane scrunched up her face and stuck out her tongue, something I hadn't seen since third grade. Again, he shook his head and continued upstairs.

Jane watched him, maintaining her much exaggerated scowl. He shut the door to his room and her demeanor instantly changed. She was back to the smiley, bubbly person I had met at lunch and I was beyond relieved.

She swiped a set of keys from the small table along the wall and opened the door. "Let's get to that party, shall we? There's someone waiting for you."

### CHAPTER FOUR

Jane drove passed the town square, which lay in the very center of Burnwood. The Square housed all of the businesses in a strip-mall style, which is why it was called the Square. There was a park in the center of the Square with a lone swing set, but no one was there. In fact, there wasn't a person in sight. Even the local pub closed early on weekdays.

Jane turned onto a narrow dirt road, flicking on her high beams as she drove into the darkness.

I tugged on my seatbelt, ensuring it was properly fastened. "Is it far?"

She shook her head. "It's near the lake."

"There's a lake around here?"

She smiled and nodded. "The old mill grounds make for the best beach parties and bonfires."

"Haven't anyone's parents figured it out yet? I can't imagine a place like that could stay a secret for long."

"The Burnwood parents aren't exactly... vigilant." She paused and bit down on the side of her lower lip. "That's just a nice way of saying they don't give a crap."

I leaned back in my chair and rested my head. "I don't have much experience with parents, but I can tell you that over protective guardians are issues of their own."

She laughed. "I take it your uncle is one of them."

I nodded. "You have no idea. On my seventh birthday he refused to let me ride the ponies. He called them dangerously overactive, untrained beasts. Even worse, for my Girl Scouts' campout, he showed up with a fully loaded motorhome. He didn't even let me roast marshmallows around the campfire."

Jane's mouth dropped open. "No!"

"I'm afraid so." I crossed my arms and pouted. "I was the only one who didn't get their camping badge."

"Oh crap!" Jane jerked the steering wheel and made a sharp right turn. "Almost missed it."

I grappled for the door handle as the car veered off the narrow dirt road and into a small opening through the dense forest. We emerged from the trees into a clearing the size of roughly three football fields.

The area lit up from the headlights on the car, illuminating a tall, weathered building in the far corner of the makeshift parking lot. It must've been the old mill Jane had mentioned.

Adjacent to the parking lot was a sandy beach front framing the lake. A large fire burned from the center of an enormous dugout in the sand, and people had already started to form around it.

Jane parked next to the rest of the cars, excluding the big black truck parked near the fire pit with three large kegs and a bunch of red plastic cups staked high in the back.

I fidgeted with my zipper. "There are a lot of people here."

Jane turned off the car and looked at me. "It's not really the people, though, is it?"

I opened my mouth to deny it, but stopped. She was right. It wasn't the people.

"Come on, Annabelle. You're 100 percent city girl... and I like that about you, but you've been around crowds your whole life. It doesn't seem like making friends is your problem."

I turned and looked out the window as a cluster of noisy teenagers passed by.

"You've been here since like... forever, right?" I asked, turning to face her.

"Yes..."

"Well, try to imagine it from where I stand. I've never been in one place for more than six months at a time, sometimes less. It's like my life is in a constant state of flux, never settling down anywhere."

"So what? You're afraid of liking us?"

I stared ahead silently.

"I think this time is going to be different," she said.

I arched a brow. "What makes you so sure?"

She shrugged. "I just have an incredibly good feeling about it. Don't you?"

I smiled, wishing I could share her optimism.

Tick! Tick!

Startled, I turned to find Alec's face smooched against the window as he continued tapping his finger on the glass.

Jane laughed and stepped out of the car. I waited for Alec to back away from the door and joined her.

"Annabelle!" He lifted his red cup into the air and then gulped it down. "You know... I knew you would come. I knew you would because of that drink you owe me." He looked down at his cup and frowned. "Someone drank my drink."

I laughed. "That was you."

"And she makes it!" Cruz stepped out from behind the white pick-up truck Jane had parked beside.

"Of course she made it," said Jane. "I never doubted it."

I shot her a questioning look.

"What time is it?" said Jane.

We all simultaneously reached into our pockets and pulled out our cellphones.

Jane shook her head. "Does no one own a watch anymore?"

Alec held his phone up and smiled. "You don't need a watch when your life support tells the time."

Jane rolled her eyes, but I agreed with him.

It was sad how dependent the world has become on technology. The day of the hunter-gatherer was over and if a zombie apocalypse hits us, I'm as doomed as the rest of my generation. If only I got that camping badge in Girl Scouts.

"It's a quarter to ten," said Cruz, tucking his phone into his back pocket.

"Crap!" Jane started for the beach. "I'll be right back."

"What? Where are you going?"

"I'm supposed to meet someone," she called over her shoulder. "Alec will take you to get that drink you owe him."

Alec grinned and raised both thumbs in the air. "Sure thing."

Jane stopped and looked him over. "On second thought, Annabelle, maybe you should keep him away from the drinks."

I waved her on. "We'll be fine."

Jane nodded and took off across the lot.

Alec, Cruz and I began to follow, but after a few feet Alec stumbled and fell. He rolled to the side, laughing and clearly oblivious to the tiny cut over his cheek bone.

I kneeled beside him, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Alec, are you okay?"

He stared up at the sky and mumbled something before falling back hard onto his back.

"Relax, he's just passed out," said Cruz.

"We should do something? Maybe take him home?"

"Home? That might be the worst idea I have ever heard. Alec hasn't been home in two years."

"Why not?"

Cruz made a face and I was certain he had already shared too much. "Let's just get him to my truck. He can sleep it off in there."

Cruz and I pulled Alec to his feet, managing to keep him awake long enough to make it the 20 feet to Cruz's truck. We helped him into the back and he flopped down onto his side. I bunched up his sweater and used it to prop up his head.

I turned to Cruz and nodded. "I think he's good."

I hopped out of the truck and Cruz closed the door with a heavy sigh.

"Are you okay?" I said.

Cruz nodded. "You look like you could use a drink, or at least I know I could use one."

I looked out across the lot. The keg was not far from the bonfire and in the same direction Jane had left. "A drink sounds like a good idea."

I followed Cruz to the truck holding the keg. There was a line of people waiting before us, but Cruz didn't seem to notice. He walked up to the front of the line and grabbed two red cups and filled them.

Everyone stared at him, but oddly enough no one said anything.

He returned with our drinks and we wandered over to the bonfire with whispers slowly fainting into the distance.

There was a bunch of logs surrounding the pit and I found one parallel to the beach and sat down. He sat down on the log beside me and smiled triumphantly at the fire. "I got here early to build this."

I gazed at the fire, feeling its warmth wafting up from the pit. "It's beautiful."

He shook his head. "Not the word I would use. Lighting that thing nearly burnt my arm." He turned his forearm so I could see the singed hair, but my mind was elsewhere.

I stared straight ahead at the wild red and orange colors dancing in the center of the dugout. Fire appealed to me for reasons beyond my understanding, but I was drawn to it. Its warmth and ferocity was comforting in the strangest ways. It made me feel powerful, but along with that came the immense feelings of guilt and shame. After all, how can I be so connect to the thing that destroyed my family?

"Well are you?"

I blinked and turned from the fire's entrancing warmth. "What?"

"I said you haven't touched your drink," said Cruz.

I looked down at my cup and shook my head. "Sorry, I guess I was a little distracted by the crowd."

I lifted the cup to my lips and tipped it up.

"Annabelle!"

Lowering my cup I stood up and surveyed the crowd. "I heard my name."

Cruz stood up, too, and looked around. "It could've been anyone."

Suddenly, a group of boys wearing the same red and black leather jacket I had seen Cruz in earlier that day surrounded us. They looked angry and I turned to Cruz for answers.

Cruz smiled down at me as they began to circle us, chanting "Fire Lords." Finally, the circling stopped and everything was quiet. Waited, knowing more was to come. Suddenly, they shouted and charged at Cruz. I raised my arms and shielded my head as they all shuffled passed me and hoisted Cruz up onto their shoulders. The crowd around us cheered and shouted as they followed the mesh of red and black leather jackets along the beach.

I stepped aside and let the crowd pass. I walked down the beach in the opposite direction of the noise, confused yet no longer concerned for my safety.

"Annabelle."

I turned. "So it was you who called my name. I thought I recognized the voice."

Carter smiled. "Strange how that happened just as the football team came in to claim their captain."

I laughed. "You were behind that?"

He winked. "Of course not."

"Right..."

I lifted my untouched drink to my lips and...

"Don't drink that!"

"What?" I lowered my cup and examined it. "Why not?"

"There's a... there's a bug in it."

I stared at the bubbly liquid in my cup. "There's no bug in here."

Before I knew what happened the cup was on the ground, its contents spilling into the sand.

"Sorry," he said. "Let me get you another drink."

He hurried down the beach as I stood staring down at my empty cup, its tasty goodness absorbed into the ground.

What just happened?

### CHAPTER FIVE

I had been wandering the beach alone when Jane found me.

"Annabelle, I want you to meet someone." She turned to the man beside her with jet black hair and white, porcelain-like skin. "This is Yury."

Yury looked older than any high school student I had ever seen. Not unreasonably older, but at least in his early twenties.

I smiled, trying to ignore the knot forming in my stomach. "Hi."

He took my hand and bowed. His hands felt cold, not like ice, but something eerily familiar.

"A pleasure to meet you," he said. His accent was unique, definitely southern European, but I couldn't place where I had heard it before.

I glanced at Jane, assuming she could only feel as uncomfortable as I. Instead, she gleamed with pride. Nevertheless, it made me uncomfortable.

I yanked my hand free from his hold and covered my mouth as I attempted a cough. The sound that came from my mouth sounded more like a wheezing noise than a cough, so I improvised.

"Sorry, my allergies are working up."

"What are you allergic to?" said Jane.

"The...."

This always happens to me. Why do I never think my lies through and get the details straight?

"The trees," I finished.

Oh God! Did I really just say trees? I'm an idiot.

"Or maybe the grass," I quickly added.

I need to stop. Just stop talking altogether!

I folded my hands behind my back and looked out over the lake. Maybe if I keep myself distracted I won't say anything else stupid.

Jane laughed and I felt a sense of relief wash over me. She either hadn't picked up on my lie or she was a good enough friend not to call me out on it.

Next, Yury took Jane's hand as he did mine and kissed it. "I see I am leaving you in good company, my dear."

Jane pouted. "Are you sure you have to go?"

"I'm afraid so." He kissed her forehead, ignoring her puckered lips, and walked off toward the parking area.

Jane and I watched Yury cross the lot and disappear behind a large white van where a bunch of kids had set up lawn chairs around a card table.

"So..." Jane started.

I knew what she was going to ask me and I dreaded it.

"What do you think?"

"About Yury," I said brilliantly.

She nodded. "Of course."

"Is he your..."

"Boyfriend?" She smirked. "Not yet."

I knew what I was expected to say, and truthfully I had no evidence to oppose it, but it still rubbed me the wrong way. "Yeah, he seems sweet."

Even the strongest of friendships require a couple of lies here and there. After all, it's not like I could say sorry Jane, but your boyfriend creeps me out, and I don't know if you noticed this, but I sense a dark energy to him.

Jane raised her hand and fanned herself. "Sweet? Try smoking hot."

I giggled, which turned into a piercing scream when a loud bang echoed into the night. My first instinct was to hit the ground and I almost did, ducking my head between my arms, but then I saw Jane. She wasn't at all frightened. In fact, she seemed entirely amused watching me take cover.

Jane laughed. "It's just a car backfiring."

I took a deep breath and straightened myself.

She raised her brow. "What did you think it was?"

"A gunshot. What else?"

Jane's eyes widened. "You mean to tell me those things actually happen in the real world?"

I stared at her. "Are you serious because sometimes I can't tell?"

"I'm sorry. It's just that nothing like that ever happens here. It's just so..." she paused.

"Boring," I said.

Jane's expression flattened. "I was going to say consistent."

I paled. Had I insulted her?

I was about to apologize when a fight erupted a few yards down the beach from us. A drunken football player and mouthy freshman staggered across the beach as a crowd formed around them. They kicked and punched, but neither of them had the balance or vision to connect.

"Damn it!" Jane gave me a quick look before pushing her way through the crowd. I watched her reach the middle quickly and surprisingly without injury. She grabbed the football player by the jacket and pulled him away just as another boy took hold of the profanity- slurring freshman.

With Jane's presences needed there, I wandered over to the quieter part of the beach and found a lone log laying on its side. I sat down and looked across the lake. The water glistened under the moonlight, looking dark and majestic. I took a pebble in my hand and twisted to my side to get a better swing, but then something caught my eye.

There was a glimmer of blue light coming from within the forest. I turned to survey the crowd, but no one seemed to notice the strange little light. It was probably nothing- perhaps some kind of special flashlight or something of the sort.

I walked down the beach, taking the first path cutting into the thick brush. The trail was narrow and the moonlight barely broke through the canopy of leafs hanging above, but I continued anyway. The branches scratched against my jeans as I maneuvered around fallen trees, and ducked beneath low- hanging branches.

Finally, I could see the light shining from behind a very large tree blocking my path. I made my way around the giant obstacle; and there it was, but it wasn't a flashlight at all.

It was a tiny blue flame burning in the center of a small circular clearing.

I moved closer and bent down to examine it. It was magnificent. Its electric blue hues danced from side to side as the wind gently breezed by. The flames had taken on a life of their own.

Suddenly, I registered the phenomenon before me.

The flame seemed to be hovering ever so slightly above the ground.

But, what could be fueling the fire?

Bewildered, I searched harder for the source. I circled the fire, I bent down lower with my face inches away from the ground, but still I could see nothing.

I sat back on my knees and stared at the wondrous flame. It really was beautiful, but the mystery of its existence was even more captivating.

Am I losing my mind?

Suddenly, the little blue flame began to grow.

I staggered to my feet and backed away, but before I knew it the growing blue flame burst into violent red, orange, and yellow flames. I turned to run, but a wall of fire burst up from the ground, encircling me. The heat pulsed over the surface of my skin and I dropped to my knees, shielding my face in my hands.

The thickening smoke forced me to the ground. I tried to scream, but choked. I struggled to take a deep breath, but the air was tainted with smoke and every breath felt like hot sheers slicing down my throat.

I coughed. I could feel my body weakening as I pulled myself to my feet. I held my sleeve over my mouth and blinked away the mixture of smoke and water in my eyes. I searched for an opening, but everywhere I turned I was surrounded my tall angry flames.

Finally, the heat and the smoke were too much for me to bear and I felt my knees give out under my weight. My eyelids felt heavy, impossible to keep open, and after a few seconds everything went black.

Had I hit the ground?

It was still warm, but I no longer felt a burning sensation against my face. Instead, I felt like I was in my own little bubble of protection that smelled oddly like leather.

Am I'm dead?

I realized then that my arms were wrapped around something, or rather someone.

### CHAPTER SIX

I opened my eyes and saw only darkness. I held on tightly to the mysterious figure until my feet brushed up against the ground. I moaned as the weight of my body sent a throbbing pain through my legs as I found my footing, but the strong hand on my back, steadied me.

Feeling a little bit stronger I stepped back, letting my protective shield slip away from me.

Carter.

He stared at me with his intense hazel eyes, and I noticed the thin sapphire ring around the iris. It was unique and entrancingly beautiful.

My body shook, my veins coursing with adrenaline. The world seemed to wave ever so slightly all around me. Every muscle in my body ached trying to hold my ground until I could no longer deny the force of gravity acting on me. My knees gave way and I fell into his arms.

He caught me and pulled me into his embrace. "I've got ya."

I closed my eyes, unable to fight the exhaustion sweeping over me. With my head pressed against his chest, his heart beat was my lullaby. I wanted nothing more than to let go and fall into an eternal sleep within the safety and comfort of his arms.

Suddenly, the sound of crunching leaves and snapping twigs echoed into the night. Carter pulled away from me just as Jane, Alec, and Cruz burst into the clearing.

"What the hell happened?" said Cruz.

I surveyed the damage around us for the first time.

We were still in the circular clearing, but it was destroyed. The grass was blackened and the trees boarding the circle were singed. The whole area still smoldered and tiny clusters of red embers glowed on the ground.

Strangely enough, the fire did not extend passed the first line of trees, making almost a perfectly circular burn on the face of the earth.

"That was you screaming?" Jane asked. Her eyes bulged as she took in the destruction. "You weren't in here when this happened, were you?"

I glanced at Carter and he shook his head ever so slightly.

Was I supposed to lie?

My clothes were darkened with soot and smelled like smoke. Clearly, I wouldn't be able to deny my involvement.

"No," I said. "Not really. I mean, I saw the fire and ran to get Carter. He put it out."

I smiled at him gratefully. Had it not been for him I don't know what would've happened to me.

Jane looked me up and down. "We should get you home before your uncle gets there first. It's one thing to sneak out and get caught, but it's a whole other thing to get caught with burned up clothing and smelling like smoke."

In all the commotion, I hadn't even thought about Uncle Felix.

"Oh no," I gasped. "He'll be home soon."

Jane frowned. "I told Trish I would give her a ride home since somebody," she paused, glaring over her shoulder at Cruz before continuing, "brought her here and is refusing to take her home."

"That's what she said?" Cruz scoffed. Cruz turned on his heels and flung his arms into the air. "Do you know how many texts I ignored before I found her sitting in my truck bed asking me for a ride here?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Whatever!"

"Let's just find her and get out of here," I grumbled.

Jane started back towards the beach and I followed her. My legs were sore and my body ached with every step, so I didn't try to keep up with her. After a few minutes, she was so far ahead of me that I could only see a glimpse of her silhouette whenever she stepped into the light.

I stifled a sigh when I came to a fallen tree trunk laying across my path. Climbing over this was going to hurt.

I lifted my leg only halfway, wincing from the pain radiating down my side. I tried again, this time I felt a strong hand on my back guiding me forward.

"Here, let me help you," said Carter.

I wrapped my arm around his shoulder as he held my waist.

"Thanks," I said, feeling my cheeks redden.

"It's the least I could do after..."

I waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

I stopped and looked up at him. "What happened? One second I thought I was dead for sure, and then the next you were there and the fire wasn't."

He looked away, but it was too late. His eyes betrayed his secret, not its depth, but its existence.

He tried to push on, but I resisted. "You know something, don't you?"

He paused. "Annabelle, how did the fire start?"

This time it was my turn to look away. What was I supposed to say? I'd wandered into the forest in pursuit of a little blue light that actually turned out to be a little fire, which erupted into a mad blaze that I somehow got stuck in the middle of.

"I don't know."

Carter narrowed his eyes. "Did you start it?"

I stepped back. "No! I wouldn't do something like that. What kind of person do you think I am?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. It's just that you were directly in the center of it."

"I know!" I shook my head. "I can't explain how that happened, but I didn't start it."

He smiled at me, looking both amused and slightly cocky.

I looked away. "Do you see Jane anywhere? I really need to get home."

"I can take you."

I paused, eyeing him.

"Look, I'm sorry for accusing you of being a pyro. I'm sure whatever happened in the woods tonight had nothing to do with you," he said.

I tried not to laugh, but the way he smiled at me made it impossible.

"Okay, you can take me home."

I followed him to the cluster of cars in the corner of the lot. He stopped next to a shiny black Charger and opened the passenger door, motioning for me to step inside.

Slowly, I lowered myself into the seat. "Nice car."

"Thanks." He smiled and patted its roof ever so gently. "I worked all summer for it the year before I turned 16."

He closed the door and walked to the driver's side, slipping into his seat beside me.

"Wait," I said. "Isn't this a Hemi?"

He grinned and nodded proudly.

"And you only had to work one summer for it?"

"Only?"

"Where on earth did you find a job that pays that well at the age of 15? Sign me up!"

He laughed.

"You know, Jane has a nice car too. And Cruz's truck was pretty nice as well," I said. "I'm starting to see a pattern here."

His face flattened of all expression. "You've seen Cruz's truck?"

I frowned. "I helped him get Alec inside after he passed out on the ground, though he seems to be doing alright now."

He shrugged. "You were making a point about our cars?"

I considered addressing the not-so-subtle change of subject, but I decided to let it go. "Right. You all have nice cars and none of you seem to have jobs."

"I have a job. I work at the bookstore in town."

I straightened in my seat. "There's a bookstore in town?"

He nodded. "It's been in my family for generations."

"That's incredible... a whole store full of books to yourself." I leaned back in my seat and stared out the sunroof at the starlight sky.

He chuckled. "I take it you like to read?"

I smirked. "Is it that obvious?"

"I'd say so. Your eyes kind of glazed over at the word bookstore."

I smacked him on the shoulder. "They didn't glaze."

He laughed and leaned to the side to avoid another swing. "I swear they did."

I shook my head and turned to the window so he couldn't see the smile pulling at the edges of my mouth.

Carter slowed the car to a stop.

I looked out the window at the house next to us. "Are we here already?"

"This is it, isn't it?"

I stared at the house for a moment. "Yeah, I think so."

Burnwood's Victorian-style homes made it difficult to distinguish one block from the next. I looked for the little blue gnome I had set in the garden along the front of the porch, but it was too dark to see it.

"You think so? Maybe I should walk you to the door." He turned off the car and stepped out.

I searched for the door handle, sliding my hand up and down the panel, but before I found it the passenger door swung open.

"Thanks," I said, taking his outstretched hand and letting him help me out.

"You know, you really don't have to thank me so much."

"Well, you know, you really don't have to keep helping me so much," I said, returning his warm smile.

"Funny," he said, but didn't laugh.

He walked me to the door where we both stood idly on the porch. I didn't know what to say. The night had been so surreal that I wasn't sure how to put it into words. Besides, having been saved for a fire he thought you started made everything awkward.

I pulled my keys from my jeans pocket and dangled them from my finger, the clinking noise easing the silence between us.

"I guess I should go inside and get cleaned up." I scanned my clothing from head to toe, taking in the singed patches and black stains.

"Of course," he said, stepping back to give me clear access to the door.

I unlocked the door and opened it a crack. "Thank you for getting me home. And, thank you for what you did tonight... in the woods."

It was the first time either of us openly acknowledged the danger we had miraculously escaped. I had expected him to say something, but he just shrugged and slipped his hands into his pockets.

I stifled a sigh and turned back for the door. I felt a hand grasp my wrist and spin me around. He closed the space between us in one step and placed one hand on the side of my face. His fingers gently stroked my cheek, sending an intense shiver through my body. He leaned in and kissed me, his lips sending a pulse of heat surging through me.

He stepped away and pushed the front door open with his hand. The light from inside the house poured out onto the porch as he slowly backed down the porch stairs.

"Goodnight, Annabelle."

I smiled. "Goodnight."

I leaned up against the closed door and slowly sank to the floor. I traced my lips with my fingertips and smiled at the tingling sensation his kiss left upon me.

I let my hand fall from my face and I saw traces of black soot on the tips of my fingers. My mind raced with images of the fire, blazing hot against my skin.

I hurried upstairs and into the bathroom, stripping my clothes off in a panic. I jumped into the shower and scrubbed until the water washed clean and the scent of apricots and mangos filled the steamy air. I tossed my clothes into an empty grocery bag and tied it up so the smell wouldn't escape the garbage.

I had to make sure that Uncle Felix could never find these clothes.

Now that the evidence had been taken care of, I sat on my bed trying to make sense of the night. It all happened so fast that I couldn't decipher between what was real and what I must've imagined. The most logical explanation is that I had imagined it all, but it felt too real.

I remembered the heat and the wall of fire encircling me. After that, everything went dark. When I opened my eyes again, he was already there.

Carter had to know what happened after that. He had to have the answers.

### CHAPTER SEVEN

"Annabelle!"

I could hear her voice, but the fire was like a wall between us.

"Mommy," I cried. My voice was faint and burned with the taste of carbon.

I could see glimpses of her bright blue eyes staring back at me. Her hair blew in the wind, but we weren't outside. I looked around at the pink and white wallpaper with tiny little bears on its boarder. There was a child's bed in the corner of the room and toys scattered about the floor.

It was a familiar place, but I took me a minute to put it all together.

We were in my childhood room. The realization set in hard like it had so many times before. This wasn't reality, this was a nightmare, and I knew all too well how it would end.

I panicked, screaming and shouting for her to run. I wanted to her to leave that room, to leave me. I couldn't watch her die again. I couldn't watch the life drain from her beautiful blue eyes as her body fell limp to the floor.

"Go! Don't stay here. You have to get out."

She stretched her hand out with her palm facing out. Her lips moved, but I couldn't understand the words coming from her mouth. The heat from the fire was intense, but I had to reach her.

I stepped forward and found my body pinned to the floor. It wasn't hot anymore, but I couldn't move. The flames burned all around me, destroying everything in their path.

I looked for her, and just as every time before, I found her lifeless body before me.

"Mommy!"

"Annabelle! Annabelle!"

I jolted up, breathing heavy and drenched in sweat.

Felix had both of his hands firmly on my shoulder. "Annabelle, it's just another dream."

I placed my hand over my chest to calm my pounding heart. "I'm okay."

He sat back and looked at me. "It was that same dream again, wasn't it?"

I nodded and took a deep calming breath.

He ran his hand through his hair and paced the room.

"Is this bad?" I asked, rubbing my faced with my hands. "I mean, is it weird that the nightmares have lasted this long?"

He sighed. "It's not weird. Memories like that don't just disappear overnight."

"But, it's been 13 years. I don't even think I should be able to remember it at all."

"I don't know when they'll get better..." He shrugged. "I just wish they would stop getting worse."

"Worse?"

He looked at me, as though contemplating whether he should continue. Finally, he reached for the hand-sized mirror on my bed stand and handed it to me.

I stared back at my reflection. My skin was red all over.

"Oh my god," I gasped.

"It's okay," he said, taking the mirror from my hand and returning it to the night stand. "It will go away soon enough."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "It's just your skin reacting to the images in your head."

I sighed, letting my face fall into the palms of my hands.

He sat back down beside me. "I know that face. What's wrong?"

"It's just..." I paused, searching for the words. "What happened that night?"

His gaze fell from mine as he stared down at the floor. "You mean the night your parents died?"

I was glad he said it because I couldn't. Something about saying those words made it feel more real. A large part of me didn't want to talk about it, but there was still a small sliver of my heart that yearned to know more about the two strangers in my dreams- my parents.

I let my gaze find a random speck on my bed cover and stared at it intently. "Yeah."

"You know I wasn't there," he said.

I inched closer to him on the bed and placed a hand on his shoulder. I never understood why he held so much pain and guilt over my mother's death, but I could see it in his eyes every time we talked about it.

"I know, but, you must know something. What did the police say? Or the firemen... what did they say about what caused the fire? Maybe there's a file we could look over again."

"No!"

He didn't yell, but there was sternness in his voice that was far more frightening.

I stared at him in silence, my eyes welling with tears.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But there's nothing in the file that would help. I've looked."

He got up and crossed the room very slowly, but before he closed the door I spoke.

"Aren't you at all curious to know how I got out of that house and they didn't?"

He paused, but he didn't turn around. "Get some rest, Annabelle. It will be morning soon."

He closed the door and I flopped back against my pillow, staring up at the ceiling. There was no way I was going to get back to sleep after that dream, I never could.

I tossed and turned, unable to get the images from my mind. This dream was different from the others. It was vivid and it felt real, like I was reliving that night all over again. And, most frightening of all, was the red marks covering my skin. That had never happened before.

I thought about my mother and the way her face, looking so much like my own, had been so strong. She should've been afraid, but she looked determined. I closed my eyes and images of her rushed through my mind. I just couldn't take it anymore.

I flipped the covers off my body and swung my legs out of the bed, letting the fall pull my body upright. I went to my dresser and took out a pair of black yoga pants and a black tank top. I dressed quickly and grabbed my sweater, and my running shoes from the closest.

I crept downstairs careful not to disturb Uncle Felix, but when I reached the bottom of the stairs I found him in the study hunched over the computer screen.

"I'm going for a run," I said.

He jumped at the sound of my voice and it made me smile. It was a difficult task catching Felix with his guard down, and I took great pleasure in accomplishing it, however rare an occasion.

He glanced down at his watch. "Now? The sun doesn't rise for another half hour."

"I know," I said, giving him my "what's your point" look.

"Annabelle, this isn't the city. There are bears and mountain lions in those woods."

I placed my hand over my mouth mockingly. "Oh my."

His face went flat, devoid of all emotion. "It's not a joke."

I sighed.

There was no winning with him today. Something had him on edge.

"I'll stay in town," I said.

He let out a deep breath, looking exasperated. "Fine, but stay out of the alleyways."

I bent down and kissed him on the cheek. "You got it."

I heard a light grumble, but I was out the door before he could change his mind. He was in a mood and it wasn't something I was prepared to deal with.

I jogged down the block, not quite sure where I was headed. Before long I found myself at the town square. The shops were still closed so it was both dark and quiet. I felt like I was in an episode of The Walking Dead, just waiting for the zombie hoard to ambush me.

Luckily, the sun was just beginning to peek in the horizon. On the far side of the square the sunlight broke through the canopy of leaves and I could see a trail leading into the forest.

Daylight was only minutes away, and I had barely broken a sweat. I saw no reason to turn back now.

I changed the song on my iPhone and when the music started I sprinted down the path, matching my pace to the beat. The images from my dream faded as the beat pulsed through my body. I could feel the sweat dripping down the side of my face and onto my neck. The sensation made me run harder. I felt so alive and free, like I was running on clouds.

The song changed and my feet slowed. I took out my phone and scrolled down my playlist.

Suddenly, my foot caught on something and I went tumbling to the ground. I rolled onto my back and slowly sat up. My elbow was bleeding and there was a tear in the knee of my yoga pants.

I placed my hand on the ground to help myself up and felt something cold and hard. I looked down and screamed, staggering backwards.

There was a middle-aged man with blonde hair and deathly pale skin lying motionless on the ground beside me. His lifeless eyes looked like they were staring right at me, thoroughly chilling me.

I ran back towards the town until I couldn't run anymore. I stopped just outside the square, breathless and disorientated.

"Are you alright?"

Startled, I turned to find a middle aged man with grey streaked brown hair and square framed glasses.

He held his hands up and slowly approached me. "Hey, it's okay. Just tell me what happened."

"Call for help," I said between gasps for air. I pointed to the trail behind me. "There's a man in the woods."

The man immediately took out his cellphone and dialed. As he waiting was for a response, he came to my side and helped me over to an empty crate in an alley nearby.

Something about him seemed familiar and I felt an instant sense of security in his presence.

"Take a seat and catch your breath," he said.

I sat down and leaned up against the wall.

He kneeled beside me. "Can you tell me what this man did to you?"

I shook my head. "No, you have it all wrong. I think... I think he's dead."

His face paled. "Dead?"

I nodded. "I think so."

A patrol car, lacking the wailing sirens, pulled into the alleyway.

An older man in uniform pulled the car to the side and stepped out. "Darius, what's going on here?"

Darius looked me over. "Wait here."

A second officer exited the patrol car and joined his partner and Darius. They talked quietly amongst themselves, and then the younger officer returned to the patrol car and radioed something in.

I didn't bother trying to listen in on the conversation because I didn't want to be a part of any of it. I had gone for a run with the intentions of clearing my mind, not to add to my mental torment.

I felt a light touch on my shoulder and jumped almost instinctively.

"It's okay," said Darius. "It's just me."

I placed my hand over my racing heart. "I'm sorry. I'm just not myself right now."

"That's completely understandable," said Darius. "But this is Sheriff Pickering and he needs you to show him where you found the man."

I jolted up and backed away. "I'm not going back in there! No way!"

The sheriff glanced over his shoulder at his partner and frowned. "How do we know you're telling the truth?"

I crossed my arms over my chest and scowled. "If you don't believe me than go see for yourself, but I'm not going back in there." My voice trailed off as I looked back at the woods. "I don't want to see it again."

Darius stepped in between the sheriff and me. "You won't have to. I'll stay by your side the entire time. I promise."

I sighed.

The unfamiliar smell of death still lingered on my clothing, acting as a constant reminder of what I had seen. I wanted to forget, but I knew that was impossible. Nothing I did from this moment forward would change what I saw, but at least it wouldn't be in vain.

I nodded and lead them down the path and deep into the forest.

Walking took a lot longer than running, making it difficult to figure out how far down the trail we would have to go. I wasn't prepared to see the body again, but as we followed the bend there he was, just like I remembered him, cold and pale.

Darius stepped in front of me, blocking my line of sight.

The sheriff looked over the body as though he still wasn't sold on whether he could believe me. "Did you touch or move the body at all when you found it."

That was all it took to send the memory surging back full force.

I burst into tears. "I tripped over him."

Darius took me in his arms and lead me away from the scene as the sheriff and his partner stood over the body, staring down at it like it was nothing more than a dead animal.

I sobbed the entire walk back to the town square. Darius kept a firm arm around my shoulder and I leaned into his shirt to muffle my sobs.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he said. "I have a son your age and it's a parents' worst nightmare to have their child go through what you just did."

I nodded.

"You're brave to do what you did. To call for help."

I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "I don't feel brave."

He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "What's your name?"

"Annabelle."

He stopped and a small smile spread across his face.

"I believe you know my son."

I sniffled. "What's his name?"

"Dad!"

I blinked the tears away just in time to see Carter hurrying toward us.

Carter came to a sudden halt at the sight of my tear-streaked face. "What happened?"

Darius shook his head. "I'm not quite sure. Annabelle came across..."

I looked up at Darius and he paused.

An ambulance pulled into the alley, siren blaring.

"Maybe we should talk about this later," he said to Carter. "I've got to go make some calls. Take Annabelle to the ambulance over there. The sheriff wants her vitals checked before he sends her home."

Carter nodded and took hold of my arm. "Are you okay?"

I stared at my feet as we made our way to the ambulance. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"What happened?"

I glanced over my shoulder at the trail. "I went for a run this morning. I was supposed to stay within the town, but the sun was rising so I thought it would be okay to go through the woods. I ran down that path," I said, pointing behind me. "And then I... I tripped over him. He was just lying there... dead."

A single tear ran down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away.

We both went quiet. I could feel his eyes on me, but I couldn't manage to meet his gaze.

We reached the ambulance and a slender blonde woman stepped out of the ambulance. "Are you Annabelle?"

I nodded and she opened the rear door, motioning for me to step inside. "I just need to take your vitals before you can be cleared to go."

Carter sat beside me in the ambulance as the woman took my blood pressure and flashed a small light into my eyes. She asked me a series of questions, and cleaned and bandaged my elbow.

"You're all set," she said, quickly jotting down a few notes.

I smiled. "So I can go home now?"

"Yep, just as soon as your parents get here."

My face dropped. "My parents? You didn't call..."

She shrugged. "Standard procedure for minors."

I hopped out of the ambulance and found myself face-to-face with the last person I wanted to see at the moment.

Uncle Felix.

### CHAPTER EIGHT

"Uncle..."

If his mood was bad before, this would certainly make it worse.

"What happened?" he said.

I couldn't tell if he was angry or concerned, and I was sure my response to his question would push him in one direction or the other.

I shook my head. "I don't want to tell you."

He scowled. "Why not?"

"Because you're going to get mad."

"And what do you think I'm going to be if you don't tell me?"

I was quiet for a moment as I considered my options. Finally, I blurted out, "I went into the woods during my run."

Felix tipped his head back and shook his head. "Annabelle, what did I tell you about going into the woods around here?"

I bit down on the side of my lip. "That's not all."

He paused, waiting for me to continue.

"I may... well, I kind of came across a... a dead body... in the woods."

"She ran into him actually," chortled Carter.

My mouth dropped open and I stared at him.

Felix glared at Carter, and Carter took a quick step back, the hint of humor quickly dissipating from his face.

Felix ran his hand through his hair and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "What were you thinking going into the woods by yourself?"

I threw my hands up defensively. "The sun was in the horizon."

"So?"

"So I thought I would be safe."

He laughed, shaking his head as he paced in quick little circles before stopping directly in front of me. "You're just a kid! What do you know about safety?"

Speechless, I stumbled back a step.

I had never seen him like this before. He was so angry.

I took another step back. "I'm sorry."

He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. "Sorry? Do you have any idea of the danger you put yourself in?"

"I know..."

"You know nothing about the dangers that await you out there!"

I stared at Felix and for a brief moment I saw a red blaze circle his irises. He blinked and they were hazel again.

I hadn't realized I had been slowly inching my way backwards until Carter was at my side. I felt his hand on my back, but the feeling barely registered over the fear.

Suddenly, Darius was there, his hand on Felix's shoulder, and whispering something into his ear. Felix nodded and walked away.

Darius turned to Carter. "Take Annabelle home after she gives her statement."

Carter nodded and led me away.

"You okay?"

I took a deep breath and swallowed down the lump that had formed in my throat. "I'm okay."

But I wasn't okay. Not after tripping over a dead body and not after that.

"He's overreacting. Fear can do that to a person."

"I've never seen him so furious. It's like he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you. He's just worried that it could've been you in those woods."

The thought hadn't crossed my mind. Did this mean the man in the woods had been attacked? I hadn't seen any blood, but had I been too frightened to notice?

"You know, he's right. You shouldn't have gone in there alone."

I frowned. "I know he's right. He's always right." My shoulders slumped and I stared down at the ground. "Do you think he's ever going to talk to me again?

"I think that's how the whole parenting thing works. We do something stupid, they get angry, and then they forgive us."

Carter handed me the pen and statement sheet on a clipboard as Officer Jansen corralled the crowd that had started to form. I wrote down my statement, which didn't take long, and placed it on the hood of the car.

"Is that it?" I asked.

Carter nodded. "Want me to take you home?"

"Isn't school about to start?"

"You're not actually considering going today, are you?"

I shrugged. "I was, but maybe a day off wouldn't be so bad."

He smiled. "Now you're thinking."

I arched my brow. "Let me guess, this has you all shook up too?"

"Annabelle, I am simply terrified at the moment. I need some recuperation time."

I laughed. "Horrible acting! It's never gonna fly."

"Wanna bet?" Carter pulled out his cellphone and dialed. "Hey, Dad, just letting you know that I'm dropping Annabelle off at home and then I'm gonna head over to the school. Oh man, it's going to be hectic over there today," he said, finishing with a heavy sigh. "They'll probably be asking me a lot of questions about it and about Annabelle..."

He paused to listen and then a triumphant smiled spread across his face. "Sure, Dad. I'll take the day off to let things cool down."

"No way!"

He laughed. "What did I tell you?"

"Well, I'm impressed."

He nodded in the direction of his car and I followed him. "You could learn a thing or two from me."

"I'm not so sure," I said. "My uncle's a lawyer so..."

"Oh, that's gotta suck."

I shrugged. "It has its ups and downs. Well, mostly its downs."

"Like what?"

"The late hours, the multiple out-of-town trips, and worst of all, the moves..."

"Yeah, I guess I can see your point. We moved from town to a little acreage 10 minutes out, and the packing and hauling was tedious and exhausting."

I laughed. "Try doing that about 20 times in about 20 different cities."

"You've moved 20 times?"

"I'm not sure." I shook my head as though to dislodge the information. "I've kind of lost track."

"Isn't there plenty of work for lawyers in the last place you lived... or anywhere for that matter?"

It was a good question, one I hadn't really thought to ask.

I fidgeted with the sleeve of my shirt. "Carter, does Burnwood have a law office?"

He shook his head. "Not that I know of."

If Burnwood didn't have a law office, what were we doing here?

He stopped at the passenger door of his car, his hand idling over the handle. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head. "It's nothing."

He opened the door and I slide inside, ignoring his curious eyes.

The drive home was quick. I wasn't surprised to find Felix's car missing from the driveway. In fact, I was almost relieved knowing that I wouldn't have to face him again so soon.

Carter walked me to the door, but I hesitated on the porch. I stared in at the empty house, the silence more frightening than I had anticipated.

"You going to go in?"

"Yeah," I said, but I didn't move.

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Annabelle..."

"Can you stay with me?" I blurted out. "Just for a little while."

He smiled. "I'll stay for as long as you need."

I showed him to the living room. "You can help yourself to anything you want in the kitchen and I will be down in a minute."

I hurried upstairs and into the bathroom. I could still smell the scent of death on me, even if it was just in my head. My skin felt frozen where I had touched the man's cold dead flesh and my clothes clung to my damp skin.

I turned on the shower and let it run until the room filled with steam. The water washed over me, taking with it the stench of death.

I returned to the living room wearing white and blue striped pajama pants and a white tank top. He had already found a movie on Netflix, so I grabbed the blanket off the recliner and joined him on the sofa.

He raised his arm and I slipped in close, letting him envelop me into his arms. Being next to him calmed me, a feeling a desperately clung to today.

"Get the dead person stench off you?" he chuckled.

I narrowed my eyes and his smile quickly faded.

He shrugged. "You'll laugh tomorrow."

"You have an odd sense of humor. It's horribly inappropriate and ill-timed."

He pursed his lips. "Hmmm, that's what my dad always says."

"Hey, do you think your dad knows my uncle?"

Carter shook his head. "I don't see how he could."

"They just seemed like they knew each other today... you know, by the ambulance."

"Ah, that's just my dad. He's good at calming heated situations down."

I nodded. "I can see that."

Darius had been so kind and helpful this morning. I should've drawn the connection between him and Carter sooner, especially with those familiar hazel brown eyes.

"Is your mom that way, too?"

Carter face went blank as he stared ahead silently.

"Carter..."

"She's gone."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

Who would have guessed that he was just as emotionally damaged by the loss of a parent as I was?

"But your dad's pretty awesome."

Carter's smile returned tenfold. "He is, isn't he? And, you know what, so is your uncle."

I sighed and leaned my head against his chest. He folded me into his arms and I let the sound of his heart beat lull me to sleep.

It was dark outside when I awoke and Carter was gone. Waking up in his absences left a feeling of emptiness inside me.

I sat up and tossed the blanket to the side, hearing a crinkling noise coming from somewhere near me. I moved my hands up and down the sofa until I realized the noise was coming from me.

I stood up and reached into my pajama pants pocket and pulled out a little piece of folded paper. I unfold it and there was a note inside.

I heard your uncle's car in the driveway and left out the back. I'll come back for you tonight since you obviously won't be tired.

He had scribbled a dorky little smiley face next to his cell number.

I glanced up at the clock over the fireplace. He was right.

It was midnight, which meant I had slept through the entire day.

I crept up the stairs and cracked the door open to Felix's room. Sure enough, he was sound asleep.

I tiptoed to my room and found my cellphone on the dresser. I went to my contacts and tried to add Carter's number only to find the number already existed under the name "Awesome."

I laughed, clasping my hand over my mouth as the sound echoed far too loudly.

My phone vibrated and an incoming text appeared on the screen.

Outside. Don't be a girl by keeping me waiting.

I peered out my bedroom window. I didn't see his car on the street. I turned away just as a tap sounded against the window. I looked through the window again, this time sliding the window open and hanging my body halfway out the frame.

Carter stepped out from beneath the big oak tree that shaded my room from the afternoon sun.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

He pulled a single red rose from behind him and held it up. "I'm taking you on a date."

"Now?"

He looked up at the starlit sky. "What better time than now."

I paused, deliberatively.

"Come on," he said. "I have something to show you."

I smiled. "Okay, give me a second."

I went over to my closet and threw open the door, searching for something subtle, yet eye- catching. My hair was a write off so I didn't even bother to do anything more than throw it into a ponytail. After settling on a fitted, grey, long-sleeved shirt and a black pair of leggings, I applied a thin layer of mascara. I tiptoed down the stairs and slipped outside.

Carter grabbed my hand and led me down the block.

I couldn't stop myself from giggling. I felt rebellious and free, and it was exhilarating.

Carter stopped and stared at me with his dazzling hazel eyes. The sapphire ring around the irises looked yellow in the moonlight, softening his appearance.

"What?" I asked.

He didn't answer. Instead, he leaned in and kissed me. His lips were soft and alluring, impossible to resist.

Our lips parted and for a few minutes we just stood there, forehead to forehead.

He took my hand again and started around the corner.

I jogged behind him to keep up with his long strides. "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to show you what you've missed living in the big city your whole life."

He opened the door for me and I slipped inside.

"So, what exactly do you think I'm missing out on?" I asked as he slid into the driver's seat beside me.

"You're gonna have to see for yourself. Besides, it's not really something I can describe."

I laughed. "I find that hard to believe."

He gave me a sideways look. "Really? You've never experienced anything that you couldn't quite put in words?"

I laughed again, this time harder. "There's no such thing."

"Okay," he said. "You just wait and see. I'll make you a believer." He shook his head. "Ye of little faith."

Carter drove through town and onto one of the many dirt roads that winded through the forest. I paid no attention to the turns, knowing I'd never remember them anyway. Every road looked the same and the trees were just one big blur of dark green, distinguishable by the mile. I wondered how long it took him to memorize these roads, which he clearly did the way he navigated down them so skillfully.

Finally, he slowed and pulled the car to the side of the road. There was nothing around that seemed the slightest bit interesting, but I stepped out and followed him to the trunk of the car anyways.

He popped the trunk and retrieved a black duffle bag from inside. "Thrilled yet?"

I rolled my eyes. "Underwhelmed to say the least."

He took out a large flashlight and then slung the bag over his shoulder. He flicked it on and pointed it at something behind me. I turned around and saw a small trail cutting through the woods.

"Let's go," he said.

"Inside there?"

He paused, dropping the duffle bag from his shoulder and running a hand through his hair. "The incident in the woods today... I'm such an idiot."

"No." I forced a smile on my face and squared my shoulders. "It's fine."

He eyed me and I knew he wasn't convinced.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded and put both thumbs up. "Yes."

Did I really just give him the thumbs up? I'm such a dork.

I followed Carter down the trail. It was dark, the trees so tall and thick that only the tiniest bits of moonlight found their way to the ground. Even with the flashlight, the darkness was overwhelming.

I stayed close to him, shadowing his every step.

He took my hand and gently squeezed it as he smiled down at me. "We're here."

We stepped out from the canopy of trees and into the uninterrupted moonlight. The ground was hard and I could hear the swishing of water below us.

"Where are we?"

He led me to the opposite side of the clearing, the only side not bordered by trees.

"Careful," he said as we approached the edge of a steep slope.

I looked down and discovered it wasn't a slope at all. We were standing at the edge of a very high cliff. I kicked a small rock over the side and watched it fall, slashing into the water and sending ripples course over the surface.

"This is the highest point in all of Burnwood. You can see the whole town from here."

I looked over at the little dugout in the center of the clearing. It was filled with ash and charred pieces of wood. "Do you come here often?"

He nodded. "This place is special to me."

"I bet you say that to all the girls."

He stopped and met my gaze. "You're the first."

I had been hoping he would say that, but now that he had I felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. My cheeks warmed and I was forced to look away.

I gazed out over the glistening water. "You were right. It's beautiful here."

He bent down and unzipped the duffle bag. He took out a large plaid blanket and sprawled it out a few feet away from the makeshift fire pit.

He laid down on the blanket and patted the spot next to him. "Prepare to be blown away."

"Wait, this wasn't what you wanted to show me?"

I lay down beside him, resting my head on his outstretched arm.

He smiled his cocky grin at me, the one that seemed to always have a secret behind it. "Be patient. You'll see soon enough."

I relaxed into his arm and looked up at the sky.

"The stars are so bright out here. Not at all like anything you'd see in the city."

"How could you even appreciate them with all the noise?" he said.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the cool fresh air. "Sometimes I miss the noise."

"Why?"

"When it's quiet, it feels like you could be the only person on the planet and not even know it."

He turned to his side and looked at me. "What's wrong with that?"

"It's... lonely."

"Is that how you feel? Alone."

I stared up at the twinkling stars. "Sometimes I feel like I'm missing the relationships that everyone else my age has."

"Like a mother and a father?"

The words cut me like razors, but I nodded.

"Do you miss them?"

I was quiet for a moment. "I don't remember them. I was only 3 years old when they died. I can remember my mom's face, though." I smiled. "My uncle says I look just like her."

"What about your dad?"

I sat up, hugging my knees to my chest. "No, I can't remember him. But I have a photo at home. Just one, the rest were destroyed in the fire."

He sat up beside me, resting his elbows atop his knees. "At least you have your uncle. A small family is better than no family." He smiled. "That's what my dad says."

"He's a 'the glass is half full' kind of guy, isn't he?"

Carter nodded. "You know, we're not so different... you and me."

"How so?"

"Well, it's just you and your uncle, and it's just my dad and me."

"What happened to the rest of your family?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't really matter. I've got all I need."

I pointed up at the sky. "Oh my God, is that it?"

A light green hue swept across the sky in a wave of varying shades.

Carter jumped up and pulled me to my feet. He wrapped his arms around me as we stared up at the wave of green dancing against the midnight sky. The stars around twinkled as the green glow swayed from side to side, looking more majestic than the pictures I'd seen in my textbooks.

"It's incredible," I said.

"It's the northern lights."

"Aura borealis."

He smiled. "Right. You like to read."

I giggled and nestled in closer. "You know, I think I remember this."

"From where? It's not really noticeable in the city."

"No," I said, stepping from his embrace and staring up at the dazzling green hue. "I remember seeing this from my bedroom window. My bed... it was beside the window and I remember I used to watch it before I fell asleep."

I turned back to him and smiled. "My mom said that things like this were signs of how blessed we are to be alive. I remember it like it was yesterday."

I was elated, pacing the clearing with the memory fresh in my mind. I was surging with a new sort of energy, one I had never encountered before. I could feel it coursing through my veins like fire.

I ran my hands through my hair. "I can't believe I remember that."

I leaped into Carter's arms, catching him off-balance. He stumbled back a few steps, but miraculously avoided dropping me. "Thank you for bringing me here."

He smiled down at me. "How old were you then?"

"I must've been about 3 years old then." I paused. "Right before the fire."

Carter's smile faded. "Well, at least you weren't inside the house that night."

I stopped and stared at him. "That's just it, Carter. I was."

### CHAPTER NINE

"How is that possible? How did you make it out?"

He was asking all the questions I had been wondering my whole life.

I shrugged. "I don't know. No one does."

"Well, what does your uncle say about it?"

I sighed. "Nothing. He doesn't like to talk about it. Getting answers out of him is like pulling teeth, they don't come easy."

Carter rocked back on his heels. "Seems kind of strange, doesn't it?"

"The fire?" I asked. "Those things happen."

"Not the fire. The fact that you made it out and your parents didn't."

It did seem strange, but I was too young to remember how I got out. The nightmares bring some of the memories back, but it was difficult making any sense of it all.

"I wish I could remember."

"Can't you look over the police report or something?"

"My uncle said he's already done that."

Carter rolled his eyes. "What good is that if he isn't willing to share it with you?"

I crossed my arms and shifted uncomfortably. "You think he's lying to me? He wouldn't do that. He's taken care of me since I was little. He wouldn't lie to me."

Carter shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I just think you deserve answers."

I did deserve to know the answers to my questions. They were my parents. If anyone had the right to that information, it was me.

"I'm not trying to stir up conflict," he said. "It's just that I can relate."

"Your mom?"

He nodded. "You know, she's not dead."

"But, I thought you said..."

"I said she was gone... and she is. She left when I was young. Not much older than you were when you lost your parents."

His gaze fell to the ground.

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

We were quiet for a while, letting the silence heal our freshly opened wounds.

"Carter," I said. "Why did she leave?"

His face paled, drained of emotion. He turned and walked to the edge of the clearing and looked down at the water.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that."

He turned back to me with glassy eyes.

"It's getting late," he said. "We should go."

He hurriedly shoved the blanket inside the duffle bag and started back down the path. I looked up at the sky where the green glow was slowly dissipating into the night. It was strange how such wonderful things could appear so quickly and then disappear just as fast.

The drive home was quiet, but tense. His jaw was clenched and his posture ridged. I no longer felt the warmth radiating from his body. In fact, sitting next to him felt cold and distant.

Why did I have to open my mouth and ruin everything?

Carter pulled up to my house and I waited for him to look at me, but he didn't. Instead, he just stared ahead blankly as though he was in some sort of trance.

I opened my door and stepped out. "Well... goodnight."

"Did you like the northern lights?"

I smiled. "They were perfect."

He nodded and stared forward again.

I shut the door and walked up the path to the porch. I hadn't heard the engine rev, so I could only assume he was watching me, waiting for me to be safely inside before driving off.

I tiptoed up the staircase and into my room. I didn't bother flicking on the lights, there was no need. I pulled back the covers and crawled into bed.

My limps fell heavy against the Pillow Top mattress. My body felt like it was filled with sand and within seconds I could feel my consciousness slipping away. I didn't fight it. Instead, I embraced it with one question circling my mind.

How did I escape the fire that claimed both of my parent's lives?

***

Annabelle!

I knew the voice. It was her again.

The smoke was thick in the air, but I could make out her figure hunched over on the floor, her hand stretched out toward me. For so long I thought she was reaching for me, but now I could see that I was wrong. I was no longer trapped inside the mind of the 3-year-old me. Instead, it was the present time of me reliving the horror, and in the present time I was much more receptive.

Her palm was pushed outward, as if she were pressing it against an invisible wall, kind of like how the mimes did when they were in invisible boxes. If she wasn't reaching for me, what exactly was she doing?

It didn't look like something someone would do while engulfed by smoke. It didn't look like anything really, just an outstretched arm. Maybe her face would betray her true intentions, but I couldn't see it. The smoke was too thick and she was beginning to look more like a shadowy figure than my mother. And then, within a blink of an eye, she was gone.

The room burned furiously and I thought it was only a matter of time before I, too, succumbed to the heat and smoke, but then it dawned on me. I didn't feel heat and I didn't taste the smoke, but how? I was in the middle of the disaster, I should feel everything. I should be dead right now, but I'm not. I look around me and I can see the floor beneath my feet is untouched, too, as though I was in some magical bubble that protected me from the raging fire.

"Annabelle!"

Now that voice wasn't as easy to recognize, but after a brief moment I realized who it was, who it had to be.

"Dad!"

I jolted awake, gasping for air.

Felix jumped back from where he had been hovering over me.

"I saw him," I said breathlessly.

He sat down on the foot of my bed. "Saw who?"

I flipped the blanket off, jumped out of bed, and hurried to my closet.

Felix followed me. "What's going on?"

I scrabbled through my closet until I found the turquoise shoe box I was looking for. I returned to the bed and dumped its contents onto of the blanket.

"Because just opening the top would be too easy," he muttered.

I searched through the fallen photographs, jewelry, and keepsakes until I found the photograph I was looking for.

I smiled and held it out. "I knew it was him!"

Felix took the photograph from my hand and looked it over. "Your dad?"

I snatched the photograph back and smiled down at it. "Yes. I saw him tonight... in my dream."

I had only ever known my father through this photograph, but now I had met him in my dream. He was more handsome than the photograph could depict with golden eyes and dark brown hair. In many ways, he reminded me of Uncle Felix.

Felix sighed. "Annabelle, you know this doesn't change anything."

"It changes everything!"

"I'm just saying..."

"I finally saw my father in my dream and I'm going to hang on to that. So, you can keep your opinion to yourself." I carefully placed the photographer inside the box and returned it to the closet.

Felix walked to the door. "I'll get breakfast started."

I nodded and he left.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I could see my mother in everything I did. She was in my eyes and my smile and even in my laugh. But my dad was absent in my appearance and memory.

I rubbed my face and flopped backwards against the springy mattress.

Why couldn't I remember him? What kind of daughter forgets their own father?

I entered the kitchen where Felix was sitting at the dining table with a cup of coffee in his hand. He was reading the morning newspaper, which he quickly set aside when I came in.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"School. Where else?" I muttered.

"Not today," he said, sitting his coffee cup on the tabletop. "I have something I want to show you."

I let out a puff of air. "I don't really feel like going anywhere with you right now."

He gave me a disappointed look and held my gaze.

"Fine," I said. "Where are we going?"

"There's something I think you should see. Something here in Burnwood."

I rolled my eyes. "What? Another tree or dirt road?"

He walked to the door, jiggling his keys in his hand. "You want to see it or not?"

I followed him to the car. I attempted to act as nonchalant as possible, but in truth I was intensely curious about the whole thing.

Not surprisingly, he drove through town and down an unfamiliar dirt road. He made a few turns along the way, and about 15 minutes into our travel he pulled into a small piece of property with a severely damaged house in the center of the lot.

The house was a blue and white two-story Victorian, and it was in rough shape. The exterior was badly burnt, but its frame remained. The windows were broken with the exception of one small circular window near the roof, which looked like an attic. The door was hanging loosely from its hinges and the porch was worn and partially destroyed.

I stepped out of the car and followed Felix to the porch. "What is this place?"

He looked over the house. "Home."

I laughed. "You're not seriously considering buying this place, are you? It's a bit of a fixer-upper even for you Mr. Fix-it."

"No, Annabelle. This is your home."

I stared at the house and the pieces of the puzzle came together.

This was the house from my dreams.

### CHAPTER TEN

I stared at the shabby little house, afraid that if I blinked it would disappear and I would wake up from this wonderful dream.

I took one hesitant step forward, barely recognizing the ravished structure.

Felix leaned back against the SUV. "Go ahead. I'll give you a few minutes."

I swallowed down the lump in my throat and carefully climbed the slanted staircase leading to the half-sunken porch. I had expected to find blackened walls and torched furniture inside, but surprisingly it was more weathered than burnt.

Pictures still hung on the walls, crooked and dirty. The furniture was flipped onto its side and tossed to the corner of the room. The windows were all busted and every surface was coated in dust. Clearly, no one had been back here since the fire.

I crossed what I assumed was the living room and found the dining area, a bare room with absolutely nothing in it. Next, I wandered into the kitchen. Broken dishes lay in the sink and appliances sat on the countertop, still plugged in. I came to the staircase leading to the second floor. The railing was missing and the floorboards were badly cracked and broken in some areas.

You've come this far, don't chicken out now!

I slid my hand along the wall as I carefully stepped over the broken boards. I reached the second floor where I could see two bedrooms and a bathroom. The doors to the bedrooms were closed, but I remembered the heart-shaped brass door handle on the one furthest from me.

If that one was my room, than the one next to me was my parents.

My hand hovered over the door knob as my heart raced. This part of my life was always such a mystery to me, and I had always wanted to know more; but now I feared that knowing more would mean feeling more.

I grasped the handle and opened the door. It was dark inside the room and smelled strangely like moss. There was a queen-sized bed covered with a dingy white sheet next to a window, covered by thick purple drapes.

I pulled back the curtains and the sunlight poured into the room, illuminating the specks of dust stirring in the air. A light stretched across the room and onto an old wooden vanity. I crossed the room and sat down on the little stool in front of it. Using my sleeve, I wiped clean a circular portion of the mirror.

I gazed at my reflection and for a brief moment I thought I saw my mother looking back at me, but the image faded and then it was just me again.

I traced my finger along the items on the vanity: a metal brush, a gold and teal bracelet, and a perfume bottle. I picked up the perfume bottle and sprayed a small amount into the air. It smelled wonderful. I looked at the rest of the room. Nothing seemed to jog any memories.

I walked to the opposite side of the hallway and turned the heart-shaped doorknob. I stepped inside and I collapsed to my knees as a flood of emotions swept through me at the sight. The walls were blackened, the furniture so badly burnt that I couldn't tell what it once was. The floors were charred beyond anything I had ever seen before. Everything was burnt and destroyed, everything except a perfectly small circle in the center of the room.

The tears ran down my cheek like raindrops. My body shook and I felt both numb and sick. I leaned forward, cupping my face in my hands, and let out a loud shriek.

I heard something behind me, but I couldn't feel enough to care.

Felix crouched down beside me with his hand on my back. "It was only a matter of time before you found this room."

I looked up and my tear-filled eyes meet his. "I guess there's no need to ask where the fire originated from, is there?"

He sighed. "I guess not."

"And what about this," I said, gesturing at the untouched circle I currently sat in the middle of.

He shook his head. "No one was able to tell me how that happened. The firemen couldn't make sense of it."

"Do you think...?"I felt a lump form in my throat, catching my words. I swallowed hard and tried again. "Do you think they died because of me?"

"No, of course not. What happened here was an accident."

I glanced over the room once again. "Look at it though. Everything is burnt. Kids do that, you know. They start fires."

He shook his head. "You didn't start this."

"Then who did?" I cried, cupping my hands over my mouth at the unfamiliar sound of my voice.

What was that? Rage?

Silence filled the room as we both avoided eye contact. Being in this house was unsettling, like the scent of death was still heavy in the air.

I felt his hand touch mine and I looked up at him.

"C'mon. Let's go home."

I nodded and let his guide me out of the room and back to the car.

I sat in the passenger seat with my forehead leaning against the cool glass window, watching the house disappear through the side mirror as we drove back to town. Felix didn't say anything and I was glad. The last thing I wanted to do was to discuss an emotion I hadn't yet come to terms with.

He pulled into the driveway and stopped the car. He put the car in park, but made no attempt at turning the engine off.

"You're not staying?" I asked, sounding as abandoned as I felt. "I might not be in the chattiest of moods, but that doesn't mean I want to be left alone. I don't want to be alone."

"I just have a few important things to get off my desk. I'll be back before you know it."

"Right," I said, throwing the passenger door open. I slammed the door hard and stormed up the walkway to the house. I didn't bother to check behind me to see if he was gone. I no longer cared.

I went to my room with a plan already in mind. I quickly changed into a pair of light blue jeans and a white long-sleeve shirt. I pulled my hair into a loose ponytail and hurried out the door for school. Usually, I would be thrilled to have the day off from school, but not today. Besides, I had already missed all day yesterday after my untimely jog, and I didn't want to fall behind.

It didn't take me long to reach the school yard, or maybe it had and my mind was too busy running through the events of this morning to realize it. Truthfully, I didn't even remember the walk, but here I was anyway.

The yard was quiet, which made complete sense considering how late I was. I glanced down at my cellphone and realized it was already half way through third period.

I quickened my pace up the pathway to the main entrance, running head-on into a dark figure.

Yury.

He smiled down at me, making no attempt to step back. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

I stepped away and picked up my book bag from where it lay on the ground. "You didn't."

He smiled, his dark eyes looking more sinister than ever.

"I have to go," I said, hurrying up the concrete staircase.

He turned and watched me reach the big wooden doors. "Annabelle..."

I looked over my shoulder.

"I was just wondering if you could show me to Jane's locker?"

"Why?"

"Well, I'd rather that remain a surprise."

I narrowed my gaze on him, hoping to see something behind the blackness of his eyes. There was no depth, just emptiness.

"It's the locker near room 105. I don't know the number, but you can't miss it. It's the one with pink hearts colored all over it."

He stared at my blankly. Finally, he blinked and the awkward pause was over. "Thank you," he said, his eerie gaze not leaving me.

I threw open the door and glanced over my shoulder as it feel shut. There was something off about him.

The heavy wooden door closed behind me and I felt relief washed over me. Now there was not only space between Yury and me, but also a big sturdy door, too.

"Annabelle, what a pleasant surprise," said Miss April as I entered the office. "Your uncle called to let us know you wouldn't be here today."

"Yeah, well I'm feeling better now and I would really like to just get back to class."

She smiled and little creases formed at the corner of her eyes. "Well, Mrs. Crawford will be delighted to hear that."

"Well, maybe you can put in a good word for me."

She winked. "Will do! As soon as she gets back from her meeting."

I furrowed my brow. "I never heard of an out-of-school meeting before."

"You know, neither have I, until Mrs. Crawford that is. She takes all of her meetings out of school." Miss April shrugged. "I guess everyone has their way of doing things."

I took the late slip she offered me and headed for class, taking a slight detour passed Jane's locker. The locker seemed untouched and Yury was nowhere in sight.

With that, I quietly slipped into history class and took a seat in the back row beside Alec. He was slouched over his desk with his head resting on a green binder. His hood was pulled over his eyes and I could hear a slight wheezing sound.

I extended my leg and gave his foot a little kick. "Alec," I whispered.

He jolted up. "17!"

Mr. Bellamy stopped and turned to him. "Did you have something to add Mr. Saxon?"

Alec rubbed his eyes and yawned. "The answer is 17."

The class roared with laughter.

"That's very nice, but can you tell me what that has to do with the onset of the Civil War?"

Alec groaned and flopped back down onto his desk. Mr. Bellamy shook his head and continued on with his lecture, and I didn't bother trying to wake Alec again.

The bell rang and I hurried to meet Jane outside her locker. I got there before her and was forced to wait. I leaned up against the hard metal locker and impatiently tapped my foot until I caught sight of her.

"Hey, I was beginning to think your uncle moved you guys again after that whole incident in the woods."

I pursed my lips. "That is something he would do, but luckily he didn't."

"Thank God. I know it's only been a couple of days since you got here, but this place just wouldn't be the same if you left."

I smiled. That was exactly what I needed to hear after a day like this.

Jane opened her locker and fought back against the heap of mess attempting its escape through the half-opened door. She kicked and pushed against the clutter as she shoved in one textbook in exchange for another. Suddenly, she stopped fighting and her eyes fixated on something on the top shelf.

"What the hell," she said, using her free hand to pull out a boutique of flowers before shoving her weight against the door and locking it shut.

"Wow," I said, looking at the beautiful boutique of white and purple flowers in her hand.

She sniffed the boutique and scrunched up her nose. "Who put these in there?"

"Yury," I said. "I saw him outside the school when I arrived late this morning. He had asked me where your locker was."

She gazed down at the lovely arrangement and smiled. Her eyes twinkled as she drew in another strong breathe of air as though his giving them to her changed their odor.

"They're gorgeous."

She was right. The flowers were absolutely spectacular. There were white and purple daisies and baby's breath scattered throughout. A few random pinkish purple roses were placed in the center and most magnificent of all was a purple flower, very similar in shape to a Calla Lily, except with a long yellow steam protruding from the center.

"I've never seen this one before."

I reach across and gently felt the texture of it. Suddenly, my fingertips felt hot, so hot they felt like they were burning. I yanked my hand back.

"What happened?"

I held my burning fingers in my hand and winced through the pain. "It burned me."

Jane carefully touched the flower just as I did and looked back at me.

"Nothing's happening."

"What?" I said, looking from the flower to my bright red fingers.

"What's going on?" said Carter, approaching from behind me.

"She must be having some kind of allergic reaction," said Jane.

He took my hand in his and examined my blistering red fingertips. "How did this happen?"

"I don't know," I said. "I touched the flower with the long stem and this happened."

Carter looked at the boutique, his eye automatically focus in on the strange purple flower.

His gaze darted from the boutique to Jane. "Where did you get these?"

"Yury sent them." She turned down the hall and practically skipped way.

"There's a first-aid kit in the sick room."

I nodded. "I'll go get this wrapped up and meet you guys in the courtyard.

"Are you kidding me? Leave you alone for a second and who knows what else you will burn yourself with."

I looked down at my shoes. Any other day I would've laughed, but not so soon after the morning I'd had.

"Did I say something wrong?"

I shook my head. "No. You didn't say anything wrong."

He led me through the crowd by my good hand. We stopped at the end of the hallway where a set of double-decker doors led to the gym. Beside that was a single grey door. He opened the door and I followed him inside to a small, greyish room. There was a small cot in the far corner of the room and beside it a wooden cabinet.

He gestured at the bed. "Take a seat. It's kind of dusty in here, but it will have to do."

He searched through the cabinet and took out a tin of ointment and some bandages, and then sat down beside me. He laid my hand palm-up on his thigh and carefully applied the ointment.

"I never seen an allergic reaction cause a burn before," I said.

He shook his head. "I'm not so sure they can."

I arched a brow. "So it's not an allergic reaction?"

"No, it's not."

I waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"So, what do you think it is?" I probed.

He stared down at my swollen fingertips. "I don't know."

"Then how do you know it's not an allergy?"

He finished bandaging my fingers and stood up. "I don't know. Maybe it is an allergy. Can we just drop it?"

I furrowed my brow. "Did I say something to offend you?"

"Of course not. I just... I'm just hungry." He shoved his hands into his jacket pocket and leaned against the wall. "Want to take an early lunch?"

I frowned. "I've already missed a whole day of classes."

Carter rolled his eyes. "You're too good of an influence on me. But one more day won't hurt. In fact, it may do you some good."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Think about it. Had you taken the day off this would've never happened," he said, looking down on my hand. "If you leave now you may be saving yourself from whatever disaster is waiting around the corner.

Mindlessly, I leaned forward to look around the corner of the open door.

He smiled and held out his hand.

He was so handsome with the sunlight etching out his strong facial features like an immortal God. Even the sapphire rings of his eyes looked impossibly golden.

I reached out and took his hand.

We left the school through one of the side exits so we wouldn't have to pass the office. The school was so big that it wasn't hard to sneak away unnoticed.

"So where are we going?" I asked as he slid into the driver's seat of the car.

"I haven't really figured that out yet."

"I'd love to give you some input, but I'm kind of new here."

"I guess it's all on me then."

I smiled and leaned back in my chair with my hands folded under my head. "That's right. Let's see what you can conjure up on such short notice."

"Well, just remember this is Burnwood, not Vegas."

I sat up in my chair and looked around. "I have an idea. Turn right."

He looked confused, but he complied anyway.

"Stop here," I said as we came to the hardware store near the corner of the square.

He pulled the car to a stop and killed the engine. "You gonna fill me in on what we're doing?"

I stepped out of the car. "We're going for a walk."

I started for the trail at the edge of the woods.

"Wait, isn't this where you..."

"I know," I interrupted. "That's exactly why I need to go in there."

I stared at the seemingly normal path cutting through the woods. I could still feel the coldness of that morning and an eerie feeling came over me. I closed my eyes and saw his pale white face and lifeless eyes.

Carter moved beside me. "You know you don't have anything to prove."

I sighed and turned to him. "It's not just facing what happened yesterday. It's about facing what happened this morning."

He eyed me. "Is that the reason you were late this morning?"

I nodded and pulled out my cell phone. I opened my map app and selected my last location.

With my sense of direction, this app was a life saver.

"Okay, lead the way," he said.

It was odd that Burnwood could be so small yet so vast at the same time. The forest made the miles seem endless, at least to me. Carter walked them like he had been doing it his whole life, which he probably had.

"It's a nice walk, isn't it?" he asked, hopping over a fallen tree.

"Yeah, it's peaceful."

"You know, you can reach anywhere in Burnwood with these paths."

"Yeah?"

He nodded. "The paths are often quicker than the roads, if you know which ones to take."

I stopped and took my phone from my pocket. The map pinpointed my location and my destination, but it couldn't tell me what path would get me there quicker.

"If I tell you where we're going, will you be able to get us there faster?" I asked, dangling my phone before him.

He swiped it from my hand so fast I barely had time to react.

"Hey," I said, grappling for my phone as he held it above his head.

"Not so fast." He took a glance at the screen. "What's here anyway?"

"Do you know how to get us there or not?"

"Maybe," he said. "Tell me what's there."

I stepped back and placed my hand on my protruding hip. "If you want to know you're going to have to get us there."

He glanced at the map again. "Fine. It's this way."

He handed me the phone and walked down the path to our right.

He didn't probe me for answers along the way, but his eyes glanced questioningly over me on several occasions. I pretended not to notice.

Finally, the forest began to thin and I could see the little blue and white house coming into view.

I stopped. I wasn't sure why I stopped, but my body was as frozen as my mind. Carter ran into the back of me, his chin colliding against the back of my head.

"I'm sorry," I said, rubbing my head.

He looked around, probably expecting to see some kind of roadblock. "Why did you stop?"

"Maybe we should go back."

I couldn't believe the words that spilled from my mouth. Had the fear taken over me completely?

He looked me over and I looked away. My eyes focused on the house in the distance and he followed my gaze.

"What is that?" he asked, slowly moving forward.

I took a deep breath. "I will show you."

I took his hand and we emerged from the woods with the house directly in front of us. It looked just as it had hours ago when I had first encountered it, abandoned and lifeless.

Carter shook his head and looked back the way we came. He surveyed the area once again, looking more and more puzzled. "I've never seen this place before."

"That's because no one has lived here for 13 years."

He looked at me. "How do you know that?"

It felt good knowing at least one thing about Burnwood that he didn't.

"Because, Carter, this is the house I grew up in."

"The house your parents died in."

He didn't phrase it as a question, but I nodded anyway.

His gaze shifted from me to the house. "So, all this time you've been one of us."

A tingling sensation pulsed through me at the words "one of us." It was a strange feeling. One I had never encountered, so it took me a minute to place it. It was a sense of belonging and it felt amazing. The moment couldn't have been more perfect, except for the look on his face as he said the words.

"You're from Burnwood."

I stepped back to gauge his expression. "That's a good thing, isn't it?"

He ran his hand through his hair and paced.

"Are you okay?" I asked, noticing the reddening of his skin.

He turned his back to me and stood silently.

I reached for his hand, but he jerked it away.

"Carter, what's going on with you?"

I took a few steps toward him, but he matched them and kept his distance, never once looking back at me.

"Carter!"

Still, he remained silent. I took one quick step forward and grabbed his arm before he could counter it. He tried to shake me loose, but I held tight.

"Annabelle, step back!"

"Just tell me what's wrong," I pleaded.

"Just let go."

"Carter..."

"Let go!" he shouted turning to push my hands from his arm.

I let loose and stumbled back as his eyes gleamed like a ring of fire where his irises once showed a warm hazel color. He turned away, but it was too late. I had seen...

What had I seen?
CHAPTER ELEVEN

I stared at him in silence and after a few minutes he turned around. His eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy. When he reopened his eyes, they were back to their normal hazel color with sapphire rings.

"Annabelle..."

"What was that?"

He shook his head and looked away.

I stepped into his line of sight. "Your eyes... they were..."

"I have to go," he blurted, starting for the tree line.

I followed after him. "Why? We just got here."

"Another time," he said without pause.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything that would stop him from leaving; but before I could get a word out the wind picked up and blew my hair over my face. I brushed it back only to find myself standing alone just outside the forest edge on the property I once called home.

He was gone. I looked hard in every direction, but I couldn't catch a single glimpse of him. It was as though he had disappeared into thin air.

I walked back through the forest, alone. I guess I could've call Uncle Felix, but I didn't feel like answering a million questions on the ride home. Besides, I needed to clear my mind.

By the time I reached the town square the questions had doubled and my mind was more wary than ever. I couldn't make sense of any of it, not the eyes, or the anger, or the disappearing act; and the more I thought about it the more I yearned for the truth.

My gaze immediately found the bookstore at the corner of the town square. I remembered Carter telling me it was a family business, and this was where his father Darius had found me the night of the incident in the woods. He must be the one who tends the shop while Carter's at school. I doubted that he would be able to help me, but I found myself cutting through the square and heading there anyway.

I reached the boardwalk that lined parallel to the road, linking the strips of stores together. Wood beams supported verandas, which displayed the company name to each tiny unit. The bookstore was the very first store on the right. I had almost landed my foot on the boardwalk when a familiar voice sounded from the alley next to me.

I paused and listened harder. It was Carter. He was talking to someone inside the store, probably unaware that the backdoor was wide open.

I hadn't meant to ease drop, or perhaps I had, but once I had started there was no turning back.

"You should've told me!" Carter shouted.

"Calm down, son," Darius said. "It's not what you think. It couldn't be."

"But she's from Burnwood."

I jumped at the sound of his footsteps approaching until I realized he had only begun to pace.

"There are tons of people from Burnwood and still not one of us," Darius chortled.

There was that phrase again, "one of us," but now the meaning was distorted. I had believed that it meant I was a townie, an original Burnwood born, but now the 'us' they spoke about was clearly something much different.

"But something is different about her," said Carter.

"Perhaps your feelings for this girl have clouded your judgment. Maybe you want her to be something she clearly isn't. I mean, just look at her blonde hair and blue eyes. She can't be one of us."

Carter stopped pacing and the room fell silent. I held my breath, frozen in place.

"I know, but I swear I can sense it, feel it even."

Darius sighed. "Is this about your mother?"

"What!?" said Carter. "This has nothing to do with that woman."

"Are you sure? Because it sounds like your desire to be connected to this outsider stems from the fear that she may reject you like your mother did us."

"She's not an outsider!" Carter nearly shouted. "Would you have called mom an outsider?"

"I wouldn't have, and look where that got us."

"It doesn't matter." Carter sighed. "I can never tell her and you know it."

"It's for the best son." There was a long pause before Darius continued. "Some secrets are better left as secrets."

I had heard enough. I went to the bookstore for answers and all I had now was a heavier burden of questions. I was confused and somewhat angry.

I turned and ran from the store. I wasn't sure where I was headed, but it really didn't matter. I had nowhere to go and all the time in the world to ponder over Carter's conversation with his father, which almost made me forget about the weird eye thing from earlier that day. Almost.

What had they meant about me not being one of them? And, what on earth did it have to do with my hair and eyes? Sorry if mine don't glow red when I'm mad. God, that was weird.

"Annabelle!"

I jumped at the sound of my name.

"Sorry," Jane said as she jogged up beside me. "I was calling your name, didn't you hear me?"

I shook my head clear and looked around. I was just outside the fenced perimeter of the school yard. "Oh sorry. My mind is elsewhere."

"You okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Jane stopped and I followed suit. Her eyes narrowed on me as she shifted her weight on to one leg and rested one hand on her hip. "What's wrong?"

I sighed. "Rough day."

"I see," she said. "Why don't you go home and get some rest?"

"Home is the furthest place from my mind."

Jane's face lit up like a light bulb, her full light pink lips pulling into a smile. "I know what you need. Girls night!" she gleamed.

"Isn't it a school night?"

She frowned. "You really need to get with the flow around here. It's Burnwood. We all live minutes away from each other. We go to the same school and have single-parent families. Learn to use it to your advantage."

I shrugged. "I'll try, but I doubt my uncle will go for it."

Jane smiled. "I bet he will."

Jane drove me home, insisting that she would be influential in persuading Uncle Felix. I wasn't completely confident in her powers of persuasion, but she did manage to get me to a bonfire in the middle of nowhere after only 30 minutes of conversation on our first encounter, and that had to count for something.

Jane pulled up to the house and parked on the street.

"I guess we'll have to wait a bit," I said, glancing at the empty driveway.

Jane shrugged. "Trish won't be ready for an hour or so anyway."

I frowned.

"I know, I know, but I couldn't say no to her. She and Cruz got into it again and I didn't want her to be alone."

I shrugged. "It's fine. I would've done the same thing for a friend. Besides, even Trish couldn't make this day any worse."

Jane laughed. "Well, let's not challenge her."

"Probably a good idea."

We went inside and raided the kitchen before retreating to my room. I placed the rice chips and little baggies of precut veggies on my nightstand, and Jane held the dip in between us on the bed.

Jane dipped a slice of red bell pepper into the dip and bit into it. "So, are you going to tell me what happened today?"

The question gave me pause. Where was I to start? I couldn't tell her about the nightmares and I wasn't ready to let on that I was a townie, and she already knew about the allergic reaction to the flowers, if that was indeed what it was. Still, that wasn't what troubled me the most.

"Jane, you've lived here your whole life, right?"

"Yep," she replied through a mouth full of broccoli. "Every damn boring day of it."

"Do you know anything about a secret club or society that consists of people born in Burnwood... and don't have blonde hair or blue eyes?"

She arched her brow and stared at me like I was insane, which I was starting to question myself.

"Blonde hair and blue eyes?" she asked.

The question did sound peculiar, but Darius said that it had something to do with why I couldn't possibly be one of them, whoever one of them is.

"Any kind of organization at all?"

I hoped that refining the question made it sound less crazy.

She shook her head. "No, there hasn't been anything like that in decades."

I snapped into a piece of celery. "What do you mean?"

"There was some kind of council formed in the 1600s by Burnwood's founding families. We celebrate it every year in October. It's called the Red and Black Lantern Festival."

"What happened to the council?"

She shrugged. "I kind of failed history class last year. I'm going to retake it next semester."

"You could move your schedule around and take it this semester with me," I suggested. "Then I can help you."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course I would. What kind of friend would I be if I let you fail a second time?"

She laughed. "The kind of friend I already have plenty of."

"Trish?"

"Not just her." Jane shifted uncomfortably. "I guess it's all of them. Trish is self-absorbed, but at least I know her well enough to understand why she's like that. Cruz is too busy chasing girls and playing football to be anything other than egocentric and Carter and Alec have some kind of bromance that none of us have ever managed to get in on."

I laughed. "I didn't know Carter and Alec were that close."

"Best friends since they were 6 years old."

"Six?" I asked. "Doesn't kindergarten begin at 5?"

"Yeah, it does, but they didn't start until they were 6 for some reason. Probably too dumb," she said and we both giggled.

I heard the sound of an engine outside and went over to the window to check the driveway.

"He's home," I said, feeling a knot begin to form in my stomach.

Jane bounced up from the bed and skipped over to the door. "It will be fine. Remember, positive thoughts only."

I followed her downstairs already feeling defeated, but at least I wouldn't be let down when he said no. He always said no.

Felix stepped inside as we reached the landing. His eyes had dark circles beneath them and his hair was disheveled. I knew he hadn't been sleeping well, but from the looks of him, it seemed like he wasn't sleeping at all.

"You okay?" I asked, looking him over.

He attempted a smile, but it was more like a twitch. "Just another long day at the office."

I remembered how Carter had told me he hadn't known of any law office in Burnwood.

"Interesting." I placed my hands on my hips. "What law office would this be?"

He narrowed his eyes on me and was silent. Was he trying to read me?

"I'm just wondering because I've never actually seen it."

"Why would you need to do that?" he asked, still eying me with a seriousness that would've sent me running for cover a few weeks ago, but not now. Not with all the questions I had.

"What if I want to bring you lunch?"

"I usually have meetings with clients during lunch."

"Well, what if I just want to pop by and say hi?"

"You know I'm rarely in the office since I have to drive into town for court."

"Well, what if there's an emergency?"

"I have a cellphone, Annabelle."

"Well, what if you aren't answering..."

"Whoa," said Jane, stepping in between the two of us. "Hi, I'm Jane, a friend of Annabelle's from school."

Felix continued to eye me silently for a moment before shaking his head and turning to Jane.

"Hi Jane. I don't mean to be rude, but I have a ton of work to get to right now." He held up his brown leather briefcase and shook it from side to side so that the contents banged around loudly.

"I completely understand," Jane beamed. "And, being that you guys are new here I am sure you have plenty of work to catch up on. Perhaps Annabelle can spend the night at my house. I know it's a school night, but us Burnwood girls have the privileged of living so close to one another that it won't interfere with our attendance. And, it would be an excellent opportunity for Annabelle to make a few new connections and well..."

"Sure," he said, cutting Jane short. "I can assume it will be chaperoned?"

I paused. Was this some kind of sick joke? Was he going to pull the plug on me once I took the bait? It must be a trick.

"Of course," Jane replied, batting her long brown eyelashes. "My brother Lamar will be home and he's really responsible."

Felix glanced my way. "It will be good for you to spend some time with your new friends."

Who is this man standing in front of me? Whoever he is, my real uncle is going to kick his ass for allowing me to attend a slumber party after only having just met the girl.

I eyed him suspiciously, but he held my gaze firmly. I'm not sure what I had expected, possibly a wavering glance or a smirk of some sort, anything that would give away what was really going on inside his head, but nothing happened.

"Annabelle," Jane said with a nudge. "We should get going."

"Yeah," I said, keeping my gaze firmly on Felix. "So, I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow?"

I watched him carefully, but his expression didn't waver. Instead, he nodded and walked off to the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" Jane whispered, pulling me out of the house by my arm.

"What?"

"You were practically taunting him to say no."

"Well, don't you think that's weird? I mean, I have been on three slumber parties in my life and each one he stayed parked outside the house overnight."

Jane's eye widened. "That's disturbing."

"Exactly!" I exclaimed. "No, something is definitely wrong here. I'm going to find out what it is."

I turned on my heels and headed back to the front door, but Jane caught my arm and stopped me.

"Are you crazy?" she asked. "You just got a get out of jail free card and you're going to throw it away just to settle your curiosity?"

I looked back at the door and then to Jane. "I guess it can wait until tomorrow."

Jane threw her hands up and started for the car. "Finally, she buys a vowel. Eureka!"

We drove down the block and I watched the house get smaller and smaller until I could no longer make out its shape through the passenger side mirror. I couldn't get Felix's peculiar behavior out of my head. His docile, complacent demeanor couldn't be any further from the man I've known my entire life. The worst part about it all was that I was willing to take advantage of him during what is probably some kind of midlife crisis.

"We'll meet Trish at my house," Jane said glancing down at the digital clock mounted just above the stereo. "Actually, she's probably already there."

I glanced over my shoulder before we turned the corner and got one last glimpse of the house. "You don't think it was kind of horrible what I just did back there, do you?"

She arched her brow.

"You know," I continued. "Taking advantage of my uncle like that. Something is clearly wrong with him and I left anyway.

"Wow, your moral compass seriously points north, huh?"

I frowned and her expression softened.

"You wouldn't be a normal teenager if you didn't. Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he even wants you gone," she said.

I stiffened. "You think he wants me gone. Why? Do you think he's sick of having to take care of me? You know, he's done it since I was 3 years old. Maybe you're right. Maybe he wants a life of his own, one with a wife and kids, and he thinks I'm getting in the way of that. He probably does want me gone."

Jane's expression sickened and she went quiet for a moment. "I was just thinking he looked pretty tired and anyone would be agreeable under those conditions."

"Oh," I said letting the panic and tension drain from my body.

Jane pulled into her driveway, parking behind a canary yellow Jeep.

"Are you saving this space for Trish?" I asked, gesturing to the empty parking spot beside me.

She smirked. "Nope, I'm blocking in Lamar's Jeep."

I shook my head. "What's up with you guys anyway? I know sibling rivalry is common, but you two... I don't know. You two act like..."

"Like were not related?"

I hadn't considered that possibility, but now that she mentioned it, it was quite fitting.

"Because were not," she continued. "Not really anyway."

Her eyes darkened as she spoke and I hadn't expected her to continue, but she did, speaking over her shoulder as we made our way to the front door.

"He's my father's child... from another woman if you catch my drift."

"Oh," I said, my feet suddenly still.

"Yeeeah," she said, dragging the word out. "So, my mother left and my dad works out of town so often that I'm practically in the care of the person who ruined my family."

"But, he's older than you... so how," I stopped, not sure how to deliver the question.

"That he is," she said. "Now only had my father told us about him before, I don't know, two years ago!"

"What?" I blurted out. "How on earth..."

She shoved open the front door and stepped inside. "My thoughts exactly."

We had just made it to Jane's room when her cell phone chimed. She reached into her back pocket and pulled it out.

"Oh great!" she scowled. "Just what I need."

"What is it?"

"It seems like Trish decided to make a detour on her way."

"Where?" I asked, confident that I already knew the answer.

Jane shook her head. "Cruz's house... and now she's at the sheriff's station."

My mouth dropped open. "What did she do?"

"I don't know, the text was from Cruz. Come on, we've gotta go get her. At least I think that's what we should do. I'm really starting to question it though."

The sheriff's station was a small brick building with two windows and a glass door. It was a few blocks south of the town square and looked oddly out of place next to the laundry mat.

Jane entered first and I followed. Inside, Trish was sitting at a chair in front of the sheriff's desk looking disheveled and irritated. The sheriff, on the other hand, leaned back in his chair with one leg resting over the other, completely disengaged.

Their conversation stopped midsentence as Jane and I stepped inside.

Trish flung her arms into the air. "Oh, just friggen fantastic... As if talking to Mr. Shit for Brains wasn't enough."

"Sheriff Pickerings," Jane interposed. "What happened?"

Trish tossed her head back and laughed. "Like he has a clue."

The sheriff leaned over the desk and pointed his finger at Trish. "Watch it Patricia. I only have so much patience in a day."

Trish crossed her arms over her chest and sneered something inaudible.

The sheriff turned to Jane with a pleading expression. Jane nodded and grabbed Trish by the arm and hauled her into a room next to the sheriff's desk.

She glanced over her shoulder. "I'll just be a minute."

It was odd to see how minor conflicts were handled in small towns. In the city, things would've been handled much differently. I suppose in a small town where everyone knows one another, people become fully invested into the lives of everyone around them. It's almost like a very large family with everyone performing a very important role within the community.

I couldn't help but feel a tinge of anger building inside me. Perhaps, had I not been ripped away from Burnwood at such a young age I would've been a part of this, and not just an outsider looking on enviously.

The sheriff sighed and then gestured at the seat across from him. "You can take a seat, Miss Kennedy."

I didn't feel like sitting, but I did anyway. He was a shorter man with grey hair and a round belly, precariously pushing against the buttons on his shirt. He kept his hat cocked down like he was in an old Western movie, but it suited him.

I sat down across from him and fidgeted with the hem of my sleeves. There was something nerve-racking about sitting before a police officer, even when you've done nothing wrong.

"This really couldn't have worked out better for me," he said.

I looked over my shoulder at the door to the room Jane took Trish into. "Is Trish getting arrested?"

"No," he chortled. "I meant you showing up here. I've been meaning to follow up with you after the incident in the woods."

The realization sunk in and I knew all too well what he was speaking of. I'm not sure how, but I had, up until that moment, put the memory out of my mind.

The images emerged from where I had tried to bury them deep within my subconscious; the ghostly white skin, the absent eyes, and the motionless body.

I felt a cold chill travel through my body.

"Oh," I said blankly. "What do you need to know?"

"Just how you are... and if you remember anything else that you didn't at the time."

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

He nodded and tapped the head of his pen on top of the desk. "Well, you know where to go if something comes to mind."

Finally, Jane and Trish emerged from the room. Jane eyed Trish impatiently, clearly waiting for something.

Trish rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry for calling you names and for destroying Mrs. H's rose bed." She paused and glanced over at Jane who wasn't budging. "It won't happen again."

The sheriff didn't seem convinced, but he did look tired, or perhaps annoyed.

"Just get her out of here," he said.

Jane nodded and quickly hurried Trish out the door.

I started to follow, but turned back just shy of the doorway. "Sheriff, do you know what happened to that man in the woods?"

"Severe blood loss," he said before turning his attention back to the pile of papers in front of him.

I left the office and joined Jane and Trish in the parking lot.

"Don't you get it? He gave me those roses and then I find a whole boutique of them in Cindy Carson's locker," Trish scoffed. "She totally tried to deny it, but I would know those roses anywhere."

Jane crossed her arms and stared up at the clear blue sky. She took a series of long, deep breaths before she looked back at Trish. "So you tore up his mother's flowerbed?"

"Yes!" Trish said. "Now he won't be giving those flowers to anyone."

"Trish, there's a silver lining to every cloud. Maybe you should start looking at life a little differently. You know, one door closing is another door opening."

"I do see life like that."

"Really?"

"Yes. Here, I'll show you." Trish shifted her weight onto one leg and continued. "So, Cruz giving Cindy Slutty Carson those roses means that he is no longer interested in the blue-eyed beauty anymore." Trish turned her piercing gaze on me.

Jane grumbled something under her breath and then stomped off to her car. I didn't bother to give Trish the satisfaction of getting under my skin. In fact, in comparison to the morning I had today, this evening was coming along quite nicely.

"Shotgun!" Trish said, flashing her sinister smile my direction before skipping over to the car.

I slipped into the backseat of the car and rested my legs across the empty seat beside me. Jane continued to mumble unintelligibly during the short drive back to her house. She even threw a few hateful looks in from time to time, but her mood seemed to lighten when we pulled into the driveway. The yellow Jeep was gone.

"Well that's a relief," said Jane as she parked diagonally across the driveway.

I was sure she couldn't see me, but I shook my head disapprovingly anyway. The feud between those two was something out of a horror movie, and I had the feeling this was just the tip of the iceberg.

Jane and I made our way to the house, pausing halfway up the path to wait for Trish to finish pursing her lips in front of the rearview mirror as she touched up her lipstick.

Jane showed us to her bedroom, a pink-walled room with a queen-sized four-post bed frame. The dresser was black, matching the rest of the furniture, and there were two black and white beanbag chairs positioned in front of the mounted flat screen TV hanging on the wall parallel to her bed.

Trish immediately flopped down on the bed and pulled out her cell phone.

"Trish, please tell me you're not texting Cruz," Jane said.

Trish laughed. "No need. He'll text me soon enough."

Jane and I shared a quick doubtful look, but said nothing. Trish was clearly clinging to her delusions and trying to tear her from them would be a monumental failure.

"Annabelle, would you help me with the snacks?" asked Jane.

I nodded and tailed her to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry that girl's night isn't turning out the way I'd expected. She's not always like this." She reached into the pantry and pulled out a bag of chips. "This thing with Cruz has her acting like a crazy person lately. I never thought a summer fling could end so horribly."

"Do an intervention. Get Cruz and Trish into the same room and lock it until they settle things."

Jane paused, considering the suggestion.

"Jane... I wasn't entirely serious. I mean, I'm pretty sure it's illegal."

She shook her head as though to shake the thought loose. "Probably wouldn't work anyway. They're so damn stubborn."

Jane opened the refrigerator and pulled out three vitamin waters, placing them on the counter beside the chips and a bulging bag of chocolate-covered almonds. "You think this will do?"

"Yep," I said, snatching up the almonds.

I grabbed the bag of chips from the counter and we hurried back upstairs.

"Oh crap," said Jane, stopping halfway up the staircase. "I forgot the Popsicles in the deep freeze."

I piled the chips and almonds on top of the cradled bottles of water in her arms. "I'll get them."

She looked gratefully at me, like I had just offered her my kidney. "Thanks. There in the deepfreeze in the garage."

I nodded and hurried downstairs. It didn't occur to me that I didn't know which door led to the garage, so I decided on the process of elimination. The first door I check was the laundry room, which was remarkably tidy. The next door revealed a second staircase to what I presume was the basement. Lastly, I found the garage and something I didn't expect at all.

### CHAPTER TWELVE

"Lamar."

Lamar stepped back from under the hood of his Jeep and smiled. "I had a feeling I would be seeing you around here again."

His white muscle shirt was stained black with grease and his fingertips were as black as tar.

"When I didn't see your Jeep out front I had assumed you were gone."

He smirked. "Yeah, after all, you wouldn't expect to find a car in a garage."

I laughed. "Definitely an oversight on my behalf, but I wasn't the only one. Jane thought you were gone, too."

He glanced out one of the small diamond-shaped windows lining the garage door. "I noticed."

I leaned forward and peered out the window. I could see Jane's car and remembered that she parked across both parking spaces, blocking the garage door.

I gave him a sympathetic shrug. "I can get the keys from her if you need to leave?"

He looked down at the Jeep supported on thick blocks of wood. "I'm not going anywhere."

I opened the lid to the deepfreeze and pulled out the box of Popsicles. "Alright, well if you change your mind, I'll get you those keys."

"No need." He dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out a silver key ring with a single key dangling from it. "I've got this."

I gave him a questioning look. "Is that an extra key to Jane's car?"

He flashed me a devious smile. "She's been playing these games for so long I had to start getting creative."

I shook my head. "You should be ashamed of yourself. The both of you should."

He wiped his greasy hands on a blue cloth and tossed it onto a nearby workbench. "I take it you don't know yet?"

I shrugged. "I know the basics, but I'm not so sure I understand the war between the two of you though."

"She hates me," he said, leaning back against the work bench behind him. "It's just that simple."

"It takes two to create a war of this magnitude."

"That it does, but I did try. It just got tiring and I resorted back to my old ways of handling conflict."

"Which is?"

"Being a dick," he said. "I thought that was obvious."

I frowned. "You, Lamar, are not a dick."

The edges of his mouth pulled into a smile. He turned, grabbing a wrench hanging from the wall. "So what kind of guy am I?"

"You care," I said. "And no matter how hard you try not to care, you will always care."

I slipped passed him on my way out of the garage.

"Wait."

I stopped and looked over my shoulder.

His eyes diverted to the ground for a moment and then he looked up at me. "You think things will level out with Jane one day?"

I nodded. "One day. It only takes one person to make a change."

He nodded. "You're okay, Annabelle."

I smiled and let the garage door fall shut between us.

I hurried back to the room and held out the Popsicles so that Jane and Trish could choose between the colors first, but they both just looked at me with mischievous smiles upon their faces.

"What?" I asked.

"Interested in a little outing?" said Jane.

I looked suspiciously from her to Trish.

"It's just a little house party," Trish said. "Hardly anything to have to think about."

I gave Jane a troubled look, which she reacted to by jumping up from the bed and taking my shoulders firmly in her hands.

"It will be fun! The Landry's have one of the largest houses in Burnwood and their son, Kendrick, always throws the best parties."

"I'll go," I blurted out.

Jane stepped back and eyed me. "Really?"

I nodded. "It will be a good distraction..." I turned to Trish. "For all of us."

Jane placed her hands on her hips and smiled triumphantly. "I told you she's not a goody good."

I glared at Trish. "Is that so?"

Trish shrugged passively. "Meh, I wasn't completely sold on the idea that she was anyway."

"I guess I should run home and get changed," I said, glancing down at my blue jeans. "What do people around here wear to house parties? Same thing as the old mill grounds?"

Jane tapped a single finger against her cheek. "Not exactly, but don't you fret. I know exactly where to go to get what we need." She turned and smiled at Trish who was already grinning back at her, deviously strumming her fingers together.

I stood in the middle of a massive walk-in closet, completely consumed in the array of colored materials dangling all around me. Bright reds, electric blues, salmon, pink, and just about every color known to mankind, dazzled before me. I spun in slow circles, watching the colors mesh from one shade to the next.

"Wow," I mumbled.

Jane smiled. "Look down."

Below, the closet was lined with knee-high shoe racks housing the most extensive collection of designer shoes I had ever seen.

I dropped to my knees and carefully picked up a glittering gold pair of stilettos, nearly bursting into tears when I noticed they were size 8.

These will never fit.

Jane placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "It wouldn't matter. Heels are pretty much useless in Burnwood."

I sucked in a deep breath and rose to my feet. "I know. I had to say goodbye to my collection just a few days ago. I guess it's just a fresh wound."

"My flats will fit you," Trish said. "There not much, but they'll add all the jazz you need for dresses like these."

"How are we ever going to decide? There's just so many. What does your mom do with all of these?"

Trish shrugged. "Collects them from my understanding." She pulled a sparking silver dress from the hook and held it out to me. "Just look, this one still has the price tag on it."

"Whatever," Jane said, snatching the dress from Trish's grasp. "I'm just glad she's never around to notice when their gone."

"I'm just glad she's never around, period," Trish scoffed.

"What about your dad?" I asked.

"He's just down the hall," she replied surprisingly nonchalant.

"He doesn't mind?"

"He doesn't know," she said. "And he doesn't need to."

I couldn't help but question his parental abilities in light of the closet raid happening right next to him. How on earth does he not realize a bunch of teens giggling as they rummage through his wife's closet?

"Jane!" Trish bellowed as she pulled a hanger from the pole and held out a brilliant yellow strapless dress. "This has your name all over it."

Jane's face lit up as she took the hanger from Trish. She held the dress to her body before the full-length mirror in the corner of the closet and swayed back and forth, admiring the way the dress flowed against the air.

"That's the one," I said.

Jane stopped swirling and pressed the material closer to her body. "You think?"

Trish nodded. "Definitely."

Jane gently hung the dress on the hook fastened to the mirror. "Alright. Now for you two..."

"No need," Trish interrupted. "I've known about this party since this afternoon."

Jane's mouth dropped open. "And you didn't tell me?"

"It's not like I didn't preselect a dress for you."

Jane crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Still, it would've been nice to have a heads up."

Trish gave her a tiring look, which was ironic and somewhat amusing to me. After all, it had been Jane who came to her aid through all the drama that had landed her in the sheriff's office.

Trish sorted through a few hangers and pulled out two dresses, holding the black one against her chest. "This is what I'm wearing," she said, and then held out the second dress, "And this one is for you."

In her hand was a spectacular blue satin dress with a long slit up the leg. I took the dress and felt the soft material between my two fingers. It was heavenly.

"It's gorgeous," I said.

"Yes, well I did pick it," she said, sounding insulted.

"It was a compliment," Jane interposed.

Trish waved her hand dismissively. "No time for pleasantries. Use whatever you need to get ready because we're already late."

Jane took out her cell phone and looked at the time. "Shit! It's already 11. We're really late."

"Fashionably late," Trish corrected. "But, I want to get there before everyone's shit-faced. It's no fun being sober around a bunch of retards."

Jane, Trish and I scrabbled around the room as we got ready. We changed into our dresses, did our makeup, and tried on almost every piece of Jewelry we came across. Jane tied her hair in an elegant bun and Trish pulled her hair into a ponytail. I, of course, let mine fall down my back in loose curls. Finally, we were ready to leave.

"Wait," I said as we stepped into the hallway. "You said you had a pair of flats that would fit me?"

"Right," Trish replied. "Just down the hall. They'll be right next to the door at the end of the hallway."

I nodded and we parted ways.

There was a dimly lit room at the end of the hallway with the door wide open. Inside I could see a black bedframe covered in red satin covers.

That had to be Trish's room.

I poked my head through the doorway and found the pair of little gold flats exactly where Trish said they would be. I grabbed them and hurried back down the hall, trying to slip them on as I walked. Finally, I got the last shoe on and lowered my foot to the floor, but I lost my balance and tumbled to the floor. I looked up and noticed I wasn't alone.

"I'm so sorry," I said to the tiny Hispanic woman kneeling on the floor beside me. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"I'd say so," she chuckled and got back to her feet.

She offered me her hand and I graciously accepted it, feeling the softness of her delicate little fingers. Her eyes were a warm chocolate color and her hair was long and pulled back into a neatly combed ponytail.

"I'm really sorry about that," I repeated.

"Child, it is hardly worth mentioning," she said with a wave of her hand. "Now had you collided with Mrs. Wells there may have been a greater issue at hand."

"Yeah, or Mr. Wells," I added, assuming the wrath would be of equal magnitude.

She looked at me sideways and was quiet for a moment. "You don't know, do you?"

I furrowed my brow. "Know what?"

She stepped back and opened the door to the room she had come from before I knocked her to the floor. Inside was a space completely blank of all color and fashion, replaced only by the kind of machinery you would find in a hospital. Beside the mess of beeping and humming equipment was a single bed with a middle-aged man laying asleep.

"Is that Trish's father?" I asked.

The woman nodded and shut the door.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's been in a coma for nearly four years," she said sorrowfully. "It's a shame, you know. He was... is... is such a good man."

"Annabelle!" called Jane.

"Are you making the shoes up there?" added Trish.

"I've got to go Mrs...."

"Mrs. Hernandez, but you can call me Mrs. H."

"Mrs. H," I repeated. "That means you're..."

"Cruz's mom?" She smiled. "Yes, but you mustn't hold that against me. He's just too busy getting in his own way to listen to me." She shook her head and continued down the hallway mumbling something in Spanish.

I hurried downstairs and we left without mention of the man clinging to life in the room next to the one we had just pillaged. How would I ever forgive myself?

Trish drove, insisting we arrive in fashion, a comment that Jane took as a blatant insult.

The Landry's house was down yet another dirt road through the seemingly endless forest. We pulled up to a house not excessively huge, but big enough to warrant some excitement. There were cars parked in the driveway, on the side of the road, and even on the lawn, which was where Trish, too, decided to park.

We walked up the brick-laid path to a set of doublewide white doors. Trish didn't bother knocking and walked right in with her head held high and a defiant look in her eyes.

"Can she do that?" I whispered to Jane.

Jane smiled back at me and I saw the same glint in her eyes. "Annabelle, you'd be surprised what we can do around here. Besides, Kendrick is... well, he's a close friend."

Jane sauntered inside and I follow suit.

The crowd parted as Jane made her way through the house, whispering quietly to one another as their eyes followed us.

"Why are they staring at you?"

Jane laughed. "They're not staring at me, Annabelle. They're staring at you."

I felt my face get hot and my palms dampened with sweat. "Me? Why are they staring at me?"

She sighed. "It's hard to explain, but you'll see soon enough."

I stopped and turned back for the door.

Jane chased after me and grabbed my arm. "Annabelle, wait!"

"Tell me what's going on?" I demanded.

Trish appeared from somewhere behind me. "I told you she couldn't see it."

"What can't I see?" I asked Jane, still keeping to a murmur.

"Oh for shit sakes." Trish grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me into the room next to us. She turned on the lights and I could see we were in an extravagantly decorated bathroom.

"Look in the mirror, Annabelle," said Jane. "You're gorgeous. And, if that wasn't already enough, you have a story that everyone's dying to hear about."

"I don't understand..."

Trish stepped forward. "You're a Kennedy. You're a Burnwood original."

Jane hopped up and down excitedly as if the news opened a floodgate of joy for her.

"So," I said.

"See," Trish huffed. "She still has no damn clue."

"Trish, she's new here... even though she's actually old here," Jane said, stuttering through the confusion. "Anyway, your family is one of the original Burnwood founding families."

"As are Jane's family and mine, and a handful of other kids here," said Trish.

"Why is that important?" I asked and then realized the true question. The anger surged through me like fire in my veins. "Wait. How did you two know about that?"

Jane and Trish share a quick glance at one another.

"You have to understand," Jane began. "I didn't mean for everyone to figure it out, but when Mrs. Crawford mentioned it I was just too overjoyed to keep it in. I told one person who told another and the next thing you know there's a party in your honor."

I froze, my entire body seizing like it was inches away from plummeting off a 200-foot drop. The air caught in my throat, forcing me to swallow it down.

"No, no, no," I repeated as I paced the very short length of the bathroom. "This can't be for me. I don't know what to say to these people."

"What are you so worried about?" said Trish. "They'll eat up your story."

I stopped pacing and shouted, "I don't even know my story!"

Trish looked and Jane and Jane at me.

"Jane, I just found out today that I am originally from Burnwood. I don't know anything about being part of a founding family."

"Oh," Jane said, staring at me blankly. "I didn't know."

I shook my head and resumed pacing.

"It doesn't matter," Trish said, stepping in front of me. "You're a founding family member. That's as good as gold around here."

"She's right," Jane added. "You don't have to say anything. Your name is all they need to hear."

I frowned.

"I can't do this," I said and threw open the bathroom door before either one of them could block my path. I hurried back the way I had come and, in my haste, ran face first into a tall figure.

Of course he would be here.

### CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Carter was wearing his usual dark jeans and T-shirt under a black leather jacket. He stood out standing in a room full of people in fancy dresses, black slacks, and button up shirts.

"Hey," he said, sounding rather casual for someone who had deserted me next to an old, abandoned house in the middle of the woods just this morning.

"Hey," I said, hearing the coldness in my voice.

Jane and Trish came up next to me with curious looks. I hadn't told Jane about Carter and me because... well there just wasn't anything to tell. Of course, I couldn't deny the way I felt about him, but things were becoming more confusing and complex with every passing day.

"You're leaving?" he said, glancing back at the wide-open door he was currently blocking.

I hopelessly glanced at the exit. I had almost made it. I was so close.

I sighed. "No."

Jane and Trish's mouths pulled into a smile before they took off giggling and whispering to one another.

"Good," he said, closing the door behind him. "I'd hate for you to leave before you have a chance to get recognition for the great deeds your family has done for this town."

I frowned and he seemed to clue in.

"You don't know what they've done for Burnwood, do you?"

I hadn't a moment to respond before he was leading me through the crowds of students and down a set of stairs to the basement. It was a finished room with a television set and some sofas. There was a pool table set up and a couple of people had gathered around it with pool cues in hand. I expected him to come to a stop, but he walked directly to a door across from us, and we stepped into a pitch black room.

I couldn't see anything, but I could feel his fingers linked with mine and that was enough for me. He stopped and I could feel his body shift as he searched for the light switch. He pulled the string hanging from above us, and the whole room lit up. We were in come kind of cellar with a concrete floor and wood framed walls. There were a few shelves holding canned goods and some small boxes; and next to that was a short set of stairs leading to a large wooden door, which angled on a slant.

Carter climbed the stairs and pushed open the door. He turned and took my hand before stepping out from the basement and into the starlit night.

"It's quiet out here," he said. "You'll be able to clear your mind."

I was so entranced by the stars that it took me awhile to ask the question.

"Clear my mind, from what?"

"Inside you looked... nervous."

"I don't know anything about my family. I didn't even know they were from Burnwood until today, and I most certainly didn't think that there was any possibility that they could be one of the founding families. Carter, I didn't even know Burnwood celebrated founding families."

"But now you do," he said with the same enthusiasm I had witnessed in Jane and Trish.

I sighed. "I still don't know what that means."

"It means you have roots here," he said. "And those roots are a part of you. You have family history now and a place where you will always be seen as special."

I smiled. It sounded nice... too nice to be real.

A flashbacks of my uncle packing the back of the SUV full with boxes entered my mind.

I shook the images out of my head, ignoring the pain of every throbbing heartbeat. "How do you know they were a part of the founding families? Kennedy is a common last name."

He stepped closer and looked at me with his warm hazel eyes. "Isn't it time you found out?"

Maybe he was right. I had been in the dark for so long that any details of my lost heritage scared me. I wanted to know just as much as I didn't.

The answers to so many of my questions were at the tips of my fingers. Was I really going to let this moment pass me by?

I nodded. "It's time."

He gave my chin a little nudge. "There she is."

I arched my brow.

He smiled. "It's the girl that ran into the woods just because she felt like running."

I rolled my eyes. "In case you've forgotten, that didn't turn out so well."

He shrugged. "Maybe not, but I'm pretty sure everything happens for a reason."

I looked at him, trying to gauge his expression, but his face was turned up to the sky. His words were cryptic, but I knew there was a deeper meaning to them.

"So, are you going to let the Landry kid show you to your temporary hall of fame or what?" he said, slinging an arm around my shoulder.

"Hall of fame?"

His shoulders slumped. "It's like you're from a different planet or something."

I laughed. "I know what a hall of fame is. I just can't seem to connect myself to one."

We walked back down to the cellar.

"It's not just you, it's your family."

I smiled. I was finally going to know a sliver of my past. After all this time I had completely lost hope, and now that hope dangled before me. I was so close... just a few more steps and I would have all the answers to the incisively lingering questions that had haunted me all my life.

We went back upstairs where an entire room full of people met our arrival with pondering gazes. I felt like I was on display, my whole life waiting to be uncovered. Part of me enjoyed it. The feeling of being a part of something, of being valued and of belonging, even for that brief moment, made me feel invincible.

"Are we ready to begin?" asked a thin boy with glasses and slicked back auburn hair.

Carter gave me a quick nod of encouragement. "She's ready."

"Very well," said the boy and he turned to face the large crowd of students gathered in the ballroom. "As you know, or most of you," he paused and gave me a quick glance over the rims of his glasses. "I'm Kendrick Landry, a descendant of the founding Landry's."

I glanced at Carter who gave me a subtle shrug. I could only assume that Kendrick's theatrical flair was something he was all too familiar with.

Kendrick cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. "Today, we celebrate the return of the Kennedy family. With us are the seven founding families. Our circle is now complete."

I followed the eyes of the crowd as the slowly moved from Jane to Trish and then to Alec and Carter and Kendrick, and then to a boy I had never seen before. He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He was tall and dressed in all black with a look of indifference upon his face, as though he was here only because he had to be. Finally, the crowd's eyes shifted to me.

"Annabelle Kennedy is the final member of the founding circle," said Kendrick.

The crowd cheered and shouted, breaking into a mass hysteria as they shot back shooters and chugged beer. Even Carter held his beer high and smiled wildly.

"Why is being a founding family member so important?" I whispered to him.

"You'll see," he said nodding at Kendrick who was quickly approaching.

"The guesthouse has been set up with the displays," he said to Carter. "We should start there."

Carter nodded and took my hand. We moved through the room with ease, the crowd parting like drapes being pulled open. Kendrick followed us to the back door and with him everyone else, but when we stepped out onto the porch the cheering died into incomprehensible silence.

I stopped and stared at the mass of flames engulfing the sizeable guesthouse. The fire burned unnaturally, almost vengefully. I blinked as if to dislodge the image, but it remained deadly and all too familiar.

I could feel the blood drain from my face and a sickly paleness set in, but I couldn't move. My hands tingled and my feet felt heavy, like they were weighted down with sand. I heard screaming and shouting, but it sounded faint and muffled as though I was emerged in water and watching the chaos from afar.

"Annabelle!"

I snapped from my trance as Carter screamed my name again and wrapped his arms around my waist as he pulled me backwards. I hadn't realized how close the flames had spread, except only they hadn't.

No, it couldn't be. The fire seemed to be stretching out towards me as though it had a life of its own.

I looked at Carter and his eyes glowed red like embers.

"Call the fire department and get out of here," he said guiding me away from the fire that all of a sudden seemed normal again, taking on the properties that fire usually exhibited.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine," he called over his shoulder as he raced towards the burning building. Alec flanked him and they both disappeared from sight. I started for them, but a hand caught my arm.

"No," Jane said. "You have to get away from here."

"But I can't leave him," I said.

"Annabelle, I promise you he will be fine."

Trish ran up to us and took my other arm, and she and Jane hauled me away from the burning structure. I looked back, but all I could see was red, orange and yellow flames centering the thick layers of smoke puffing into the sky.

The fire truck arrived several minutes later, but by that time the fire had miraculously calmed. It was now smoldering rather than burning. I heard one of the firemen say it must've been a damp night, but it didn't seem that damp to me.

I sat on the curb with Jane and Trish as the crowd dissipated. We were asked twice to make our way to our cars so they could clear the scene, but I wasn't leaving until I saw him. So we waited.

I pretended not to notice the looks Trish and Jane shared, but they were becoming more frequent and nervous with every passing minute.

Finally, Carter and Alec were escorted to the front yard by two firemen, who seemed both irritated and annoyed. Alec and Carter, on the other hand, grinned wildly at one another as they tried, unsuccessfully, to hold back their laughter.

Kendrick and the dark haired stranger emerged from the house and joined Alec and Carter.

I hurried across the lawn and threw myself into Carter's opened arms. I held him tightly as the scent of smoke heavily saturating his shirt wafted into my nasal cavity. When I finally released him, I noticed that not one person, but myself, looked at all concerned. Jane and Trish were smiling at something Alec said, and Kendrick was dusting off the tiny pieces of ash covering his pants.

"It's just such a shame," Kendrick said. "I'm going to have to track down the originals and have additional copies remade."

I looked questionably at Kendrick who rolled his eyes and continued, "The copies of the founding family history."

"The guesthouse was set up to display the history of the town and the founding families," said Carter.

"In particular, your family history," Kendrick added.

"At least they're just copies and not the real things," said Alec.

Everyone nodded in agreement except Kendrick, who was looking down at his shoes and kicking a single blade of grass back and forth.

Carter stepped forward. "Kendrick, what did you do?"

Kendrick's pale face turned a slight shade of red. "I wanted to give her something. It belonged to her family anyway. I thought she should have it."

Jane threw her head back. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I didn't think it would be a big deal," said Kendrick.

"What was it?" said Alec. "What heirloom did you just burn up in that fire?"

"It was just a bracelet," said Kendrick. "There was nothing in the books that said it even had a purpose."

"A purpose that we know of," said Jane.

Carter shook his head and began to pace. "Those books aren't complete, Kendrick. There's still so much we don't know."

"He knows that," said Trish.

Kendrick's eyes began to well. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I said.

"It's not," Trish shouted. "He shouldn't have touched it to begin with."

"You really don't understand," Carter said to me.

I narrowed my eyes on him and stepped out from under his arm.

"No, you don't understand," I said. "Kendrick said it was mine anyway, right?"

"Yes, but..." started Jane.

"Then if it's mine then I am the only one who has the right to be upset that it was destroyed." I turned to Kendrick who looked sorrowfully at me. "I said it's okay. You were trying to do something nice, and it's not your fault it turned out this way. Thank you anyway. It's the thought that counts."

Kendrick smiled, but I didn't bother taking in the rest of their expressions.

It was just an old bracelet!

I walked over to the opposite side of the front lawn and took a quick look at the burned down guesthouse. It was completely destroyed and still smoking.

Carter followed me, leaving the scowling group behind us. "Annabelle."

I turned to face him. "You didn't have to be rude."

His face dropped and he tucked his hands into his pockets. "Heirlooms are very important to us."

"Why?" I asked. "Why is this 'founding family' thing so important to all of you?"

"The displays were supposed to show you everything. You were supposed to see it for yourself."

"Can't you just tell me?"

He shook his head. "It's complicated. The history of Burnwood was going to be the first step, but it's gone now."

"Kendrick said he can order replacements.

"It will take months for those to come in. That's too long."

"Too long for what?"

He sighed. "Too long to wait for you to know."

"You know what I want to know?" I said, shifting my weight onto one leg as I crossed my arms over my chest. "I want to know why you ran towards that burning building. You could've been killed."

He smiled, as though the idea was amusing to him.

"And I want to know why your eyes glow red."

His smile quickly faded as he locked eyes with me. I held his gaze and watched his emotions flatten. He shook his head ever so slightly and looked away.

"Annabelle, it must've been the reflection of the fire you were seeing."

I opened my mouth to respond, but then I heard someone call my name. I turned around to find Alec behind me, his tall frame forcing me to bend my neck to look up at him.

"Jane and Trish are waiting for you at the car," he said.

"Just a second." I turned back to Carter, except he wasn't there.

I looked around, spinning in circles. "Where did he go?"

Alec smiled. "You better hurry up. It's getting late."

I nodded and slowly made my way across the lawn to the car. Jane and Trish arrived shortly afterwards.

"I was wondering where you guys were," I said.

"We were waiting for you exactly where you left us," said Jane.

I arched my brow. "So you didn't send Alec to tell me you guys were waiting at the car?"

Jane and Trish exchanged confused looks. "No," they replied simultaneously.

I sighed and shook my head ever so slightly. "Of course you didn't."

### CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Enjoying the sun, Annabelle?" asked the middle-aged redhead women who worked the morning shift at Rosie's Restaurant and Pub. She handed me my coffee in one hand and my change in the other.

"Yeah, it's beautiful out..." I paused.

"Dorothy," she said.

"Right... sorry, I'm horrible with names. It surprises me how quickly you guys get them in this town."

She smiled and gently fluffed her freshly permed hair in the reflection of the silver spoon in her hand. "New faces aren't so common around here."

"Thanks for the coffee Dorothy."

She waved and waddled back to the kitchen. "Bye now."

I stepped outside and let the sunrays beat down on me. I closed my eyes and indulged the in warmth radiating over my exposed skin. It reminded me of the few months Uncle Felix and I lived near the coast in Florida.

"Don't you wish we had more days like this?"

"Do I ever," I replied, reluctantly opening my eyes.

I really didn't need to open my eyes to know it was Lamar, his deep voice was unmistakable.

"I gotta say," he said, shielding his eyes as he looked up at the sky. "This has me missing Cali weather."

"We lived there once."

"Oh yeah, when?"

I paused with one finger on my chin. "Before Florida, but after Tennessee. So, that was maybe three to five years ago," I nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think that's right."

"I moved a lot when I was younger, too." He scratched his head. "Same state, though, so I guess I had it a little easier."

"Maybe, but I bet you're just as sick of it as I am."

He threw his back exhaustedly. "You have no idea. It has been so nice being in the same place for a while."

I nodded, knowing I couldn't relate.

"Well, I would ask you if you wanted a coffee," he said gesturing at the clear glass door to Rosie's. "But I can see you beat me to it."

"Yeah, I'm all set. Thanks though."

I started down the boardwalk, enjoying the little knocking sound each step made.

"Maybe some other time then?" he said.

I turned around and took in his body language and facial expression. I wasn't sure what to make of the offer, but I knew Jane would explode if I so much as spoke kindly to him. Besides, even with Carter acting like a total weirdo, I knew what I wanted.

"Tell Jane I say hi."

I continued down the boardwalk leaving the awkward silence behind me. I had originally set out for school this morning and at some point convinced myself to walk to the square. The coffee was excellent, but it wasn't the reason I came. I knew that the second I spotted his black Charger parked outside the bookstore.

I decided there was really no subtle way to drop in, so I didn't bother fabricating a reason to show up. Instead, I just showed up.

The chime sounded as I stepped inside. I could hear the sound of cardboard boxes crunching and then sliding along the hardwood floor.

He appeared from behind one of the many bookshelves lining the store. His hair was disheveled and his eyes looked bloodshot, like he had been up all night.

"I wasn't expecting you," he said, running his hand through his hair.

"Yes, well I enjoy the element of surprise," I said. "Are you alright? You look..."

"Devilishly handsome?" He smiled, but it was lacking his usual cocky flare.

"Tired."

"Yeah, well, I was up late. That's all."

"I guess that's understandable."

He nodded and leaned against the counter next to him.

It was quiet for a moment. Too quiet.

"Well, could I get a ride to school with you?"

"Actually, I'm going to be kinda late today. There's just something I need to do right away," he said looking over his shoulder at the clock mounted to the wall.

"I could help you and we could probably both be out of here in time for school," I offered, setting down my school bag.

He picked up the bag and placed it back on my shoulder.

"Actually," he said hesitantly. "This isn't something you can help me with. Why don't you just head to school and I will catch you at lunch?"

"Okay..." I said eying him curiously. "Are you sure you don't need any help?"

He placed one hand on my back and slowly guided me to the door. "No, I've got it." He glanced over his shoulder at the clock again, the minutes closely approaching the hour. "Thanks for stopping by."

We reached the door just as Trish stepped through it. Her eyes automatically fixing on me. She seemed surprised.

"Annabelle," she said, looking from me to Carter.

I, too, looked at Carter, who stepped back from the door.

"Trish, what are you doing here?" I asked.

She looked at Carter again, waiting for him to give her the answer.

He shook his head. "Trish is just here to pick up her books on order."

My eyes narrowed on him and then Trish. I'd seen her locker. Her textbooks were still in their original packaging. I'd also been in her room and very vividly remember the reading material; magazines piled high on the floor.

I threw open the door and stormed outside. "Right."

The door shut hard behind me. I hadn't meant to slam it, but it felt good. In fact, it felt so good that part of me wanted to go back and slam it again.

He didn't follow me out and I was glad. I've heard talking through your problems is the best solution, but I couldn't imagine anything aside from venomous words coming from my mouth at this moment. No, it was better to walk away.

I crossed the Square and found a bench near the boardwalk to sulk on. I was on the opposite side of the Square, but even that wasn't far enough. I could still see the bookstore where both of their cars were conspicuously parked.

They couldn't even be bothered to cover their tracks. Argh!

I was ready to storm off again when Jane's car pulled behind Trish's. She hurried inside the bookstore just as a black Hummer came into view. It was the mysterious founding kid who wore a perpetual look of indifference. Kendrick was with him, holding a small brown file box in his hands and struggling to keep balanced under the weight.

I didn't need to wait any longer to know who was next to show up. I raced across the park, keeping myself out of sight from the bookstore window. I positioned myself at the end of the block where there was just enough space for one more vehicle to pull in and then I waited.

Finally, the last car arrived and parked exactly where I was sure he would.

"Alec!" I called as he stepped out from his lime green Jeep.

His reaction was similar to Trish's, but he smiled anyway.

"What's up Annabelle?"

"I was just going to ask you the same thing," I said, gesturing at the row of cars lining the boardwalk.

"Uh, just a quick coffee with the pals before school."

"Oh great!" I said and started for the entrance. "I'd love some."

He looked at the cup in my hand. "But, you already have some."

I narrowed my gaze and let the façade disintegrate. I turned my cup over and let the coffee spill onto the boardwalk and seep through the tiny slits between the boards. I tossed the cup in the trash can a few feet away and turned on my heels for the bookstore.

"Wait!"

He was too late. I grasped the handle and swung the door open, reentering the store.

They all turned to see me standing there and each one of their faces dropped, as though their secret club had its first intruder. Jane jumped off the counter she was sitting on and gave Carter a quick look.

Alec stepped inside and all of their eyes turned to him.

"Hey guys," he said, sounding nervous. "Annabelle wanted to join us for coffee."

"Stop!" I said, holding out my hand. "I know this isn't about coffee."

Alec stepped back as if to say he was all out of excuses. I scanned the room, taking in all of their expressions. They looked uncomfortable and uneasy, except for Carter. He looked torn like his secrets were starting to take their toll on him.

"He's right," Kendrick said. "It's just coffee among friends."

Carter held up his hand. "Save it. She already got a different story when Trish showed up."

"Oh," Kendrick said, sitting down beside the box he had lugged in.

"Way to go Alec," Trish scolded. "If you just would've let things be she would still be under the impression that Carter and I were hooking up."

I shot her a hateful glare, but she continued anyway. "Which is not what's happening."

Cruz walked in, completely throwing me for a loop. I had thought this was some kind of founding family thing, but Cruz wasn't a founding member.

"What are you doing here?" I asked before turning back to the others. "So Cruz is welcome to your secret club, but I'm not?"

Everyone looked to Carter for the answers, but I looked to Jane. If there was anyone I could trust it would be her.

"Jane," I pleaded, "just tell me what's going on here."

Jane looked at Carter and then back to me. "I'm sorry."

I sighed. She was my last hope of understanding why my friends belonged to some kind of school club, which they had to hide from me. I gave the rest of them a quick look, but no one met my gaze.

Carter reached for my hand. "Annabelle, it's not what you think."

I pulled away and moved for the exit.

"Things aren't always what they seem," said Jane.

I shook my head and sucked in a deep breath. "They may not be, but I'm pretty sure this is."

I left the store and walked directly to school, letting the tears fall in silence. I pulled myself together when I reached the fenced perimeter and headed straight for class. I focused all my attention on my studies for the day, even retreating to the main floor library during lunch hour.

I knew they would all be returning to school after lunch, which meant that I would see Alec in Spanish and Jane in Phys. Ed. We always teamed up together, but I couldn't see how that was going to happen today.

Part of me wanted to forget the whole encounter at the bookstore and just go on acting like usual. Burnwood was finally getting tolerable for me and my friends had everything to do with that. Perhaps if I tried really hard I could manage to push aside the feelings of betrayal and isolation, and hold on to the connection I once shared with them.

I held onto those feelings until fourth period, but I couldn't even force myself to sneak a quick glimpse of Alec. His eyes followed me from the moment I stepped into the classroom until I left. Things didn't get any better by Phys. Ed., either. In fact, I actually walked right passed her as though she were visible. Unfortunately, I couldn't help but see the devastated expression on her face as I did.

After school I left through the main entrance in an effort to avoid the parking lot. I walked quickly and arrived home well ahead of any record I had set in the past.

I stepped inside and kicked off my shoes. "Uncle! Are you home?"

"Kitchen," he called back.

I sat down next to him at the dining table. "Hey."

He furrowed his brow and then glanced down at his watch.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said, blinking away his expression. "It's just I haven't seen you home this early in a while. Something wrong?"

I shook my head. "No, everything's fine. You want to go out for dinner today?"

He folded his newspaper, placed it down on the table, and stared at me. I could tell he was sizing me up. "You want something? That's it, isn't it? You want something from me?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, I want to go out for dinner."

He leaned back in his chair, still eying me. Finally, he shrugged and reached out for his cup of coffee. "Okay, Rosie's it is."

"Actually," I said, pulling my cell phone from my pocket. "There's a bowling alley just east of Portland."

He paused, his look growing more curious. "Let me get this straight. You want to go all the way to Portland..."

"Chamberlain actually," I corrected.

"Of course, you want to go all the way to Chamberlain for bowling and dinner."

"Yes," I said flatly. "It's known for its pizza. It was even on one of the shows on the food network."

He sighed. "And nothing's wrong?"

I got up from my seat and started for the stairs. "I'll be ready in 15 minutes. Is that enough time for you?"

He shrugged indifferently. "Sure."

I paused at the bottom of the staircase and flashed him a thankful smile.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he said, shooing me with a wave of his hand.

I ran back into the kitchen and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "You really are the best uncle in the world."

He rolled his eyes. "Just go already. All this talk about pizza is making me hungry."

We arrived in Chamberlain just after 6 p.m. The parking lot was nearly empty, but it wouldn't be for long. Chamberlain had the only bowling alley in a two-hour radius.

"World's best pizza, eh?" said Felix with one raised brow.

I looked over at the rundown building beside us. The lights flickered and the whole place was covered in a light brown dusty coating, probably from a recent windstorm. "Give it a chance. Maybe it's one of those diamond in a rough kind of places."

"Alright," he said, pulling into the parking space in front of the entrance. "This better be some good pizza."

I followed him into the restaurant and nearly ran into the back of him when he came to an abrupt stop.

"Wow," he said.

"What?" I asked, making my way around his large frame.

"Wow," I echoed. "You really can't judge a book by its cover."

The restaurant was packed full of loud, rowdy people ranging anywhere from 6 years old to over 60. There were neon lights everywhere and wildly colored walls in every direction. The whole place smelled like pizza, making my mouth water almost instantly.

I blinked twice, not sure if I could trust my sight, but there it was.

Felix and I simultaneously turned to the parking lot. It was still bare, only five vehicles sat in the lot. We shared a brief look of confusion before a perky blonde waitress skated up to us. Skated up to us!

"You wanting a lane or just a table?" she asked, her painted red lips moving as she chewed a piece of pink bubble gum.

Felix flashed her his handsome smile. "We'll take a lane if there's one available."

She spun in a circle, scanning the lanes.

"I think that ones on their last," she said, pointing to the far left lane. "There's a waiting list, you know."

"How long?"

"Well, there's a waiting list, but I didn't say you had to be on it."

She batted her eyelashes at him, and he didn't seem at all discomforted by the fact I was standing right beside him. I nudged him on the shoulder and his smug smile faded.

"This your girlfriend?" she asked, skating side to side as though standing still was beyond her abilities.

"What!" I said. "No."

Felix took a $20 bill from his pocket and shoved it into my hand. "She's my niece. Annabelle, why don't you go play some arcade games while I tell this pretty lady about how I raised you since you were just a baby.

She smiled giddily at him. "Oh, yeah. That's cool." She twirled a piece of her blonde hair around her finger and let it trace down her cleavage.

"Oh god," I mumbled. "I'll be at the lane."

I walked away, tucking the bill into my front pocket.

I sat alone at the lane for far longer than reasonably dismissible. I knew this because the groups of people in the lanes next to me started to give me wavering looks. Of course, to them I looked like a lonely teenager waiting for friends that were unlikely to show. I guess they weren't entirely wrong about that.

"Sweet girl," Felix said, drawing my attention from my cell phone.

"Gross," I said. "Did you even notice the red lipstick on her tooth?"

He rolled his eyes. "I didn't see any lipstick."

"Of course you didn't." I sighed. "You were too busy looking at her boobs."

"Okay," he said, rubbing his palms on his jeans nervously. "Let's bowl!"

We bowled three rounds, each progressively more competitive than the last and with an ample amounts of trash talk. I was usually pretty good at bowling, but today my mind was elsewhere. As hard as I tried to forget everything that had happened this morning, I just couldn't. The pain was fresh on my mind and heavy on my heart.

Felix bit into a giant slice of pizza. "So are we still pretending like everything's okay?"

"What do you mean," I said, strategically avoiding eye contact.

"Well, you had me drive two hours out for pizza and bowling, and don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did. We don't get to spend time like this anymore," he said before taking another enormous bite. "And, I mean, I don't know if you really realized how much you sucked at bowling today." He slurped down his Coke and continued, "I killed you out there."

"Ha! It was hardly the slaughter you make it out to be."

"Pretty darn close," he said, smiling smugly before continuing, "But stop changing the subject."

"You actually brought that up," I retorted.

"You're doing it again."

I sighed. I hated it when he was right and most of all, I hated how he could see through me like I was a thin sheet of glass.

I flopped my pizza onto the paper plate in front of me. "I dunno... my friends, at least I thought they were my friends, are acting weird. Very secretive."

"I see," he said. "But things aren't always what they seem. Maybe you should give them the benefit of the doubt."

I furrowed my brow. "That's what Jane said."

He shrugged. "If they're really your friends the least you can do is wait it out. I'm sure all will be revealed sooner or later."

I scowled. "Whose side are you on?"

"Yours," he replied immediately. "Always yours."

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back in my chair. "Well, start acting like it."

He straightened in his chair and saluted me. "Yes drill sergeant."

"Can't you just do one of your moves again?" I leaned forward and smiled. "Somewhere tropical maybe?"

He frowned. "I thought you liked it here."

I did like Burnwood. I liked the friends I had made and the life I could have here, but moving had always been my way of dealing with problems.

Felix lowered his slice of pizza to his plate. He had his serious face on, the one he had on when he told me I was forbidden from doing certain activities, like skydiving or rock climbing.

"Annabelle, I think you should understand something."

Why had I mentioned moving? Now I've initiated the one thing I always hated doing. Why am I incapable of keeping my mouth shut?

"Burnwood is home," he said, meeting my gaze firmly. "There's going to be no more running."

I was so relieved that I almost missed the choice of words used.

"Running?" I repeated.

"Moving...I meant moving."

He diverted his eyes to the table top and fiddled with his fork.

What is it with everyone around me was acting so odd? What the hell were they putting in the water around here?
CHAPTER FITHTEEN

I managed to avoid the founding family kids for almost an entire week, but it wasn't without great effort. Avoiding them wasn't the issue, it was trying to pretend like I didn't want to burst into a million tears every time I saw Carter's and Jane's pleading eyes.

Carter's texts were even worse and I had turned off my phone to avoid replying. I wanted to forgive them and go back to the way things were before, but I just couldn't find it in me to take that first step. My mind was so exhausted by the continuous debate that I hardly had the energy to make a change, and the reoccurring nightmares weren't helping.

I hated reliving the death of my parents and each time was worse than the last. I woke up drenched in sweat and choking on imaginary smoke for the past two nights.

I'm barely making it through the day. I am too sleep deprived to deal with the group right now.

Nevertheless, it was getting harder to avoid them. It was like they were organizing to cut me off at every hallway and entrance. They even had the entrance to the library guarded. Thankfully, Cruz stuck out like, well... a football player in a library, which was easy to spot. Nonetheless, I had to start getting creative in finding another lunchtime retreat.

The third floor...

In all my time in Burnwood I had only seen the third floor windows from outside. It was only the west wing of the school that had a third floor, and I had never actually seen any directions on the school maps that explained what was up there or how to get to it.

I wandered down the locker-lined hallways with the only vaguest idea of where to go. The first stairwell lead downstairs, but the second one, at the far end of the hallway next to the utility closest, led up a narrow flight of stairs.

The stairwell was dimly lit and smelled of old paper. The windows lining the wall let in some sunlight, but the thick layer of dust tinted it. I had almost convinced myself to retreat back to the second floor and forget whatever may be awaiting just stairs away, when I heard an eerily familiar voice.

I froze, one foot hovering above the last stair while the other shook to balance. The hair on my arms raised and a shiver spread through my body. I held my breath, afraid to make even the faintest of noise. I crouched down low and started to back down the staircase, stopping at the sound of the floorboard creaking under my weight. It was too late to make my escape now. I would have to face him.

The footsteps approached in soft, unhurried thumps until he came into view.

"Yury," I said, trying to sound surprised.

He eyed me suspiciously. "Annabelle."

I forced a smile on my face and waved. "Are you here to see Jane?"

The question, as I hoped it would, put him at ease. He smiled his dark, yet attractive grin. "Yes, of course. I'm just waiting here until lunch."

"Oh," I said, casually continuing up the stairs. "Well, lunch hour started 10 minutes ago."

He stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "I thought this room was off-limits to students."

I stopped. "It is?"

"You didn't know?"

I shook my head.

"Well, you're new to town," he said, joining me in an encouraged, slightly insisted descent back to the second floor. "I'm sure no one would hold it against you for making such a mistake... this once."

He held my gaze as he spoke the last words, amplifying what I took to be a warning. I wasn't one to take orders, but there was something seriously dark about him; and I didn't want to provoke whatever madness was surely bubbling beneath the surface.

"Okay," I nodded. "What's up there anyway?"

He kept walking until he had led me far from the hallway and to a staircase on the opposite side of the school.

"Nothing of importance," he insisted. "A few old things the school has stored out of respect for tradition, and a bunch of clutter. It's simply a hazard for you to be anywhere near it."

Why was it that everything he said sounded like a threat?

I kept him in my peripheral vision as I made my way to the main floor. I could see him waiting at the top of the stairs like a guard dog on duty, but what exactly was he guarding?

I found Jane in line in the cafeteria. It was cloudy and miserable outside so I knew she wouldn't be at the courtyard.

"Jane," I said, cutting in line beside her.

She smiled elatedly. "Hey, I thought you weren't..."

I waved my hand through the air as if to dust the thought away. "It's fine. Let's just forget about it."

I watched the relief spread over her face, not giving it a second to set in before I blurted out, "What's on the third floor?"

She placed her tray down and pulled me off to the side. "You weren't on the third floor, were you?"

"Not exactly... but what's up there?"

She grabbed her tray from the counter and we started towards a table pulled out of alignment from the rest. Trish and Cruz were already seated and Jane and I joined them. I ignored their inquiring looks and continued my interrogation.

"So... the third floor, Jane," I repeated. "What's up there?"

"You showed her the third floor?" Trish scowled.

"No!" Jane replied. "Of course not."

I leaned back to take them all in. It was just like the bookstore. The cryptic language and vague explanations we're all too familiar.

Their eyes shifted from me to someone behind me, and I turned to find Carter and Alec standing there. Carter seemed confused, but Alec seemed unfazed. It was the thing I admired the most about Alec. He was always so upbeat, a "the glass is half full" kind of guy.

"Annabelle... you're here," said Carter, sounding more confused than he looked.

"Yeah," added Alec, sliding into the seat beside me. "Where have you been hiding girl? Carter's had us looking all over... Ouch!"

Alec shot Cruz a hateful look and rubbed the calf of his leg. I chose not to acknowledge any of it. Instead, I refocused on Jane and continued.

"Jane, what's on the third floor?"

Carter slammed down his tray across from Jane. "She knows about the third floor!"

"Would someone tell me what the big deal is about the damn third floor?" I yelled, sending them all into a deafening silence.

They stole quick glances at one another, but no one took the bait.

I sighed. "Fine," I said, pushing myself up from the table. "Not only will I find out for myself, but I won't tell you who's up there right now poking around."

That seemed to get their attention. Cruz shot up from the table and he, Jane, and Trish took off toward the west wing. I narrowed my eyes on Carter and Alec who met my gaze.

"Something's going on here."

Carter opened his mouth to say something, but I held out my hand and cut him off. "Don't worry. I'm going to figure it out on my own."

"You wouldn't have to if you just trusted me."

I shook my head in frustration and sat back down at the table. Jane returned in recorded time, Cruz and Trish following close behind.

"No one was there," said Jane.

Carter gave me a humorous look, seemingly convinced that I was just playing some kind of trick on them.

"But, things have been... disturbed," Jane added.

I raised a brow at Carter to say a silent "I told you so," and then rose from the table.

"Well, I guess I'll be on my way," I said, starting towards the exit. I paused, doing a half turn and added, "Unless there's something you all wish to tell me."

Again, I was met with silence.

I shrugged and continued on my way. "Didn't think so."

Now that I was out of sight the calm and cool façade quickly faded, replaced only by pure frustration. I wanted to know what was on the third floor and if Yury wasn't there anymore, it was safe for me to return.

I hurried back to the west wing and up the first flight of stairs, but when I made it to the third floor staircase Cruz and Alec were already there, blocking the entrance.

"How did you get here before me? There's no way..."

"The third floor is off-limits," said Cruz. "Seriously faulty wiring up there."

I huffed in frustration and retreated to the second floor. If I couldn't get to the third floor, maybe there was a way I could find out what was there without ever having to step inside.

I made a quick stop by my locker and headed for the west exit. Burnwood was a tiny town, but not without its resources. If Burnwood was anything, it was historic, meaning there had to be archives somewhere. I remembered my history teacher, Mr. Hanson, saying that the building was a historic landmark in Burnwood, which meant it wasn't always a high school.

I was so focused on the mission ahead of me that as I rounded the corner, I slammed right into a moving black clothed figure. The collision landed me on the floor, but aside from a minor throbbing pain coming from my forehead, I was okay.

"Sorry," I said, rubbing my hand over the right side of my forehead. I looked up and found the mysterious founding kid standing over me, his hand extended out.

"Nah," he said. "I should've been paying more attention."

He helped me up and then stepped back, sliding his hands into his pocket. "I'm Nick by the way."

"Annabelle," I replied as I pulled my bag from the floor and slung it over my shoulder. "Hey, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I was actually just on my way out and it's kind of important." I passed him and called over my shoulder, "But, it was really nice finally meeting you."

I had already reached the exit doors when he asked, "So you're not going to fourth period?"

The doors closed behind me before I had a chance to answer him, but I really didn't have time to explain. My tunnel vision had set in and the only thing on my mind was getting to the town square.

I could've taken the route through town, but I didn't want to risk running into Uncle Felix. He had always scolded me for skipping class, insisting that I take my education more seriously.

I used the GPS on my phone to guide me, but it didn't pick up all the trails, so I had to decipher the path on my own.

It felt like I had been walking for hours when the trail ended before a 30-foot drop to a flowing creek below. I nearly cried when I realized I had walked all this way only to be stopped by three feet of water, but then I noticed the bridge not far from the trail.

I had to navigate through the woods to get to it, which was strange because there didn't seem to be any path leading there.

I felt a slight shake as my foot landed one of the boards, but it hardly slowed me down. I'm not sure if it was my determination or my lack of common sense that got me halfway across the bridge before I realized it was trembling beneath me. I stopped, waiting motionlessly for the shaking to cease, but it never quite did.

I decided then that it was in my best interest to get off that bridge as quickly as possible, but the second I lifted my foot a support beam below me cracked, sending the bridge into a violent sway.

I grabbed hold of the railings and tried to counteract the weight, but that only made things worse. I squeezed tighter as the bridge wobbled from side to side. My nails bit into the wood, barely recognizing the pain of the splinters, and my knuckles whitened under the pressure. I tried to remain as still as possible, but it was hopeless. The bridge was falling.

### CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Another beam cracked, with the sound echoing into the distance. The bridge tilted to the left and I grabbled for a better grip. I stumbled to keep my balance, leaning hard to the right as my hands gripped tightly to the loose railing.

It was only a matter of time now.

"Annabelle!"

My head shot up and I saw him. "Carter."

He took a step towards me, but the movement sent the bridge into a violent sway. He stepped back and stared at the bridge in panic. "Don't move!"

"No!" I yelled. "You can't do anything for me. Stay away from the bridge."

"You're going to be okay."

It was a pleasant thought and I reveled in the conviction in his voice, but there was nothing he could do to stop this bridge from collapsing.

The last support beam snapped beneath me, sending the bridge toppling to the side.

"Carter!"

I took one last look into his hazel brown eyes and then closed mine and let loose of the railing. I felt my body free falling through the air, the breeze whipping my hair up and over my face, but I didn't care. I didn't care about the fall, or plummeting to my death, I only cared about the image in my mind of his gorgeous brown hair, his strong facial features, and his warm hazel eyes.

At least his was the last face I saw before falling to my death.

But I wasn't falling anymore. I had stopped.

I didn't feel dead. I wasn't sure how death should feel, but this couldn't be it.

I opened my eyes and they immediately found his, and just like before, the irises glowed a fierce red.

I was so entranced that it took me moments to realize he was cradling me in his arms, but that couldn't be. He was at the edge of the cliff seconds before I fell, and even if he could get to the bottom of the creek, there was no way he could've saved me from that fall.

He lowered me to my feet, but before I knew it another beam fell from the half remaining structure above us. It was coming directly at us, so large and devastatingly destructive that I didn't bother trying to outrun it and neither did he.

Instead, he reached his arm above his head and caught the beam in his hand, tossing it to the side as though it was nothing more than a piece of firewood.

I stumbled back, my mouth gapping as I took in the wreckage. Pieces of broken wood that once made up the bridge floated downstream, bopping up and down as they slide over protruding rocks.

"You're fine," he said in a calm, unshaken voice.

I ran my fingers through my hair. "How... how did you catch me? How did you catch that?" I pointed to the massive beam of wood to my right.

I stepped closer to him, taking his face in my hands as I gazed into his eyes.

"Your eyes," I whispered.

He blinked and when they reopened they were back to their regular hazel color with exquisite sapphire rings around the inner iris.

"You don't have to hide from me," I said softly.

I closed my eyes and let my lips find his. They were soft and warm, sending a tingling sensation through my body. I felt his arms close around me as his hands found the small of my back. I slid my hands up his bare arms and over his shoulders.

I could feel the energy passing between us as his body grew warmer and his hold tighter, and then a sudden change swept over us as he pulled away.

I stepped closer, trying to close the space he had created between us. "It's okay."

"No," he said and then disappeared like a blur through the woods leaving a gust of air sweeping across the creek.

That couldn't have just happened. No. None of this is possible: the eyes, the strength, and the speed were all too... supernatural. This can't be real!

It was a long walk home and I spend every second of it` 1 reliving the moment at the creek. I relived the fall and the kiss and the disappearing act, but no matter how many times I ran through it in my head I ended at the same conclusion. I had gone mad.

I should tell my uncle. He should know that I've gone crazy. Maybe he can find a way to fix me.

"No!" I shouted aloud. "I know what I saw!"

I was within blocks from my house when I turned on my heels and headed to the town square, making it there in good time, though I wouldn't expect Carter to think so. I reached the book store and to my dismay it was closed. It occurred to me then that I had no idea where Carter lived, a piece of information that would be highly useful at the moment.

I sat down on the bench across the street from the bookstore and waited, but as the minutes began to approach the hour I doubted he was coming back. I stood to leave just as a green Jeep pulled into the parking lot next to Rosie's diner.

"Alec!" I called as I jogged across the street.

He frowned. "Nothing's on the third floor, Annabelle. Give it a break."

Sometimes Alec made the easiest target. He was always so focused on one thing that he never took the time to consider everything else going on around him. It was like shooting sitting ducks and I almost felt guilty about it. Almost.

I raised my hands above my head, defeated. "Okay, okay, I'll drop it."

He nodded, standing tall. "Good."

"I just feel so badly about the way I acted, especially to Carter." I sighed. "I wanted to apologize, but the bookstore's closed."

He glanced over at the bookstore, something I didn't understand because the sign was too far away to read, but maybe he was looking for the car.

"Why don't you check his house?"

I smiled. "That's a good idea... it's just that I don't know where he lives."

"Give me your phone. I can punch the address into your GPS."

I quickly took out my phone and handed it over.

He typed in the address and handed it back. "It's a bit of a drive."

I sighed.

One step forward and two steps back. I couldn't make it to the blinking red dot without a car.

I slipped my phone into the back pocket of my jeans. "I'll figure something out. Thanks."

"No problem."

We parted ways, me wandering aimlessly around the square while I devised a plan. I would need a mode of transportation and I had an idea where to find one.

### CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I hurried home to find the SUV parked in the driveway. It was a long shot, but I had to try.

I stepped inside. "Uncle."

"Here."

I turned and found him lying on the sofa. He was watching football and from the looks of it, the game had just started.

Perfect!

I sat down beside him, pushing his feet to the side. "Can I borrow the car?"

"Why?"

"I just need it."

He eyed me silently for a moment and then turned back to the game.

I sighed and flopped back against the couch. "You're not even using it. C'mon. And we both know that you're not going to enjoy the game with me sitting beside you nagging you all day."

He grimaced and reached for the end table. "Take it," he said as he tossed the keys at me.

"Thanks." I jumped up and hurried for the door.

"Wait," he said. "Where are you going?"

I paused. Why did I never think to come up with something before the questions were hurdled my way?

I spun and smiled. "Jane's house." I shrugged. "Where else?"

He eyed me suspiciously and then very slowly nodded. "Okay."

I darted for the door. "Okay, bye."

I followed the dirt roads leading to the blinking red dot. I was never more thankful for GPS than at this very moment. Burnwood's dirt roads and trails were like mazes, each path looking indistinguishable from the next.

Finally, I pulled into a lot that had to be roughly the same size as two football fields. There was a beautiful two-story house in the center of the lot, unique in the way it stood out from the rest of Burnwood's Victorian-styled homes. Instead, it was modern and polished.

I parked in the circular driveway even though the space next to Carter's Charger in front of the garage was available. This made for a better get away.

Slowly, I made my way up the porch steps and to the front door. I held my fist up high, but I couldn't knock. I just froze there with my hand in the air.

I stepped back and paced in little circles, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans. I took a deep breath.

You can do this.

I walked up to the door again, feeling more confident. I raised my fist and again, I froze.

What's happening to me? Why can't I face him?

I lowered my fist and tucked my hands into my pockets, sighing in defeat. I knew what I was afraid of and I wasn't ready to face that fear just yet. I was about to turn back when the front door flew open and Carter came rushing out of the house, crashing into me. I fell to the floor and slid across the porch. He caught me by my hand just as I was about to go over the stairs. He looked surprised to see me and I couldn't blame him. For all he knew I was still navigating my way through the woods where he left me. He pulled me up to my feet, staring at me like he had just seen a ghost.

"Hi," I said brilliantly.

He grabbed hold of my shoulders, smiling. "You're okay."

I furrowed my brow. "You knew I was okay. You're the one who saved me."

He shook his head. "No. That's not what I was... never mind. It doesn't matter." He pulled me into his arms and held me so tightly that a slight wheezing sound came with every breath I took.

"Carter," I said, wiggling from him embrace. "What's going on?"

"The sheriff just left a message for my dad. A female's body was found in the woods today... close to the Mill Bridge." His gaze fell to the floor. "Right where I left you."

"Someone died? In the woods where we were? What? When?"

He pulled me into his arms and held me again. Of course, I was completely fine, but he smelled so good and felt even better pressed up against me that I just enjoyed the moment.

He rested his forehead against mine. "I'm just so glad you're okay. I..."

I took his face in my hands. He looked sad and maybe a bit guilty. "I'm okay," I assured him.

"I never should've left you."

I laughed. "You kind of have a habit of that."

He placed his hands over mine, pressing them against his face. "When I heard the message from the sheriff... I thought it was you."

I shook my head. "I'm right here. I'm okay."

He was quiet for a moment and then he took my hand. "Come with me."

We walked across the lawn to the corner of the property. The east side of their lot was a sandy shore framing a small portion of the lake. The other sides were walled by the same dense forest that covered the rest of Burnwood, and right in between the lake and the trees stood a small log cabin.

It looked like a guesthouse with its two glass windows and small wooden porch. The main house, where Carter and I had just walked from, had a similar appearance, but in a much grander fashion.

He opened the door to the cabin and I stepped inside. It wasn't at all what I had expected. There was a large flat screen television mounted on the far wall with a leather sofa positioned in front of it. There were signed football posters on the walls and metals and trophies on top of almost every flat surface in the room. There was a small bathroom near the entrance and an unmade king-sized bed next to that.

"Is this your room?"

Carter nodded. "I like my privacy."

"You're dad's okay with this?"

He gave me a questioning look and I realized then that our upbringings must've been very different.

"You know, with you being this far away from him," I explained. "My uncle always made me take the room next to his no matter how many rooms were in the house we rented."

Carter chuckled. "My dad knows I can take care of myself."

He didn't say it as an insult, but I couldn't help but take it as one. It wasn't like I couldn't take care of myself, I just never had the chance to try. I'd been in Girl Guides before and karate for years. I definitely had survival skills, at least in theory.

"Not that you can't take care of yourself," he said, his cheeks the slightest shade of pink. "I'm sure you can."

I forced a smile on my face. "It's okay." I shrugged. "Uncle Felix means well. He just wants to keep me safe."

"Of course he does."

I sat down on the sofa and once it was clear that he wouldn't be joining me, leaning against the dresser on the opposite side of the room, I got right down to business.

"Carter, I know what I saw and I know something is going on here."

Carter opened his mouth, surely to dismiss my trail of thought, but I continued anyway.

"I'm not here to interrogate you. There's no point. You're as stubborn as me."

His serious look diminished and he gave me a slightly less tense half smile. He crossed the room and joined me on the sofa, keeping to the far left. It was a small step, but at least it was progress.

"Wait."

He slouched back into the sofa and ran his hand through his hair. "I knew that was too easy."

"There's one thing that is absolutely nonnegotiable."

"And that is?"

"You can tell me as little or as much as you want, but whatever you tell me has to be the truth," I said firmly. I swallowed hard and continued, "It has to be the whole truth. No white lies and no half-truths."

He looked at me and it felt like he was seeing right through me. It was uncomfortable, not because I had anything to hide, but because no one had ever looked at me like that before.

"Why are you doing this?"

I took a deep breathe in and let it out. "Because I trust you, Carter."

My gaze drifted from him to the floor. I linked my fingers and slid my intertwined hands in between my knees, the way I always did when I was nervous. I felt his fingers gently tug on my chin until our eyes met again.

"But why?" he repeated.

I moved closer to him. "Don't pretend like you do feel it."

His lips brushed against mine. "What do you feel?"

I quivered. It felt so good to be close to him, to feel his hands sliding up my thigh and his lips against the skin of my neck. I wanted more and the feeling was as undeniable as it was irresistible.

He pulled me in and kissed me hard. For once, I didn't think. I acted.

I slid my hands over his arms and then down his chest until I found the hem of his shirt. Slowly, I slipped my hands beneath it and felt the warmth of his bare flesh.

He grabbed my leg and pulled it across him so that I was sitting with one knee on each side of his body. His hands ran up my back, sending shivers through my body.

I felt his breathe warm against my neck and his soft lips. Our bodies were so close I could feel his heartbeat, quick and strong.

He lifted me into his arms and carried me cross the room, gently lowering me on top of the bed. He kissed me again, his hands intertwined with mine. I closed my eyes and thought of nothing but the way his fingers felt slowly tracing down my body until they reached my hips.

I felt his lips against mine and I opened my eyes to embrace him, but there they were again. Staring back at me with the same fiery redness I'd seen at the bridge.

He caught my stare and quickly closed his eyes and stepped back. He turned to the window and grasped each side of the frame with his strong hands. The wood cracked and the broken chips fell to the floor. He ran his hands through his hair and leaned his forehead against the glass window.

I placed my hand on his back. "It's okay. You don't need to hide from me."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he scoffed.

I slipped in between him and the window, trying to position myself in front of him, but he just pivoted in the opposite direction.

I rested my forehead on his back, wrapping my arms around his waist. "You can trust me," I whispered.

He said nothing for a very long time. He didn't turn to embrace me, but he didn't pull away either.

I sighed. "I made you a promise and I intend to see it through. You don't have to explain anything, but if you ever decide you want to, you know where to find me."

I knew he wouldn't face me, but I couldn't help but to look back at him. I knew his struggle was internal, and something he needed to decide for himself. As helpless as I felt, I knew it wasn't my place to push him on this.

I reached for the doorknob, pulled open the door, and suddenly he appeared before me. It was as quick as a blink of an eye and my body instinctively stumbled back in surprise.

He looked at me, his eyes glowing red like embers. "You want to know? Fine!"

He grabbed my hand and stormed out of the cabin with me in tow. I followed him into the woods behind the cabin until we came to a large meadow. The meadow was covered in tall pale green grass and white wild flowers growing amongst the shrubs and trees.

"What are you doing?" I asked, wiggling my hand from his grip.

He looked back at me. "You wanted to know the truth, didn't you?"

His voice was angry and his eyes continued to blaze red. "Here's the truth!"

He sped through the woods in a zigzag fashion, moving so quickly that I registered nothing more than a blur of motion. One second he was beside me and the next he was standing on the opposite side of the meadow. He dropped his fist to his side and when he opened his hand, a ball of flame burned from his palm.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I winked twice, but the fire was still there, burning for the center of his hand. I had to be imagining this.

He pulled his arm back and then threw it forward in one quick motion. The ball of flame soared through the air and slammed into the center of a large oak tree, sending thousands of wood slivers raining down around what remained of the tree.

I gasped, looking back at Carter just in time to see him disappear into another blur of movement. He appeared beside me, creating a breeze that tossed my hair wildly. My eyes wide and my mouth gaping, I couldn't look away. I knew there was something incredible about Carter, but this was far beyond anything I had ever imagined.

"Now you know! Now you've seen the monster for yourself."

I stumbled back, frightened not by what I had seen, but by the tone of his voice and the pain in his eyes.

His gaze fell to the ground. "Go ahead. Run."

I stepped forward and took his hand. I could still fell the warmth in his palm from the fireball. "I'm not going anywhere."

He tried to turn away, but I wouldn't let him. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him close.

"Why would you stay? You saw what I can do. You've seen the monster inside me..." he began.

I shook my head. "You're not a monster."

He looked away. "You say that now..."

"I say that because it's true! You're different, yes, that's a given; but that doesn't mean you're a monster."

"You don't know what this means, do you?"

I paused. He was right. I didn't know what this meant. He was fast, strong, and had some kind of control over fire, but I didn't understand any of it.

"I guess I don't, but I do know you and that's enough for me."

"It shouldn't be, Annabelle." He stepped back and out of my reach. "You need to be careful about who you trust. You can't open yourself up to just anyone."

"You're not just anyone," I said, recognizing the anger in my voice. "You can try and shove a wedge between us as much as you want, but I know you feel it."

He shook his head. "You don't know what you feel."

His words had the power to make me feel like nothing more than a child experiencing some kind of juvenile crush.

"Why do you have to do that?" I yelled. "Why can't you just accept that I care about you despite your differences?"

"Because she couldn't!" he blurted out.

The words escaped his mouth in such haste that I was sure by the look on his face that he hadn't meant to say them. The regret was marked on every inch of his expression.

I took his face in my hands. "Who couldn't?"

His body slumped and he started back for the cabin. "If my own mother couldn't accept me, how could anyone else?"

I followed him, not sure what to say, not sure if there was anything I could say.

I knew Carter's mother was absent, but I had never guessed it had anything to do with him. I know the pain of losing a parent, but not of having one walk out on you.

We returned to the cabin and sat on the couch. He looked out the window and the silence filled the room with an intensity that almost felt tangible. After a while, I did the only thing I thought would help.

I slid closer to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He lifted his arm receptively and rested my head on his chest. We sat there, silently wrapped in each other's arms. The tension and space melted away without a single word spoken, and even though the pain was still present in his eyes, something had changed. He rested his chin atop my head and I closed my eyes, letting the rhythm of his heartbeat lull me to sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

I awoke the next morning not on the couch where I remembered falling asleep, but in Carter's bed, carefully tucked beneath the covers. The cabin was empty, but I could see a blanket and pillow strewn across the sofa where he must've slept.

I dangled my feet off the side of the bed and I stretched my arms over my head. Carefully, I slid off the bed and went to the window, pulling back the drapes. The sunlight filled the room, reflecting off a vase of freshly pick wild flowers on top of the dresser.

The door opened and Carter stepped inside with a silver tray in his arms.

"I didn't think you would be awake this early."

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a morning person. When the sun's up, I'm up."

"I brought you some food... that is if you feel like eating?"

"That's another thing about me... I always feel like eating."

I looked over the tray of food. There was a banana nut muffin, sliced strawberries, and two slices of buttered whole wheat toast.

I raised my brow. "How did you know?"

"The food?" he asked. "I've seen you eat lunch every afternoon since your first day in Burnwood."

I nodded and then noticed the sizable black leather book beneath the tray. "What's that?"

He pulled out the book and laid it on the bed. It was old and dingy looking, encased in worn leather.

"It's your history lesson for the day. I figure if you're going to know things, we should start at the beginning."

I arched a brow. "The beginning?"

"You know... the history of where people like me come from."

I grabbed the book and eagerly flipped to the first page. "There are more of you? I mean, there are more like you."

"You didn't seriously think I was just some type of one in a million phenomenon, did you?"

It was only after he asked the question did I realize that was exactly what I thought. The world I knew no longer existed. Everything had changed overnight, becoming a world of mystery, one in which anything was possible.

I forced a laugh. "Of course not."

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in for a kiss.

"There are many of us, which you would know if you would just read this," he said, tapping the delicately thin page with his knuckle.

I took the book and protectively enveloped it in my arms. I got up from the bed and walked over to the sofa where my bag was propped up against a cushion.

"What are you doing?"

"Putting it in my bag."

"Hold on." He rushed to my side and took the book from my hand. "You've got to stay here and read it. My dad doesn't know it's gone, but I'm going to have to put it back before he gets home."

I glanced at the digital clock sitting on the nightstand. "What about school?"

He glanced at it too, but seemed disinterested.

"How insistent are you on attending today?"

"Carter!" I exclaimed. "It's school. We have to go."

"Why?"

I was so baffled by the question that answering it became immensely difficult.

"What's the harm in missing one day?" he continued, slowly backing towards the bed.

I frowned. "I've missed enough days."

He flashed me his cocky grin. "Oh c'mon. Aren't you dying to know what's in here?"

He held the book up to catch my attention and then patted the spot beside him on the bed.

I eyed him. "How long before we have to return it?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Probably around four o'clock."

I paused and considered my options. "We won't have any time after school."

"So we're staying," he said, flopping down on the bed enthusiastically.

"Not so fast. We're going to take the book with us."

He shook his head and folded his arms over his chest. "No way. Not happening."

"We'll have it back before he gets home."

"No. It could get lost or torn or stolen. Do you know what could happen if this thing got stolen?"

I didn't know what could happen. That was the point of reading it. Knowing the basics wasn't enough and this book had the information I needed. I wasn't even sure why I needed it, but something inside me yearned to understand him better.

"We can get a study pass from the office," I explained. "That way we will be marked as present. We can go through the book in the library. No one will be in there during class hours."

"Only one problem," he said. "You can only request study passes for group projects."

I smiled. "Or for extra credit assignments."

The color drained from his cheeks. "I don't like the sound of this."

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to try bringing up those grades. I saw your last history essay and you've got a lot of room to improve."

"What are you talking about?" He jumped off the bed. "I did great on that essay."

I frowned. "You got a D."

He sighed. "Okay, we're going to school, but I still think the book should stay here."

"Carter, what could possibly happen to it in the next 6 hours?"

He stared at me hesitantly and then gave me a slight nod. I smiled and pushed onto my tippy toes, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

I followed Carter to my house, not trusting that I would find my way back home. I parked in the driveway and slipped inside to place the keys on the side table at the entrance. I kept quiet, hoping my uncle wouldn't catch me in the act. I hadn't decided what I would tell him about being gone for the night, but I knew it wouldn't be the truth.

He will kill me if he finds out that I spent the night with Carter. No, he simply cannot know.

I hurried back outside where Carter was waiting for me.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "I don't think he's home."

"Where is he?"

The question hit me like a brick wall. I didn't know where Uncle Felix was. All I knew is that he'd been missing a whole lot lately.

We pulled into the school parking lot, but it was empty. The clouds were thick and gray, shielding the daylight. A thick fog lingered, covering the school ground.

I looked down at the clock on my cell phone, it was 8:15 a.m. "Where is everyone?"

He scanned the area. "I don't know. The lot should be full by now."

He parked in what we could only assume was a parking stall, hidden by the fog.

"Wait here," he said, turning off the ignition.

I got out of the car, meeting his glare head-on. "It's spooky out here."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, just stay close."

He took my hand and we walked to the side entrance. It was the entrance closest to the parking lot and the one everyone who drove to school used.

He shook the handle vigorously. "They never lock this door."

"What does this mean?"

I was more confused than worried. I couldn't feel worried, not with Carter at my side. Next to him, I felt safe.

We walked around to the front door and Carter threw open the door. We entered the building and the deafening silence gave us pause. We glanced at each other.

"Is it a holiday?" I asked.

"No," he said. "Something's wrong."

A light flickered on from inside the office. I started for the door, but Carter caught me by the waist and pulled me behind him.

"Wait here," he said.

He crept towards the door just as a blonde head of hair popped up from below the reception desk.

"There, that's better," she said, adjusting her glasses to sit comfortably on her thin nose.

I jumped in surprise, but Carter didn't budge an inch.

"Who are you?" he said.

"I'm Gwendolyn. I'm the new receptionist," she gushed, pushing back a strand of hair that managed to escape her neatly twisted bun.

I stepped out from behind Carter. "What about Ms. April?"

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair and readjusted her glasses. "I assume you haven't received the notification."

She paused and Carter and I shared a quick look.

"What notification?"

"Well, I'm not really sure what the policy of disclosure is around here. The school sent out an email today informing all students that classes have been canceled for today in light of... well the situation." She lowered her voice to a whisper as she finished her sentence.

"What situation?" Carter asked, the tone of his voice rising above its natural coolness.

"I'm sorry," I interrupted. "I'm confused. When will Ms. April be returning to school?"

Gwendolyn quieted. She pointed her finger to the coffee table in the waiting room where a stack of newspapers lay. "Perhaps you two should pick up today's edition."

I walked over to the table and picked up one of the three copies of Burnwood Daily. I stared at the cover as the words seeped through me like ice water. My body froze, every muscle tightening against my will. Slowly, my eyes moved from the big block letters to the picture below.

Carter wrenched the paper from my clasped hands and read it for himself. He tossed it down on the table and took my hand, pulling me from the office. My body felt stiff and difficult to navigate, but I let him lead me away, the picture now permanently burned into my mind.

"I know that place," I said. "I've been there before."

He pulled me into the chemistry lab and closed the door behind us. "I know. It doesn't make sense."

He paced and I did everything I could to not lose control.

"Carter," I said, my voice broken and barely louder than a whisper. "That cliff... it's the same place you took me."

He nodded his head and continued to pace.

I stepped in front of him, forcing him to come to a stop. "Carter, what's going on?"

He shook his head. "I've got to find my father. Stay here. I want to tell you everything, but you have to start with this."

He took the bag from my shoulder and sat it down on top of the desk next to us. He opened it and retrieved the leather bond book and handed it to me.

"Take it to the library and read as much as you can. I'll come back for you once I speak to my dad. He has to know that Ms. April worked at Burnwood High."

Carter started for the door, but I grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Wait," I said. "I don't understand."

"And you won't," he replied. "Not if you don't start with that book right there."

I sighed and released his arm.

I leaned back against the tall chemistry table behind me and folded my arms across my chest as I watched out the window. Within seconds he was in the parking lot, getting into his car.

I look down at the old leather book still on the desk and sighed. He didn't even leave me with any directions: where to start, what to pay close attention to, or what I should even be looking for.

I tucked the book underneath my arm and threw my bag over my shoulder. The chemistry lab wasn't a place I ever felt comfortable studying. I couldn't concentrate in a room filled with deadly chemicals and explosive materials, the constant fear of death looming in the air.

I sauntered down the icily cool hallway in no particular direction. I was still pondering my options, and there were plenty now that the school would be empty for the day. I considered the cafeteria, but it was far too large and exposed. The library seemed like my best bet, but then I remembered the third floor.

### CHAPTER NINETEEN

I stood at the end of the second floor hallway, staring up at the stairs to the third floor. I'm not sure why I felt so nervous about going up there, but I did.

I wiped my palms on my jeans and swallowed the lump in my throat, taking the first step up. My footsteps echoed, amplified in the silence. I wanted to pretend like the quiet was comforting, but wasn't. It reminded me that I was alone. I focused on counting my steps in my head, hoping to keep my mind occupied. But the closer I got to the third floor, the more I started recognizing the scene I was walking into.

Strangely, the west wing of the school seemed perfectly suited to host an episode of The Walking Dead. Yes, it was absolutely perfect for a neck-biting, trapped-inside-an-abandoned-building-with-no-hope-in-hell, zombie attack.

There's no such thing as zombies, there's no such thing as zombies, there's no...Wait! If people like Carter exist than anything was possible.

I quickened my pace, making a mental note to take the corners wide.

I reach the third floor and looked down at the large black leather book tucked under my arm. The answer to my questions lay within the pages of this book. I was finally going to know something about my past. I didn't let the thought sink in- it wouldn't be wise to start daydreaming about something as sensitive as belonging. After all, I was still 16 years old and at the mercy of a spur-of-the-moment kind of uncle who never seemed able to stay in one place for long.

It wasn't like I didn't wonder why we moved so often, I even asked once or twice. It was always the same answer- work. Moving was one of those things we never really talked about. He would give me the same answers, like he was rehearsing a script from memory.

I padded the cover of the book and smiled justly. This would be my defining moment in Burnwood's legacy.

I looked around. It was a library alright, which was somewhat disappointing. I suppose all the secrecy about the third floor had my imagination running wild with images of all sorts of fantastical things. I was embarrassed to admit it, but I half expected a lair filled with ancient artifacts.

I could see why the school cordoned it off; it was tiny, unkempt, and an obvious danger zone with its towering bookshelves.

I took the first table I came across. It was positioned against the east corner of the library, next to a large window and between two tall bookshelves. There were four chairs positioned around the table, so I used the first to hold my book bag and sat down on the one beside it.

The library was quiet, only the hum of the furnace filling the air, but I didn't mind. The noise was actually kind of comforting. In the city there was always some kind of noise, whether it was traffic or sirens or even just the sound of your neighbor coming up the staircase. I guess I kind of got used to that over the years.

I took a deep breath and flipped to the first page of the book. I was expecting an introduction or perhaps a table of contents, but what I got was quite unanticipated. Where I had expected words, there was a huge, detailed drawing of a monstrous, fire-breathing dragon, but more shocking was the eyes. They glowed like embers- blazing red, just the way I remembered Carter's had. I stared at the picture, studying its every detail: the curves of the long, elegant tale, the span of the enormous wings, the snarling look of its frighteningly realistic profile, and its atrociously long claws. It was both terrifying and enthralling.

I flipped through the pages, one after another, until my eyes began to hurt from trying to decipher the handwritten cursive covering the pages. I had never encountered a book that was handwritten before. In fact, I was sure they didn't make such literature after the invention of the typewriter, which gave me an indication of just how old the book really was.

I took a bottle of water from my bag and took a sip before turning back to the book, but before I could focus a loud clinking noise echoed up the staircase. I got up and cautiously made my way to the stairwell.

"Hello," I said.

I turned back towards my table just as another loud noise came from somewhere downstairs.

"Is anyone there," I called, this time taking a few steps down the stairs. "Classes have been canceled for the day. There's no need to be here."

I waited, but again, no response.

I descended the stairs, this time more quickly, but when I reached the second floor I found it as eerily quiet as before. I was ready to turn back, but I caught a glimpse of dark hair and black pants. The figure turned down another hall before I could make out who it was. "Hey!"

I started into a slow jog, coming around the corner to another empty hallway.

I looked through the glass window on the door to the classroom beside me, but it was clear, as was the next two classes. I don't know if I was planning on checking every room, but I never got the chance. My phone rang and I reached into my pocket to retrieve it.

It was Carter.

"Hey," I said. "How'd the thing with your dad go?"

"Actually, that's what I'm calling about. I need you to grab the book and meet me in the parking lot. I'm just pulling up now."

"But, I've only gotten through the first 10 pages. You know, it's kind of a hard read."

"I'll explain later, but for now we need to get that book home before my dad gets there."

Suddenly, I understood all too well what was happening. Carter's father was on his way home and probably for that book.

I ran back to the third floor and tossed all my belonging into my bag. I reached for the center of the table where I had left the book, but my hand fell flat on the table top. It was gone.

I dropped to my knees and searched under the table and chairs, nothing. I frantically grabbed for my book bag, silently praying that I had simply tucked it away and forgotten. I flipped the bag upside down, pouring the contents onto the table, but it wasn't there either. I sulked down into the chair and let my head fall into my open palms. I wanted to cry, but the adrenaline racing through my veins made my stomach feel queasy and I didn't want to run the risk of throwing up all over the library floor. That would be just my luck.

"Annabelle."

I knew I would have to tell him what happened to his father's book, but that didn't make me any more prepared for it. I let him call my name a few more times before he reached the third floor.

I took a deep breath and drew myself up from the chair. "I'm here."

He stopped, taking in my sullen demeanor. "What happened?"

He placed his hands gently on my shoulders. It was so comforting that it only amplified my guilt. Here he was comforting me when I so carelessly lost one of his most precious possessions.

"Carter," I said hesitantly. "I have something to tell you."

He looked on patiently, waiting for me to continue.

"The book is gone."

I stared at the floor so I wouldn't have to see the look of disappointment on his face. At least, I hoped it was disappointment and not anger, but I wouldn't blame him if it was both. He trusted me with something incredibly important to his family and I had lost it. In fact, I had lost it within the hour he had left me alone with it.

"I know you must be really mad right now," I started, taking his hand in mine as I looked up into his hazel eyes.

"Wait," he said. "Start from the beginning. What happened?"

"I'm not really sure. I had it right here," I said, walking over to the table were my book bag laid sprawled across the floor. "I was reading it and then I heard something on the main floor. I went to investigate it when you called. After that I came right back here and it was gone. I swear I was only gone for a minute."

"Who was it?" he asked.

"Who was what?"

"Who was the person making the noise on the second floor?"

"Oh, I don't know. I didn't get a good look at whoever it was. He was gone before I got to the end of the hallway."

"And then you came right back here and it was gone?"

"Yes, and I remember I left it right here," I said tapping the top of the table. "I don't know where it could've disappeared to. Maybe a janitor came across it and put it away? I'll go back to the office and ask Gwendolyn to page the janitor."

I started back for the stairs when he caught me by the elbow.

"Wait," he said, eyeing something behind me. "Was that window open when you got here?"

I glanced over my shoulder at the partially opened window. I could have sworn it was closed when I first came up here. In fact, part of the reason I choose this table was for the light coming in through the window. I would've noticed if it had been opened, wouldn't I?

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

He turned on his heels and darted down the staircase.

I hastily threw all of my belongings back into my book bag and hurried to catch up to him. Luckily, I found him on the second floor, waiting for me.

"Sorry," he said. "When I'm focused the supernatural speed is kind of difficult to control."

"That's fine, but can you fill me in on what's going on? That way we can both be focused on it."

He glanced over his shoulder and then leaned in and, in a quieted voice said, "Look, there are things going on here that I can't really explain right now."

I lowered my voice to match his. "Things about that book or about you?"

He was quiet for a moment, looking at me with the same look on his face that I had seen so many times before.

He took my hand. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"Wait."

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close so that his words whispered into my ear. "Annabelle, we can't talk right now."

"Why not?"

He looked down the hallway and then back at me. "We're being watched."

### CHAPTER TWENTY

My body trembled as I followed Carter to the parking lot. He, on the other hand, didn't seem at all disturbed by the idea of someone lurking in the fog, watching our every move.

I slipped into the passenger seat of his car and quickly locked the door.

He smirked. "You don't have to be afraid. You're safe with me."

I relaxed into my seat and took a deep breath. "When you said someone was watching us..."

"No, I don't know who it was," he said, zipping out of the parking lot at an uncomfortable speed. "But, trust me. Someone was watching."

"So what does this mean? Do you think it's the same person who took the book?"

"It had to be. It's too narrow a time frame for it to be a coincidence. Chances are that noise you heard was a distraction to lure you away from the book."

I was outraged. Not only by the devious scheme itself, but also for the fact that I so foolishly fell for it.

"Who would do that?"

He was quiet for a while, focusing his attention on the road, but I wouldn't let it go that easy.

I settled back into my seat with a small sigh. "I thought we were passed the secrets."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Don't look at me with those innocent eyes when we both know you're trying to manipulate the truth out of me."

"Wow," I said, still recovering from the shock. "I can't believe you just called me out on that."

He gave me a vague look and returned his concentration to the road. "You know, this honesty thing goes both ways."

I sighed. He was right, but having just been exposed was disarming.

Sure, I could tell him he was right, but there was no way I was going to. The weird looks and uneasy silence that seemed to surround everyone in my life was starting to get on my nerves. I wanted the truth, and I was more determined than ever to get it.

We sat in silence for a few blocks until he pulled in front of Jane's house. I hadn't spoken to her since the whole group basically banned me from stepping foot on the third floor. I wasn't exactly sure what I would say to her now that I knew the truth, or at least part of it.

I stared at the house. "Why are we here?"

He cut the engine and stepped out of the car. He opened my door and waited as I very slowly and reluctantly stepped out. "I need her help."

I folded my sweater tightly across my chest. "You think she'll be able to figure out who took the book?"

"Not exactly."

I was deliberately taking my time, stalling for as long as possible as I mentally debated what I would say to her. I felt guilty making her choose between me and the kids she had grew up with, the same kids that she had shared such a heavy secret with for as long as they could remember.

According to what I had read in the book, I knew Jane belonged to one of the seven founding families and that meant she belonged to a secret society. I wondered if this made her... well whatever Carter is. And to think, I was so unwilling to try and understand the position she was in.

I wouldn't be surprised if she slammed the door on my face.

"Then why are we here?"

"Like I told you, I need her help."

I stopped, halfway up the path to the porch. "Must you always be so cryptic?"

He tilted his head to the side and stared back at me.

"She's going to help me by helping you," he explained. "Next to Alec and me, Jane knows the most about our history. She will be able to explain it to you, especially since I can't. Not right now at least." He shoved his hands into his pocket and shook his head. "I've got to find that book."

My gazed drifted to my feet as I kicked at a cluster of grass sprouting up between the cracked concrete block.

"Hey," he said, lifting my chin. "It's not your fault."

"Yeah, well it's still gone," I said, meeting his gaze. "How are you going to find it?"

"I'll grab Alec and head back to the school. See if I can find anything that will help me figure out who this guy is."

"Alec... is he..." I started, not bothering to finish the sentence as his lips pulled into a ridiculously smug smile.

I smiled too. It was a relief to know he didn't carry the burden alone.

I glanced over my shoulder at the front door. "What about Jane?"

He shook his head. "It's just Alec and me."

"How is that possible? I mean, how does this whole thing work?"

He placed his hands on my shoulders and slowly guided me backwards until we were both standing on the porch, in front of the door.

"That's why you're here," he insisted. "Jane will explain."

"What if she doesn't want to see me?"

"Why on earth would I not want to see you?"

I spun around, finding Jane leaning up against the door frame with one hand on her protruding hip.

"Jane," I said, flashing a giant smile.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around me. "Welcome to the society. You're finally one of us. Full fledge and everything."

I giggled. "I'm not sure if I know what that means."

"Well, then the two of you better get started," said Carter, stepping up and giving me a quick kiss on my forehead.

"Don't worry. She's in good hands."

Carter gave her a grateful smile and then hurried back to his car.

I watched as Carter's car turned at the end of the block and disappeared from sight.

"Don't worry," said Jane. "He and Alec will figure this all out. They always do."

I nodded and followed her inside. We made our way to her room, Jane stopping halfway down the hall to peer inside the room next to hers.

"Good. Lamar's gone."

"He doesn't know?" I asked.

"Of course not. The others want to tell him, but he doesn't belong here. Besides, he's not like Carter and Alec, so he doesn't need to know."

"Jane, don't you think he deserves to know."

Jane paused, her gaze trailing to the floor. "I just can't."

I nodded. "Well, I didn't see his Jeep; it wasn't out front."

"I've fallen for that one once too many times," she said, giving the room another scan. "Anyway, I really shouldn't take any chances on someone overhearing us with all the 'stuff' going on right now."

I furrowed my brow.

She paused, her hand resting on her bedroom doorknob. "Wait, how much has Carter told you?"

I shrugged. "He didn't so much tell me anything. He showed me."

She smiled and threw her bedroom door open, gesturing me to enter. "Well then, we've got a lot to go over today."

I sat on the bed, legs crossed with a notepad and pen in hand.

"What are you doing?

"I'm taking notes." I paused. "Maybe I should make myself a timeline to refer to later."

She gave her head a quick shake and waved off the notion with a flick of her hand. "Whatever. Let's just get started."

She flopped down on the bed and propped a pillow against the swirling white designs on the footboard. She pulled her legs to her chest and settled back against the cushion.

"I've never really had to do this before, so forgive me if I forget a few details here and there. I mean, we've all grown up knowing about this stuff." Her gaze found mine and settled there. "Annabelle, our families have been bound to secrecy since they first settled in Burnwood, and you, too, are bound."

I nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, the secret's safe with me."

"It's not just our secret, Annabelle. It's yours too."

"Just because I come from a generation of Burnwood Kennedys?

Jane's mouth dropped open. "You are a part the beginning. Our families, yours included, founded this town. They started it all."

I shrugged. "Every town has to start with someone."

Jane gasped, placing her hand over her heart. "We're not just founding families. We're hybrids."

I arched my brow.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, well at least Alec and Carter are hybrids, but the rest of us carry it in our genes. We're pure bloods, meaning we're as human as anyone else out there."

"You mean the supernatural abilities Carter and Alec have?"

She nodded and shuffled closer. "Yes, but aren't you at all curious how he can do those things?"

I smiled, putting my pen to the notepad. "Yes! I want to know all about it."

Jane glanced down at the notepad and frowned. "You really are a bookworm."

"Jane."

She raised her hands. "Okay, okay, back on track." She settled back against the pillow and began. "Annabelle, what do you know about dragons?"

"I... I don't know how to answer that." I paused. "Does this have anything to do with the drawings I saw in that book?"

Jane smiled. "It has everything to do with it."

"How?" I asked, fearing I already knew the truth.

"The founding families are descendants of a long line of dragons."

I shook my head. "You mean we're descendants of mythical creatures? No, Jane. That can't be."

"They're not mythical, Annabelle. They were once very real and very powerful."

I shot up from my place on the bed and paced the room. "Dragons!"

"I know this is hard to believe..."

"Hard to believe. Jane, it's just not possible."

"But it is possible and it is very real. I promise you."

"Then why do Carter and Alec look like us. Why do any of us look like... well, regular human beings?"

"Ancient dragons had the ability to shapeshift. They could transform to human form, which is how they stayed hidden from most cultures."

"Does that mean Carter is...?" The words caught in my throat as I imagined him looking like the creature in the book.

She shook her head. "No. No one can anymore. During the hysteria following the discovery of our kind, many of us were hunted down and massacred. Those of us who survived spread out, hoping to hide in their human forms. Our kind were too few to stay united, so we integrated. Our bloodlines were diluted by the humans and many abilities were lost. People won't admit it, but our lineage is only getting weaker with time. That's why we call ourselves hybrids."

"And Alec and Carter?"

Her gaze shied away. "They were the fortunate ones of the group... or not so fortunate. It depends on how you look at it."

"After all this time it's just the two of them?"

She shook her head, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "There are others. People from all over the world. We even have a council to govern our kind."

"You mean your group at school... Cruz and Kendrick..."

"No, no, no. And, Cruz actually isn't a Burnwood founding family. It's a long story, but that's beside the point."

"So Cruz isn't a... hybrid," I said, stumbling over the last word. "That is what you call them, right?"

"Yes... and no." Jane shook her head in confusion. "Hold on. Let me try that again. Yes, Cruz is of dragon blood, but not a hybrid like Carter and Alec. Those of us who never developed any abilities are referred to as 'pure bloods.' People like Carter and Alec are known as hybrids. Cruz isn't a founding family, but he is one of us, which is why he belongs to our group."

"And what about this council you spoke of?"

"The council is our government and it is led by our Elders. It maintains order and ensures our secret is kept safe."

"Elders?"

"The oldest and most respected of our kind. Many of them with abilities just like Carter and Alec."

Buzz. Buzz.

Jane jumped to her feet and retrieved her cell phone off the nightstand. "Hello."

I watched as a smile spread across her face.

"Really!" she exclaimed, racing out her bedroom door and thumping down the staircase.

I heard the front door swing open, clashing against the wall.

Jane's voice carried upstairs and as much as I didn't want to eavesdrop, it was impossible to avoid.

"I can't believe your actually here," she said.

"Well, my dear, I owed you an explanation for my absence."

Now this voice was all too familiar. I tiptoed down the hall and peered down over the railing. Just as I had expected, it was Yury. Jane had her arms wrapped tightly around him, but he didn't seem interested. Instead, he looked nonchalant and a little distracted, anything but loving.

"I didn't think you were coming over today," she gushed, still clinging to his arm.

He reached out and took her hand in his. "It is called a surprise, my love."

I couldn't understand how his voice managed to make my skin crawl, but it did. I wanted to leave and find somewhere his presence wouldn't bother me, but since there was no such place, I stayed and listened.

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Well, what a surprise it is. Did you want to come up...?"

"Actually," he interrupted. "I'm afraid my visit must be brief."

Jane stepped back. "But I haven't seen you all week. You haven't even returned any of my calls."

He stepped forward and caressed her arm. "Darling, you know my family requires a lot from me. I wish that every moment was a moment I could spend with you, but that simply is not the world we live in."

"But..."

"But if I wish to present you to them, I must have proven myself worthy of your company. After all, you are a founding family member."

Jane smiled. "When do you think we can move forward with... you know?"

Yury looked troubled, a façade I could see through all too easily.

"You see, that is why I have come today. My family has asked me to locate one of Burnwood's artifacts. We have a buyer, someone who wishes to establish a museum here in Burnwood. It is the only thing standing between us at the moment. If I can find this artifact, I will finally be able to prove myself. We will finally be able to be together."

I wanted to puke. Was there no limits to his charades?

"What is it that you're looking for?"

"A medallion."

Jane stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why do you need to know about some medallion?"

Yury titled his head ever so slightly. "My apologies. I can see that I've upset you. I shall be leaving now."

"Wait. You don't have to go."

He took a few steps for the door. "Ah, but I can see that I've made you uncomfortable."

Jane stepped in front him and reached for his hands. "You didn't make me uncomfortable. It's just that I have no access to the founding family artifacts."

"But, there is indeed a medallion among those artifacts?" he asked.

She shifted uncomfortably. "Well yeah, but there completely hands off."

Yury smiled and I immediately realized what had just happened. He never came here to see Jane, he just needed her to confirm that the founding families had the medallion he was searching for, and she did just that. In fact, she basically just disclosed that she not only knew of the medallion, but that it was also here in Burnwood.

As I anticipated, Yury continued towards the door.

"How foolish of me," he started. "I have let my mind run wild with thoughts of you and have neglected my responsibilities to my own dear family. I apologize, my darling, but I must leave you now."

"Oh," said Jane, the disappointment tangible in her face. "Okay, well I don't have any plans tonight if you wanted to come back."

He turned and kissed her on her forehead. "For you, I shall try."

"You know, you really shouldn't be eavesdropping."

I whipped around, finding myself face-to-face with Lamar.

He laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

I smiled and shrugged. "It's okay. I frighten far too easily nowadays."

He nudged me to the side so he could glimpse around the corner.

"Ah," he said. "Him again."

"You know him?"

He shook his head. "Nah, but I don't like him."

I furrowed my brow. "For Jane's sake or your own?"

He grinned. "Maybe both. Something is seriously off with the dude."

"My thoughts exactly," I muttered.

I peered around the corner again. Jane was fumbling desperately to keep his attention and nothing was working. It was almost too painful to watch, but before I could look away Yury disappeared behind the doorframe with only the black of his hair and clothing momentarily revealed.

I gasped. I'd seen this before. The dark stranger in the school hallway was Yury.

### CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Lamar shook my shoulder. "You okay?"

"What?" I said, recovering from the shock. "I'm sorry, but there's something I've got to do."

I bolted down the staircase and straight to Jane, who was still gazing out the wide open door.

"Jane," I said almost frantically. "Where's he going?"

Jane furrowed her brow and rested her hands on her hips. "How long were you listening?"

"Not long at all," I lied. "But, why is he leaving? Is he going home?"

"I guess," she replied. "Why do you care?"

"I don't," I replied, the lies flowing like water now. "You know what, I've got to go."

"What? Carter said I was supposed to go over... you know what."

"I know, but I've really got to go." I rushed passed her and out the door. I could see the black SUV at the end of the block. It took the corner towards the town square and I hurried to follow it.

She followed me across the lawn. "Annabelle, I know we didn't get to this part, but there is a hierarchy in the society."

I shot her a questioning look over my shoulder.

"I kind of have to follow through with his orders."

I quickened my pace. "Who's orders?"

"Carter's," she replied. "He's kind of the president of the society."

"Don't worry about Carter," I called over my shoulder and I started into a jog. "I'll talk to him."

I paid no attention to her muffled groans of frustration.

I wasn't far behind Yury and I knew the only chance I had at reclaiming the book would be to avoid giving him any time to hide it. He must still have it with him, and even if he didn't, I had a feeling he would lead me right to it.

I reached the town square in record time with a new appreciation for my achievements in track. My heart was pounding hard and I was breathing heavy, but I hardly felt anything with the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I surveyed the area for the black SUV and found it parked outside the post office.

I quickly crossed the square and I pulled out my cell phone, dialing Carter.

"Hey," I said, breathlessly.

"Annabelle, what's wrong?"

"I know who took the book."

"Wait? Where are you?"

"It's Yury," I huffed, hurrying my words as I approached the post office. "I saw him today at Jane's. I'm sure it's him."

"Annabelle, where are you?" he repeated.

I lowered my voice and ducked into the alley next to the post office. "I can't talk. He's coming out of the post office and he can't know I'm following him."

I ended the call and turned my phone to silent. I had to come up with a plan.

"Annabelle."

I whipped around, elated to hear his voice.

"Uncle Felix!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around his neck.

He was frowning and didn't seem very pleased with me, but hugged me anyway.

"What did you do?" he asked without a hint of sarcasm.

"I just need a favor."

He sighed, shoulders slumping. "For a second there I actually thought you were happy to see me after missing breakfast this morning..."

I had forgotten all about missing breakfast, but he didn't seem to be aware that I wasn't home all night, so I considered myself lucky.

"I'm sorry. I had an extra credit assignment I wanted to work on this morning. Next time I will be sure to let you know." I pushed onto my tippy toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm just kind of in a hurry."

He rolled his eyes. "Luckily for you, so am I. What do you need?"

"I need the car."

He looked down at the grocery bags in his hand. "Like right this minute?"

I nodded, keeping my puppy dog eyes fixated on him.

"Well, can you at least drop me off at home first?"

"No," I said flatly. "But, I promise I will make it up to you."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Please," I begged. "It's really important."

He sighed and retrieved the keys from the front pocket of his pants.

I smiled. "Thanks Uncle. I owe you one."

I took off down the block, hurrying to the car. I didn't want to draw attention, so I followed Yury from afar. My cell phone kept vibrating in my pocket, but I was too focused on tailing the black SUV a few cars ahead of me.

Yury turned down one of the many dirt roads that branched out from the Square. It was hard to keep my distance and not lose him with so many turn offs. I learned to follow the dust clouds rather than trying to keep the SUV in sight.

We turned down a series of roads, and like always, I didn't recognize any of them.

He pulled into a lot and I recognized it immediately.

Why are we here?

My mouth gapping, I stared at the little blue and white house through the gaps between the trees, taking it its charred remains with the same devastation as I did the first time I laid eyes on it.

He had parked in front of the house. I didn't know what to do. I hadn't anticipated this. How could I have?

I sped down the road and took the first turn into an empty lot. There, I parked the car safely out of sight and ran back towards my childhood house.

My phone vibrated from my pocket again and this time I answered it.

"Annabelle! What the hell is going on?"

I held the phone snuggly to my ear as I jogged through the dense forest separating my house from the lot where I had parked. "I have no idea, but you won't believe where I've followed him to."

"You're following him! Annabelle, turn back and get as far away from him as possible."

"What? No!" I said. "I can't. He has the book. I know he does."

"Annabelle, I'm begging you. Please turn back. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

"Carter, it's the only way I'm going to get that book back. If I lose him now, there's no telling where he will stash it."

"Who cares about the damn book?!"

"I do, and you do, too."

"I care about you, not that stupid book. Just promise me you'll go home right now."

I laughed. "That just happens to be exactly where I'm going."

"What do you mean?"

"Carter, I'm almost at the house now. I've got to go."

I ended the call and crept closer to the house. I hadn't realized how late it was getting until I looked up at the sky. The sun was setting. It wouldn't be long before the darkness shadowed my existence.

I sat, watching the house behind the cover of a thick tree. Yury moved from room to room, searching for what I can only assume was the medallion.

It was darker now and I could see a faint light flickering inside the house. Finally, it moved upstairs.

I crouched low and made my way to the SUV. I peered in through the window. There, on the passenger side, was the old leather bound book.

I knew it!

I looked back at the house where the light still flickered from the master bedroom. I knew my window of opportunity would be brief, so I carefully opened the driver's side door and reached across the seat. I grabbed the book and tucked it under my arm before gently closing the door.

Quickly, I tiptoed away from the car and back into the woods. I had the book now, and that's what I came here for, but something still bothered me. Why was he wandering around in the charred remains of my old house?

I stopped and turned back to the house. The candlelight was no longer flickering from the master room, but had instead move to the only other room on the second floor: my room.

I scanned the area around me and found a slight opening between the entangled roots poking up from the ground where a tree bent to its side. I slipped the book into the hole and covered it with a handful of leaves.

I hurried back to the house, staying low as I crept up to the kitchen window and peered inside. It was too dark to see anything without the candlelight, which emulated from the second floor. I moved to the living room window at the front of the house, but the porch created too large of a separation for me to get a good look. I would have to get closer.

He was still upstairs, so I seized the opportunity and tiptoed up the porch steps. The old wood creaked beneath my foot and I froze. I waited, my one foot hovering in the air until I was sure he hadn't heard it and then I continued. I stepped inside the house, carefully maneuvering around the furniture strewn about. I kept my back against the wall as I approached the staircase. I heard his footsteps pacing upstairs and then a hard thud against something solid and hard.

"It has to be here," he shouted.

I listened for a replied, but when nothing came I was sure he was speaking to someone on the phone. He slammed his foot down on the floor, sending bits and pieces of debris dusting down on top of me. "No. Nothing changes. I will find it!"

I was dusting off my sweater when I heard the thundering of footsteps coming down the staircase. I ducked into the kitchen and crouched down behind the counter. The candlelight lighted his way through the living room and out of the house.

I caught a glimpse of his facial features, slightly shadowed by the angle of the light. He looked angry, a sight that sent an aching chill through my body. I watched in hiding as he return to his car and blew out the candle.

Suddenly, without the candlelight, he was completely hidden in the darkness of the night. As frightening as it was to see him, it was worse not being able to see him. The car light came on as he slipped inside. The engine roared to life and I could finally breathe again.

I stepped out of the shadows and wandered around the living room. It was dark and I could hardly see what I was stepping into, so I reached into my sweater pocket and pulled out my cell phone. Suddenly, the night was quiet again.

Please let it be an engine glitch.

The car light turned on and I could see him fanatically rifling through the back seat. He flailed about, tossing objects from the backseat into the front.

I gasped. He's looking for the book.

I staggered backwards until my back was against the wall. It wouldn't be long before he realizes the book was gone. I wanted to run, wishing I had escaped when I had the chance. Now I was trapped in this house alone and without the faintest idea of what to do. Just when I thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, our eyes met. Staring back at me was no longer the dark soulless gaze that haunted me, but rather a set of shockingly fire-red eyes.

### CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

My mind was screaming run, but my feet wouldn't move. At times like this it was hard to believe I had any defense responses at all. I couldn't escape the fiery look within his ember red eyes. I never much believed in clichés, but here I was, staring through the windows of his soul and I wasn't so sure he had one.

The anger behind his eyes was intense and then something changed.

Not the eyes, they still gleamed red with fury. It was his face that slowly transformed. His hard set jaw loosened into a devious grin and then the lights in the car went out and all I could see was his eyes again.

Run!

A million thoughts ran through my mind, all of them urging me to run, but what good would it do? I knew exactly what those red eyes meant and running would be futile.

"Annabelle."

The sound of his voice echoed into the night, catapulting my once lame body into motion. I didn't have the book with me, which meant it would be safe, but at what cost? I darted for the stairs and hurried to the second floor. I heard the loud thud come from downstairs and I knew he was in the house.

"I know you're here."

I slipped into my old bedroom and carefully closed the door. I tiptoed across the old charred wooden floor, holding my breath with every anxious step. The floors were old and charred from the fire, but I made it to the window without a sound.

The sound of his footsteps echoed from somewhere in the living room. "There is no reason to be afraid, dear Annabelle. I just want to talk."

I pulled up on the window, but it wouldn't budge. The room was dark, with only the moonlight guiding my way. I ran my hand along the base of the frame until I found the latch.

The footsteps moved into the kitchen. "I am hardly your enemy. In fact, we could very easily be on the same side with a little compromise on your part."

I flicked the latch up and down, and then to each side until it finally dislodged from the hook. I pushed up on the window until it started to inch upwards. The frame was weathered and crooked, but at least it was moving. I hooked my fingers under the edge and pulled up with all my might.

"All I ask from you is that the book be safely returned."

I paused, albeit momentarily, in complete and utter shock. I couldn't believe it. He was acting like it was his book!

Finally, the window shot open with a horrible creaking noise. I paused, hoping that he hadn't heard it, but when I heard the thunder of footsteps coming up the stairs, I knew he had.

I wedged my way through the window and onto the roof top, skidding to a stop. I closed the window behind me just as my bedroom door swung open. Our eyes met again and his menacing smile reappeared.

He launched himself at the window, but it was too late. I had already forced it down. There was a loose piece of wood hanging from the side of the house. I yanked it off and propped it between the window and where the roof jutted out. It wouldn't hold long, but I need to buy myself time.

I carefully crawled across the roof until I found a ledge low enough to jump from. I lowered my body off the side, holding tightly to a beam of wood exposed beneath the worn roof tiles. I dangled for a few seconds, afraid to let go. It was dark and I couldn't see what was lying below. I could only hope it wasn't something sharp and impaling. I let go, stumbling to my feet as I hit the ground. I gave myself a quick check over, making sure nothing was broken, but then I heard the snap of wood coming from above me. I took off into the woods at full speed, not bothering to check behind me for who was undoubtedly following.

"Annabelle!"

The distant sound of his voice comforted me, making me feel like I had a chance- like I might actually make it out of this alive, but then, in a blink of an eye, all that hope was obliterated.

I skidded to a stop, barely grazing noses with the dark red-eyed figure before me.

He smiled his cruel and frightening smile. "Curious," he said as he nonchalantly rested his index finger on his chin.

I slowly backed away, but he matched my steps in greater strides, closing the space between us.

"I must say," he continued. "I expected much more of a founding family heiress."

I bumped into something hard behind me. It was a tree and that meant I was pinned with nowhere to run to.

I smiled, trying to match his sinister expression. "Sorry to disappoint you."

He laughed and I wondered if this was all a big game to him, but the glowing red eyes were a constant reminder that it wasn't.

"You didn't really expect to outrun me, did you?" he chortled. "Not in this form."

I managed to move around the tree, putting it between us. "What are you talking about?"

He looked at me, his amusement fading.

He smiled and shook his head as he circled around me. "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

"Enough of this," he growled in a voice so deep it shook the leaves on the trees around us. "Where's the book?"

I glared at him. "Not a chance."

He stared at me for a moment and then cracked his neck. "I was hoping we would have to do this the hard way."

He slammed his palm into my chest, sending me flying back into the tree. I fell to the ground, gasping for air. The pain radiated throughout my body and something was wrong with my vision. Everything I saw was tinted red.

Was I bleeding?

Yury crouched down and brushed a strand of blonde hair from my face. I slapped his hand away.

He smirked and stepped closer. "That's more like it."

"You're crazy!"

He laughed. "Perhaps, but aren't we all?"

I grasped at the ground, clutching at the loose dirt and leaves. He stepped closer and I threw a handful of debris at his face. He cried out and covered his eyes.

I got to my feet and ran. It was dark and the pain in my chest had me disorientated, but I didn't stop running. Finally, I could see glimpses of the car not far ahead.

Suddenly, a solid object collided into my side. I slid across the hard dirt ground, feeling the twigs and branches scrapping along my bare arms. I moaned and tried to pull myself up, but then I felt it. There was a searing pain radiating from my ankle. I reached for my ankle, but a hand launched forward and caught me.

"Let me go!" I screamed, struggling to break free of his hold.

He stared at me with eyes so dark and serious that they seemed inhuman. He moved closer so that his lips brushed against my ear. "Now, what fun would that be?"

His hand moved down my body, his long jagged claw like finger nails tearing at the denim of my jeans, until he reached my injured ankle.

"Where's the book?"

I swallowed hard, staring back into the emptiness of his eyes. Ironically, it was only then that I realized what was truly off about him. His eyes were dead. The lifelessness of the dark circles was so abundantly clear that I knew I was on the verge of death.

"Go to hell," I said, my voice wrenched with hate.

His fingers closed around my ankle. "Have it your way."

I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth. The pain would be excruciating, but nothing could be as bad as letting someone that evil hold something of so much power. I couldn't let the book fall into his possession. Not again.

I felt the pressure intensify as his hand tightened around my already swollen ankle. I groaned, trying desperately to ignore my screaming pain receptors, but then the pressure was gone.

It's a trick! He must enjoy watching the fear and anxiety build. I won't give him the satisfaction.

I didn't want to open my eyes, but I knew I had to.

"Carter."

Carter had Yury by the throat, his long claws digging into the ridges of Yury's neck. He slammed him hard against a tree, sending thousands of splinters flying through the air. I raised my hand and shielded my face from the shards of wood just as Yury tore Carter's hand from his neck and twisted it.

Carter kicked him in the chest. "Annabelle, run!"

I tried to move my leg, but it hurt to put weight on my ankle. "I can't. I think my ankle is broken."

Yury hit Carter with a hard blow to the jaw. Carter stumbled back as Yury readied himself for a second shot. Carter ducked and drew up with a strong knee to his torso. I was afraid they could go on like this forever, blow after blow. Their one common feature told me that this was entirely possible- their glowing red eyes.

Fortunately, I didn't have to ponder that thought long. With a quick gust of wind, Alec appeared. He took Yury from behind, locking his arms around his neck. Yury struggled and swayed, but the two of them were too much for him to take. Finally, he kicked up against tree in front of him and managed to free himself of Alec's hold.

He disappeared, leaving only a gust of wind in his wake.

Carter rushed to my side. "Annabelle."

I pushed myself up and leaned back against the tree behind me. "It's my ankle."

Carter gently lifted my ankle into his hands, moving it in little circles. "I think it's just sprained."

"What?" I said, grabbing hold of my ankle and giving it a tender squeeze. Again, I felt nothing. "I could've sworn it was broken."

"Well, consider yourself lucky. If Carter wouldn't have got here when he did, it probably would be broken... and the rest of you too." Alec looked over the damaged tree trunk. "What a psycho."

Carter glared at him. "Are you not registering what you just saw? His eyes, his speed, his strength? Don't you get it? He's a hybrid."

Alec looked over his shoulder in the direction Yury had escaped. He scrunched up his face and scratched the side of his head. "Yeah, that's weird."

Carter turned back to me, pulling my arm over his shoulder. I leaned on him as he lifted me to my feet.

"Where did you park?"

I pointed west. "Over there. It's just in the next lot."

"Okay, Alec you go back to Jane's and fill everyone in on what's going on."

"You mean about Yury being a hybrid?"

Carter sighed lightly. "Actually, maybe you should just head over to Jane's and wait for me there. I'll take Annabelle home."

"Wait. You're going to have another secret founding family meeting without me," I said. "Even after all this I'm still not privy?"

"Of course you are," said Carter. "But you're hurt and you've been through enough today."

"Jane should hear it from me."

I owed Jane the truth, especially after hiding it for so long. I may not have known what bothered me about Yury, but I knew there was something off about him and I said nothing. There's nothing I could do to change that now, but maybe telling her myself would be a good start.

Carter tilted his head and studied me. "After tonight I find myself questioning all of your brilliant ideas."

I looked down at my feet. "Yeah, that's understandable. But, I'm right on this one."

"Fine," he said, pulling his car keys from the pocket of his jeans. He tossed them to Alec. "I'll meet you there."

Alec nodded and took off through the woods like a bullet in the night.

I patted down the hair that had been wisped up in the breeze from Alec's hasty departure. "Not so sure I'm ever going to get used to that."

Carter smiled. "No time like the present."

He bent down to lift me into his arms, but I pulled away.

"Wait," I said. "I have something for you."

I stepped away from him, supporting my weight on my good ankle, but soon I noticed that the pain was completely gone. I scanned the ground as we headed towards the empty lot where my car was parked. After a short time, my ankle was moving as comfortably as it ever had.

Finally, I found the spot. I dropped to my knees and brushed away the leaves piled over the protruding roots. I felt the leather binding and tugged at it until the book slid out from its hiding place.

"Here," I said, holding it out to him. "I think I owe you this."

He reached out and took the book, letting it drop to his side as he fell to his knees beside me.

"I know it's a little dirty," I started, trying to dust of its surface with the sleeve of my shirt.

He took my hand from the book and held it in his own as his eyes found mine. His hand slid up my arm and on to my neck, the warmth of his palms soothing my aching muscles. Our lips touched, but he didn't kiss me. He pressed his forehead to mine, closing his eyes. "Promise me something."

"Anything," I whispered.

"Promise me that you will never risk your life for anything or anyone ever again."

How could he ask me to choose my own life over the life of others, especially his? I couldn't do that.

"Carter..."

He opened his eyes. "Promise me."

I stifled a sigh and nodded. "I promise."

"Good, because I don't think I could survive losing you."

I held his hand to my heart. "I'm right here. You haven't lost me."

We walked back to the car, this time without him needing to support me. My ankle had magically healed and I was starting to question whether the injury happened at all. I mean, it all happened so quickly that maybe my mind had imagined some of it. But that couldn't be. I remember the horrendous pain radiating from my ankle up my leg. I know it was real. It had to be real.

Carter insisted on driving and I didn't mind. The roads winding through Burnwood required more concentration than I could give at the moment.

"Do you have any idea why he was at my old house?"

Carter shook his head. "Maybe he was looking for an abandoned house to hide the book in."

"That's kind of far to go for a book. And, if you had just stolen something so valuable, wouldn't you want to keep it close?"

Carter shrugged. "I suppose so."

"And, now that I think about it, he left the book in the car when he went inside the house. He couldn't have just been there by coincidence." I leaned back in the seat and hugged my knees to my chest. "I think he was looking for something."

"Like what?"

"Well..." I said hesitantly. "He came to Jane's house asking about a medallion that would've belonged to the founding families."

His knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. "She didn't tell him anything, did she?"

"No, she didn't, or at least she didn't mean to."

Carter gave me a curious look.

"He tricked her into telling him what he wanted to know. I don't think she saw what was going on until it was too late."

Carter clenched his jaw and slammed his fist down hard on the steering wheel. "What does he know?"

"He knows about the medallion."

Carter's head whipped to the side as he stared at me like he was waiting for me to say "just joking," but the anticipation faded quickly. He turned back to the road and I could see he was struggling to control the anger inside him.

I placed my hand on his shoulder, feeling the heat radiating from his quivering body.

I waited until he regained his composure. "Carter, what medallion is Yury looking for?"

"Truthfully, I couldn't tell you."

I sighed. "Another secret."

"No, it's not like that. I can't tell you because each founding family has its own set of medallions. I have no idea which one he's looking for."

"What exactly do these medallions do?"

Carter pulled into Jane's driveway, parking behind Trish's red sports car. I recognized Cruz's truck parked on the street behind Carter's Charger. I assumed the whole circle was here by the looks of it.

Carter put the car into park and turned off the ignition. "The medallions are centuries old. The council praises their power, but none of us really knows what the medallions are capable of."

"Why wouldn't the council just tell you guys? I mean, the medallions belong to your families, don't they?"

Carter nodded. "My dad says that not all hybrid tribes have medallions. They're unique to just a few of us. He thinks that's why the council wants to keep their existence quiet."

"Carter, I don't think it was a coincidence that Yury went to my old house right after speaking to Jane about the medallions."

His face paled and he went still for a moment. Suddenly, he flipped on the ignition and put the car into reverse.

"What are you doing?"

"I've got to go back to that house. If he was looking for the medallion there than I need to find it before he does."

"Wait, we don't even know if the medallion was there," I said, moving his hand from the gear shaft and switching it back into park. "There is an entire circle in there waiting for you to give them some direction. Besides, whatever Yury was looking for, I don't think he found it."

"I guess Alec and I can swing by after the meeting and see if there's anything there."

"Can't you go back there tomorrow? You know, with the sheriff or something?"

He chuckled. "We'll be fine, Annabelle. There's two of us and one of him."

I suppose he was right. I saw the way Yury took off when Alec showed up. The two of them were too strong for him.

"C'mon, let's go inside."

"Wait," I said, grabbing his hand and meeting his gaze. "You don't think Yury knew that was my house, do you?"

"I don't see how he could," he shrugged. "I didn't even know until you told me."

I paused. "It's just that he didn't seem surprised to see me there. He knew something, but he wouldn't tell me what it was."

Carter caressed my cheek in his hand. "He was probably just trying to frighten you. I wouldn't read too much into it."

I shook the thought from my head. "You're right. Let's go inside. We've got a lot of explaining to do."

### CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"Annabelle!" Jane cried as she flung her arms around my neck. "You're okay, aren't you? Alec wouldn't tell us anything. Just that there's been an incident."

She turned and glared at Alec, who was casually leaned up against the wall near the staircase.

"I'm okay."

"Jane, where's the rest of the circle?" said Carter.

"Upstairs in my room," she answered. "Why? What's going on?"

Jane was looking to me now, but I didn't know how to tell her the truth.

"Guys, can I have a minute alone with Jane?"

Carter narrowed his eyes on me and I knew exactly what he was thinking, but I had to be the one to tell her. I couldn't bear the thought of her hearing it at the same time as everyone else in the circle.

"We'll be upstairs."

I waited until both Alec and Carter disappeared into Jane's room before pulling Jane into the living room. I sat her down on the leather sofa. Looking around, I probably could have picked a better room to break the news to her, but I was stuck with it now. I tried to ignore the football collection surrounding us by taking her hands and focusing on her worried eyes.

"Jane, the reason Alec wouldn't tell you anything about what happened tonight was because he couldn't."

Jane furrowed her brow. "I don't understand."

"When I left here today, it wasn't because I had to go home. It was because when Yury stopped by I noticed something. He was the person I saw in the hallway at school right before the book went missing."

"Wait." Jane pulled her hands from mine and stood up. "I thought you said you didn't see anyone."

"I didn't see his face, but I know it was him."

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively, but I pushed on while I still had the courage to do so.

"When he left I followed him," I explained.

"You did what!"

I held my hand up and continued, "I followed him to my old house. The house from my childhood. The one that burnt down."

She dropped back onto the sofa and stared down at the floor. "What was he doing there?"

"I don't know, but while he was inside I found the book in his car."

"So we have it back then?"

I nodded. "Yes, but that's not what I wanted to tell you."

She settled back into the sofa and pulled her knees to her chest. She looked uncomfortable and almost frightened, but I promised myself that I would tell her the truth. The whole truth.

"Yury came here tonight to find out about a medallion belonging to the circle. Carter and I think he went to my house today in search of it."

"And I pretty much led him straight to it," she said, her face dropping into her hands as she sobbed.

I wrapped a consoling arm around her shoulders. "It's not your fault, Jane."

"No," she said between sniffles. "You don't understand. I told him I couldn't give him any of the medallions."

"I know. I heard you. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But, Annabelle, you didn't hear it all."

I shifted uncomfortably. "What do you mean?"

My body was stiff and I felt on alert. I didn't know what to expect, but I knew that whatever it was, it wouldn't be good news.

"After you left, I called him. I told him that the council had taken our medallions for safe keeping. I told him that there were three they couldn't find. The three that belonged to your family, Annabelle."

"The missing medallions belonged to my family?"

She nodded, wiping her tear-streaked cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt. "And, I led him right to you. I'm so sorry."

"Jane, none of this is your fault. You trusted him the way I trust Carter, and I can't blame you for that."

She sniffled back another sob. "So you're not mad at me?"

I smiled and pulled her into my arms. "Of course not. You're my best friend." I paused. "There's something else I need to tell you."

She frowned. "There's more?"

"Yeah, I don't really know how to tell you this, but Yury's a hybrid."

"He's a what!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet almost instantly. "I'm going to kill him."

She paced the room with her arms crossed over her chest. I couldn't understand the words she was mumbling under her breath, but I figured that was probably for the best.

"I can't believe that lying sack of..."

"Well, believe it. I saw it for myself as he tried to rip Annabelle's limps off," said Alec as he stepped into the living room.

Jane's face dropped and she turned to me.

"He's exaggerating," I insisted. "I'm fine now."

Jane punched Alec in the shoulder and turned for the stairs. "You're an asshole."

I waited until she was upstairs and then gave Alec a second punch in the shoulder. "Did you really have to tell her about the leg thing?"

Alec rubbed his shoulder. "Is it supposed to be a secret?"

"Well, I'd rather not bring it up. I don't need everyone worrying about me."

A big smile spread across his face and he laughed.

"Well, you better get in there and tell Carter that. You've been placed under the hybrid protection plan," he said, laughing almost hysterically now.

I darted up the stairs. "Oh no."

I burst into Jane's room. "You didn't!"

"Told you she was going to be pissed," said Trish from the corner of the room where she sat next to Cruz.

"Maybe we should give her a say in this," said Cruz. "After all, it is her life."

I narrowed my eyes on Carter. "What's he talking about?"

"Like I said," chimed Alec through another burst of laughter. "You're the new focus of the hybrid protection plan."

"Oh god, is he still calling it that?" Trish scoffed.

Kendrick stepped forward. "Maybe if we just start from the beginning and explain everything Annabelle might be more receptive to our suggestions."

"Fine!" Trish stood and crossed the room. She pursed her lips and shifted her weight to one leg. "From here on out, or at least until Yury is no longer a threat, you will be chaperoned day in and day out."

"What!" I exclaimed. "A chaperone? You can't be serious."

"Oh, but he is." Trish winked at me and went back to sit beside Cruz.

"Carter, you can't do this."

"Actually," Kendrick timidly interposed. "He can."

"Carter's got Presi status," added Alec. "What he says goes."

"Then don't say it," I begged Carter.

"Annabelle, this is for your own good. Yury could've killed you tonight, and I'm not going to let him get close to you again."

"Carter, it was a sprained ankle. I'm fine."

I was so desperate to convince him to change his mind that I found myself on defending Yury. I was mortified at the thought of having a babysitter for an indefinite period of time. It was my grade six birthday party all over again.

Carter looked at me, his eyes set and firm. "Annabelle, I've made my decision."

I turned to Jane. "Isn't there any way around the President's orders?"

"Well, we can call a vote and veto it if there are more against the action than there are for it."

"Okay," I said excitedly. "Let's call a vote."

Carter sighed and sat down on Jane's bed, gesturing for us to continue.

Trish ran a nail file over her long pointed fingernails. "I don't care either way, but since I'm kind of feeling like a feminist at the moment, I'm going to vote against the order."

"I don't think it's right either," added Cruz. "She deserves a say in the matter."

"That's rich coming from you," Carter chortled.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" growled Cruz.

Jane stepped forward. "Let's just finish the votes."

"I'm with Carter on this one," said Alec.

"As am I," said the mysterious founding family member.

"Who the hell are you?!" I blurted out.

I hadn't meant it to come out so horribly insulting, but the silence following my outburst made me certain it had.

"Annabelle...Nick's your cousin," said Kendrick.

I had a cousin?

Suddenly, I didn't feel so well. There was a pain radiating from my stomach and a lump in my throat. And, if it was possible, I had become a victim to the instantaneous flu.

"I'm sorry," was all I could manage to say.

Nick shrugged and went back to fiddling with his cell phone.

"I would like to take this opportunity to cast a neutral vote," Kendrick added with an apologetic smile.

"What the hell does that mean?" said Cruz.

"It means he's too scared to pick sides so he's not voting at all," said Trish.

"I rather you see it as me giving you each a vote, for I definitely respect both of your opinions," said Kendrick.

Trish rolled her eyes and then looked to Jane. "I guess it's on you."

I smiled triumphantly as I waited for her vote. Jane was my best friend and she would always have my back. Even Carter seemed to know what was coming from the look of his slumped shoulders.

"I'm with Carter on this one, too."

My face dropped and turned to stare at her.

"I'm sorry Annabelle, but I nearly cost you your life already by making poor choices. I won't make that mistake again."

"What a turn of events," said Trish as she stepped between Jane and me. "Bet you thought she was on your side, didn't you?"

"I am on her side," Jane insisted.

"That's enough, Trish," said Cruz. "Let's go. I'll give you a ride home."

Trish smiled mischievously as she followed Cruz from the room.

"Alec and I are going back to Annabelle's old house..." started Carter.

"I'll come too," said Nick, slipping his phone in his pocket as he and Alec left the room.

"I'll take first watch," said Jane.

"No," I said. "I'll go with Kendrick."

I turned and headed straight for the door. I passed Jane without so much as a glance in her direction. I knew it was immature, but I couldn't help it. I was just so angry.

Kendrick followed me out the room and down the stairs.

"You know, she's just trying to keep you safe. We all are," he said.

I sighed. "Strangely enough, that's not the first time I've heard that."

I asked Kendrick to stop by my house so I could grab a few things and he happily obliged. It was odd how naturally joyful and optimistic he was in the face of so much chaos. Perhaps spending a few days with Kendrick was just what I needed. If I was lucky, some of that optimism would rub off on me.

"Do you want to come in?" I asked as he pulled up to the house.

"In a sec," he said, looking over his shoulder. "Alec and Carter are behind us."

I twisted in my seat and looked out the back window. "They are?"

"Yeah, Carter asked Alec to drive your uncle's SUV home."

"Good. One less thing for me to have to explain."

"About that," he said. "What exactly are we telling your uncle? I feel like we should both have our story straight so there are no inconsistencies."

"Good idea," I said, leaning back in my seat with a fingertip to my lip. "We could tell him we're working on a school project?"

He giggled. "Oh that's cute. Annabelle, you're entirely too pure for this kind of thing. Luckily for you, I have years of experience in fabricating facts. Give me a second and I'll come up with a grand story to tell." He moved his hands through the air as though he was painting the entire scene in the air.

With that, Kendrick closed his eyes and went into some kind of trance. I slipped out of the car, gently closing the door behind me. Alec was just pulling into the driveway with Carter behind him.

Alec stepped out of the car and tossed the keys to me. "Catch."

I fumbled them, but managed to keep them from hitting the ground.

"So you guys are just going to look around the house, right?"

He smiled. "That's the plan."

"You're not going to look for anything else, are you?"

He furrowed his brow. "Like what?"

"Like Yury," Carter answered, appearing suddenly from behind me. "She thinks were going to go looking for Yury."

"That's a great idea," said Alec. "We should do that instead! Why aren't we doing that?"

"Because you can't!" I blurted. "It's not safe."

Carter and Alec shared an amused look, both trying unsuccessfully to keep straight-faced.

"She thinks we're gonna get hurt," Alec chortled.

I turned on my heels and headed for the house. "Argh!"

"I've got it!" announced Kendrick, leaping from the vehicle. He skipped up beside me, smiling from ear to ear. "Leave everything to me. You smile and nod."

I nodded confidently. "I can do that. Smile and nod; simple enough."

Felix was in the living room, lounging in his recliner. It was the first time I'd seen him in pajama bottoms since we moved to Burnwood. He had been getting home so late that he usually dropped down onto the sofa in whatever he had worn to work that morning.

I sat down on the sofa beside him and took a handful of popcorn from the bowl he was cradling in his arms. "You look comfy."

He wiggled his feet so that I could see the zebra print slippers wedges onto the top part of his foot. "I am."

"Hey, are those mine?"

"They are not," he declared before taking a quick swig of his beer. "You put them in the giveaway basket two years ago."

I shook my head. "Well Kendrick, I would like you to meet my uncle, the packrat."

He took another swig of beer. "Well, this one's new."

"On the contrary," Kendrick stated in his matter-of-fact voice. "It is you and Annabelle who are new to town, but rest assured for you are in good hands."

Felix gave me a sideways glance and shifted in his recliner.

"Sorry, you are who exactly?"

Kendrick straightened his posture and smiled proudly. "I'm Kendrick Landry of the founding family, Landry."

"He's a founding member?" Felix whispered to me, covering his mouth in an abnormally conspicuous manner.

"I am indeed," said Kendrick, posing himself on the arm chair between Felix and me. "In fact, interestingly enough my family was the first to open a retail shop in this wonderful little town of ours. I assume that is where I get my fashion knowhow. I mean, gifts like these don't just appear from out of the blue. Talent like this must be passed down in some genetically superior way."

"Right." Felix finished his beer, staring at the empty bottle hopelessly. "So it's getting late..."

"How right you are," Kendrick started. "Annabelle and I should get back to my house to finish up the catalogue."

"Catalogue? What on earth needs to be catalogued at this time of night?" Felix asked, not waiting for an answer. "It's gonna have to wait until the morning."

"But, tomorrow is the fashion show!" cried Kendrick. He threw his hands in the air and started to pace the living room. "Without Annabelle's assistance I can't do the catalogue and program layout, not to mention the design list and the floor plan. I'll never get it done on time!"

"Annabelle, just go help this kid and come home," said Felix.

"Oh thank you so much," Kendrick shrieked. "You're kindness will not be overlooked."

"I should probably just sleep over and head to school in the morning," I suggested.

"Burnwood High has been put on a week long absence after the passing of another faculty member," said Kendrick.

"Really?" I asked. "I thought it was just for today."

Kendrick, eyes bulging from their sockets, staring at me in disbelief.

"Oh right! I remember now," I said as I gave my head a good shake. "Silly me. I have obviously spent too many hours in the library today."

"That's what I like to hear," said Felix. "Look, Kendrick, you seem like an alright young man, but Annabelle's not sleeping at your house."

"Uncle," I said, lowering my voice. "What exactly aren't you picking up on right now?"

Felix gave me a questioning look and then glanced over at Kendrick. He was slender with perfectly styled hair and square-framed glasses. He had on a yellow fitting T-shirt under a grey sweater vest and a pair of freshly ironed tight blue jeans, folded up just above his ankles.

Felix nodded and relaxed back into his recliner. "You can go."

I flashed Kendrick a triumphant smile and hurried upstairs to gather a few things. I opened an old duffel bag that I found in my closet and started to fill it with clean clothes, and a few makeup and hair accessories. I had no idea what to prepare for or how long I would need to live out of a duffel bag, so I threw in everything in question.

Knock, knock...

The door opened and Kendrick popped his head into my room.

"Hate to rush you, but Carter insists on escorting us to my place before him, Alec and Nick leave for the house."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm ready."

Just as Kendrick had said, the three of them were waiting for us in the driveway. Alec was sitting on the hood of Carter's Charger with Nick coolly leaning against the passenger door. Carter was standing with his back to us, but as soon as the front door closed behind us he turned around and shined his very handsome, always slightly cocky, smile.

It took everything in me not to smile back. He was just so handsome!

His dark hair looked almost black in the night, but his eyes shined like brilliant pieces of gold under the moonlight. And, his smile... it was like falling under a spell. Under normal circumstances I would have surrendered to his magic, but not tonight. Tonight, I had to make a stand. I wasn't completely clear on the details of the point I was trying to make. Nonetheless, it had to be made.

I turned and started for Kendrick's car.

"Alec and Nick can go with Kendrick if you want to come with me," said Carter.

"That's quiet alright," I replied, keeping my eyes on the car to avoid looking at him. "I wouldn't want to slow you boys down seeing as I am so fragile I should be locked up in a protective case."

Alec laughed. "I told you she was gonna be mad."

Nick smiled and nudged Carter's shoulder. "Just consider yourself lucky that Kendrick gets the first shift."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kendrick asked, jutting out his hip with attitude.

I sighed. "Let's just go, Kendrick."

Kendrick drove in silence and I was grateful for it. After being placed in protective custody, I didn't feel like making small talk. Instead, I stared out the window as he drove and tried to ignore the set of headlights following closely behind us.

"You think they're going to follow us the whole way there," Kendrick asked.

I shifted in my seat and looked at him. "I think Carter is going to follow us inside to make sure we lock the door."

He gave me a sympathetic smile. "It's kind of sweet, though. Don't you think?"

I furrowed my brow.

"The gesture, I mean, not the way he is going about it," he said. "He's just trying to protect you."

I rolled my eyes, but let the words sink in anyway.

"I'm not a kid anymore," I started. "I got that book back, didn't I?"

"Well, you did kind of lose it to begin with."

I glared at him. "I didn't lose it. It was stolen from me. Anyway, I got it back by myself."

"Yeah, but then Yury almost killed you, and Carter and Alec had to save you."

"Whose side are you on?"

"No ones. I don't take sides. I state the facts and those are the facts."

I turned back to the window, this time ignoring everything around me: the hum of the engine, the painfully bright headlights, and anything else irritating, which for the most part, was everything.

I hated feeling like this. It was a nagging feeling tearing through me like hot shears. I couldn't get comfortable. I couldn't get my mind to stop racing through every detail of the night, and worst of all, I couldn't stand anyone or anything that made noise.

Kendrick pulled up to his house and I was quick to hop out of the car. I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked up the front path to the porch. From the corner of my eye I could see Carter, Alec, and Nick stepping out of the car.

"Go on in!" Kendrick called as he started towards the guys. "Ask Nancy to show you to the guest room."

I nodded and stepped inside. It looked different from what I remembered. It was still huge and magnificently kept, but without the array of high school kids crowding the place, it seemed a lot more sophisticated. Finally, I could be happy about something- staying in this mansion for a night of privileged living.

Nancy entered the room shortly after I did. She ushered me to the guest room, rambling on in what I recognized was French. I tried to pick out the words I remembered from my seventh grade French class, but it was harder than I expected. Instead, I nodded and smiled.

After Nancy left, I went straight to the bathroom and ran myself a hot bath. There were scented oils and bath salts arranged on the counter and I used a little of each. I quickly undressed, tossing my dirt-stained clothes into a pile on the bathroom floor, and then I slipped into the tub, letting the hot water warp around my body and enfold me in its warmth. I sat there, encased in the warm water, until my eyelids felt too heavy to keep open.

Reluctantly, I pulled myself out of the water and wrapped a large towel around my chest. I managed to get a pair of shorts and a T-shirt on before falling into bed with a heavy thud. I closed my eyes and surrendered to the fatigue, all the while his eyes haunting me with their intense red glow.

### CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Annabelle!

I could hear her voice, but the sound was so faint it barely carried over the crackling of the burning floor boards. The heat was intense and the smoke filled the air, forcing me to my knees. I could see her, however briefly, among the wavering flames. Her beautiful blue eyes filled with tears.

I threw myself forward, but something held me back. "Mom," I called, my lungs finally free of smoke. The heat, the pain, it had all disappeared in my tiny circle. Everything I should've felt was somehow taken from me and doubled against her.

"Mom," I screamed over and over again, but to no avail.

I couldn't see her anymore.

"Annabelle."

My eyes opened to find two hands on my shoulders, shaking me back and forth.

"Annabelle, wake up!" said Kendrick.

Feeling momentarily disorientated, I surveyed the room in a quasi-panic.

"You're okay. It was just a bad dream," Kendrick said, steadying me.

I rested my forehand on my palm. "Oh, huh... I'm so sorry." I shook my head. "I guess... I don't really know what happened."

Kendrick looked at me questioningly before taking a seat beside me on the bed.

"Do you get that dream a lot?" he asked.

I frowned. "What did I say?"

He shook his head and stared ahead blankly. "It wasn't exactly what you said, but rather the way..."

Just then the door flew open and Carter burst through the entrance.

"Carter?" I asked, still so dazed that his worrisome expression almost didn't register.

"I called him," said Kendrick.

Carter crossed the room and took my face in his hands as he examined me closely. Kendrick stood and moved back a few steps to give him some room.

"What's going on?" I asked, pushing Carter's hands from my face.

"I didn't know who else to call," Kendrick explained. "I know you're mad at him, but I figured he would know what to do."

"Kendrick," I said, swatting Carter's hand away for the second time. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Well you were screaming... and your body was getting really hot. I had to do something."

I looked from Kendrick to Carter. "You called him because I had a bad dream?"

Kendrick and Carter shared a look and I knew I was missing something.

"Carter," I started. "How did you get here so fast?"

"That's the thing," Kendrick began. "You've been screaming almost an hour."

Flash backs of the fire raced through my mind. I waited to see a smirk of some sorts appear on their faces, letting me know it was all a joke, but there they were, still and serious. Suddenly, I was all too aware of my surroundings, including the soaking wet clothing hanging heavily from my body.

I jumped out of the bed and pulled the sweat soaked T-shirt over my head, throwing it to the other side of the room. It was cold, but I didn't care.

Kendrick turned to the window and Carter pulled the blanket from the chair beside the bed, wrapping it around me.

"What the hell happened?" My voice quivered, sounding faint.

Carter took me in his arms and held me close. "Calm down. You're okay now." He turned to Kendrick. "Call the others and let them know there's going to be a meeting before school today."

"Okay, I'll open the store and wait for everyone. You and Annabelle take your time. The group will understand."

"Kendrick, you're not going to tell anyone about this, are you?"

He smiled at me from the doorway. "Of course not."

Kendrick closed the door behind him as he left and I burst into tears, sobbing into Carter's T-shirt. "Carter, what's happening to me?"

"I don't know," he said, holding me tighter. "But we found something last night."

The entire group was already there waiting for us when we arrived. They looked curious, except for Trish... she seemed annoyed.

Jane sat down on the empty seat beside her, but I stayed near the door.

"Well come out with it already. I haven't got all day," said Trish.

Carter eyed her briefly, but when Trish's gaze shifted to the floor he turned to Alec, whispering something to him. Alec nodded and sat down next to Cruz, who was slouched against the staircase with a pair of sunglasses on and his hoodie pulled over his head.

"Look," Carter began. "I know it's early, but Alec, Nick and I found something at Annabelle's house last night."

Jane stood, her hands fidgeting nervously at her side. "What was it?"

Carter nodded to Alec who removed a folded handkerchief from his pocket. He unfolded it on his palm and inside was a circular gold medallion with a strange symbol on the face. It looked like an eye, but instead of a pupil, there was a small fire symbol in the center.

The whole group moved in to take a better look.

"What is that?" asked Trish.

"We think it's one of Annabelle's family medallions. There are three belonging to her family that the Elders don't have. We found this one in a hollowed out tree on the property," said Carter.

"The tree with the tire swing," I said still studying the artifact.

"You knew about it?" said Jane.

I shook my head. "No, but I know that tree. I use to play on it. I remember that. There was a hole near the base of the tree and I use to hide my toys in there sometimes."

I smiled at the memory, but I couldn't deny the fresh tear it left on my heart. I remembered so little from my childhood, and for the longest time I wished I could recall more.

Trish reached out, slowly inching her finger closer to the medallion. "Do you think the others are there too?"

Alec moved back a foot. "Hey, don't even think about it."

"Why?" Jane looked to Kendrick for the answers. "What will happen?"

Kendrick shrugged. "It's a medallion. We don't know enough about the medallions to know how to use them."

"Which is why we will need to work together to find out whatever we can about the medallions," said Carter.

"How are we going to do that?" I asked. "I thought you guys said you've never seen them before. How are we going to research something none of us know anything about?"

"It won't be easy, but this will give us a start." Carter gestured at the medallion. "We'll start by finding out everything we can about this medallion and hope it leads us to the others."

"It's likely that whatever we discover about this medallion will be relevant to all the medallions," added Kendrick.

"I'm going to need the group to work together on this. Everyone use your free periods to research on the third floor library. I'm going to make the trip to Portland with my father. I'll see what I can find out while I'm there," said Carter.

I whipped around and stared at him. "You're going to Portland?"

I could feel the eyes of the entire group shift to me. Even Carter seemed taken back by my abruptness.

"Uh, I have a free period this morning," I offered, holding my hand out for the medallion.

Alec held it out, but before I could reach it Carter snatched it from him.

"I'll send everyone a picture text of the medallion. It's too dangerous for it to be out in the open like this. I'll take it and hide it somewhere safe."

My gaze dropped to the freshly swept floorboards. He was right. The last time I was left alone with a founding family artifact it ended up in Yury's hands. We couldn't risk that happening again.

"It's Annabelle's family medallion, Carter. Why do you get to say what happens with it?" said Trish, her hand rested on her protruding hip.

"I'm not keeping it for myself, Trish. I'm just putting it somewhere safe."

"Annabelle could do that," she retorted.

It was odd seeing Trish stick up for me, but I knew exactly what she was trying to do- cause dissension. She didn't care that it was my medallion, she just wanted to challenge Carter.

"You don't actually expect us to give it to Annabelle, do you?" Alec chortled.

I glared at him and his laughter quickly puttered out.

"Sorry," he said.

"Why can't you give it to Annabelle?" Trish asked. "I think that's a great idea."

"The society does dictate that each family be in possession of their medallions," chimed Kendrick.

"No," I said, silencing the argument.

"You don't want your family medallion?" asked Jane, seemingly concerned for my mental welfare.

"I do want them, but Carter and Alec are right. I can't protect those medallions and I've already lost something to Yury once before. The medallions are safer with Carter."

I heard Trish huff and mutter something behind me, but I continued anyway. "And, I trust him. Isn't that why you guys made him your president? Maybe you all should start trusting him too."

With that, I left the store and started for the schoolyard. I didn't bother waiting for anyone to join me as I was sure they wouldn't. The medallion was fascinating and I wouldn't hold it against them for wanting to be around it for just a little longer.

"Not so fast."

I turned around to find Alec jogging down the boardwalk. His hazel eyes gleamed in the sunlight as he approached.

"What? Did I forget something?" I asked.

"You sure did," he smiled. "You're hybrid guardian for the day."

I frowned. "I thought it was just for the nights?"

"Maybe it was, but now that we have the medallion, or at least one of them, Carter's upped your security detail."

"Perfect," I mumbled. "Just what I need."

"Hey, I'm not so bad."

"No, I guess you're not," I smiled. "In fact, you're actually pretty cool, Alec."

He smirked. "I'd like to say I try, but the truth is all this comes naturally."

I laughed.

"Of course," I said. "You're Carter's best friend. Obviously you two would share the same ego."

"Oh we don't share it. Our ego's too big for that."

Alec and I walked to school after a brief debate over whether or not he should drive. I insisted that I would walk and that he was more than welcome to either meet me there or drive slowly beside me. He pondered it for a moment, but either way he wasn't getting there any faster. Carter may have had the ability to have me chaperoned, but he couldn't force my decision on where to go and how to get there.

The school yard was pleasantly busy upon our arrival. The hustle and bustle of the student body was refreshing in comparison to yesterday morning's deathly chill.

We made our way to the third floor library and settled down at a table near the back. Alec did a quick search of the room to ensure it was secure while I insisted that the precaution wasn't necessary. I flopped my book bag on top of the table next to the window. "I don't think he's going to come back here. At least, not this soon after what happened last night."

He smirked. "Who...Yury?"

I nodded and dug through my bag for a pad of paper and a few pens, which always seemed to end up in the very bottom.

"You can't say his name, can you?" he asked, looking amused.

"What? I can say his name."

He leaned against the bookshelf next to him with his hands in his pockets. "Then say it."

"Do you have a pen?" I asked.

"You're really going to change the subject?" He shook his head ever so slightly. "I may not catch on to everything going on around here, but even I can see you're avoiding it."

I sighed. "What would it matter? Saying his name won't change anything."

He pulled out the chair from beside me and sat down. "What do you mean?"

"I mean it's a name and saying it will do nothing to change the facts. Things are the way they are."

"Are you scared?"

I looked at him and he stared back intently, his eyes sincere and inquisitive.

Was I scared? In hindsight, I had every right to be scared, and perhaps I was. Truthfully, I hadn't let myself think about it. I guess that should've been my first clue.

"Yeah, I am scared."

A sympathetic look passed over his face, forcing me to look away. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to feel sorry for me, especially a hybrid. Alec probably never knew a day of fear. Being a hybrid meant he was faster, stronger, and more capable of protecting himself.

"Alec," I said, shifting in my seat to face him. "Do you think Yury would've killed me? You know... if you and Carter hadn't showed up."

Alec grew quiet and I waited patiently. By the look on his face I could tell he was thinking something through, debating on whether or not to tell me.

"You think he would have, don't you?"

"I think..." he started, pausing hesitantly.

"What?"

"That Yury is unpredictable. We can't be sure of the lengths he would go to. And..." he stopped, hesitating again.

"And what?"

"And there's something off about him," he finished.

"Because he's like you and Carter... a hybrid?"

"There's that, but it's something else," he continued. "There's something wrong with him."

"Like what?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, but it's there. I can feel it."

I didn't ask any more questions after that, there was no need. I felt it too.

I took my phone out and opened the picture text Carter sent me, placing in on the table. "So where do we start?"

He shrugged. "I figured you'd know."

"Great," I said, slouching back into my chair. "Then we're both clueless."

"I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"Up until a few days ago I had no idea there was such things as hybrids. Cut me some slack."

"Maybe I can help."

Alec and I turned to find Jane standing behind us with three large books held tightly to her chest as her shoulder bag swung wildly from her arm. Alec got up and quickly grabbed the books from her, allowing her the mobility she needed to fix her bag on her shoulder.

"I found these at the bookstore," she said. "I can help... if you want."

I hadn't talked to Jane since last night when she voted against me, and even though it had only been less than a day, I was missing my best friend.

I smiled. "Take a seat."

Jane pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. Alec placed the stack of books in the middle of the table and sat down beside Jane, leaving his backpack next to the chair beside me- the chair he had once sat at.

"So where do we start?" I asked Jane.

"Well, I know you're still learning about... well everything. So this is going to be a crash course for you. Ask questions at will, but we won't have time for you to start at the beginning. Finding out about these medallions has to be our priority."

Alec and I nodded and Jane continued.

"These books may or may not contain the information we're looking for. The problem is that even if they do, I'm not exactly sure what we should be looking for."

"Medallions," said Alec.

Jane and I frowned at him.

"Alec, it's not that simple. The Elders took them away over a decade ago. They're not going to leave the books fully intact."

Jane pulled the blue-covered book with gold writing across its cover from the pile. She flipped through the pages until she got a quarter of the way through the book.

"Look at this," she said.

Alec and I hunched closer to examine the page. It was torn along the seam.

"Someone tore out pages. My guess is that these pages had information about the medallions."

"If the pages have been taken from this book then it's probably the same for the others too," I said.

Jane nodded and pushed aside the blue book in exchange for another one from the pile. The second book she chose was red and marked with a flame symbol on its cover. She opened the book, and just like the last, pages were torn from within.

"They're all like this," she said.

I dropped my face into my hands and muttered, "Then reading all these books isn't going to bring us any closer to those medallions."

"What's the point in looking through all of these if the pages we need are gone?" asked Alec.

"Because it's impossible to erase everything about the medallions from these books. And, the medallions were only taken a decade ago," said Jane.

"So," said Alec.

"So, it would only be our generation who doesn't know anything about them."

"But the older generation will know something," I said, a hopeful smile slowly creeping onto my face. "Which means someone has to be able to tell us about these medallions."

I looked from Jane to Alec, expecting to see the same enthusiasm coursing through them, but they just sat there looking blankly at one another.

"What?" I asked.

"Annabelle, it's not that simple," said Jane.

"If you think the Elders are bad you should meet our parents," scoffed Alec.

"What? That can't be. Aren't they..."

"Yeah, they are and it's not something they like to talk about," said Jane.

"It's like they're just waiting for our supernatural genes to run dry," said Alec.

Jane placed her hand on his shoulder. "That's not true. They're just scared."

"Scared of what?" I asked.

"People finding out about our kind," said Jane.

"Or maybe they just hate what we are so badly that..." Alec started.

"Stop!" Jane said. "They're not ashamed of you or who you are. You and Carter are lucky. You guys carry on our heritage and don't you ever forget how important that is."

Jane kept her hand on Alec's shoulder as she spoke and there was no need to explain why, Alec's face said it all. I hadn't considered how being a hybrid affected him and Carter. Sure, they were fast and strong and extraordinary in every way, but they were also different from everyone else.

I remembered the anxiety I always felt each time we moved and I was forced to attend a new school and make new friends. I could only imagine the difficulty they faced keeping their secret, which is probably why they were so devoted to the society. The society was the only place they could truly be themselves.

"It might be worth a shot just to try," I said.

Alec sighed and slouched back into his chair with one leg stretched forward. He ran his hands through his hair and glanced at Jane who gave him a reassuring nod.

"Okay," he said. "I'll stop by my mom's after dinner tonight. She's always a little more agreeable with a few glasses of wine in her."

"My dad's out of town," Jane said, clenching her jaw. "But, I bet you he would answer Lamar's calls. Apparently he thinks he can compensate for not being in his childhood by making him his priority now."

"Lamar has been spending a lot of time with your father lately?" I probed.

"Yeah, but why do you care whether or not..." Jane stopped short of finishing her sentence. Her face reddened and she began to shake her head back and forth. "No, no, no! Not going to happen."

"Come on Jane," I pleaded. "He might know something."

"So what if he does?"

"We're kind shooting in the dark right now," said Alec. "We could use any information he might have."

Jane crossed her arms over her chest. "And what if he doesn't know anything"

"Then at least you got to know your half-brother a little better," I said with a smile. "A win-win if you ask me."

Jane narrowed her scornful eyes on me. "Not funny."

"Jane, I've seen the way your dad is with him," said Alec. "Lamar might be able to get the information we need."

I could see the pain register in Jane's eyes as she sunk back into the chair. Alec picked up on the body language too, but it was too late. What had been said couldn't be undone.

"I'm sorry, Jane," he said, reaching for her arm.

She yanked it away before he could touch her. She stood up, her chin held high and in doing so, I almost didn't notice the tears welling in her eyes.

"I'm not doing it," she stated, arms still crossed. "I can get the information myself. I'll call my dad tonight."

She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the library.

"Great," Alec mumbled as he let his head fall into his open palms. He rubbed his face roughly and then ran his hands through his hair again. "Just great."

"I think that went as well as can be expected, don't you?"

He looked up at me and shook his head. "Let's just hope Carter can get something from his trip to Portland."

### CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Alec and I spent the entire first period looking through the books Jane brought us. Alec fingered through the pages like he was looking through a picture book. I on the other hand found each page captivating. The only problem was that it took me an hour to get through 10 pages.

He glanced over my shoulder. "You find anything?"

"Plenty," I said. "Just nothing about the medallions."

He shrugged. "I'll pass these on to Kendrick and Trish. They said they had second period open."

I nodded and started gathering my belonging. Alec stacked the enormous books onto one hand, balancing them precariously on the palm of his hand as we made our way downstairs.

"I'll walk you to your next class, and then Carter will be here to bring you home tonight."

"I get to go home tonight?" I asked, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I couldn't wait to have use of all my otherwise useless items. I longed to be able to slip beneath the covers of my own bed.

"He doesn't want your uncle to start getting suspicious."

"Probably a good idea. Though, he has been acting more aloof than ever. He might not even notice."

Alec laughed. "I wouldn't worry about it. It probably has something to do with that blonde he's been sneaking around town with."

I stopped, feeling a hard thud as the girl behind me collided into me.

"What?"

Alec pulled me to the side and away from the flow of students hurrying down the hallway. I hadn't realized how much traffic I held up until I met the numerous scowls coming from all directions.

"It's really not that big of a deal," said Alec, gesturing at the crowd to keep moving. "Men are easily distracted."

"What blonde?"

Alec eyed me for a second and a smug smile slowly crept onto his boyish face.

"I get it," he snickered. "Competition."

"Ew!" I shouted, punching him hard in the shoulder.

"Not like that," he replied, rubbing his shoulder with great exaggeration. "You've been the only girl in his life for a while now, right?"

I laughed. "Of course not. He's had plenty of girls in his life."

"I bet you none of them consistent."

"None of them he felt like he had to hide from me," I retorted.

I said the words without being quiet sure I had thought them, but now that they were out the truth sunk in. Felix was the only father I had and it stung to know he would hide something like this from me.

"Wait." I stopped just shy of the entrance to my literature class. "How do you know this?"

"My mom's a nurse," he said, seemingly believing that explained everything.

"So?"

"So she's there every Thursday when your uncle and Lucinda visit Professor Kraven."

"Lucinda," I repeated. "She was the blonde you saw him with?"

Alec nodded.

"Why the hell are they going to the hospital every Thursday together? And who's Professor Kraven?"

The bell rang and students scattered from the hallways and into classrooms.

"Damn it!" Alec hurried for the staircase near the end of the hall. "Got to go."

I sighed heavily, tossing my head back and shaking my hair loose from the insecurely pinned bun.

I felt a hand on my neck, but I didn't bother turning around. I could recognize those strong, warm hands anywhere.

He pulled my hair to the side, letting it drape over my shoulder, and I felt his soft lips graze my neck. I turned and let him envelope me in his arms. I rested my head against his chest and felt his chin atop my head.

"I was hoping I would catch you before class," he said.

"Good because I don't think I could've made it to the end of the day without seeing you."

He stepped back and looked at me. "That's what I came to talk to you about."

"What's going on?"

"I'm gonna have to get one of the others to stay with you tonight," he said, stroking my hair with his hand. "I'm leaving in a couple hours."

I stepped back. "Tonight?"

"The Elder's will be at the council meeting. It's the only chance we have at figuring out anything about those medallions."

"Why is everyone so reluctant to just ask their parents? I mean, is it really that horrible to bring up over a casual conversation?"

"It's not that simple."

"I am so sick of hearing that," I mumbled.

He smiled, his finger grazing my cheek. "I'll be back in three days."

I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest.

"And, when I get back, it would be my honor to escort you to the Red and Black Lantern Festival."

I eyed him. "You're not going to leave me dateless at the last minute, are you?"

"First of all, you would never go dateless and we both know that. There's really no need to spare my already inflated ego. And, I wouldn't miss the chance to be your date to something as important as the Red and Black Lantern Festival, especially when it's your very first one."

"What is this Red and Black Lantern Festival anyway? It's all this town has been talking about for the past month."

He pulled me in and kissed me. "You will just have to wait and see. Just make sure you wear red or black."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks genius."

He kissed me once more, this time letting the moment linger.

I watched him hurry down the hall and out the exit. I looked over at the classroom full of students and it began to dawn on me just how much he sacrificed on behalf of our group. Carter missed more school than any of us, and his grades were most certainly a reflection of that.

Jane was already in class when I stepped inside. I joined her at our usually seats at the back of the class.

"Hey," she whispered. "What happened to you at lunch?"

I rolled my eyes and tossed my head back in exasperation. "I had to stay behind after biology class to finish my lab. I got paired up with Nelson Korks."

"Ah," Jane nodded. "I got stuck with him last year. Someone seriously needs to teach that kid the dangers of playing with fire."

"I know! Every time I turned around he was finding new ways to blow us up. I just don't get it. How does a kid like that even get into advanced biology?"

She shrugged. "Beats me. Bet it has something to do with his dad being on the school board."

I shook my head. "Figures. It's not about what you know, it's about whom you know."

After class I followed Jane to her locker.

She tossed her school bag inside and quickly closed it before the bag could fall from its precarious position at the top of the heap of junk already squeezed into her locker.

"You know that's a fatal avalanche waiting to happen."

Jane pursed her lips. "I'll get to it... just not today."

"Suit yourself, but do me a favor. Wear proper headgear before opening that again."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, I've got to go. I have a phone call to make when I get home; and if I don't do it now, while I still have the nerve, I never will."

"So Carter didn't talk to you today, did he?" I asked, following her out the west wing exit.

"I haven't seen him since this morning. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. He had to go out of town today so he said he would ask someone else to pick me up after school, but maybe he couldn't find anyone to babysit me today and I will finally get my freedom back."

Jane laughed. "I wouldn't hold your breath. He wouldn't have left if he couldn't find someone to look after you."

We crossed the field and reached the parking lot where Trish and Cruz were hauling the three ginormous books Jane had brought to the library into the back seat of Cruz's truck.

"Hey, either one of you hear from Carter," asked Jane.

"Nah, what's up?" said Cruz.

"Not very presidential of him to just go MIA if you ask me," Trish sneered.

Alec came around the side of the truck. "No one asked for your opinion, Trish."

Trish shrugged and turned on her heels. "Just saying."

"Well, would anyone of you know who is on Annabelle duty?"

"Jane! I'm not a kid."

"Could've fooled me," muttered Trish.

"You know what? This is ridiculous. I'll just take myself home. Carter isn't here and he doesn't need to know."

"You can't do that," said Jane. "Yury is still out there."

"Technically, she can do whatever she wants," chimed Trish. "It's her life, not Carter's."

"What are you saying, Trish?" said Cruz, stepping between Jane and Trish. "You're seriously that threatened by Annabelle that you would put her life at risk."

"I didn't mean it like that," stuttered Trish, but it was too late. Cruz was already at the driver's side door of his truck.

"Find your own way home today," he shouted over his shoulder.

Trish scurried for the door handle only to find it had been locked. "Cruz, wait!" she called, smacking her palm against the window.

Cruz whipped out of the parking lot and sped down the street like he couldn't get away fast enough.

Trish folded her arms across her chest and looked back at us.

"Why am I not surprised that you are again at the root of this problem?" she jeered.

"Wow Trish." Jane laughed. "You can't blame this on Annabelle. You heard what he said. The problem is with you so, if I were you, I would start taking a good long look in the mirror."

Alec and I stared at Jane in awe. She spoke so sternly- so confidently. Even Trish seemed to feel the total impact of her words.

I half expected Trish to saying something in return, but she didn't. Instead, she narrowed her eyes on me for what felt like an eternity, and then turned and stomped off towards the school's main entrance.

"Don't worry about her. She's just intimidated."

"I don't know," I said, still watching Trish storm through the school yard. "There's more going on here."

"Like what?" asked Alec.

"Let's just not be too hard on her. It's possible that we're missing the bigger picture right now."

"I hope you're right," said Jane. "Because I'm getting sick of all the attitude coming from her lately."

"Me too," said Alec. "I can't wait to hit the track and forget all about this crazy shit for a few hours."

"Wait," I said. "Carter didn't ask you to pick me up?"

Alec's gaze shifted from me to Jane. "No... was I supposed to?"

I smiled triumphantly. "I guess I'm off the hook after all."

"I don't feel right about leaving you on your own," said Jane.

"Don't worry," said Nick, stepping out from behind the cover of a black Hummer. "She won't be on her own."

"Nick," Jane and Alec said simultaneously.

"Carter called me to pick you up."

"Oh," we all said together.

Nick looked away, his hand shoved into his pockets.

"I think that's perfect," I said.

They all turned to me with curious looks and I completely understood why. Nick was a part of the group, but he had never really had an active role. He came to the meetings and did what was needed of him, but never anything more than required. And, of course, there was that unfortunate scene I made at Jane's house during the vote.

Perhaps this would give me a chance to apologize. I hated to admit it, but I hadn't stopped thinking about what Carter had said about Nick- that he was my cousin.

Nick nodded. "Okay, I'll wait for you in the Hummer."

He gave Jane and Alec a slight nod before he left.

"I can cancel my race today," said Alec.

"And I can make that call to my father some other time," said Jane.

I smiled. "I want to go with Nick. Unless... is there something you both know that I don't?"

I eyed them both suspiciously, watching their faces falter.

"That's just it," said Jane. "We don't really know anything about him."

"You can't be serious," I said, partly amused.

"We are," said Alec.

Something passed between Alec and Jane just then, but I wasn't sure what it was. I thought it might be understanding, but when I looked closer, it seemed more like shame.

"He's a part of the society. How can you not know anything about him?"

"It's not like we don't want to know," said Jane, gesturing with her hand at the Hummer. "He just doesn't like us."

"Why would he be a part of your group if he doesn't like you?"

"By requirement," said Alec. "It's not really a choice, Annabelle. You're born it this. We all are."

I looked back at the Hummer parked just a few stalls over from us. Nick was sitting inside, bopping his head to the music.

"I don't get it," I said. "How is he my cousin? I didn't think my father had any siblings."

"His father was you're father's cousin," said Alec.

"Why doesn't he like you guys?" I asked.

Jane and Alec shrugged.

"I don't get it myself. What's not to like," said Alec. "He's just weird."

"Totally emo, except without the dark clothes and black eyeliner," added Jane.

I rolled my eyes. "You've been very helpful. Thanks."

I turned and quickly made my way to the Hummer, just reaching for the door handle as Alec called out, "if you need a quick escape don't hesitate to call."

I didn't bother to respond and I sincerely hoped that Nick hadn't heard him, and from the looks of it he didn't. He was still bopping along to the music, surprised when I opened the door and hopped inside.

"You're actually coming?" he said.

"If it's okay with you..."

He stared blankly at me for a moment, and then shifted the car into reverse and slowly backed out of the stall. Nick blasted the music as he peeled out of the parking lot and onto the main street running in front of the school.

"So where are we going?" I asked, shouting over the music.

"What?" he shouted back.

I looked at the volume nob on the stereo and he quickly got the hint.

"Sorry," he said, switching off the stereo. "I'm not used to having people in here with me."

"Why is that?"

He kept his gaze on the road. "I just... like my space."

I nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

He shook his head. "I don't think we're going to have that problem. I have someone I would like you to meet."

### CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

"You're seriously not going to tell me?" I questioned for the hundredth time.

Nick gave me a solemn look and continued driving. We had been on the same road for nearly 10 minutes now and every second of it was pure torture. There was nothing more infuriating than going to meet someone you knew nothing about.

"If I don't know this person why are we going to meet him... her... whoever!"

"Annabelle, just take a breath. You have to meet him," he began.

"So it is a him?"

"We are five minutes away. Can you please just hold all the questions until we get there?"

"Why? Will he have the answers?"

Nick gave me a sideways glance. "How am I to know what questions are in that head of yours? I don't have that kind of connection to your mind? I'm not Carter."

"What does that mean?"

Nick shook his head. "Nothing. Can we not talk about this for the rest of the drive? Please."

I hadn't the opportunity to respond before he reached for the nob on the radio and blasted the music. I crossed my arms and sat back in my seat with a frustrated huff. Nick was certainly as stubborn as I, but that was the only family similarity we shared as far as I could see.

He had dark brown hair and sapphire eyes. He was shorter than the rest of the guys, but still much taller than I. Even his face was comparably different, softer- I thought. Yet, at the same time there was something dangerous and mysterious about him. He had an aloofness that almost inspired envy. In a word, he was cool.

We drove down the dirt road for a few more minutes before Nick pulled into the driveway of small lake lot with a shabby little house just off the shore line.

It was a small house with a large window on one side of the door and two smaller windows on the other. The smaller windows were broken with glass shards sticking up from every corner of the frame. A large piece of plywood was broken, not cut, into smaller semi-square pieces and used to board up the window from the inside. The shingles on the warped roof were peeling upward, leaving small patches of unprotected wood exposed. I could see a bunch of tarps lying in heaps on the ground next to the house and assumed that was what they were using to prevent the rain from seeping in through the roof. Even the concrete staircase leading to the worn front door looked frail, cracking in multiple places.

"Who lives here?"

Nick kept his gaze forward and his chin high. "I do."

"Oh," I said. "I didn't think..."

"That there are people who live like this in picture-perfect Burnwood?"

"I was going to say I didn't think we were going to your house. You said you wanted me to meet someone."

Somewhere in the midst of that sentence I realized how untruthful I was being. He was right to say that I didn't expect anyone in Burnwood to live in such conditions. As new as I was to town, I hadn't come across anything less than a standard three-bedroom Victorian-style home. Most of the homes in Burnwood were magnificent- clean, well-cared for, and polished.

"Nick, you drive a Hummer to school every morning."

"So."

"So I guess I had greater expectations for your house. That's all."

Nick muttered something under his breath as the car came to a stop. He hopped out, shutting the door behind him and leaving me sitting in the Hummer alone.

I could follow him out, but I wasn't so sure I was invited to do so. I could hardly wait in the Hummer indefinitely, so with little alternative, I stepped out of the vehicle and followed him to the house, making sure to keep a lengthy distance between us.

Nick stopped at the door and turned to me. The cement stairs seemed to be cracking before my eyes, or perhaps it was my mind playing tricks on me. Either way, I focused on Nick's face and resisted the urge to scream out a warning. I was sure it was the last thing he needed to hear from me after our very brief conversation in the car.

"He's a good man," Nick said, pausing briefly. "He might not be as put together as Darius or your uncle, but he's just as good. And... well he's all I've got."

"Nick," I said, taking a few steps forward. "Who did you bring me to see?"

Nick opened the door and stepped inside. "My father."

I idled outside the doorway, fidgeting with the sleeves of my shirt. My palms were sweaty and my heart was racing.

I looked inside the house through the open door, but it was too dark to see anything. I glanced over my shoulder at the road behind me. I could probably find my way back to town on my own, but part of me wanted to step inside this dark and gloomy house with a boy who seemed irritated by my very presence. His father was the only connection I had to my own.

I stepped through the doorway and into the dimly lit room. "Nick."

My eyes adjusted and I could see a bare room with brown carpeted floors and a lone coffee table along the far wall.

"Nick," I called again, this time a little louder.

Nick reentered the room from a hallway on the left. He stopped and then looked behind him. I followed his gaze until a middle-aged man with a long, untamed brown beard stepped into sight. He had shoulder length, frizzy brown hair, as though he hadn't combed it in days. He wore a red button up shirt, which had been incorrectly buttoned near the bottom. However, it wasn't his appearance that alarmed me; it was the sadness in his eyes. It was so vivid that I felt like I could reach out and touch his pain- to feel it for myself.

The silence made me uncomfortable so I waved, feeling as awkward as I must've looked. "Hi."

The man looked at his son and then back to me, running his hand over his beard. "My god, she looks just like Lillian."

I stepped forward. "You knew my mother?"

"Annabelle," said Nick. "This is my father, Torren."

"Annabelle," Torren repeated the words as though they were foreign. "Yes, Annabelle. I remember now."

Nick smiled and gave his father a pat on the back. By now, Torren's eyes were beginning to swell with tears. He took a deep breath and slowly he regained his composure. He looked around the house as though he had suddenly become aware of its condition.

"I'm sorry," he said. "We have no seat to offer you." He wiped his palms on his jeans nervously and looked from me to his son. "We should have a seat to offer her."

"It's okay, dad," said Nick. "I will go get the lawn chairs from the backyard."

Torren nodded and Nick quickly disappeared down the hallway towards the back of the house. When he was gone, the silence was so deep and uncomfortable that I felt guilty for not having anything to say.

But what could I say?

Torren was a stranger to me. He may have known my parents, but he most certainly didn't know me. In fact, the connection between us was still somewhat of a mystery to me.

"I'm sorry about this," he said, gesturing at the empty room. "I've wanted to fix this place up for some time now. Cara and I bought it while she was pregnant with Nick. We got it for next to nothing and we we're going to do all the renovations ourselves."

Nick returned from the backyard with a stack of white, plastic lawn chairs. He placed one next to me and one next to his father, leaving the last one for himself.

I hardly felt like sitting. My whole body was shaking with the adrenaline rush that followed Torren's mention of my mother. However, the look in Nick's eye told me to sit and so I did.

"Mister..." I paused, realizing I didn't know Nick's last name.

"Kessler, but you can call me Torren," he said. "Everyone does."

"You said I looked just like my mother. Did you know her?"

Torren nodded. "I knew her very well. You're father brought her back with him right after they got married. Cara and I had just had Nick when your mother became pregnant with you."

"I can't believe this," I said. "I... I have so many questions. What were they like and what kinds of things did they do together? Anything you can remember. Please, I would love to hear it all."

I wasn't sure when I had started pacing the room, but here I was skipping about as though I were a child on her way to the candy store. I was excited. No, I was absolutely thrilled. Finally, here was someone who knew something of my father.

Uncle Felix always spoke so highly of my mother- his sister. But, there was only so much he could say about a man he never really knew.

I dropped down to my knees and took Torren's hand in mine. "Please, tell me everything."

"Dear lord!" Torren shouted, slapping one hand down on his knee. "She even sounds like Lily."

Torren burst into a hysterical fit of laughter. He held onto his side with one hand and the arm of the chair with the other to keep himself from falling. Nick and I exchanged a look, and then we too laughed, unable to help ourselves at the sight.

"You okay, dad," said Nick.

"Yes, yes, just fine son," Torren chortled.

It was then that I smelled it. I hadn't picked up on it before, but now I wondered how I could have missed it at all. He was drunk.

I knew the smell of whiskey, not well, but well enough to detect it on Torren's breathe. I looked to Nick, but he didn't seem to notice. Or, maybe he'd known all along.

"You..." Torren started, snapping his fingers as he tried to call on his memory.

"Annabelle," said Nick.

"Right. Annabelle. You bring your chair over here and I will tell you everything I know."

I quickly grabbed my chair and hurried over to him. I placed it right beside Torren so that he was in between Nick and me, and then I eagerly took my seat.

Torren stroked his bread. "Sirus and I grew up together in this very town. We did everything together. We we're best friends. Of course, we really didn't have a choice in the matter. The society kept us together. Outsiders would always be outsiders, never worthy of our secret."

Torren stared ahead at the wall as though he was watching the past play out like a movie. His eyes were glazed and teary and his knuckles white from clutching the arm of the lawn chair. He was so wrapped up in his story that I almost felt like I was watching him relive it step by step.

"Anyway, after high school you're father took a position with the council. We lost touch after that. He came back from time to time, but after his mother and father passed away in a car accident..." Torren trailed off, like the memory carried with it the pain. "He just stopped coming around."

"He didn't come back?"

"Not for a long time," said Torren. "Not until it was just too late."

I looked at Nick, but he seemed just as confused.

"Until what was too late?" asked Nick.

Torren's daze broke and he snapped into alertness. He looked at Nick and then me, and then back to Nick.

Nick placed a hand on his father's shoulder. "Dad, are you okay?"

Torren nodded, shaking off the haunted look on his face. "Of course, I'm fine. Now where was I?"

"My father," I offered. "He never came back."

"Of course he came back!" Torren slammed his fist down on his knee. "You were born in this very town."

"I'm sorry, sir," I said. "I'm not sure I'm following you."

"I don't see how you could, my dear. You were just a child back then." His gaze trailed back to the blank wall. "I'm not even sure you really knew him at all. He never was the same after the council. I don't know what they did to him, but he had changed."

"Getting married and having a child would change any man," said Nick, flashing me an apologetic look.

Torren raised his finger into the air and waved it frantically. "That it does, my son. Any man... any real man changes the second his child is born."

Torren looked lovingly into his sons eyes, causing Nick to shy.

"Unfortunately, that wasn't it," Torren continued, a solemn look returning to his face. "I'm not sure anyone really noticed. I know Cara didn't. She kept telling me that life has its way of getting under people's skin. She insisted he just needed time to adjust... to life and the sort. Ah, my Cara... what a kind and gentle soul."

"What did you think it was?" I said.

Torren furrowed his brow. "Was what?"

"What do you think changed my father?"

"Annabelle," Nick started. "People change. It's not anything to be concerned about."

Torren laughed loudly, startling Nick and me back in our chairs.

"You sound just like your mother, Nicky boy. So convinced that there is nothing to be worried about, but there is. Intuition is a powerful thing my son. It will lead you if you let it, but be warned. Denial will lead you down a dark path of no return."

Nick hung his head. "Dad, what are you talking about?"

"I've seen it before," Torren continued in a voice trembling and growing louder with every word. "It nearly destroyed that family."

"Dad!" Nick yelled.

"You don't see it!" Torren shouted back. "No one saw it! And all I could do was sit back and watch it all unfold, helpless to do anything."

"Annabelle," Nick said as he shot up, sending the plastic lawn chair falling back. "Go to the Hummer and wait for me."

I tried to stand, but a hand quickly clasped down on my wrist.

"I tried to stop it all, but no one would listen," said Torren. The tears were streaking down his cheeks now and his hand quivered. "I tried to warn them. I didn't want anything bad to happen to them. No one would listen."

"Dad, let go of her," Nick demanded. "You're scaring her."

"She should be scared!"

Nick stepped away, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

Torren, keeping his hold on my wrist, turned back to me. "I don't know how you made it out of that fire, but I thank the heavens you did. I don't think I could live with myself if you hadn't."

"What? I said, suddenly finding myself short of breath. "You're talking about the fire that killed my parents?"

"There was nothing I could do. The council refused to act. They turned a blind eye for the sake of peace and look what it cost them. Look what it cost you."

I dropped to my knees, clutching to Torren's hand. "Please, tell me what you know about that night."

"Dad," Nick interrupted. "That's enough."

"She should know," Torren refuted. "Maybe she can change things. She can get Sirus and Lily to believe me. She can talk them into understanding."

I looked at Torren who stared back at me with pleading eyes. I glanced over at Nick. He seemed frustrated and sad, but something in his eyes told me things were about to get a lot worse.

Nick's gaze fell on me, his face sad and guilt ridden. "She can't do that, dad."

"Why not?" Torren demanded.

"Because Sirus and Lily are dead," he finished.

The look on his face was all I needed to know how sorry he was for having to say those words. I saw a deep compassion in his hazel eyes, and they extracted every bit of forgiveness in me.

Nick continued, each word slicing through me like a hot blade. "They're all dead, dad." His eyes fell shut and when they reopened I saw a sadness like nothing I had ever witnessed before. "Sirus... Lily... and mom."

Of course that was what I saw in his eyes. It was compassion that only came from understanding... from feeling the pain firsthand.

"No!" Torren cried. "No, that can't be."

Nick sighed. "Come on, Dad. Let's get you to bed."

Torren resisted, pulling away from Nick's hold.

"You're lying!" Torren shouted. He dropped his face into his palms and wept.

Nick helped his father to his feet and they both disappeared down the dark hallway, leaving me to my thoughts.

Torren knew something about my parents' death that no one else seemed to know, and it didn't sound like an accident.

### CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I sat on a large protruding rock along the shoreline next to Nick's house. I grabbed a handful of smaller rocks, casting them one by one across the lake.

I wondered if Nick knew more than he was saying. The rest of the group said their parents were reluctant to speak about the past, but Torren seemed more than willing. In fact, he was practically begging to be heard.

I tossed another rock and it, like the others before it, plopped into the water with a big splash.

Nick walked over, kneeling down to retrieve a small, smooth black rock. "The trick is to find the flat ones."

"Is he okay?"

Nick gazed out across the lake. "He'll be fine." He swung his arm and launched the rock across the water. It skipped more times than I could keep count and then disappeared below the gleaming surface.

I bent down and carefully selected a white stone, similar in shape and size as the one Nick picked. I stepped up beside him, mimicking his stance. "Nick, he said something about the medallions, didn't he?"

Nick shrugged. "Maybe. Do you really think we should take anything he says into consideration?"

"He might know more than we think. He's clearly aware of the Elders and my father. He might be able to help us."

"Help us?" he chortled. "He can barely help himself."

"Nick." I said. "He's your father."

"I know!" he shouted. "It's just that I don't want to bring it up again. I don't even know why I brought you here."

I paused. "Why did you bring me here?"

Nick and I were hardly friends, regardless of our blood connection. It's not that I don't want to be his friend. In fact, I'm almost positive I do, though his mood swings make it hard to commit. I probably would've made an effort at some point to connect with the mysterious founding member who lurked in the background of every society meeting. Surely my curiosity would've gotten the best of me eventually. But we had gotten off to a rocky start- the sad consequence of my rash behavior, which I still believed was partially justified. It was practically a kidnapping!

Nick, still looking out over the lake, dropped his arms loosely to his side. "I don't know. I guess I was hoping it would help him."

"Nick..."

"Don't," he said, standing motionless with an icy exterior.

I was quiet for a moment, but the question lingered in the air like a foul odor. "How long has he been this way?"

"Thirteen years," he replied. "Or so I think. I can't remember the first few years. I was too young."

"Ever since the fire."

He nodded.

"I don't understand. What happened that night?"

He shrugged. "A house caught fire and took the people we loved from us. Some of us could just never get passed that." He looked back at the house with the same sadness in his eyes that I'd seen in Torrens just moments earlier. "Some of us will never be the same again."

"My uncle never told me about your mother. I thought it was just my parents in that house that night."

"I wish it had been."

The words hit me like a derailed train, the blow forcing the air from my lungs. I could feel my face burning red and my eyes swelling with tears.

Nick took a step towards me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I wish that fire never happened at all."

I swallowed hard. Hearing something like that, especially when your guard is down; it isn't an easy thing to recover from.

"I really am sorry," he said again. "I... I don't even know why I would say something like that."

I met his gaze. "I know you didn't mean it like that. I just... I think I know how your dad felt when you said..." I stopped, not daring to inflict that kind of pain on him.

Nick looked down for a long moment and then looked back over the lake. He lowered himself onto the rock beside me. It was quiet for a while as we both stared out at the dazzling lake with the hot sand at our feet.

"You ever wonder what your life would be like if that fire never happened?" said Nick.

I nodded. "I've thought about it from time to time."

"It's just hard to accept things when you know they would've been a lot different."

"I was fortunate enough to have my uncle, but I couldn't imagine what would've happened to me without him."

Nick laughed and gestured over his shoulder at the house. "You would've ended up here."

I giggled. "You know, my uncle never mentioned you or your father. I wonder if he even knows."

"I think your uncle knows a lot more than you think."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Nick shook his head in the same way he did when I asked about his father. "Never mind."

"No," I demanded. "I want to know what you mean by that. He's my uncle. You can't just insult him and then go on about your day without a valid explanation. And I mean it better be a damn good excuse because you've just manned an assault against my only ally."

Nick rolled his eyes. "You really shouldn't take history class so seriously."

"Stop changing the subject and explain yourself."

Nick stood up and I mirrored his action.

"Don't you think it's odd that you've moved around your whole life?"

"I guess, but it's not like that was ever something we wanted," I said. "We had to move for work."

"I've never met anyone who had to move multiple times a year for work. Have you?"

"Just because I've never met anyone doesn't mean they don't exist out there somewhere," I retorted, folding my arms across my chest defensively.

"Okay, then tell me about you're uncle's coworkers, or his job sites, or even the name of the company he works for."

I pondered his question and came up empty-handed. "Where are you going with this?"

"Don't you think it's odd that he has never mentioned my family? He's never mentioned that you have a cousin and an uncle. And, he's never mentioned my mother either, has he?"

"No," I said, the word no louder than a whisper.

There was another long silence between us and I could feel his eyes watching me, though I never looked up to meet his gaze. He was right. I had never really questioned my uncle's motives for moving, but now how could I not.

"Okay genius," I said. "If not for work than what did we move for?"

He thought about it for a second and then turned to me, a devious smile and a glint in his eye.

"I don't know," he said. "But, I bet we can find out."
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Carter

Carter's eyelids were heavy from exhaustion. He drove all night and was now anxiously staking out the shabby two-toned motel his father pulled into last night. He had already been awake for the past 48 hours and he was fading fast. Nevertheless, he had to make it to the council meeting and this was his only way in.

Carter had considered driving ahead while his father spent the night in the hotel, but he hadn't been able to get the exact location from Darius. In fact, Darius outright refused to engage in any conversation after strictly forbidding Carter from attending the council meeting.

The sun was rising, casting a shadow over the parking lot. Carter desperately hoped that the daylight would re-energize him; the coffee had lost its effects hours ago. He couldn't afford to lose his father's trail. His whole planned relied on it.

The Elders would be at the council meeting and this would be his only chance to speak to them, to make them understand.

I will talk to them and explain what's happening in Burnwood. They will know what to do. They can help us.

Carter reclined his chair and leaned back, his hands folded behind his head. The exhaustion was starting to take over, forcing its will upon his tiring eyelids. He let them fall shut for just a moment and then jolted up at the sound of an engine roaring to life.

Darius was pulling from the motel parking lot in his black SUV. Carter quickly turned the key in the ignition and followed after him.

Carter kept his distance. If he followed too closely his father would recognize him, even in a rental car and a black cap pulled down so low that Carter had to tilt his head up to see the road clearly.

Luckily, Darius was too distracted to notice the silver Toyota Camry following him since his departure. Darius had been on edge ever since the council announced the meeting. He seemed nervous, almost frightened.

Carter followed his father, expecting the journey to be a long one. However, the black SUV had barely made it 10 miles before turning off toward a small town labelled Welcome to Cravens Ville.

Carter followed Darius down the empty streets of Craven Ville until he pulled into the parking lot of a large brick building with tall white pillars and floor to roof windows.

Carter turned down an adjacent ally way and parked on the next block over. The streets were bare and unnervingly quiet. Carter walked back toward the building, taking in the town.

The houses were in bad disrepair. Shingles peeled up from the rooftops and weeds overtook the yards. The fences were barely standing and many of the windows were broken, jagged shards of exposed glass precariously hanging from the frames.

He stopped halfway down the block, surveying the area. He hadn't seen one single person since he arrived. There were cars on the street, but they were dated and covered with thick layers of dust. Craven's Ville was a ghost town. Of course the council would hold their meeting here.

Carter stopped at the end of the block. The brick building was actually Cravens Ville's City Hall and by the looks of it, it hadn't been functional in a long time.

Carter knew the council meetings were by invitation only. He would have to slip in unnoticed. He looked down at his clothing, wishing he had packed something aside from T-shirts and black jeans. He wouldn't get far dressed like this.

Soon, the parking lot was full. Carter stayed out of sight, watching the minutes approach the hour. The meeting would be starting soon.

A black car pulled into the parking lot and an older gentleman with wispy grey hair stepped out. He opened the passenger door and wiggled his oversized arms out of his black suit jacket, tossing it into the backseat. He loosened his tie and pulled it over his head, throwing it on top of the jacket before closing the door and hurrying up the pathway to the building.

Carter waited out of sight for a few minutes, but the lot was nearly full and it had been awhile since the last car came by. He darted across the street, ducking low in the parking lot. He found the car belonging to the grey-haired gentlemen he'd seen before. The suit jacket and tie were in the backseat. He pulled up on the door handle, but it was locked.

His eyes flashed red and his fingernail formed into a long, sharp claw. He stuck it in the keyhole and jimmied it until the door lock popped up. He took the jacket and slipped it on over his T-shirt. He tried the tie on, fiddling with it for a few minutes before tossing it back into the car. The jacket will have to do.

The jacket hung loosely on him, but if he stood tall and puffed out his chest, it almost looked like it fit.

A woman in her late 30s, wearing a light pink suit jacket and matching skirt, eyed Carter on his way in. He took out his shades and put them on as he continued. He stepped inside, noticing a few curious stares coming from a large man with dreads tied into a ponytail and his companion, a lanky-looking man with sharp features and narrow eyes.

Of course they were suspicious. He was clearly younger than everyone around him, and although his height gave him a fighting chance, it wouldn't be long before someone called his bluff.

Carter remembered a saying his father always quoted from one of his favorite books, kept from his college days at Penn State. "Confidence is within the mindset."

It was true- confidence wasn't something you were born with or just lucky enough to have. It comes from a feeling of fitting in and belonging, an unshaken sense of worth. And even though he wasn't a member of the council, he was a hybrid, and in that alone, he belonged among them.

Carter stood up tall, feeling his shoulders fill into the oversized jacket. He looked around at the people surrounding him. He saw them differently now. It was like city hall was transforming into Burnwood High before his eyes.

He felt taller, like he had grown three feet in 15 seconds. Suddenly, nothing intimidated him; not city hall, not the council, and as he caught sight of Darius in the far corner of the room, not even his father.

Carter strode passed the gawking middle-agers as easily as he did the gawking teenagers. He kept to the wall farthest from his father, and out of the masses beginning to circle the stage.

Ring, ring...

Carter grasped at the side of his jeans and frantically pulled the phone from his pocket. He turned it on vibrate and slipped into an empty hallway and down a dark stairwell.

"Annabelle, I can't talk right now."

"Carter, where are you?" she said, detecting the hushed tone of his voice.

He continued down the dark corridor. The walls were concrete, just like the floors, and it reeked of chemicals and damp wood.

"I'm at the council meeting. Someone here has to know about the medallions."

Carter felt guilty about lying to her, but he wasn't really lying. He had come for answers about the medallions, but that wasn't all. So much more was happening in Burnwood.

"Then why are you whispering?"

"Well... I wasn't exactly invited."

He was coming to the end of the dark narrow passage. The ceiling was low with flickering lights every few feet. From time to time it would go completely dark as a few bulbs would struggle to carry the current, but it didn't bother Carter. His night vision was one of the few things he enjoyed about being a hybrid.

"Oh no," Annabelle sighed. "What did you get yourself into?"

"Can we talk about this when I get home?"

"Aren't you at all concerned about what I got myself into," she said mischievously.

"Annabelle..."

She laughed. "Don't worry. Nick is keeping me completely safe. But, we have been on a fact finding mission and would you believe there is no law office here in town."

"Wait," he said, giving his head a shake. "I thought your uncle is a lawyer."

She sighed. "Me too."

"Annabelle, let me call you back after the meeting."

"You know The Red and Black Lantern Festival is tomorrow?"

"And I already have my tux on hold at Walmart."

"Carter! That's not funny."

He laughed and leaned back against the cool cemented wall. "I take it you found a dress?"

"Oh my God! I found the most magnificent dress at... wait. I want it to be a surprise."

Carter smiled.

Hearing the excitement in her voice made the past 48 hours of hell forgettable.

"Well, I can't wait to see you in it."

She was quiet for a moment. "Carter, are you okay?"

A sound came from the other side of the door at the end of the hallway.

"Annabelle, I have to go."

Carter switched off his cell phone and crept towards the door. He kept his back against the wall and out of the direct light, letting the darkness shadow him. The voices grew louder as he got closer.

He could hear the sound of a husky male voice with wheezing lungs. From the sounds of it, he was probably an Elder. Another voice rang out among them. It was also a man's voice and aged with the same sternness of the last, but he spoke with an authority that silenced the room.

Carter stopped, pushing himself closer to the wall and deeper into the darkness. The group had stopped talking and a deadening silence filled the hallway. He wouldn't be able to get back to the staircase without being heard, so he stayed as quiet and motionless as possible.

Finally, the authoritative voice started again, this time without interruption.

"This is a sensitive matter at hand. One in which we must deal with delicately."

"Kane," said a woman, too young to be an Elder. "You don't actually believe these fools?"

"Fay is right," wheezed the husky voice. "Delirium has set in."

"Surely, even you, Lucious, can see the circumstantial evidence to these claims. Or do you suggest that all of this be pure coincidence?" said Kane.

"Well, of course," Lucious chortled. "What more could it be?"

"I beg of you to consider what is right in front of you."

Carter recognized this voice immediately. It was his father.

Carter peeled himself from the wall and crept forward until he was right beside the door. From here, he could hear the voices clearly.

"Darius, I can assure you that I will look into what you have brought to us today," said Kane. "But you must give me time."

"I'm afraid time is not something we have," said Darius, his voice growing louder. "I urge you to reconsider."

"Don't be ridiculous. Who would dare challenge such a power," scoffed Fay.

"Indeed," Lucious added. "There is no threat here."

"And what about the hunters?" asked Darius.

The question silenced the room and Carter could sense the tensions growing behind the door.

He had heard stories of hunters, descendants of kings' most valiant knights. Dragon slayers.

"No one has seen a hunter in quite some time, Darius," said Kane.

"Yet they are the only outsiders to know our secret," said Darius. "Perhaps it would be ill- advised to dismiss them so carelessly."

Darius stormed from the room just as Carter pulled back from the door and pressed himself against the wall. Darius strode by without pause.

The heavy black door fell shut and the light streaming into the hallway from the room disappeared. Carter sighed with relief as he was once again shrouded by the comforting darkness.

Inside, Kane addressed the others.

"I want a full investigation launched into the Burnwood incidents. There's been far too much movement in that town and I want to know why."

"Kane, you can't be serious," said Fay. "It was one murder."

"Two murders, Fay. There were two," Kane corrected. "And if this does have anything to do with the medallions or that young girl, I want to know about it."

"We don't know anything about the girl," said Lucious. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"We know she is of the blood," said Kane.

"But if she was hybrid it would've manifested already," said Fay. "By 6 years of age she would've known."

It was true. Hybrid characteristics always manifest between the ages of 4 and 6 years. Some developed earlier than other, but the time frames always fell closely together.

"I suppose you're right," said Kane. "Nevertheless, we will do our due diligence and check into the Burnwood cases."

Carter backed down the hallway quietly. He was halfway up the stairs when he turned to dart to the top, but smack face first into a chest as solid as a brick wall.

He rubbed his head and looked up.

"Dad."

Darius looked down at his son, arms folded across his chest. His eyes were angry and his posture stiff. Carter knew he was in for it.

Darius took Carter by the collar of his suit jacket and hauled him down a hallway and away from the gathering. He took a few quick turns down adjoining hallways until he found an empty office room storing piles of file boxes stacked in every direction. He yanked Carter into the room and closed the door.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"I didn't have much of a choice," Carter started. "You wouldn't let me come any other way."

"For good reason," Darius retorted. "Do you have any idea what could happen if anyone discovers you're not a council member? Not only could I lose my seat in the council, but they could disregard my request for an investigation."

"Looks like they're already headed in that direction," mumbled Carter.

Darius went still and his face paled. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough," Carter huffed. He took a seat atop a small stack of boxes. "Who were they talking about?"

Darius looked confused.

"The girl they were talking about... the one from Burnwood," Carter continued. "After you left they said something."

"What did they say?"

"That she was of the blood."

Darius looked away, but Carter could sense the change. Something was weighing heavily on him.

"There are things I can't explain... things I don't even know if there is anything to explain," Darius started.

Carter stood and paced the room. "It's about Annabelle, isn't it? They think she's a hybrid, don't they?"

"Hold on..."

"She's not! You have to go tell them that."

"It's not that simple, son. You we're once just as suspicious."

Carter's voice rose in unison with the anger inside him, "Yeah that was when she first moved here. When I first found out that she was from Burnwood and her father was a hybrid. I was wrong and so are they. You have to tell them!"

"They will see it for themselves, Carter. There's nothing we can do."

Carter went silent for a long while, staring blankly at the bare wall in front of him.

"She deserves a life without this mess."

Darius strolled to the opposite side of the room, taking a seat on top of the bare desk.

"That is beyond our control, Carter. She is a part of this world whether she likes it or not... whether you like it or not." Darius sighed, hanging his head low. "I don't know why it is so hard for you to accept who you are, but are you sure Annabelle feels the same way? Perhaps she deserves a say in the matter."

Darius eyed Carter sympathetically and then clapped his hands down on top of his knees and pushed himself up. He walked to the door, stopping momentarily to glance back at his son.

Carter waited until his father left the room and was well down the hallway when he slammed his fist down onto one of the white file boxes. The box shredded to pieces and hundreds of loose papers fluttered to the floor. He could feel the unrelenting anger gnawing away at his self-control, the way it always had since his transition. The beast inside him was so strong and loud- so undeniable. It sometimes took everything inside him to keep the beast at bay, a never- ending battle.

Carter could fight it. He knew he was strong enough to resist its every desire, but it was a strength he didn't wish upon anyone. His life could be so much simpler if only he were pure. He could live the life he had always dreamed of, the life he would make sure she had the opportunity to live.

Carter shook his head and left the room. He walked the hallway in long strides, keeping his mind focused on getting the information he needed- the information only Kane seemed to know. He entered the hall and took his place among the crowd of people creating a half circle around the stage. The Elders were there, all dressed in black robes.

Carter was sure he recognized a few of their faces. He couldn't recall where he had seen them before, but they were hauntingly familiar.

One of the Elders stepped forward and began to address the crowd.

"I know you are all here for answers," he said.

Carter recognized the voice immediately- it was Kane. He was different than Carter had imagined. His slender body and narrow shoulders portrayed nothing of the authority his voice demanded. He was a simple looking man, one that you wouldn't glance twice at if you had passed him on the street. His polished, olive-colored skin and warm brown eyes looked harmless, yet he had the power to quiet a room with just the sound of his voice.

The crowd's whispers and mummers puttered out until the room was so quiet that the only sound that could be heard was the crackling coming from the old microphone.

"I know there has been a spur of confusion amongst you all about the recent incidents in Burnwood."

The crowd stirred and Kane stopped, raising his hand to silence them. Surprisingly, that was all it took. Kane glance back at the row of Elders standing behind him and then turned back to the crowd.

"Against the wishes of my fellow Elder assembly, I have decided to share with you all some very important information."

The Elders lined up behind him began to stir, whispering to one another. One Elder stepped forward and reached his arm out for Kane's shoulder, but stopped short as Kane's piercing glare caught him. The man stepped back and no one else dared to step forward.

Carter inched his way through the crowd until he was standing just a few feet away from the stage. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the moment where he would finally have something valuable to share with the group. The crowd fell silent with anticipation. Some council members looked confused and others seemed wary, but everyone was intently hanging on every word Kane said.

Suddenly, the lights in the room began to flicker. The whole gathering looked up at the ceiling just as everything went dark. It took a few seconds for Carter's hybrid vision to kick in, and when it did everything happened so fast. Carter could see the room perfectly now, everything tinted red. Half of the crowd moved around, bumping into one another in the darkness. They were clearly the pure ones of the council. The other half was unaffected by the darkness as their hybrid vision adjusted to it.

Murmurs spread through the crowd as people yelled back and forth for someone to find the light switch.

"I found it," yelled a man standing along the east wall. He flicked the switch and a spark of light came from the ceiling as the bulbs burst into thousands of tiny pieces. The flash of light was blinding, even to the hybrids.

Carter shielded his eyes from the light and hunched down as the tiny shards of glass rained down over the hall. The glass cut and tore at the bare flesh of a few council members, their shrieks echoing through the hall. It wasn't until the flash of light subsided that the real damage could be seen. Right there, in the middle of the stage next to the microphone, was a lifeless, robed body sprawled across the floor- its head, severed.

### CHAPTER TWENTY- NINE

I looked out the passenger window of Nick's car. "I can't believe I finally get to go home."

"Well, don't seem too excited."

"It's not like that. I really enjoyed camping on the lake with you. I've never really been camping."

"You city people have no survival skills."

I laughed. "And now I don't need them. If ever there is a zombie apocalypse, I'm sticking to you like glue."

"Hey, I've already got one burden to deal with. You better find yourself a backup just in case I abandon you in the woods while you sleep."

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped open. "You wouldn't."

He smirked. "Nah, I would wait for you to wake up before I left. You know, give you a fighting chance and all."

I punched him hard in the shoulder and then reached for the door handle. "You wish it was that easy getting rid of me. Admit it! I've grown on you the last couple of days."

I had expected to be homesick or just plain bored at some point during the week, but I wasn't. We went on long walks along the shore and hiking down the trails. We went to the diner in the morning and drove all the way to Portland for a late-night movie. For the first time in my life, I was actually experiencing what I've witnessed so many kids take for granted- what it was like to have a cousin.

What Uncle Felix and I had was different. He was a father to me, and since I really couldn't recall more than a few brief imagines of my real father, he was all I had.

"I wouldn't blame you for being glad to get out of there."

Nick tried to make the tone in his voice sound humorous, but the shame was there.

"You know, you're always welcome here if you want to get away for a bit."

He smiled. "Yeah, leave him and I might not be able to find him when I get back."

I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. Instead, I just sat there for a minute in silence as he looked off into the distance.

"You should go inside," he said. "You'll only have a few hours to get ready for the Red and Black Lantern Festival."

"That's right," I said. "It's tonight, isn't it?"

Nick nodded. "Shouldn't you be more excited about it?"

"I am," I replied. "At least, I will be. I just forgot about it until you said something."

"I'm surprised Jane hasn't called a million times to remind you."

I pulled out my phone and stared down at the screen. "Have you talked to Carter at all since he left?"

Nick shook his head. "But he's coming back today, isn't he?"

I nodded. "That's what he said, but I haven't heard from him in two days. I called Alec, but he's acting strange. Something's not right."

"Alec is strange, but I will call you if..." Nick's voice trailed off as his gaze settled on something behind me. "Actually, I don't think that it's going to be a problem."

I followed his gaze to the black Charger cruising down the street.

I smiled and hopped out of the Hummer.

Carter parked in the driveway and I raced over to meet him, jumping into his arms as he stepped out of the car.

Nick honked the horn twice as he passed us, waving out the window. Carter raised his hand and nodded, a gesture that seemed as heartfelt as it got for the men of Burnwood, except maybe Kendrick who insisted upon a 'firm and comforting' hug, as he put it.

Carter nuzzled his face into the curvature of my neck, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. "This is what I drove 13 hours straight for."

Carter held me close, too close. The warmth of his touch was so overpowering that I almost missed that look in his eyes. Almost.

Reluctantly, I forced myself from his embrace. "What is it?"

"Annabelle," he started, but I raised my hand before he could continue.

"No," I said. "Don't do that."

He looked surprised for a minute and then his regularly occurring, cute, but infuriating smudge smile appeared.

I rolled my eyes and continued. "The secrets are behind us. Keep that in mind when you tell me what's wrong."

He was quiet as he stared at me with his intense hazel eyes. I tried to match his gaze with every bit of seriousness and intensity I could muster, but it was a feeble attempt against those beautiful sapphire rings.

I managed to keep straight-faced for almost 30 seconds before bursting into laughter.

He smiled triumphantly and enclosed me in his arms again.

"Not fair," I said.

He kissed me and with one final squeeze, he released me.

"I know it's not," he said, taking my hands in his. "I promised you no more secrets and I intend to keep that promise."

"So..." I probed, batting my eyelashes.

"Not so fast. I drove 13 hours straight to take my girl to the Red and Black Lantern Festival and I'm not about to ruin it by telling you what an epic failure Cravens Ville turned out to be."

"Where's Cravens Ville?" I asked.

Carter frowned. "I will tell you all about it... tomorrow."

I sighed. There was definitely something wrong. His shoulders slumped and his eyes looked tired, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his back.

"Tomorrow?" I pressed. "You promise?"

He nodded. "Now go get ready and I will see you at 6 o'clock."

I let myself sink back into his arms for one final hug. "I'll see you tonight."

He smiled faintly and slid back into the car. I watched him drive down the block, all the while unable to shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

I stepped inside and breathed in the scent of spaghetti and meatballs. The smell brought back memories from my childhood. Uncle Felix and I had practically lived on pasta for the first three years of my life with him. Needless to say, he had a lot of adjusting to do when I was dropped on his doorstep.

"Spaghetti!" I said, hurrying into the kitchen. "We haven't had spaghetti in..."

I stopped, the words catching in my throat as I stared at the pile of boxes stacked in the corner of the dining room.

The walls were bare where pictures once hung and the kitchen cupboard doors were open, revealing empty shelves. I turned and ran to the living room. It was just as I suspected, everything was boxed and moved the corner of the room. My mind went blank and my vision blurred as my eyes welled up with tears. I backed away, catching a quick glimpse of Felix carrying a box from the bathroom to his room.

I ran, darting out the door and across the street. I saw the dirt trail cutting into the woods and bolted for it. I ran until my legs gave out and I collapsed on the hard dirt ground. I fought to force the air into my lungs, tears pouring from my eyes. There was a sharp pain in my side, piercing me with every breath.

How could I be so naïve to believe I actually belonged here? It was bound to happen. It always happens. How could I not see it?

I closed my eyes and pulled my knees to my chest, ignoring the throbbing pain in my legs. I couldn't erase the images of those boxes piled high in the corner of the house and the emptiness I felt in every room.

We can't move again! Not after everything I've discovered. He said this was home.

I let my face fall into my hands, muffling my sobs.

"Has no one warned you about wandering into the woods all alone?"

I froze, every inch of my body locking into place as the sound of his voice sent quivers down my spine. I didn't have to look up- that voice had been scarred to my memory for weeks now. It was Yury.

I could hear the sound of crunching leaves and snapping twigs as he closed in on me, each footstep deliberately placed. Of course he would drag this out.

I wouldn't allow him to see my fear, he drew too much pleasure from it. I closed my eyes and swallowed down the lump in my throat. I took a deep breath and looked up. His eyes gleamed bright red and there was something odd about his appearance. His features seemed sharper, different from before.

"The woods are such a dangerous place for a young girl like you. I had assumed you would've figured that out by now," he said, pausing with a sinister smile as he watched the realization wash over me.

"That man in the woods... you did that, didn't you?" I said. "You killed him."

"You're quick... quicker than anyone else in this town, but what more can you expect of outsiders," he sneered, saying the word outsiders like it left a foul taste in his mouth.

I felt the rage wash over me like fire in my veins. "What do you want?"

He leaned against the tree behind him, crossing one leg over the other. "Is that not obvious yet?"

His cryptic words infuriated me. I could feel my hands trembling, clenching at the ground beneath me. "I know you want the medallions. Is that why you killed that man? Did he know about the medallions too?"

Yury laughed. "You mean the outsiders?"

"Outsiders?" I asked. "You mean..."

He met my gaze with his dark hollow pupils. "That's right. You're dear Miss April was nothing more than another sacrifice for my cause."

My vision flashed red and I lost all control over myself, giving into the darkest parts of me. The raged surged through me and my most animalistic instinct kicked in. Survival mode took-over.

I screamed and launched myself at his throat. He quickly moved to the side and I slammed hard against the tree. I fell to my knees, coughing and wheezing as I tried to replace the air that had been knocked from my lungs.

"Are you beginning to see it yet?" he whispered into my ear.

I spun around and threw my fist forward. Surprisingly, I connected with the left side of his face. He barely moved, but the smug smile disappeared from his face. He lifted his fingers to his lip and wiped away the fresh drop of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

The sight of his cut lip made me feel strong. I knew I couldn't overpower him, but I wouldn't go down without a fight.

I got to my feet and faced him. He narrowed his burning red eyes on me. Within a blink of an eye, Yury had me against a tree, his firm grip around my throat. I fought to get free, kicking and punching, but it was useless. He was too strong.

"Don't you get it yet?" he hissed through clenched teeth.

He took out a leather glove from his jacket pocket and slipped it on, grabbing the material with his teeth as he pulled it snuggly onto his hand. With the gloved hand, he reached back into his pocket and pulled out a purple flower with a long yellow stem.

I remembered the flower from the boutique he had given Jane.

"Let's see if this helps jog your memory."

"Get that away from me!" I screamed. "I'm allergic."

He laughed. "This act... this display of ignorance, it's almost convincing."

His face went flat with emotion as he raised the flower to my face and then slowly dragged it down my neck, carefully avoiding his ungloved hand.

The pain was unbearable and I couldn't help but cry out. My skin felt like it was burning. Every pain receptor I had was firing off like it was under attack. I could feel the energy draining from me like flowing water. I wasn't sure whether I would pass out from the pain or exhaustion, but I had an idea it was only a matter of seconds before one or the other took over.

Suddenly, the pain stopped. My body felt like it was made of lead. Every movement was like moving underwater with your feet stuck in the sand. It was impossible.

I realized I was no longer held against the tree. Instead, I lay on the hard dirty ground beside it. I was disorientated, but I managed to push myself up into a sitting position. My body shook violently as I moved, every muscle threatening to give out.

"Get away from her!"

Uncle Felix!

I spun around just in time to see Felix rush Yury, slamming him hard against the very tree Yury had pinned me to. I scurried backwards as the two wrestled for the vantage point. Yury was a hybrid, but Felix was armed with an old axe, which he was using to hold Yury against the tree.

At first, Yury seemed more amused by Felix's attempts, but then his eyes found the axe and focused upon a strange little symbol craved into the handle. It was a circle with three small triangles arranged within one large triangle.

Yury gasped, a mixture of shock, fear, and panic spreading across his face. "It can't be."

Felix's eyes looked angry, even dangerous. His mouth pulled into a devious smile. "That's right."

Felix stepped back and drew his axe behind him, and in one fail swoop, he swung hard for Yury's neck. Yury, with hybrid speed, ducked the blow and sped into the forest. The axe hit the tree, slicing through it like a knife through butter. Slivers of wood showered down around me. What was left of the tree toppled to ground with one loud thud.

Yury was gone, leaving a gust of wind in his wake.

"Uncle..."

He dropped to his knees, placing one hand on my shoulder. "Annabelle, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

I rubbed my neck, feeling a stinging sensation. "I'm okay, but how did you..."

Felix took my arm and pulled me to my feet. "Let's get you back home and into bed. You need rest."

"Wait," I said. "What about..."

"He's gone." He continued to guide me forward.

I pulled my arm from his grasp. "Uncle! I want to know what's going on."

He paused, his face solemn. He shook his head and when his gaze met mine, it was void of all emotion. He surveyed the area as though someone may be listening.

"Let's talk about this at home," he suggested, nodding in the direction of the house.

I shook my head, images of the empty house and boxes flooding my mind. "I'm not going back there."

Suddenly, I felt weak. I took a few steps forward and then everything went dark and silent.

### CHAPTER THIRTY

I could feel the heat blazing over my skin and I knew exactly where I was before I opened my eyes. But something was different this time. I wasn't the child me this time, I was the present day me and I was looking on as the circle of fire closed in on my child-self. She looked scared... or I looked scared. Part of me could even feel what she felt, maybe because I had lived it once before.

"Mama!" she screamed.

I moved forward and reached my arms out for the little girl, but she wasn't looking at me.

Her face was fixated on the slender figure hunched over on the floor. The women's blonde hair hung loosely over her face, but I didn't need to see her face to know who she was. I had seen her so often in my dreams that it is now my only memory of her.

I raced toward her. "Mom."

I reached out for her, but she couldn't see me either... neither of them could. My hands passed through her body like a ghost, and for a moment I was sure I was dead, cursed to live the worst day of my life for eternity. It would be my own personal hell.

I stepped back feeling hopeless and alone. I could see the pain in my mother's eyes as she cried out. I watched as my child-self fell to her knees and covered her face from the growing heat. I wanted to run away, to leave this place and never return, but something deep inside me forced me to stay.

I couldn't believe I was reliving this moment, but only worse. Instead of being a defenseless child, I was completely capable of helping them... except that I couldn't. All I could do is watch on in horror as the room filled with smoke and their bodies slowly sunk to the floor.

I remember this part of the dream as vividly as any... the part where the fire stopped burning, or at least that was what it felt like. For so long I had wondered about this exact moment. I never could understand how the heat just went away like it was never there to begin with. Only it was still there, it was everywhere I looked. The flames hadn't disappeared, just the heat, and now I knew why.

"Annabelle!"

I jolted awake, feeling a set of strong hands on my shoulders shaking me to life.

"Carter," I grumbled, shielding my eyes from the light.

He sat back and looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You really don't know, do you?"

I pushed myself up into a sitting position and quickly scanned the room. Everything looked in place.

"Annabelle..."

I followed his eyes down to the blanket still covering half of my body. My eye widened as I took in the burnt cotton spots scattered randomly all over the duvet cover. I jumped out of the bed and stared at the blanket from afar. I was about to scream, I could even feel it building in my throat, but my attention was quickly turned to the drenched clothing covering my body. I quickly peeled my shirt from my body and threw it across the room, feeling the cool air against my bare skin.

Carter took the housecoat hanging from the hook on my door and draped it over my bare shoulders. "Calm down."

I could feel the panic bubbling under the surface, ready to emerge. I paced the room, shaking my hands as I moved. "Carter..."

"No." He took my face in his hands and stared into my eyes. "You're okay. Relax. Everything is fine."

"What happened?"

He was quiet for a moment and I could tell he was deliberating.

"I want to know," I said.

He nodded and led me to the edge of the bed where neither the water nor the fire had destroyed. He sat down and waited for me to join him.

"Jane called me and said she couldn't get a hold of you. She said your phone kept going to voicemail. I got here as fast as I could but when I got here..."

"You found this." My gaze trailed down to the burnt duvet cover. I looked around the room. "Did I fall asleep with a candle on or something?"

He shook his head. "I don't think that's what's happening here."

I stuck my finger through one of the burn holes on the blanket. "Well, it had to be something. Thank God you got here when you did."

"No, Annabelle you don't understand."

"It wasn't you who threw the water on me to put out the fire?"

"No... I mean yes. I did throw the water," he fumbled. "Wait. Just listen to the rest of the story. There was no fire when I got here."

I furrowed my brow and he held up his hand in response.

"When I got here you were having some kind of horrible dream. I thought it was a nightmare, but then your skin got hot. You started to scream like you were in pain. I grabbed you and tried to wake you up, but then this happened," he said, running his hand over one of the burn holes. "Before I knew it the whole blanket was bursting into tiny little fires. I ran to the bathroom and filled the garbage pail with water. When I returned, there was even more fire. I couldn't believe that you were still sleeping through it all."

"But... what started the fire?"

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "It was like they started out of thin air."

"Not out of thin air," I said, the realization sinking in so deep that I felt it in bottom of my stomach. "It materialized out of my dream."

Carter stood up and started to pace the length of my room. I had expected an entirely different reaction, one that involved screaming and running in the opposite direction. After all, what more could I ask for after saying something as crazy as that. He stopped pacing and stared out the window, deep in thought. He didn't seem put-off by what I said and that's what scared me the most.

I crossed the room and joined him at the window.

"I know it sounds crazy," I started.

He shook his head. "It doesn't. If I can be what I am than I'm pretty sure there are no limits to this world we live in."

"Why do you say it like that?"

He looked questioningly at me and I continued, "With malice... like you're some kind of beast or something."

He half smiled. "Well, I have fangs and claws so maybe I am."

I frowned.

"It's okay, Annabelle. I'm okay with it."

Every so often I had moments in my life where an invisible force guided me. Perhaps it was intuition or a sixth sense, but whatever it was, it was never wrong. And, right now, it was telling me to let this fight go. I could love Carter with everything I had, but it wouldn't make him love himself.

I nodded and took his hands in mine. He pulled me close and I rested my head against his solid chest. I could hear his heartbeat, the rhythm lulling me into a sense of security. In his arms, all my worries melted away. I pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. I pressed my lips against his, pulling him closer until our bodies were pressed together. His hands slid down my back, gently moving to my hips. I slid my hand under his shirt and glided them over his chiseled abs.

"Wait," he said, glancing over at the door. "Your uncle could come home soon."

I stepped back. "He's not here?"

Carter furrowed brow. "He's never here. Why is that so shocking to you now?"

I tried not to meet his gaze, but his eyes just kept boring down on me. I didn't want to lie, but I also didn't want to ruin the Red and Black Lantern Festival by telling him the truth.

I started for the stairs. "He wasn't here when you got here?"

Carter followed after me. "What's going on?"

I raced through the house searching for Felix, hoping that Carter had been wrong. More than anything I wanted to find him passed out on the sofa or in the backyard tidying up, but he was nowhere to be found.

I ran my hand through my hair. "I can't believe this. I can't believe he just left me here alone after..."

I stopped, but it was too late. Carter was on to me.

Carter lifted a piece of paper from the kitchen counter and held it up. "He left a note."

I took the note from Carter and read it.

Work called. I'll be back as soon as I can.

I couldn't believe it. How could he take a work call after what had just happened in the woods? Why isn't he here, protecting me like he should be?

Carter stepped in front of me, taking the paper from my hand. "You're looking kind of pale right now."

"It's just... I didn't expect him to be gone when I woke up."

My voice cracked as I finished my sentence and everything I was holding inside came pouring out in a flood of tears.

"Annabelle, what happened?"

I let him pull me into his arms as I wept. It was a moment of weakness, but he didn't make me feel weak. He made me feel safe and that feeling was everything to me, especially after discovering how lonely this half-packed house really was.

I looked up at him, but he wasn't looking at me anymore. His gaze had turned to the pile of boxes in the corner of the house.

I pulled myself together, dabbing away the tears from my cheek. "Carter, I think there's something I need to tell you."

### CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Carter held out the hanger holding my red dress as I stood in the bathroom curling my hair. "Is this really necessary?"

"If I don't start getting ready right now, we'll be late."

Carter was already in his traditional black suit and tie, looking absolutely perfect. I, on the other hand, looked as exhausted and disheveled as I felt. My face was pale with dark bags forming under my eyes. My hair was stuck in weird waves from tossing and turning in my sleep. Altogether, I was not a pretty sight.

"Argh!" he moaned. "You know I can't stand it when you keep things from me."

I arched my brow. "Says the guy who has refused to tell me anything until the end of this Red Lantern thing is done."

"Red and Black Lantern Festival, and it's a big deal for the founding families, which might I remind you, includes you. I just don't want to ruin it for you."

I snatched the dress off the hanger and narrowed my eyes on him. "That sounds like a pretty serious secret to keep from me."

"No... I mean yes. Wait, it's complicated," he said, shaking his head. "Just trust me on this. It's a lot to take in."

"I don't see why you can't tell me right now," I huffed. "I can keep a secret if that's what you're worried about. I won't tell a soul."

"Annabelle," he grumbled. "You're stalling."

I flashed him a disappointed look and then turned back to the mirror to put the finishing touches on my makeup.

"Okay, but you have to promise not to get mad."

"Why would I get mad?" he said defensively.

"Carter... you're going to have to do better than that."

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the doorframe. "I'm not mad."

I laughed. "You are mad."

He sighed. "Okay, but that's just because of the stuff in Cravens Ville... it's really getting to me."

I looked at him, wanting to probe for answers, but his face instantly looked drained and his body slumped.

"It's going to be okay," was the only thing I could think to say.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Okay out," I said, shooing him from the bathroom. "I need to get this dress on."

He frowned, letting me push him from the bathroom.

"I want you to get the whole effect. Shoes, hair, makeup, dress... that's the way it works."

Carter rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in surrender. "Fine, but you still owe me that explanation and don't think I will forget."

I closed the door, leaning against it with a heavy sigh. Every second passing made it that much more difficult to tell him the truth. Worse of all, if I told him about Yury he might actually support Felix's recently sprung move. Yet another thing I hadn't told him about.

"Carter, something happened in the woods today," I blurted out, continuing before I had the chance to change my mind. "Yury attacked me and... well I don't really know what happened, but my uncle showed up and he kind of just... ran away."

I sighed, a sense of relief washing over me. There, I said it!

I waited for a response, but one never came.

"Carter."

Again, there was nothing.

I opened the door, finding him exactly where I had left him. His face was blank, like he had just witnesses a terribly accident. I took his hand in mine, lacing our fingers together. "Are you okay?"

He closed his eyes and I could feel his body trembling. His skin warmed until it was too hot to touch, forcing me to let go of his hand. I had seen this once before and I knew what was happening.

"Carter!" I yelled. "Stop!"

He opened his eyes and the blaze of red frightened me back. He turned from me, gripping the banister behind him.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice low and streaked with sorrow.

I stepped forward, placing my hand on his shoulder. "I'm not scared of you, it's just the red eye thing... well, it's just too soon."

He turned, facing me. "Not for that. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to protect you."

"Carter, you couldn't have known."

He didn't say anything.

"Why do you look like you've just killed a puppy?" I asked, trying to throw some humor into the conversation.

He didn't laugh nor did he explain himself, but that made it all too clear.

I stepped away to gage his facial expressions. "This is about Cravens Ville, isn't it? You've been acting strange since you came back from there. What happened? What did you find?"

He started down the stairs. "It doesn't matter."

"Where are you going?" I asked, following him to the door.

"I'm going to do the only thing that does matter." He stopped and looked into my eyes, his hand gently caressing the side of my face. "I'm going to keep you safe."

Carter darted out the door and across the lawn to his car. I tried to follow him, but he moved at a supernatural speed and I was still wearing my housecoat. I wasn't sure if I should let him go or not, but I knew I couldn't follow him dressed like this.

I hurried inside, closing the door just as I heard a loud honk coming from the street outside my house. I cracked the door open and peeked outside. A black limo with tinted windows and obnoxious bass was cruising down the street. It pulled up to my house and Jane's curly brown hair emerged from the sunroof.

I stepped back out on to the porch and waved. Jane smiled and ducked back into the vehicle, stepping out seconds later through the door. She was wearing a beautiful black dress, which sparkled in the setting sunlight. The material shined like diamonds and hugged her curvy figure, carefully outlining the results of years of cheerleading practices.

She glanced over her shoulder at the limo. "It's a gift from Trish's parents."

Trish stepped out as well. She looked magnificent in her black satin dress. It was strapless, clinging tightly around her waist and falling loosely around her hips. They both wore their hair up in tight curls and were draped in the most elegant diamond jewelry.

Trish rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well it's the least they can do after ditching me on the eve of Burnwood's most important festival."

Alec, Kendrick and Nick piled out from the limo.

I glanced down at my blue house coat and bunny slippers.

At least my hair and makeup is done.

"Why aren't you dressed?" asked Jane.

I looked down the block in the direction Carter had left and contemplated whether I should tell them the real reason, but what good would it do now? Everyone looked so wonderful dressed up and I could see how happy they all were, even Trish.

"It just took me longer than I thought to do my hair," I said. "I'll go get dressed."

I stepped inside and closed the door, pretending not to notice the uncomfortable silence. If this night was going to go on without a hinge, my acting skills would have to get a lot better, starting with a believable excuse for why Carter wouldn't be there.

I sighed. This is going to be a long night.

### CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

We arrived at the Founder's Hall just after eight o'clock. I had spent the whole ride silently gazing out the window and trying to ignore the awkward glances shared among my friends. It was clear that everyone was wondering where Carter was and I didn't have the answer. But now the vehicle was stopped, and I wouldn't be able to avoid the question they were inevitably going to ask.

We filed out of the limo one by one and I graciously accepted my position as last. When the path was clear and only I was left in the limo, I took one deep breath and stepped out. I imaged the moment to be more graceful, almost movie like, but my long, fitting red lace covered dress caught on my heel. I stumbled and reached out for the door handle to catch my fall. My hand locked with someone's hand and he pulled me up. I heard the lace tear and looked down to find a heel-sized hole at the bottom of my dress.

I shook my head, staring down at the torn lace. "Just great."

"You look amazing."

I followed the hand still linked with mine until I met his gaze. "Carter, I thought... well, I didn't know what to think."

His face still looked troubled, but there was a hint of that cocky smile I had grown to love.

He moved closer, placing his hand on my back and his cheek next to mine. "I made you a promise and I intend to see it through," he whispered. "Besides, I couldn't miss the look on your face when you see what's inside there."

He turned and looked up at the large white building with pillars and tall glass windows along the front of the house-like structure. It reminded me of the White House, except smaller and far more rustic. The shingles were peeling back from the roof and the iron gate enclosing the property was badly rusted and overpowered by untamed vines, which I couldn't tell if they had been planted or a result of Mother Nature's unique artwork. The trees sprouted around the building were decorated with beautiful white lights, and there was a red carpet leading up the staircase to the main entrance. The Founder's Hall looked exquisite in its true Burnwood fashion.

"What's in there," I asked.

Carter and the group shared a quick look and they all smiled.

Jane and Alec started up the red carpet. "You'll see."

"It's quite the display if I do say so myself," added Kendrick as he and Nick followed.

Carter waited for the group to disperse and then gestured for me to follow him. He led me around the side of the hall into a tiny garden with a narrow brick path. We followed the bricks, winding around flower beds and rose bushes with fully bloomed red roses, until we came to a small wooden bench. He sat down and I sat beside him almost instinctively. It was odd how we moved together so fluidly, but it only worked to reinforce my feelings about him.

"Did they ask?" he said.

"About where you were?" I shook my head. "No, they never asked, but that doesn't mean they weren't wondering."

"Did you tell them?"

I shook my head again. "I couldn't. They looked too happy and it's been so long since I've seen them all smile." I placed my hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We can give them one day of happiness, can't we?"

"That's what I wanted this day to be for you... happy. I just wanted you to have one magical night without all of this... craziness that's been happening around here."

He sighed, the sadness so real in his eyes that I could feel it. I wanted to look away, to shelter myself from feeling his pain, but I forced myself to stay focused. Moving as often as I had left a wall so large that I thought no one would ever get over it, but I was wrong. Carter had climbed that wall and met me on the other side. I wasn't alone anymore and neither was he. The only thing standing in our way was the pile of boxes sitting in the corner of my living room. I would have to tell him soon.

I jumped up from the bench, pulling him up with me. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's make this night a good one. Not just for you and me, but for our friends too."

"Wait," he said, resisting.

I turned back to him, squaring my shoulders. "No waiting, Carter. Don't you see? We've been waiting. We've waited for the craziness to calm down, for the right time to speak our mind, and now we're waiting for happiness as though it was something that just comes along every once in a while."

He looked up at the starlit sky, tucking his hands into his pockets. "It sure feels like that sometimes."

"Then let's stop waiting," I said. "Let's make our happiness."

He looked at me questioningly, a small smile creeping from the corners of his mouth. "How do you propose we do that?"

"By taking these moments and living them to their fullest," I said. "By not letting one person, or 12 people for that matter, control our lives. By refusing to live in fear, or anger, or mistrust. Let's just take these days as they come. We can worry about tomorrow when it gets here."

Carter smiled and suddenly he didn't look like he was carrying the world on his shoulders anymore.

He nodded and took my hand. "You're right. I don't want to spend my last days with you like this."

I paused, staring blankly at him. "You already knew?"

"I saw the boxes. And, given your history, I knew it couldn't be a coincidence."

"I was going to tell you..."

"Tomorrow," he said.

We walked up the long red, carpeted stairs until we reached the big room with white double doors. On each side stood two young men dressed in black tuxedos. As we approached, they simultaneously moved to pull open the doors and let us pass.

I smiled and whispered, "That was awesome."

He laughed. "If you thought that was awesome, then what do you think about this?"

I wasn't sure what he meant at first, but there was a gleam in his eye as he faced forward at the second set of white painted double doors in front of us. I realized then that we had only stepped into the greeting area, though it looked more like a five-star hotel lobby than a coat room.

It had antique gold-painted furniture with red velvet upholstering. The carpets were a mix of red, white, and gold colors assembled in a strange patterns and swirls. I imagine this building was once the home of a wealthy politician or landowner in the 1800s.

The second set of doors were pulled open by another set of sharply dressed attendants. Inside was the most enchanted ballroom I had ever laid eyes on. I stared up at the huge chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. It was so large it nearly encompassed the entire dance floor, sparkling brilliantly across the ballroom and adding a touch of elegance to every table cloth, chair, and tapestry it touched. I had never seen anything like it in all my life.

I felt Carter's hand move to the small of my back as he gently guided me farther into the ballroom. The lights danced across the black table clothes, reflecting off the crystal glasses and silver cutlery. The circular tables were organized around the dance floor, and along the walls there were tons of historical items displayed in protective glass cases. I went to the first display case I found and hovered over it. "What are these?"

"They're pieces of our past," said Carter. "Tiny glimpses of what this town was built on."

I lowered my face over the display case until it was inches from the glass, staring wildly at the jewel encrusted jewelry box. The box was made out of some kind of metal, which had been tarnished with age. The top was molded into whimsical circular designs, like tuffs of leaves blowing through the wind. Within the swirls were tiny red, purple, and blue gems.

"It's so beautiful," I said almost breathlessly.

"Absolutely beautiful," he said, his eyes never straying from mine.

I blushed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"Those are really rubies, you know," he said, finally glancing down at the box.

"I can only imagine the wealth the family who owned these must've had. What's its story?"

"No one really knows. It belonged to one of the founding families when they first settled in Burnwood."

"It must be Kendrick's, right?"

Carter laughed. "His family likes to think so, but the truth is that this piece was recently discovered. It was found in an abandoned cavern at the base of Point Edge."

I gave him a probing stare and he continued. "Sometimes I forget how new you are to all of this. Point Edge is a cliff looking over the Pacific Ocean on the edge of town. A lot of relics were found in that cave, this being one of them."

I looked over at the lines of display cases. "So no one knows which families brought these?"

Carter shrugged. "It doesn't matter to us. We're different from everyone else. Our circle is our family. Besides, if you haven't noticed, Burnwood's founding families have more than enough wealth to be bothered with the worth of our artifacts."

"I suppose so, but wouldn't it be interesting to know where they all come from, how far they traveled, or what value they had back then?" I gazed back down at the dazzling jewelry box. "Do you think this could've been a gift from her husband? Maybe it was a token of his affection."

Carter raised a brow.

"What? It's at least possible."

He shrugged. "Maybe. Those were the days when men wrote poems and did all that silly stuff to get the attention of a woman."

I glared at him, shaking my head.

"What did I say?"

I returned to gazing affectionately at the bedazzled jewelry box, imagining all the wonderful moments its possessor once had while sitting at her vanity, deciding upon which necklace she would wear. It was a whole other world, a simpler one.

He approached me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "There's more," he whispered, sending chills down the back of my neck.

I peered over at the array of display cases lining the far wall of the ballroom. Jane and Alec were admiring a dragon like statue that was at least four feet tall and made of some kind of black stone or marble. A few displays over Trish and Cruz were hovering over an old black leather bound book that looked a lot like the ones we had been search through all week.

Slowly, the group came together, whether knowingly or subconsciously. It was strange how that seemed to happen, like some supernatural force was keeping us together. I wasn't sure if anyone else really saw what was happening, but I did. I felt it like magnets pulling together.

Jane grabbed me by the hand and pulled me across the ballroom, narrowly escaping the cascading dancers waltzing around the dance floor. "Carter didn't show you the picture yet, did he? He promised he wouldn't until we were altogether."

My face barely missed the elbow of a tall grey-haired man as he twirled passed me. "Jane!"

"Come on," she called over her shoulder as we cut in between the tables. I glanced behind me and noticed the whole group was following... at a much safer distance, of course.

Finally, Jane came to a stop behind a thick velvet rope coordinating off an area about six feet wide. I looked for the display case, but there was none. Jane smiled and stared at the wall in front of us. I followed her gaze until my eyes set upon the painting hanging on the wall.

"Pretty sick, hey?" said Jane in a voice void of all emotion, except maybe glee.

"Jane," I gaped. "How can you say that? This is horrible."

I shook my head at her and the looked back up at the frightening thing. It wasn't like the jewelry box, or the book, or any of the other displays I saw. This one was monstrous and terrible, sending an uncomfortable prickling through my body. The portrait was hand-painted with remarkable detail, which made it all the more grotesque. The center of the picture showed an angry beast, red and a completely visual representation of a dragon. Around the creature, humans scurried away with looks horror on their faces and terror in their eyes. Bodies lay ripped to pieces on the ground as fire ravaged the small village in the background.

I was almost convinced that the image couldn't be any more frightening when my eyes found something far most disturbing.

"Is that..." I said, pausing to blink my eyes clear.

In all the chaos happening within the painting I had almost overlooked the one brave man dressed in shiny armor moving towards the beast. He was hold not a sword, but a single purple flower with a long yellow stem protruding from the center.

"Annabelle."

I turned to see Carter coming through the parting crowd. He looked worried and for a brief moment I forgot all about the familiar little flower.

"What's the matter?" I asked, but as I followed his eyes I could see that they too were looking at the strange flower in the painting.

"That's the same flower that was in the bouquet Yury sent Jane, isn't it?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

Carter ran his hand through his hair and let out a heavy sigh.

"Carter," I continued. "It's the same flower that burned me when Yury pressed it to my skin."

I expected Carter to be equally disturbed and surprised by this revelation, but he wasn't. It was like he had known all along.

"Carter," I said, my voice growing louder. "What aren't you telling me?"

Carter glanced around nervously and then pulled me out a set of French glass doors opening onto a balcony.

"You know something about that flower, don't you?"

He nodded. "The flower in that picture is called the Dragon Arum. It's a European flower that doesn't grow in America."

"But I remember it. It was the same flower in Jane's boutique and the same one that burned my skin when it touched me." I shook my head. "I'm not even sure how that's even possible, but I felt it."

"But the burns disappeared, didn't they?" he asked.

"You don't believe me?"

He shook his head. "No, it's not that. I believe you."

I paced the length of the balcony. "So maybe it only feels like its burning? Maybe it affects the pain receptors and not the skin cells..."

Carter stepped in front of me, taking my shoulders firmly in his hands. "You're thinking too logically."

I raised my brow, not sure how to respond.

"Think about it Annabelle," he said, his eyes begging me to draw the conclusion he so obviously had.

"Carter, you're asking me to what? To make something up?" I asked. "I don't know anything about that flower."

"If you could just think back to the painting and then back to the moment in the woods where..."

The French doors swung open and Cruz stepped out onto the balcony with Trish draped around his arm. "I told you I saw them come out here," he said, smiling down at Trish with glint of triumphant in his eyes. For some reason, everything always seemed like it was a competition between them, one that seemed to spark their interest in each other.

Trish rolled her eyes. "You also said you saw them in the lobby and next to the refreshment stand. You're only right out of default."

Cruz shrugged. "A wins a win no matter how you got there."

"Inspiring," Trish scoffed. "I hope the coach heard you say that."

"Guys," Carter interrupted. "Was there something you needed?"

"Not us. Jane," said Trish.

"There handing out the lanterns on the field. She says we need to release them together as a sign of unity." Cruz used air quotes mocking the word unity.

Carter and I shared a look, neither one of us really caring about releasing a symbolic paper lantern, but we didn't have the heart to turn our friends away. With a slight sigh, we nodded and followed Trish and Cruz through the ballroom and out the back doors to the enormous field behind the Founder's Hall.

Crowds had already started to gather, separating into random groups around the field. Each person held a red paper lantern in one hand and a tiny white tea light candle in the other.

"There you guys are," said Jane, holding a stack of collapsed lanterns in her arms. "Here, take one."

Carter took two lanterns from the pile and handed one to me.

"Just pull the wire from the bottom and it will open up," he said as he demonstrated.

I pulled the wire like Carter had shown me, but the lantern snapped back down. I tried again. "So why do we do this?"

Kendrick passed between Carter and me and grabbed one of the lanterns from Jane's arms. "I completely understand your confusion. Logically, lighting paper lanterns provides no significant benefit to Burnwood. In fact, if you take into consideration the resources expended, it's rather wasteful."

"But," Jane said, nudging Kendrick to the side and taking his place in front of me. "It's a tradition and it has sentimental value."

Nick took a lighter from his pocket and flicked it until a small flame appeared. "Besides, it's cool to set things on fire."

I laughed. "It's not really going to catch on fire, is it?"

"Of course it is," said Cruz. "And this year, mines going to catch first."

"We'll see about that," said Jane.

I gave Carter a curious glance.

"It was something we started when we were kids. We would all put our candles inside the lantern at the same time and let them fly. Whatever one caught fire first won," he explained. "To be honest, I thought they would've outgrown it by now."

"You wish," huff Kendrick.

"Carter's always insisting that we 'grow' up," added Cruz.

Carter rolled his eyes. "I just don't think we need to..."

"What?" said Jane. "Have any fun?"

"We're members of a secret hybrid society," said Nick. "That doesn't mean we have to take on the weight of the world."

"Yeah, we can still be wild and crazy teenagers while we are teenagers," chimed Trish.

Alec stepped up beside Carter and draped his arm over his shoulder. "Give him a break. Not all of us are teenagers anymore."

I had forgotten that Alec, Carter, and Nick were already 18, making them adults by legal definition. It seemed unfair that they had to grow up faster than the rest of us and ultimately carry more of the responsibilities of the society. I doubted that anyone in the group, including myself, even realized the burden of leading such a wildly diverse group.

"Hurry up," said Carter. "Put your candle in the lantern."

I looked around and noticed that everyone else was carefully setting their tiny candles in the center of their lanterns. Quickly, I placed my candle in the lantern and held it out on the palms of my hands, waiting for it to lift off.

I watched as my little red lantern floated into the sky, losing it as it joined hundreds of others just like it. The red glow looked amazing against the dark sky. The whole night lit up like an eclipsed moon. It was a magical moment for everyone who saw it, and quite possibly the only silence heard that night. Everyone just stared up at the sky and admired the brilliant gathering of red lanterns dancing into the night.

Finally, the first lantern caught fire and slowly fell from the sky as it burned up, leaving little more than black ash.

"Ha!" shouted Cruz. "What did I tell ya?"

"How do you even know that one was yours?" asked Trish.

"Because I've been watching it the whole time," he replied.

Trish turned and strutted back towards the Founder's Hall. "Carter's right. This is childish."

"Oh c'mon Trish," said Cruz, following after her. "You don't gotta be mad just because I won. If that's the case, you're going to be mad all the time."

Trish turned and shot him a piercing glare before quickening her pace.

Jane rolled her eyes and chased after them. "Not again."

"That is a serious love-hate relationship," I said.

"More hate than love if you ask me," said Carter.

"Carter!"

Carter and I turned around just as a head full of curly red hair came bouncing up to us. I recognized her from school, mostly by her signature pale skin and freckled face. She was running for school president and her posters had been all over the school hallways. She placed her hand on Carter's arm. "Just the person I was looking for."

Carter tucked his hands into his pocket, his shoulders slumping. "Holly, what can I do for you?"

Holly giggled. "Isn't he sweet? He's just so willing to run to a girl's rescue."

I stifled my laughter. "Yeah, he's a real sweetheart."

Carter shot me a warning glare and carefully wiggled his way out of Holly's hold.

"Yes, well Carter, as you know I am in the process of running for Student President and as such, I am committed to the safety and welfare of this town." Holly placed her hand over her heart as though she was pledging an allegiance.

"The whole town, huh?" said Carter.

She nodded. "Oh yes. I take my responsibility to this town very seriously. Student President has a dedication to the whole town, though the obligations the school board put forth are not as encompassing, I still believe that one must make the best out of their position in council."

"Holly," Carter interrupted. "What did you need?"

"Right then," she said, slightly adjusting her posture. "As head of the cleanup committee I am requesting the help of fine young Burnwood men like you to go out into the woods and stomp out whatever embers might still be burning from the fallen lanterns."

"Done," he said, seemingly favoring the task over one of Holly's election speeches, and I couldn't blame him.

Carter nodded to Alec and Nick who separated in different directions into the woods.

"I'll be right back and then we can pick up where we left off."

I nodded and released his hand from my hold. I watched him hurry into the woods and disappear into the night.

I turned back towards the hall with absolutely no intentions of entering it. My stomach still felt shaken from the sight of the Dragon Arum and I didn't want to risk seeing it again. Instead of going inside with the rest of the crowd, I went back to the little garden and sat down on the same bench that Carter and I had shared earlier that evening.

It wasn't hard to have patience in such a well decorated event for my eyes always found something wonderful to gaze at. The white lights decorating the trees on the property held my attention for a while, but no matter what fancy decoration caught my eye, I always found myself staring up at the sky after just a few short minutes.

I loved the contrast between the brilliant stars and the midnight sky. There was something soothing about gazing up at the galaxy and realizing how truly small this world is. In the grand scheme of things, I think Carter and I were always meant to find each other, and I was thankful that he came to me sooner than later. With everything that had been happening around me and my uncle having tentatively abandoned me, I knew I needed him.

Snap!

I jumped at the sound and quickly got to my feet, bunching the lengthy red lace into the palm of my hand. Carefully, I walked around the side of the hall, back to where I had last seen Carter.

"Carter? Is that you" I called, barely able to see anything passed the tree line.

I saw some movement and then a set of glowing red eyes.

"I knew it was you," I said. "Nice try."

The little red glints disappeared and the bushes rustled as the sound of footsteps on crunchy dead leaves grew distant.

"Carter," I said, shaking my head as I hurried after him. "Don't make me chase you in these heels."

I approached the tree line where nothing but darkness could be seen. The moon lit sky hardly made it through the canopy of trees.

"Can't we just talk out on the balcony like before?" I said, waiting patiently for a reply. "Fine, but we haven't had cake yet, so we're going to have to come back to the Founder's Hall at some point."

I started into the woods by way of a little path I found not too far from where Carter had been hiding. I figured he would wait for me, but he hadn't and I couldn't decide whether he went right or left, so I just walked straight ahead hoping that he would see me.

"Carter," I said after a few minutes passed. I was greeted by nothing but silence. "Carter, it's too dark to see anything and I'm getting cold."

Again, only silence.

"Carter. This isn't funny anymore. I'm going back."

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to stay warm, and turned back for the Founder's Hall. Somehow, it was even darker on the way back and I slammed head-on into a tree. Except it couldn't be a tree. I was still on the path.

I stepped back, finding the searing red eyes boring down on me.

"Yury."

### CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

My heart thudded hard in my chest, my lungs feeling tight and restricted. A lump built in my throat, making it difficult to breathe. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and my mind screamed to run, but I was frozen in place with his angry eyes fixated on me.

My voice was shaky, but I managed to get out the words. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled, the edges of his mouth curling up sinisterly.

"You shouldn't be here," I said.

He laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "Actually, Annabelle, you couldn't be further from the truth. After all, this is Burnwood's most important event of the year."

He stepped forward and I stepped back, constantly working to keep the distance between us as far as possible. He moved slowly, almost deliberately. It was like he could sense the fear in me and wanted to drag it out.

"There are too many people around," I said, feeling strong again. "Someone will hear me scream."

He stopped turning the tiny coin like object between his fingers and looked at me. "Do you plan on screaming?"

With one quick motion I flung my hand forward and slapped him across the face as hard as I could. I felt his cold, death-like skin against the palm of my hand and even though it stung, it felt amazing.

His eyes blazed red and he moved for me, but it was too late, I was already racing through the woods toward the Founder's Hall. I was moving fast, faster than I had ever moved before, but I knew that wouldn't matter. He would catch me. I couldn't outrun a hybrid, no one could.

I could see the big white building through the gaps between the trees and for a second I thought I would actually make it, but by the next second I was tumbling to the leaf-covered ground, hard. I rolled to a stop, the back of my head throbbing where he must've struck me. I reached back and felt for blood. It hurt, but at least I wasn't bleeding.

My vision was blurred, but I could make out the just of everything around me, including the dark figure slowly approaching, like a cougar stalking its prey.

"They will know it was you," I said, scurrying backwards. "My uncle will know it was you and he will tell the police what you did in the woods this morning. It's too soon after an incident like that not to be the prime suspect."

"That may be true," he said, pausing momentarily before stepping down hard on my ankle. "But no one would ever suspect that I would try again so soon."

I cried out, the pain in my ankle radiating up my leg.

Why had I been so stupid? Of course no one would anticipate this. And worse, no one will be looking for me.

Yury reached for me, his hand gripping my neck. He lifted me up from the ground and slammed me hard against the tree behind me. I could feel the bark scraping against the exposed skin on my back and it hurt.

I struggled to break free, kicking and scratching at him. He tightened his grip around my neck. I fought to breathe, gasping for air, but my efforts were futile. I could feel my life slipping away. I was too tired to fight any more. I could barely keep my eyelids open and soon I could do nothing more than dangle from his hand and wait for it to be over.

He leaned in until his face was just inches from mine, a triumphant look upon his face. "With you gone the plan will go on without disruption."

My eyelids fell closed and the darkness overtook me. I felt another hard thud and I was sure that my lifeless body hit the ground, except I wasn't dead at all. In fact, I could breathe again.

Crack!

I jumped to my feet and looked around. I couldn't see anyone, including Yury. I heard another sound and followed the noise. There were busted trees every few feet, indicators that I was headed in the right direction.

Crack!

This time the sound was louder and I knew I was getting closer. I started to run towards the noise, not sure what I was running toward, but something in my heart wouldn't let my mind change directions.

Crack!

I was close now. In fact, I didn't even need the noise to guide me anymore as I could see a lot of movement straight ahead.

My head throbbed and I was still disorientated, but I could make out two figures in the distant battling back and forth. One threw the other into the trunk of a tree and it split with one loud crack. The figure got up and with a quick movement of the hand a ball of flame hurdled toward the other figure, striking him in the chest and sending him soaring through the air and into another tree, splitting that one as well.

I knew I was running towards the very person I was trying to escape, but it didn't matter. I knew who I would find when I got close enough and I had to help him.

I crept forward until I could make out their faces. As I had anticipated, it was Carter.

I knew it would be him and confirming it made everything feel so real. In that brief moment, I watched my whole life flash before my eyes with every blow he took. His face was battered, blood dripping down his lip. Yury looked just as bad, but he wasn't tiring as quickly.

My mind went numb, a kind of blind panic. I had to help Carter, but how? I was no match for Yury and I wouldn't dare run back to the Founder's Hall for Alec and leave Carter to face him alone. No, I would have to find a way.

I frantically scanned my surroundings, desperate for a quick solution. It didn't take me long to see it. There was a large boulder sitting precariously at the top of a small ledge. It wasn't a large drop, but if I could find a way to move the fight in that direction, I was sure it would cause enough damage to get Yury down, even if only temporary.

We just need enough time to get back to the Founder's Hall. It will give us that.

I raced for it, ducking behind trees along the way as I carefully avoided the chaotic battle standing between me and the destination. Luckily for me, they were making far too much noise to hear my footsteps passing, and I arrived at the boulder undetected. I gave it a gentle push and it didn't budge. I shoved it hard, but it remained motionless. Finally, I dug my heels into the ground and pushed with all my might. It was impossible. The rock wouldn't move no matter how hard I tried.

I peeked around the corner and looked down at the destructive battle waging below. Carter was in rough shape. His face was bloody and his clothes were torn and singed. Yury was relentless, and he was healing quickly, as quickly as Carter should've been healing. Something was wrong.

I tried pushing the boulder again out of sheer panic, but to no avail. I wanted to scream and slam my fist into that stupid rock. He needed me and I couldn't come through. I was failing him.

Suddenly, I remembered something about leverage from my advanced physics class. I hastily scanned the area until my eyes fixed upon a thick hiking stick leaning up against a nearby tree. I hurried to retrieve it, trying not to focus on how slowly I was moving in my ball gown. With every step I took it I could hear another tree cracking open against the force of another one of their powerful blows.

Finally, I got the stick and wedged the end of the branch under the boulder. There was a log not far from where I stood and it proved easy to roll into place. I gave the stick a little push downwards, and the boulder immediately jiggled out of place. Perfect! It was ready. Now, all I needed was a distraction.

I thought about throwing something at them, but I wouldn't be able to get close enough to hit them without leaving the boulder, and I couldn't risk that. The tree line between the boulder and Yury was narrow, but Carter could easily get in the way. I had to find some way to get Yury's attention.

I jumped out from behind the rock and screamed, "Get away from him you coward!"

It wasn't my best work, but I needed to do something quickly and thinking on my feet was clearly not one of my strengths.

They stopped, both turning to look at me. Carter's face was bleeding badly now and he looked weak. Yury, on the other hand, seemed to have recovered almost instantaneously. His cut flesh sealed together, leaving no evidence of any trauma. His broken arm snapped back into place as he shook it out. Even his body seemed strong, as though the last several minutes of chaos was nothing more than a casual jog.

"Annabelle, run!" Carter shouted, holding his wounded shoulder. He took a few steps forward, but Yury shot him back with a force like nothing I had ever seen before. Even for a hybrid, that was remarkably strong.

Yury started for me and I retreated back behind the boulder. I grabbed hold of the branch and threw all of my weight down on it. The boulder rolled forward, quickly gaining momentum as it cascaded down the steep drop. It was heading right for him, but he wasn't moving. He was waiting for it.

I knew that look in his eyes. He would dodge it, that much I was sure about, and then I would be left unprotected and vulnerable with nowhere to run.

He crouched down, positioning himself like a football player ready to charge. The boulder was seconds away from hitting him and I found myself standing by just to watch. I knew I should be using every spare second I had to run the other direction, but I couldn't turn away.

Three, two, one.

I braced myself of whatever was to come, but a split second before the collision, Carter sped forward and knocked Yury off his feet. The boulder rolled over his left arm, pinning it to the ground. Yury cried out in pain as he tried to wrench his arm from under the giant rock, but it was useless. The rock was wedged into place, supported by two thick trees on each side.

I hurried to Carter, kneeling beside him. His face was bloody and bruised, but I could tell it was already starting to heal.

"Carter, are you okay?" I asked, gently sweeping his blood soaked hair back with my hand.

He pushed himself up, slowly getting to his feet. "I'm fine."

"Ha," Yury barked. "Get this rock off of me and we will see about that."

Carter walked over to where Yury lay pinned to the ground and stood over him, staring down vengefully. He didn't say anything. He just stood there glaring down at Yury with deep-seeded hate.

"Carter," I said, taking his hand as I spoke softly to him. "We need to go back to the hall and get help."

Carter moved forward and placed his foot on top of Yury's free hand. He stepped down hard, snapping every bone in the hand. Yury clenched his jaw and grinded his teeth.

"Carter," I said, this time a little louder.

He didn't respond, at least not to me.

"What do you want with her?" he asked.

Yury grimaced, saying nothing.

Carter shifted his weight, slowly moving his foot from left to right. This time, Yury cried out in such a way that it almost made me forget that he had just tried to kill me. For a second, I actually felt sorry for him.

"Carter," I said, pulling on his arm. "Let's go."

"If I were you, I'd listen to her," said Yury.

"And why is that?" asked Carter.

Yury's eyes flared red. "Do you really think I would come back to Burnwood alone?"

Carter and I glanced at each other and then turned to survey our surroundings.

"Carter," I said, pointing up to where I had let the boulder loose.

At first, there was only one set of red eyes gazing down on us, and then another pair appeared beside the first, and then a third pair shortly after that.

Yury laughed as he too gazed back at the three pairs of gleaming red eyes.

"Shut up!" Carter shouted as he stomped down on Yury's hand as hard as he could.

Yury screamed out in pain and Carter raised his foot to do it again.

"Carter!" I shouted.

He stopped, his foot hovering just above Yury's mangled hand.

"Look," I said. "They're gone."

Carter stepped up beside me, wrapping his arm around me protectively. He surveyed the area until his eyes fixated on something too far away for me to see.

"What is it?" I asked.

His eyes widened and then, in a blink of an eye, he had me pinned to the ground under his body weight as a flaming projectile passed over us.

He pulled me to my feet. "Run!"

"What about you?"

He pushed me behind the cover of the nearest tree. "Don't worry about me. Just get back to the hall as fast as you can."

I took his hand in mine. "I won't leave you."

He paused, if only for a moment, and took the side of my face in his hand. He kissed me, his soft lips pressed to mine. I closed my eyes, letting myself get lost in the moment. I felt a gust of wind blow through my hair and when I reopened my eyes, he was gone.

I didn't bother to try and follow him, it would be useless. The only thing I could do now was get to the Founder's Hall as quickly as I could.

I could see a glimmer of the white lights from the trees outside the hall. I ran as hard as I could, keeping my focus on those tiny little lights of hope. I was out of breath when I finally reached the perimeter to the Founder's Hall and my legs refused to move at a pace any faster than a slow jog. I was just about out of the woods when I saw Alec walking back towards the hall.

I launched forward, opening my mouth to yell...

Suddenly, a foul-tasting hand clasped over my mouth, pulling me back into the cover of the woods. The movement must've caused some noise because Alec stopped dead in his tracks and turned. His eyes didn't glow red, so I knew he couldn't see me.

I fought to get free, but my captor was much stronger than me. I could barely squirm under the force of his arms. All I could do was hope that Alec would tune into his senses and find me, but when he started back for the hall, all that hope dwindled away and disappeared in his absence.

I bit down on the hand clasped over my mouth until I could taste blood. He shoved me forward and I fell to my knees, the palms of my hands scrapping across the hard dirt ground. I turned around just in time to see his deathly red eyes closing in on me. In the darkness, he looked just like Yury with pale skin and jet black hair, except his was much longer and hanged down around his face. He was wearing all black, which made his head look like it was floating on thin air.

"You..." He stopped, the red glow fading from his eyes until all I could see was the same blackness I saw in Yury's eyes. He fell to his knees and toppled to the side, hitting the ground with one loud thud. His body lay motionless as Carter stood behind him with the man's bloody red heart dripping from his hand.

He dropped the organ without so much as a second glance and wiped his hand on his pants before helping me up.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked, quickly looking me over. "Are you okay?"

I was stunned, unable to divert my eyes from the heart lying on the ground beside the lifeless body it once belonged to.

"Annabelle," he said again. "Can you keep going?"

I nodded, still unable to find the words. We hurried for the hall once again, barely making it five feet before two more dark figures with beaming red eyes blocked our path.

"The other way," said Carter.

We turned and ran deeper into the woods.

"I can't outrun them, but you can. You can make it to the hall."

He shot me a serious look as we ran. "Don't even think about it."

The red eyes were nowhere to be seen, but they would be on our trail in no time, and there was nowhere else to go without getting farther from the place we needed to be.

I stopped running. "Carter, it's the only way."

He lifted me into his arms. "I'm not leaving you! Even if I have to carry you myself."

He raced through the forest, our surroundings shifting into one big black blur until he came to a stop.

"Where are we?" I asked as he lowered me to my feet.

"Redburn Mountain. There should be a shallow cave somewhere here."

I looked around. "Do you think they're still following us?"

He nodded. "I rounded a few trails, hopefully that will buy us time. We're close to home now. If I can get you to my house, we'll be safe."

"Great," I said, feeling like we had already won the battle. "What are we waiting for? Let's go."

Carter shook his head. "They're gaining on us. I can sense it."

"What are we going to do?"

"We aren't going to do anything, Annabelle. You're going to wait here until it's safe. If I don't come back, you stay here until daylight and then get to my house. You remember where to go from here, right?"

I knew I would be lost in the woods without him, but I nodded anyway and squeezed his hand tightly in mine.

We found the cave and he guided me inside. It was too dark for me to see anything, but the moonlight was visible from the mouth of the cave and I focused on that.

"Don't leave," I pleaded. "Stay here with me."

"You're going to be okay," he said, kissing me softly. "I promise."

"But what about you?"

Before he could answer the question a strong gust of wind blew through the air. They had found us.

### CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Carter pressed his body to mine, pushing me up against the cave wall. The moonlight narrowly missed our bodies, keeping us out of sight.

He held his fingers to his lips and whispered. "Don't make a sound."

"They were here," said a harsh, raspy voice. "I can smell them."

I looked down at the bloodstained clothing Carter was wearing. The injuries he had sustained during his fight with Yury had already heeled, but the evidence was all over him.

"Well, there not here now," said the other. "We should go back and find Vlad and get Yury out from under that rock."

"And how do you propose we go back to Yury empty-handed, Van?" he barked.

"Yousef, we've lost them and..."

"Shhh," said Yousef. "Do you hear that?"

Carter pressed me hard against the wall so that only his body protruded from behind the rocks. We were motionless, holding our breath as we waited. Their footsteps were gradually getting louder and I knew it was only a matter of seconds before we were discovered.

"On my word, you run," whispered Carter. "Do you understand me?"

I nodded and clasped my hand over my mouth in an effort to muffle my sobs.

I didn't want to leave him, but I knew the only thing I could do was to get back to the hall and find Alec.

"Are you ready?"

Again, I nodded and squeezed his hand in mine. I couldn't take my eyes from his, not when I knew there was a possibility that I would never see him again. I knew I had to run- it was our only chance, but I wasn't sure my heart and mind could work together long enough to make my escape. I closed my eyes and held my breath, silently praying that the darkness of the night would conceal us. I pressed my lips to Carter's and kissed him.

When his lips parted he whispered into my ear, "Go."

I couldn't move. My legs froze and my hands grasped his tattered clothing. I couldn't leave him.

Suddenly, a whizzing noise sounded through the air followed by a piercing cry.

Carter stepped back, releasing me from where I was once pinned against the hard rock wall. He quietly crept along the cave and I followed him, mirroring his every step until the two of us were able to see the chaos unfolding around us.

One of Yury's goons was on his knees, an arrow through his left shoulder. His accomplice moved to his side just as another arrow whizzed through the air and planted itself in his thigh.

"Pull it out!" screamed Yousef, but Van was too focused on the arrow in his own leg.

Yousef managed to get on his feet. "Who the hell are you?"

Carter and I shared a brief look of confusion before following their gaze to the protruding rock above us. There, on the scarce surface, a dark, hooded man stood with a bow and arrow in his hand.

Yousef and Van's eyes gleamed red as they tore the arrows from their flesh, dropping the blood soaked tips on the dirt as they moved forward. They barely made it four feet before the whizzing sound filled the air again, this time in greater magnitude than the last. Yousef and Van collapsed to the hard dirt floor, arrows protruding from every limb. They moaned and cursed until finally they were surrounded by seven hooded strangers.

"What do you want?" growled Yousef.

"Who the hell are you guys?" shouted Van.

No words were spoken as the hooded figures stared down at the wounded hybrids.

"The arrows..." Yousef groaned.

Van yanked out one of the many protruding arrows from his chest and examined the tip. "They're soaked in Dragon Arum."

Dragon Arum... that's what Carter called the purple flower in the picture.

Yousef turned to him, his face wrenched and pale, and it was like something registered between them.

"They can't be," whimpered Van.

"Hunters," growled Yousef. He spit at the feet of one of the hooded men in front of him and in one quick motion the hunter swung his axe, bringing it down hard. The axe severed Yousef's head, sending it rolling down the hillside as his body flopped lifeless to the ground.

I gasped and Carter pulled me into his arms, muffling my sobs in his tattered shirt.

"I won't beg for my life," said Van.

Again, no words were spoken as the axe was raised into the air once again.

Van held out his hand. "Tell me one thing. Is this all for the girl?"

And with those final words the axe swung down and severed his head. Blood pulsed from the fresh cut, staining the ground with a river of blood.

"You didn't let him finish," scoffed a feminine voice. "He was going to say something about the girl."

"He would have done no more than try to lead us astray with his lies."

I knew this voice and my feet instinctively started moving towards it. Carter grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back behind the cover the rock wall, but not before the figure lowered his hood and I glimpsed his soft hazel eyes and wispy, shoulder-length brown hair.

Uncle Felix!

I opened my mouth to call his name, but Carter's hand muffled the noise. I struggled to break free of his hold, but I gave up as my eyes fell upon the two decapitated bodies lying at Felix's feet.

"Take the bodies to Kandles Point and burn them," Felix commanded.

Warm tears dripped down my cheek, absorbing into what remained of Carter's shirt. I wasn't sure whether I was crying over witnessing two murders or discovering that the murderer was my uncle, but either way the tears wouldn't stop. I was confused and scared, but worst of all I felt like I was losing control of everything I once believed in... everything I once thought I knew.

We heard them leave, but neither Carter nor I made an effort to move from behind that rock wall. It wasn't the protection it provided us that kept us there, it was each other.

"Carter," I whispered. "Did you see him?"

He nodded.

"Do you think they're gone now?"

He nodded again.

"Do you know who those people are?"

He sighed and looked me in the eye. He brushed my hair back, tucking it behind my ears, and kissed me on the forehead. "Let's get back to the hall."

I didn't have the energy to dig any deeper so I let this avoidance pass without refute.

We walked back to the Founder's Hall and every busted down tree acted as a painful reminder of every horrible act I had witnessed that night.

My mind raced with images of the night, replaying them over and over again like a bad movie. It didn't feel like it was reality. In fact, had it not been for the complete and total onset of exhaustion I wouldn't believe any of it had ever happened.

Carter stopped suddenly, pulling me to his side.

"What is it?"

He surveyed the area and then looked down at the boulder at the bottom of the hill. "He's gone."

Carter and I hurried over, circling the large rock. There, still wedged under the giant boulder was an arm, gruesomely torn from the shoulder.

"He didn't," I gasped. "He couldn't have."

Carter scanned the forest suspiciously. "Of course he did. It was his only choice."

"We can go back and find the hunters," I said. "I can tell my uncle about Yury. They can find him. You saw what they did to the other two... what's one more."

"We can't do that."

"Oh, well, I mean of course you can't. I will do it."

Carter shook his head. "No. It's not a good idea."

"Carter, we can't just let Yury get away. He will come back just like he did tonight." I closed my eyes and shook my head. "I can't live like this. Not knowing when he will be back to finish the job."

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I will find another way to stop him."

"Carter, we have a way to stop him," I said, starting back the way we had come.

"Annabelle," Carter said, catching me by the wrist. "You can't go back there."

"I will be fine." I shook his hand loose. "I can do this without you. You don't need to put yourself at risk."

"Stop," he said, every bit of patience escaping him. "You can't go back."

"Why?"

"Because they're hunters. It is their sworn duty to kill hybrids. They will kill any hybrid that crosses their path, good or bad."

"I already told you, you don't have to come. I will keep your secret. You can trust me."

He turned and ran his hand through his hair. "I wasn't talking about me."

I walked around him, facing him once again. "What are you talking about?"

He sighed, letting his hands fall to his side. "Annabelle, you're more than just a founding family member. You're a hybrid."

