 
# Emerald Butterfly

Amanda Nuri

Emerald Butterfly

Third Edition

Copyright  2013 Amanda Nuri

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

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

ISBN 978-1-105-66481-6

**For my loving 3** **rd** **and 4** **th** **grade teacher, Mrs. Buckle, who inspired me to go for my dreams as a writer, a reader and anything my heart desired!**

**"** **Good, better, best**

**Never let it rest,**

**Until your good is better**

**And your better is best!"**

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against... the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces in the heavenly realms."

–Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

# Part I: Violet Caterpillar

Part I Preface:

You know that queasiness you get in your gut when you move to new places—that twist just below your rib cage when you walk into a classroom full of people you've never met? Well I've done it so many times I've lost count. And until now, it was never as horrible as it sounded.

Even still, if moving to start a new life, risks your life, it might be time to pack your bags and leave. But, that was just the problem. I couldn't. If my life were at risk, things would be worse if I moved away. Or so I was told.

## Chapter 1

It was a quiet evening in Del Mar. Nothing but the distant sound of ocean waves accompanied us as we stood outside locked in deep thought. Finally Charilyn spoke up, "I can't believe you're doing this."

Her eyes were dry but the emotion was loud and clear in her words. I blinked back my own tears and, to her surprise, caught her in a tight hug.

"I'll miss you."

When I pulled away, she brushed back my curls and scrutinized the front of my new home. "Are you sure you'll be okay, I mean, do you need anything? I can go by the store and..."

"Charilyn," I said with a soft smile, "I'll be fine. The house is amazing and _gigantic_. It'll feel a little empty for a while but I'll be okay."

"All right, Sam, just let me know if you need anything else," She replied, triggering a concern. I thought to myself, _I'm doing this again: moving to another town in the middle of the school year. A_ _m I ready to live in my own house, even though I was seventeen? No roommates. No pets. It would be nothing but the high-tech security system and me._

My trust fund had been arranged carefully for this day, set up by my parents when they adopted me as a toddler. For the fourteen years since then, they've been there behind me with every step I'd taken. Though they were busier than most parents, they still managed to feel like complete helicopter-parents and if I messed up they were the first to mend it back to the way it was. But the one deed that I appreciated the most by my parents, was hiring me a nanny. Charilyn had been with me for a long time. She's the only real mom I've known. But now, I would no longer have to rely on her to buy groceries, or to pay the bills; that was all up to me now. And I was ready for it.

I'd finish my last year of high school alone, and my parents would be on the other side of the world, moving again as they had every year as far back as I could remember. We've lived in fifteen cities across the continents with Del Mar, California being the final place I wanted to settle. By the time I was 13, we had traveled from Berlin to Seattle to Madrid and then to Chicago. The last four years of my life were spent moving between Los Angeles, Denver, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City.

I never understood the moves or the explanations why. They would fabricate reasons about job transfers or, in my mother's words, "That's the life of the wealthy and adventurous!" My dad ran a major car company and my mom always worked and traveled with him. She still managed to make me feel somewhat loved though, but most of the credit went to Charilyn. When I told her I wanted to stay in Del Mar, she understood that I no longer wanted to keep up with the fast, spontaneous lives of my parents. I wanted my own life. My own place. My own identity.

Charilyn's brown eyes were moving toward the edge of exhaustion, her pale face more somber than I'd seen it in some time. Her light brown hair was crammed up into a messy bun on the top of her head. She was bundled in something that looked more like a blanket than a sweater, and in a pair of black yoga pants and worn Converse. The brand had grown on me to the point of owning a good six pairs and following in her footsteps toward Chuck obsession.

Reading my mind, like always, she saw me studying her and quickly assured me, "I'll be okay, Sam. You're going to do so well here. With that pretty face, I promise you'll make plenty of friends."

I laughed and rolled my green eyes. Charilyn told all her friends that I was gorgeous but I refused to believe her; she tended to exaggerate my looks with wild descriptions.

She squeezed my arm and then mindlessly stepped back to tuck my unruly curls behind my ear—tears were welling up in her eyes yet again.

"I should get going, you know how I hate driving late at night," she told me, pulling away reluctantly. Her plane was departing in an hour for Cedar City, her hometown.

"Yeah I know. Can you call me later?"

"Of course," she smiled genuinely.

Slowly, as if with every step the fact that I was moving sunk into her heart, she walked back to her dark blue Jeep. She paused and turned as if remembering something.

"Oh! Anna—she's a friend of mine—she's going to stop by and drop off a little sur...something."

I laughed and told her earnestly, "Okay. Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. I'll call you later, promise!" She replied as she got into the Jeep.

"Bye," I said as I watched her drive off. I turned and stepped into the new house that smelled of nothing but fresh paint and new life.

Later I walked out to meet an old and rusted, red pick-up truck outside. Anna jumped out of the driver's side and gave me a grin and a hug that left me breathless. She had gentle brown eyes and a smile that could warm even the hardest of hearts. Careless in her gait, she, herself, was a ball of energy just waiting to be poured out.

"You must be Sam!" She exclaimed in a singsong voice, "Oh my goodness, you're just as beautiful as Cherry said you were!"

Without letting me tell her that Charilyn stretches my looks, she immediately went to the back of her pick-up truck and gave the latch a rough yank. A German Shepard jumped out and sprinted across the front yard, rubbing himself all over the grass.

A gasp came from my mouth and there was a little tug on my heart. "Max!"

He had been my buddy since I my thirteenth birthday. That was about the time I got him as a 3-week old puppy in Germany.

"Where did you find him?" I asked her, stroking Max's tummy as he rolled around in front of me.

"One of those signs you posted paid off," she replied, "Cherry got a call from the pound saying they had a dog that fit the description in your flyer; he was there for a few days."

Anna said she needed to take off and I thanked her for stopping by. Later, I called Charilyn and thanked her repeatedly. We talked for a little while more and I finally decided I should get some rest.

***

I woke up too early, thanks to Max's aggravating barks; he seemed to enjoy being my alarm clock. I lay in bed for moment and stared at the ceiling, hoping it would keep my thoughts away from the fact that I had a big day ahead of me. Sure, it was my first day at a new school, but it was definitely not the first time I'd done this.

My mom suggested for me to attend Del Mar High School, home of the Bears. Why the bears? The high school was barely a few miles from the ocean; couldn't they have chosen the Seagulls or the Sharks? Even so, I was an official "Bear" as soon as I walked onto that campus today.

It was the mid-January, which meant fitting in could be a bit of a challenge. But I'd been through this so many times I was accustomed to settling in new places and making new friends, though that never took the nerves away.

Heaving myself out of bed, I stumbled to the bathroom to take a shower. Once I was dressed, I came into my new, bare kitchen that smelled of the freshly painted walls and lilies, which sat in a vase on the table. Charilyn bought them to celebrate my move. Among the full pantry from the grocery store splurge we had the day before, I chose the easiest of the breakfast foods. I poured myself a small bowl of _Lucky Charms_ , and ate quick, picking out the marshmallows to savor in my mouth. They really needed to make a cereal with just marshmallows. Then I threw the bowl in the sink and turned toward Max.

"Now, what am I going to do with you?" I wondered aloud. Max perked up. He was well trained to be indoors and out but this was a new house for us. I decided to chain him to the porch gate outside and I set his bowl outside to keep him company.

He whined.

"I love you too," I remarked.

At last, I grabbed my bag and trekked out into the crisp California air.

When I got to the high school, I parked my car in the shade and stepped out only to find a large portion of the student body staring at me. Just standing there staring. Is this what they did every day? Stare at people? Apparently, it was stop-everything-you're-doing-and-stare-at-the-new-girl day. I bit back humiliation.

I knew I shouldn't have let my dad buy me this car! The last thing I wanted was to draw attention to myself.

Ian—I'd never really called my adoptive father by "Dad"—delivered me a pearl-silver, 2011 Aston Martin Rapide for my moving away gift. Growing up with my dad as a European sports car importer, allowed me to know as much as any other car maniac. That fact made my dad proud of me. He'd been overseas for the past few months working in London.

Being in a normal town and a normal high school, knowing I wasn't going to be moving again until probably ever, was a little terrifying. I was clueless about Del Mar High School; all I knew was just that it was located in a city I loved and it was small enough not to get lost in, but big enough not to get noticed. Pulling out my phone and listening to a fresh voicemail, I rummaged through my bag as Charilyn's voice began to speak.

_"Hey Sam, just wanted to make sure everything was going well_. _Do_ not _forget about school today! I slipped a map of the school campus in case you might need it..."_

The message played, as my hand searched my bag to pull out the map and with it my schedule Charilyn had thrown in. I smiled to myself, loving how much she had my back even when we were apart.

"...Your schedule is in there too. Call me!"

I threw my phone in my bag and wiped the smile from my face when I realized even more people turned to stare. My green eyes scanned over my schedule and the map as I quickly walked to my first class: Calculus. It was one of my best subjects. Only someone who loved math would be happy with Calculus first thing in the morning.

Butterflies fluttered viciously in my stomach, as I put my hand on the door handle. I took a deep breath and entered. The whole class was like a huge sea of eyes all fixedly looking at me. Was I late? I eyed the clock on the wall and, in fact, I was five minutes early. The teacher stood at the front of the room, scribbling something furiously on the board. I tried to walk past without being noticed.

"Samantha Clearwater..." She contemplated loudly, like everyone in the whole school needed to know. She searched the messy pile of papers on her desk; obviously she wasn't an organized teacher.

"Yeah, that's me," I said, trying to be polite. Loved Calculus, never loved the teachers.

"I believe you will need these," she handed me the class syllabus and some other school information; "You can see me after class if you have any questions."

Disorganized, but prepared.

"Thanks," I told her, smiling half-heartedly.

She gestured to the desk by the window, right in the middle of the row. Why couldn't it have been the back seat? I knew everyone would want to get a glimpse of the 'new girl', but I rushed to my seat and sat, trying to be oblivious to the stares and murmurs.

The bell rang with an obnoxious trio of clangs and Mrs. Mackey started class. I tried to listen to her, but found it difficult. Eyes were on my back constantly; I could feel them. I didn't look back. The eyes would only look away, like they weren't staring in the first place. At least, partway through the class people moved on and talked amongst themselves, leaving me to try and figure out what in the world we were doing. Fortunately, before I knew it the bell rang again. I grabbed my things and headed out the door. As soon as I turned the corner a sudden force slammed into me.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed bending down to pick up the papers I'd caused to fall out of the other person's hands.

_What a great way to start my day: losing my cool!_ I thought to myself. Every aspect of this morning was already giving me a headache—the smell of the crowded, sweltering hallways, the heavy perfume of the girls shooting me lethal looks as they passed by, and the brightly colored papers that proclaimed upcoming school events. There were even more people looking now that I'd just practically thrown this boy's things out of his hands.

"Don't worry about it, it was my fault. I didn't see you," the boy said smiling faintly as he bent down to pick up his papers. Once I got them in a pile, I stood back up with a polite curve of my lips, noticing his black-brown hair and unnaturally dark brown eyes that were apologetic, yet glued to mine. His skin was light but not dark enough to be called brown. All in all, he was subtly attractive.

"Here," I said while I handed him his papers once we were both upright. People glanced at us as they passed, either with vague interest or annoyance that we'd stopped the flow of the hallway.

"Thanks. You're Samantha aren't you?"

"Uh yeah, I guess word travels fast around here?" I replied, startled, "I go by Sam."

My first day here, and someone, not in my own class, already knew my name. Great.

"I'm Garrett," he said, grinning, as he shook my hand. I spotted under the sleeve of his dark t-shirt, a tattoo. A square-star-like symbol I'd never seen before. I smiled back shyly as we continued walking and he asked, "Do you need help finding your next class?"

"No. I have English with Mr. Alter in room one fourteen, but thanks," I said smiling briefly, as we turned down a hallway.

"That's exactly where I'm headed," Garrett said enthusiastically, turning down the same hall. I smiled meekly—more interested in getting through my first day than making new friends. But Garrett made enough conversation between us that it didn't feel awkward whatsoever, which I was more than quite happy about; I was never good at keeping conversations with new people. We walked into the classroom and Garrett sat down leaving only one desk for me, a couple seats behind him, and the day continued without pause.

"Later," I casually called to Garrett as the bell rang after class. He waved then ran toward the gym as I went my separate way to History.

At the end of the day in the student parking lot, I walked toward my car, stifling a groan. It was sitting in the sun now after the shade of the morning had shifted during the school day. I would make sure to park closer next time.

As I walked, I felt another gaze on me. Not like the others this morning though—where they stared at me not knowing me—somehow this one was diverse, like it had a sense of familiarity and foreign energy, like it knew me. This was nothing like the others.

Through the lot full of departing teenage drivers, I searched across the row of cars and there, at the other end of the lot, my green eyes met the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen staring back at me.

His stunning cobalt eyes studied me as if they'd already studied my features before, and something happened, like the flipping of a switch in a dark room or the rekindling of flames in a fireplace. I felt full, no longer anxious or tired from the long day.

I unwittingly returned him a shy flash of teeth and continued walking toward my car avoiding any further glances at the unfamiliar stranger. I thought that I must've seen him somewhere, but knew I would've remembered his face. It bothered me that I didn't know his name nor knew why he seemed to know my face so well. Though I'd never seen him, I felt my heart swell and butterflies veer around in my stomach. He was gorgeous.

"Sam!" Garrett exclaimed, breaking the stranger's enchantment on my thoughts. He was leaning against his black Carrera GT, which was parked right next to my car. "Whew...that's a nice car."

"Thanks," I replied with a smile. As I got a good look at Garrett, I noticed he shared similar features to the tall stranger that was staring at me only moments ago. But Garrett had darker hair, as if it were dyed. But they had the same strong, flat jaw and angled, symmetrical features. Just as my brain was making the connection, the stranger approached both of us.

"Hey, Garrett," he acknowledged.

Brothers? I thought to myself. Then the blond boy turned to me and lifted an eyebrow. He murmured in a silky, pleasant voice, "Hello."

"Hi..." I responded weakly. He flashed me a charming smile and I felt my lips curl up without a second thought. Garrett cleared his throat and patted me on the shoulder.

"See you tomorrow, Sam."

His brown eyes smiled at me—but they seemed to go straight pass me and to the boy standing behind me.

"Fae is going to beat us home, you know," the boy remarked to Garrett as he jumped into a silver Eclipse Coupe. Waving good-bye to me, Garrett peeled out of the parking lot after the blue-eyed boy.

I nearly had to shake my head to shift my attention on get home; I was exhausted.

After I let Max in from the back I threw my bag down and crashed down on the cream-shaded sofa. I scrunched my nose.

Despite the smell, the kitchen walls were painted a beautiful, powder blue; one of my many favorite colors. The adjacent living room was infused with an identical cream color to the sofa, a perfect complement to the kitchen's marble counters.

My eyes fell on the piano in the far corner of the living room and my fingers itched to play a key or two. I padded quietly across the wood floor in my socks and seated myself on the piano seat. I lifted up the latch on the piano. Then I let my fingers rest on the black and white keys. Closing my eyes I played a single note. And then my fingers did their own thing. They drifted across the piano, mindlessly, and a beautiful melody swept into my ears. It was something I'd played many times before; it was my own creation. When I finished I felt a sense of completion and comfort. This house was going to be the place where I started my new life. In a couple days, it was really going to feel like home.

***

I had to jog to first period so I wasn't late. I swung into the threshold of first period impeccably just as the late bell rang. I plopped into my seat, cheeks flushed and all, when the handsome blonde boy I'd seen yesterday strolled through the door. He handed Mrs. Mackey a slip, which she barely glanced at and then threw in the trash.

"Nathan, take the desk by Samantha and Krystal," Mrs. Mackey said, as she gestured him to occupy the empty seat next to me. He caught my eye and smiled lightly when I tore my eyes away, feeling my cheeks warm. Thank goodness he couldn't see the blush through my light brown skin. Or maybe he could, because he smoothly cleared his throat to cover a chuckle as he sat down.

Class dragged on as if it were a year instead of an hour. I tried to ignore how distracted Nathan made me, so I took notes to busy myself.

His eyes were on me periodically. I threw him a quick, casual glance and caught him staring. He didn't look away but instead locked my gaze, shot a half-smile at me, and winked. His enchanting blue eyes caught me off guard and I'm positive I blushed again.

Forcing my focus back to the teacher, she projected her answer key of last night's homework problems onto the whiteboard. I wrote down the answers on my own homework, comparing my answers to hers. My eyebrows instantly lowered in confusion and I raised my hand.

"Yes, Samantha?"

"Um...on the answer for number fourteen, I think you may have taken the root of the number while it was a negative. Don't you have to factor it out before you can differentiate?" I asked.

She looked back at the board and then down at the textbook in her hand.

"I stand corrected," she said, nodding her head in approval. Math and science weren't the greatest subjects in the world, but somehow I managed to comprehend them faster than most students.

Nathan's eyebrows went up and he cocked his head to the side, writing something on the page of his notebook. He lifted the paper nonchalantly, so I could read the word ' _Nice!'_ scribbled across the side in delicate cursive. I let a smug grin play on my lips.

When the bell rang, I threw my books into my bag and started to walk out of the door, when the teacher called my name. I turned and saw her gesture for me to come to her desk. All the students moved past me and out the door as if their lives depended on it. There was only Ms. Mackey and me and Nathan, who still stood there putting his things together slowly.

"Your mother called," she started, pulling a sheet of paper from a file, "she said you play piano quite well, and said you might want to join the school's talent show."

I took the paper from her. _Thanks mom..._

Elena had done these kinds of things ever since I was little. Tell all my teachers about my talents or skills and then get me caught up in something I didn't want to be involved in. Thanking Mrs. Mackey, I left, moving quickly to my next class. I tried to push thoughts of Nathan or what _I_ thought of those gorgeous blue eyes, out of my head.

The rest of the day sped by and I continued going to my classes almost mechanically. The last bell rang and I packed my bag and headed to my car.

I had homework to do when I got home, but wanted to take Max for a jog on the beach or just settle down tonight for some quiet time, since the past week was tossed around between unpacking and school and lots of errands. I let Max outside and fed him then did some homework. Honors classes always gave a lot of homework. Luckily it took little time and even less effort. As I put my homework away, I spotted the neon-colored talent show paper Ms. Mackey gave me earlier. I shook my head. I wouldn't have the stomach to perform piano in front of a new school where I hardly knew anyone. Crumpling the paper and throwing it into the trash, I made my way upstairs to get into my pajamas and plan my wardrobe for the next day. I looked through the clothes in the closet as Max looked on.

"Max, what do you think of my white jeans tomorrow, with this shirt? Do you like this color red on me?" Max stood up, tilted his head, yawned, and then walked away. I took that as a 'no'. I grabbed my favorite gray sweatshirt with lavender graphics on the front and got it in a position for fast dressing in the morning. Finally, I plopped down on my bed and used Max as my pillow to watch a late-night TV show until I fell asleep.

## Chapter 2

The day dragged on, leaving a hungry ache in my stomach. Waking up late this morning had its consequences: no breakfast, messy hair, and a forgotten binder of homework.

Luckily, lunchtime dawned on my tummy and me soon enough. I threw my bag over my shoulder and hurried out of History to follow the crowd to the cafeteria.

After a few days at my new high school, I was used to the daily routine and people here. Likewise, I made friends to sit with at lunch. That included a girl named Vanessa who was model-worthy with glittering hazel eyes and a contagious laugh. Travis, Vanessa's boyfriend, wielded a classic sense of humor and floppy brown hair that came down to his eyes in waves. His friend, Josh, had hair the color of semi-sweet dark chocolate and brown eyes that were quick to linger. A girl named Catherine sat with us as well—and a younger girl, Amy, who spoke to me every chance she got. I'd never really made so many friends before but I was glad to have them.

I heard shouts of complaints before even walking through the lunchroom doors. I turned as the crowd began to part like there was a bulldozer running through the crowd.

"Excuse me!" I heard a thick Southern accent exclaim. I'd know that loud, belligerent voice anywhere.

The crowd moved stubbornly as a girl with bright, brown eyes—that didn't fail to scrutinize everyone's outfits as she walked by—made her way through the parted group of students, paying no mind to the grumbles and complains around her. Some girls stared at her, looking like they were going to rip that curly, blond hair straight out her pretty, little head.

"Y'all are like a herd of cattle!" She shouted when she froze and saw me in the crowd. Her jaw nearly dropped to her feet. "Samantha Clearwater!"

Abigail Valli, my best friend since I'd met her at my old middle school in Phoenix, Arizona.

"Abby?" I exclaimed as I pulled her away from the agitated students flooding past us. She squealed and hugged me, stealing the breath from my lungs. Same, classic hug Abby gave to me every day back in middle school. She pulled me to the back doors of the cafeteria and to an empty table outside.

My head was filled with so many questions that I could hardly speak with coherence. How did she get here? Where did she go after middle school? How was she doing? What about her family? But, I was so flabbergasted I couldn't get a single word out of my mouth.

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe you're here. When people were talking about some girl named Sam, I was like 'no way'! But it _is_ you! Oh my goodness, look at you! I didn't think it was even possible that you could get more angelic. You know all the guys here can't get over those green eyes and caramel skin, girl! _Everyone_ is talking about you!"

I laughed, blushing at her doting. "Stop it, Abby! No one's talking about my looks..."

"Yeah and I'm not blonde. So, what's been going on?" She asked as eager as I was to catch up. I laughed and spilled everything that went on from the first day I left Phoenix all the way up to the first day of school here. She told me about her boyfriend, Andrew, and how her family moved to California. Abby's brother just turned fourteen years old and her mother finally managed to get her fashion business up and running. Abby and her family lived here for a couple years. Her classes changed, ever since she somehow found out my schedule and switched her classes around.

We were both so engrossed in conversation we almost didn't hear the bell for sixth period. If I hadn't looked up at the near-empty cafeteria we may have had to help the janitor mop the floor. We ran to get seated before the late bell.

Utterly happy to see each other, we barely paid attention to the science lesson, more concerned with the notes we were passing back and forth.

As I opened another note, Abby stifled a giggle.

You know, that Blue-Eyed Extraordinaire Guy is staring at you!

I looked at her puzzled, and then I followed her quick nod to see Nathan studying me...again.

His blond hair was tousled and his eyes were perfection as usual—a stunning blue ocean that seemed to stretch on for miles. The sun bounced off his eyes and boomed into an explosion of exquisite piercing color. My eyes ran down his defined, square jaw, wide shoulders, and lean, athletic figure....

I ripped my gaze away, stunned. Abby grinned.

There was a soft pressure against my back and I let myself take a sideways glance behind me. Vanessa tossed me a note. I peeled it open and my heart sunk a little at her words:

Nathan's known as a world-class flirt. Don't mean to "rain on your parade" or anything, but he was hitting on every girl who passed by him the second he got on campus.

Abby cocked her head and read the note in my numb fingers. She twirled her head around and almost hissed at Vanessa, "Way to be a dream-killer, Nessa!"

"Ms. Valli?" Mr. Samuels asked loudly.

Abby twirled back around; presenting our teacher with a huge plastic grin, she remarked, "Yes?"

"I asked you a question," he informed her, raising his eyebrows, and looking at Abby sternly. His green eyes bulged and his glasses began to slide down the bridge of his perspiring nose. Mr. Samuel's clearly untamed red hair corkscrewed every which way and he almost seemed to be talking to an imaginary student.

To my astonishment—and amusement—she replied respectfully, "I apologize, Mr. Samuels, I didn't hear you. But I know Vanessa did."

Now it was Vanessa's turn to hiss.

He turned to her, but when she didn't give him the answer he wanted, he looked at me for his last alternative. He seemed to be expecting my guard to be down.

"Ms. Clearwater?" Mr. Samuels declared, snapping and unsnapping the lid of his dry-erase marker.

"Yes?"

"Can _you_ briefly describe the common function of the pair, retina and cochlea?" he repeated loudly. I felt the eyes of my classmates rest on me; they seemed to all turn in their seats to hear my response.

Shifting my gaze from the teacher, over to Abby then to Nathan who was eyeing me carefully, but now had an impish grin as if he found it humorous that I'd been caught not paying attention to the teacher's lecture. I thought it'd be priceless to teach him to expect better than that.

"The retina and cochlea are both energy transducers. The retina contains both rod and cone cells which change light into electrical energy. On the other hand, the cochlea has sensory neurons that convert mechanical energy into electrical energy for the brain to understand."

As I explained the functions, I moved my eyes away from Nathan, giving him a raised eyebrow, to Mr. Samuels, with a large smile intended for Nathan's benefit. The teacher was startled; everyone seemed to be awestruck by my answer. It was so quiet you could probably hear a baby blink its eyelids. After a couple seconds, the teacher finally spoke.

"Er...uh...yes, that is correct," he sputtered.

Nathan bit back a laugh as the rest of the students let out amused murmurs. Sitting back in my desk, Abby laughed quietly. The bell rang as class ended and I hopped up simultaneously with Abby, fumbling with my books.

"Do you know who Garrett West is?" she whispered as we walked out of class.

"Yeah, I think so," I responded hesitantly as I tried to push my stuff into my bag but it wasn't hard to remember running into him a few days ago. He still shared my second period.

"Nathan West is his brother; I heard they got here like last week."

"Where are they from?" I asked curiously.

"Illinois, I think. Do you like him?"

"Abby!" I exclaimed, scolding her, and then added, "I don't even know him..."

"Whatever! Don't try to pretend you don't have a crush on him!" she accused, and then hugged me adding, "I have Algebra next, so I'll see you after school?"

"Yeah, I'll see you," I said letting a grin spread across my face as I made my way down the packed hallway. I squeezed through two people when a boy ran past me, knocking the books out of my hands.

"Watch it!" He called back. I rolled my eyes and bent down to pick up my reading books and papers.

"Some people can be such jerks..." I heard a handsomely familiar voice state from above me. Stuffing my things in my bag, I looked up again. Nathan was standing there with a welcoming hand extended for me. The light hit his hair and set it ablaze in my eyes. I grasped his hand and he helped me up, my heart fluttering at his touch.

"Maybe this time I can formerly introduce myself. I'm Nathan."

"Ha, yeah, this is kind of how I met your brother," I giggled as we transitioned from holding hands to shaking them. My arms went weak and my notebook fell from my hand again, but he managed to catch it before it hit the floor. He smiled as he neatly put it into my backpack.

"I think it'd be more productive in your bag."

I laughed. "Yeah, thanks."

"Your books don't really seem to like you," he teased. I smiled and he continued, "That was pretty great back there—in class I mean. I thought you wouldn't be able to answer Mr. Samuels' lunatic questions. He just thinks he's so superior sometimes, it's nice when someone humbles him out...."

"I guess somebody's got to do it." I grinned and he chuckled.

"What class do you have next?" he asked.

"AP German, fourth level."

"Gut. Wir werden sehen wie gut Sie Deutsch sprechen." _We'll see how well you can speak German._

He smiled more sincerely, which almost made my knees weak.

"Ich lebte in Deutschland für zwei Jahre, ich denke ich werde okay sein," I replied. His eyebrows rose as he processed my words and he laughed.

"Impressive. You lived in Germany for two years?" Nathan murmured then added, "Did you move here after that?"

"No, I actually moved from LA," I said as we walked to our next class. "What about you?"

"Chicago," he told me. "Do you live close by?"

"About ten minutes away, near Del Mar beach," I told him; it was dangerously easy to talk to him. His demeanor in itself unintentionally elicited conversation from me.

Nathan opened the door for me and I stepped into the class, my shoulder brushing his chest. His sweet, clean scent swarmed around me and followed me in. We took seats next to one another, this time without a row of chairs between us.

_This is crazy,_ I thought to myself. _A few days ago he was just a stranger and now I feel suddenly attached to him...._

I wasn't paying attention to the class, like I knew I should. My focus was on Nathan. He didn't really seem to be listening either. The period sped by as if it was eager for the end of the day too. I walked outside, Nathan half a step behind.

"Here. Call me, text me, whichever. Maybe we can plan something this weekend," he said smiling a breath-taking smile, as he handed me a slip of paper with his number scribbled across it in delicate handwriting. We made our way out, past the courtyard and into the parking lot.

"Okay, see you tomorrow," I said. I sighed, silently wanting to talk more but I missed my chance when he said goodbye, flashed his smile, and sped off in his car.

"Sam!" My daze was abruptly cut off by Abby storming toward me across the lot. "I was looking for you!"

"Sorry, Abby, I got caught up with Blue-Eyes." I was finally coherent.

"So you _do_ like him!" She exclaimed, her eyes were wide and a smile crept on her lips.

I hesitated then shrugged weakly.

"You _so_ do!" She squealed, jumping up and down. "Does he like you too? Are you his girlfriend? Are you guys going to go on a date? Is he going to...?"

"Abby!" I laughed startled. She smiled whispering an apology.

"You want to hang out this weekend?" She asked a moment later.

I sighed.

"I may have a..."—I chewed the word around in my mouth; 'date' sounded too intimate—"thing with Nathan. Maybe we can get together afterward?"

She smiled. "I knew it! I knew you liked him and he likes you and you're going out Saturday!"

"Abby...it's not...we haven't even planned it yet," I muttered lamely, humiliated as people started to gawk again.

She started doing a little dance and I couldn't help but to slip a laugh. Making up a song out of the top of her head, she started to sing, "Samantha likes this guy, because he's really hot, now they're going on a date 'cause she likes him a lot!"

I burst out in soft laughter.

"Thanks, Abby. That was great," I responded, shaking my head then added with a smirk of sarcasm, "You should get that published. People would be _speechless_."

Her eyes widened. "That's a great idea! I'll..."

"Don't even think about it, Abby. The only thing you're going to do is see me tomorrow," I told her, hugging her quickly, and then heading home.

Friday was finally here. I looked forward to at least a few of my classes to connect with Blue-Eyes and Abby. I was just walking through the lunch doors when Nathan nearly teleported in front of me to hold the door open.

"Hello milady," he greeted me in a deep British rogue, as he motioned me to pass through.

"Oh!" I started.

"Sorry," he apologized, now speaking in his normally sweet voice, examining my surprised expression.

"It's all right," I assured him, breathless. Just a glance at his eyes sent my heart accelerating again. I successfully walked into the cafeteria without my weakened knees giving away my infatuation.

"So, I was wondering, are you doing anything tomorrow?" he said in a lovely voice, his lips pulling up into the cutest slanted smile I'd ever seen as he grabbed a tray. I followed suit and grabbed myself some napkins and a fork.

"Yes," I said in a trance. His smile faded in disappointment. I followed up pathetically, "Oh no, I meant 'Yes' as in yes I don't have anything going on."

"Great," he replied, looking amused. "I thought we could hang out over at Del Mar Beach."

My face brightened in reaction; the beach was literally right around the corner from my house. "Of course."

"Okay, so I'll pick you up?" he asked cocking his head. How could I resist that smile?

I nodded with a flash of teeth as we walked to his table. His brother Garrett was sitting there and I greeted him as we came to sit down. Still from across the lunchroom, Abby observed what was happening—as usual—and came to sit down by me at Nathan's table.

"Hi, I'm Abby. I'm Sam's friend," Abby said smiling giddily as she asked, "Can my boyfriend, join us?"

"Of course," Nathan told her.

"Andrew!" She called obnoxiously across the cafeteria. Abby turned slightly and waved a boy over as he grabbed another slice of pizza and then came to sit down next to her. He was a dark brunette with identical bright, brown eyes to Abby's. She introduced Nathan, Garrett, and me to him and then began to devour her salad.

That reminded me, I looked down at my own plate, eyeing the pizza—it looked more like Styrofoam than food. So, I just ate my salad and fruit. As I finished I watched Garrett scarf down the last of his burger and fries and laughed at his mess.

"I think you have something on your face, Garrett!" I pointed to his chin and laughed again.

"What?" he asked bewildered as he tried to find it.

"Here Bro, let me help you out there..." Nathan offered, reaching over to his mouth and pulling the French fry, stuck with ketchup, from his face and handed him a napkin.

"Attractive," I said to Garrett.

"I was saving that for later...." Garrett muttered and we all laughed.

After lunch, the day sped by and Nathan and I were soon in the parking lot.

"So, where do you plan to take me, again?" I asked trying to make conversation so I could hear his voice, even though I already knew where we were going.

"Del Mar Beach," he reminded me, his eyes smiling.

"Oh, right," I said, rocking back on my heels and then on to the balls of my feet, hoping my knees didn't give out as I asked, "Is this a date?"

He smiled as if I made a joke. "That depends..."

"On what?"

"On how it goes."

"So if it goes well, it's a date. What if it doesn't go well?" I asked.

"Well, then I guess we can call it a 'Friendship Building Opportunity.'"

I sighed with a grin, walking to my car. "I see."

He turned around, walking backwards, hands in his pockets, and one eyebrow rose. "You like frozen yogurt...?"

"I love frozen yogurt," I told him, grinning from ear to ear, as we both got into our cars. I stole one more look at him, before I fired up the engine and drove off.

***

When I awoke, I glanced at the clock on my dresser and then turned over in my bed. My eyes shot back open and I scrambled up.

"Quarter to ten? Max, you didn't wake me!" I exclaimed. Max scrambled up, startled, then looked around in a daze. I hurried and washed up; Nathan said he'd pick me up at ten. Staring hard at my reflection in the mirror, I thought _hair in a ponytail or half up and half down?_ I couldn't decide so I just put it half up and half down. Getting dressed swiftly, I patted Max on the tummy as the doorbell rang.

There was already a smile on his face when I opened the door.

"Hey, come in," I told him and he stepped in the door, hands in his pockets.

He frowned for a moment and scrunched up his nose. "Is something burning?"

"Oh no!" I exclaimed forgetting about the toast I left in the toaster oven. I pulled out the burnt piece of toast and held it between us a smug expression playing on my features.

"Look at that," I said then added sarcastically, "I think I should be a five-star chef!"

"I don't know if I'd be the first in line for your toast then," Nathan said with an amused smile as he helped me clean up my mess. Finally when we were all finished, he asked, "You ready?"

I nodded, my heart thumping unevenly at the gorgeous smile on his lips, and we left the house. He held the car door open for me and then took off.

"I thought I might surprise you," Nathan told me, "there's a delicious frozen yogurt stand at Sky Port Beach."

As we stepped out of his car and he led me up the stone walkway I noticed how cute, but quiet, the place was. It was attractive and gave off an aurora of a small town. He took me up to one of the few stands in the midst of the walkway and ordered us two yogurts. Chocolate and Vanilla swirl yogurt for him and Chocolate mint for me.

I stared at him in awe when he handed me the yogurt.

"Chocolate mint is my favorite.... How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess?" He smiled secretively. I narrowed my eyes and asked jokingly, "Have you been snooping around on my Facebook?"

Nathan laughed and told me, "No,"—then in a whisper—"but I do follow you every time you go to frozen yogurt stands..."

I gave him a teasing shove and laughed.

"So, Sam, I know you've lived in Germany," Nathan started, making conversation, "any other remarkable places you've lived in?"

I chuckled and listed off on my fingers. "Let's see: Madrid, Chicago, Moscow, and Seattle. After that I moved to LA, Denver, Phoenix and then back to California up in Ferndale. I've always wanted to just settle down in California; I like it here. What about you?"

"When I turned three I moved from here to Illinois," he answered, "When I started high school, I moved back here since my mom owned a beach house on the coast. She's pretty busy and rarely home at all."

"Why's that?"

I began to eat the remnants of my frozen yogurt.

"She does a lot in Alaska, usually business trips."

"Well, what about your dad?"

"Oh..." he paused and finally sighed, "My parents got divorced several years ago. My father made a bad decision and then broke it to us that they were splitting. My dad rarely talks to me but I can't really say that I don't miss the times we were all together."

"What about your parents?" he asked me as I tossed my frozen yogurt cup.

What about my parents—my _real_ parents? For one, I was adopted. Ian and Elena were great guardians, but they could never wash away nor replace the faint memories of my parents from my head. Were my real mother and father even still alive? Would I ever get to see them again?

When I thought of a mother figure, I thought of Charilyn. She always cared for me like her own daughter.

"I'm living by myself," I murmured. I didn't feel comfortable about the parent topic, but I told him anyway, "with a trust fund. My mom and dad adopted me when I was about three years old. And from then off we never stopped traveling. Whenever some big move happened, like moving from Chicago to Moscow in the middle of a school year, my parents would make up some lame excuse for the move, or never even explain it to me. I'd just come home and everything would be packed up. An hour later we'd be on a plane going to Portugal.

"After a while, I couldn't stand moving anymore. I wanted to stay here. The good thing was that we did have a nanny, Charilyn. She's what I imagine a real mom to be. Always traveling with us, keeping my secrets, and listening to me when no one else would."

Nathan was intently taking in my story. He only spoke when I'd finished.

"What about siblings? You don't have any brothers or sisters?"

I shook my head. "I'm adopted and an only child,"—I lowered my eyebrows and remembered something—"actually, I think my parents mentioned something about me having an older, biological brother; but I don't know where he is."

I felt a shudder of refreshment and relief when Nathan's lips curved up in a charming smile. I suddenly wanted to tell him how much I liked him; it'd been nagging at the back of my mind since the day I saw him in the parking lot. Should I tell him? Was it too early to confess my feelings?

"Nathan..."

His blue eyes fell on me and my mind went blank. I blurted a completely different question: "Um, so what happened after your parents split?"

Stupid! What a stupid question! No normal person wanted to talk about his or her parents splitting up. Fortunately, he didn't show any suspicion of my unintentional question. He wiped his hands on a napkin, tossing his frozen yogurt cup, as we made our way across the rocks down toward the port.

"Afterward we stayed in Chicago with my aunt and uncle while my parents found living arrangements to ease the transition. For a few months, my mom distracted herself with busy work until she realized that being away from us for so long wasn't making the split up any easier. So she came back home. She promised she'd be less busy, but she's still been traveling to different places on a weekly basis."

I nodded, trying to smile half-heartedly but found I couldn't. My mind was still occupied.

"So what's your story; how'd you become adopted?" Nathan asked cautiously as if he felt he shouldn't have.

We stopped walking and now I was blinking back tears. A lump formed in my throat and my stomach dropped to my feet. Anguish ripped through my heart fresh and clean. I tried to with every fiber of my being to concentrate on the crashing waves of the ocean or the chatter of the seagulls above us but failed. I tried to find some reason to hold back tears; I couldn't humiliate myself. I wasn't sure why I always acted this way when people asked about the adoption, but I could never help it; it was a fresh wound every time it came up. And as much as I didn't want him to notice my discomfort, he did.

"Sam, are you okay? I didn't...I wasn't trying to be rude. I'm sorry," Nathan said. But I couldn't see him. I couldn't see anything. I was locked in my own world.

"I'm sorry, I won't talk about it again," he said softly, placing his hands on my shoulders, turning me to look at him.

"Samantha?" He murmured carefully as he brushed back my hair. His touch sent a shock of warmth through my body and thawed out my senses. My face softened and immediately my pain washed clean out of me. And something spread across my face. It took me a second to tell that it was a smile. He smiled too and I looked away. Lightheaded, with butterflies circling tirelessly in my stomach, Nathan leaned in close, an inch from my lips.

A sudden wave splashed across my legs with icy fingers and salty hands. I stepped back, automatically, and looked down; my shorts were soaked. I ran from the water and Nathan did the same. When I looked at him he was laughing, and I couldn't help laughing a little myself. His shorts were as drenched as mine!

"Holy napkins, that's cold!" I complained with a shiver.

Nathan laughed and questioned, "Napkins?"—With a shake of his head he simply continued—"Come on, I have a towel in my car."

He took my hand and pulled me toward his car. Surprised by the abruptly casual touch, his hands were soft and gentle on mine. Though I was startled, my head was already swimming and I was trying to concentrate on not hyperventilating. I looked down at my hand in his, bewildered. My Converse squished against the concrete as we moved toward the parking lot.

"So...um...is this a..."—it took me a moment to finish the sentence—"date?" I questioned him.

When I'd finally caught pace with him, he looked at me once and then looked forward again, a soft smile on his face.

"Yeah, I guess so," he admitted and then boldly added, "Step one: Ask girl to go somewhere with you. Step two: actually _get_ her to go there."

"What's step three?" I giggled.

He smiled my favorite smile as he unlocked the car and handed me a towel.

"Make sure she wants to be there with you."

I dried myself off, trying to hide my hot cheeks, and then gave the towel back to do the same. As he dried off, I observed his clothes. He wore cargo shorts and slip-on white Converse with a silver star embellished on the top. His t-shirt was a faded gray bearing a navy stripe across it with the words 'Blue or Red?' in black print with blue and red paint splatters across it.

With a grin, I murmured, "I like the color Blue best."

Nathan looked up at me, "Sorry?"

"Your shirt," I told him, gesturing casually to the graphic, "If I had to choose, I'd pick blue. But red is tempting."

Two strong emotions flashed across his face, first surprise, and then sobriety. At length, he just smiled at me and said, "I'm definitely a Blue kind-of person."

## Chapter 3

"Promise me you'll come!" Abby pleaded, "It's going to be the biggest beach party _ever_. Scratch that, it _is_ the biggest party of the year!"

"I don't know, Abby. It's a Monday and I have a ton of homework!" I told her, slumping back on the couch with my cell phone about an inch away from my ear—Abby had a tendency to squeal unexpectedly at the smallest things.

Abby sighed then added, "What if I told you Blue-Eyes is going to be there?"

My heart skipped a beat as I leaned forward on the couch. "What time does it start?"

Abby's shrilled over the line, I could've sworn I heard my eardrum pop too, and exclaimed, "Yes! I knew you'd come! It starts in half an hour. I'll see you there."

She hung up and I heaved myself up off the couch to get ready. I wanted to be appealing but simple, attractive but not showy. Throwing on my new bathing suit and some shorts, I clipped my hair up, the dark chocolate curls hanging out flirtatiously. Then I grabbed my bag, packed with my towel, a water bottle, and clothes for afterward. I was not a frequent partygoer, but when Abby mentioned Nathan my reaction was an automatic one.

It was nearing five-thirty when I arrived at the beach and parked near a massive home. The walls that faced the beach were made of glass and inside you could see breath-taking paintings and lavish furniture. Before I even got out of my car, I could feel the vibrations from the music and see the long row of appetizing finger foods displayed.

I fiddled with my keys, debating if I should head back home when I saw a few boys run past the front of my Aston Martin. One looked my way and I saw a flash of blonde hair, blue eyes, and a gorgeous smile.

My heart leapt excitedly as I gripped my bag and shoved the door open. I walked toward the crowd of teenagers and spotted Vanessa conversing with some familiar teen boys.

"So you guys decided to come, huh?" she asked. They were hovering over the filled platters, one of them—a tall, muscular brunette—stuffing Doritos down his mouth like there was no tomorrow.

"Yeah, wouldn't want to miss a party like this," Andrew replied, elbowing Travis in the stomach. Even though he was 6'5 and clearly born with the broad shoulders of a football player, he made a hurt face and rubbed the place he'd been nudged. He stuck some more snacks in his mouth.

"What?" Travis exclaimed startled, then he scowled, "Are you kidding? I came here because I heard there'd be food..."

"Well if I were you," Vanessa threatened, "I'd change my mind real quick."

Popping Travis' cup of chips out of his hand, they flew across the ground. Travis' brown eyes stared longingly at the fallen food, now blanketed in sand. He shrugged and then said, "Well, I didn't have to pay for it...."

Vanessa smacked him on the arm before Travis laughed teasingly only to pull her into his arms and plant loving kisses on her pink cheeks.

A boy I didn't know came up and said, "Come on you two lovebirds, we're going to move this party farther down!"

Feeling oddly out of place, I looked around trying to target a more familiar face among the crowd of young adults. That's when I spotted Nathan. Or rather, he spotted me. He was gorgeous as usual and...shirtless. His skin was a soft, tanned apricot but defined sharply against his abdominal and shoulder muscles. His sharp blue eyes locked on mine and winked, tossing me a smile that knocked me breathless.

I turned and nearly jumped out of my skin. Garrett was standing next to me like he'd been there all day.

"Hey, Sam," he greeted.

"Oh hi, Garrett," I began, my heart rate lowering.

"It's nice out, huh? And the waves are perfect for surfing..." he said, smiling handsomely, but nothing in comparison to his brother's.

"You surf?" I asked.

He nodded with a grin when I felt an arm around my waist, squeezing me into a hug. Then I was face to face with Nathan, and he took my hands in both of his, "Sam, I'm so glad you're here! Abby promised me you'd come."

I spotted her, down by the waves observing the exchange. She winked and tipped a cowgirl hat across her big, blonde curls. I bit back laughter.

"Yeah, got bored with homework," I lied, my smile widening. Everyone began moving all of the party stuff a little further down the coastline. I tapped Nathan on the shoulder and ran off, calling back to Nathan, "You're _so_ it!"

He laughed and tagged Garrett with a brotherly shove, splashing into the shallow water; some of the others did the same. Garrett caught Abby easily and lunged aside so she couldn't tag him back. So, she turned around and ran for Amy. After a while, almost everyone was in on the childish game.

"Time out; I don't know how y'all keep running around like crazed loons. I don't have that kind of stamina," Abby called from far off, waist-deep in the ocean. But Andrew was merciless and tackled her into the saltwater. Andrew came back up soaked and laughing.

But Abby didn't resurface.

"Abbs?" Andrew called. His hands searched the water while my heart slammed unstably against my chest. I ran out into the waves. The salty ocean submerged my thighs when Nathan grasped my arm. Before he could say anything, I felt fingers grasp my ankle and tug hard.

I barely had time to scream when I slipped under the cold water. And then the fingers just let go. Nathan yanked me back out and Abby was standing there in front of me laughing hysterically.

"Oh!" She chortled and I could've sworn she snorted. "You totally fell for it. Sam, you should know me by now! You look so freaked out."

She had tricked me. She wasn't even hurt! Seeing the embarrassment and surprise in my face she hugged me and threw back her wet blonde hair. "Oh, I'm fine! Loosen up a bit."

I let out a breath and then a laugh. She was right; this whole party was different for me. I didn't know anyone but Nathan, Garrett, and Abby.

Speaking of which, Nathan peered at me and there was no denying what I saw in his eyes: fear, concern. Then the cloudiness in his blue eyes faded and he cracked a smile.

"Quite a friend you got there, Sam," I heard Garrett from behind me as he trudged back toward shore. There was humor in his voice, with a hint of agitation. I shook my head and kicked water at Abby's back when she laughed again.

Around early evening, some kids began heading home and I asked Nathan if he would stay a little longer, at least until sunset. Laughter of the teens died down and the smell of burgers grilling filled the air as dinner came for those who congregated for the remainder of the party.

Nathan and I, far off from the others, reached several rocks planted in the middle of our walkway. I lifted myself up onto one of the rocks, when he stopped me. The sky was growing a bright orange and the ocean waves were gentler now. Wind whipped past my damp, clipped back curls as I turned around to look at him. He was eye-to-eye with me.

"What?" I started to ask, but he interrupted me.

"Shh..."

He looked into my green eyes for a long time. My heart pounded loud and clear and I held my breath. He wound his fingers through my hair and tugged himself close to me. Nathan's lips scarcely brushed mine, when I heard someone shout, "Heads up!"

I pulled away, looking toward the voice and saw a Frisbee heading straight for my head. My hand flew up in an instant, a reflex from old karate lessons, just as Nathan's grabbed it too. I stole a glance at him as he let go of the Frisbee—and my hand—as I spotted a large, golden retriever come bounding toward me. I squatted down to give him the toy.

As the owner ran up, I stroked the dog's neck murmuring, "Hey, buddy..."

"Sorry about that!" The owner breathed deeply, trying to catch his breath.

I grinned and assured him, "No harm done."

Not considering what the Frisbee made me miss....

He nodded returning my smile then ran off with his dog. I turned around back to Nathan, letting out a sigh of disappointment.

"You want to go hang out at my place?" he blurted, "We can grab dinner there; I'm sure my family wouldn't mind."

How could I refuse that charming smile? All we had to do was walk to his house, right on top of the cliff; the same one I saw earlier. The big, grandeur beach house I'd parked next to, was his.

The two-story house was absolutely remarkable. It was painted taupe and had a glass balcony that hung out over the cliff. The interior was even more intriguing. As we strolled in, I noticed the kitchen first. It was a brilliant white. Centered in the middle was a counter with high chairs pulled up to it. Three bright, red lamps dangled from the ceiling over the island and the appliances were sleek silver.

I circled around as Nathan took my bag. To my left was a large living room with windows for walls. The white couch stretched out in an "L" shape across the room and the flat screen TV was hung over a modern fireplace in between the window-walls. A hallway, near the kitchen, led to the main dinning room. But what really caught my eye, was the artwork strung all across the walls. There was one in particular that was a painting of a lush forest under the sunset.

"That's amazing..."

Nathan smiled and said, "Yeah, a lot of people like that one. I did that when I was fifteen."

I stared at him in shock. "You painted this?"

He nodded.

"At _fifteen_?"

He laughed and nodded again.

"It's breath-taking!"

He thanked me and then gestured to the one hung next to it. It was of the ocean, frozen in time as it crashed into delicately painted rocks at the bottom of the portrait.

"That's my favorite though," he said with a sigh.

"Mine too...!" I heard a breezy voice chirp from behind us.

I turned to find a small-framed girl there who barely seemed to be reaching "5'3". She was perched on one of the high stools, sipping at a glass of lemonade, umbrella included. She looked like a mini supermodel. She had long, beautiful golden hair that flowed behind her like a yellow waterfall and sapphire eyes that glittered in the kitchen light. She almost seemed out-of-place in the kitchen. She grinned angelically and shocked me by the identical flash of white teeth Nathan gave me.

"This is my sister, Fae," Nathan introduced me, "Fae this is Sam."

"Well, is she your girlfriend yet or what? It's so nice to finally meet you! Nathan won't stop talking about you otherwise." She smiled happily at Nathan, who looked down to hide a laugh as he stuffed his hands in his pockets with a shrug.

"Wow," Fae whispered suddenly, as she fingered a tiny charm hanging from a thin, silver chain around her neck. The charm was a circular blue symbol I'd never seen before. "Your eyes are so pretty. They're like...I don't even know; there's nothing to compare them to!"

I laughed, utterly flattered by her straightforward declaration. "Thanks."

"No need to suck up, Fae."

Nathan took my hand, acknowledging Fae with a nod and then led me pass the living room, upstairs, and out back to the patio. A three-foot tall glass wall surrounded the patio and there were four chairs set out by small wood tables. The view of the ocean was amazing.

I let out a peaceful sigh. That was all I could manage getting out; too impressed to say more words.

"You like it?" he asked.

I placed my hands on the glass wall, still soaking up the view. We came out just as the sun was beginning to kiss the horizon. White light spewed alongside the edge of the ocean and I closed my eyes just listening to the delicate sound of laughter and wind that blew across my face. I felt my mouth curve up. "No. I love it."

Nathan studied my expression, a faint smile on his thin lips. Only a second passed when his face went somber.

"Sam..."

I studied his blue gaze with vague curiosity in my eyes.

"Yes?"

He was hesitant to speak again and his silence flared my interest even more. Butterflies crept into my tummy as I thought of the possible things he could say—primarily three little words that would take our relationship to a whole other level. In his silence, he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, sweeping his blue eyes across the equivalent color of the vast ocean.

When he finally spoke, my shoulders relaxed and I let a breath out.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

His question caught me by surprise and some of my own questions started to run through my head. What should I say? That I didn't, and it was only something you read about in fairytales? I used to believe that...but now? I'd never really given it much thought.

"Well..." I struggled for a way to explain what I was thinking. I moved to lean against the wall and gazed at the ocean hoping it would give me the words I was looking for. "I suppose I do. I think it's possible that there's sometimes an immediate connection between two people when they meet."

I turned to catch the response in his eyes. But when his gorgeous blue eyes met mine, he smiled a handsome smile that was as beautiful as the ocean made me feel. Then he continued with a confident look on his face.

"That's how I felt when I met you. I knew that there was something special about you. Like I knew you already...understood you," he admitted courageously.

We were silent, thoughtful. Nathan was staring at me, studying my expression. I beamed shyly and turned my gaze back to the beach.

"Hmm," I laughed, the sides of my lips curving into a faint smile, "Is it like I'm something you've been missing in your whole life?"

I was only joking but he shifted his body to face mine to say, "That's exactly it. I can't ever imagine it without you..."

I couldn't help but get a sense, or rather an alarm, in the back of my mind that it could have been likely that he'd said this to another girl. After all, Vanessa called him a "world-class" flirt.

Nathan wrapped his arms around me, gently pressing his lips against my forehead. My notion evaporated from my mind and I couldn't find my resolve for a moment. But gosh, was he hard to resist. This was too soon. I hardly knew him.

Then, he brought something up that I know I never told him.

"I hear you can play piano."

I stared at him, bewildered at first. And then I remembered that he was there when Mrs. Mackey gave me that talent show form. I heaved a sigh.

"Yeah, um, it's more of a hobby," I admitted, "I guess sort of like your painting: I create my own things."

"Well I'd love to hear you play sometime. Since I've showed you what I love to do, it's your turn." He grinned. "And I thought you were just a genius and a beauty...."

I let out a laugh, and managed another smile as we watched the sun set in silence. As soon as the bright, glowing star that lit our world disappeared underneath the ocean I straightened up and turned toward the sliding glass door.

"I should go..."

"You don't want to stay for dinner?" He asked sadly.

"No," I said frowning. "I have to go home and check on my dog..."

"Spot? Or is it, Max?" He guessed, raising an eyebrow.

"How did you...?"

"Uh...intuition?" he simply stated. I smiled. He walked me out the door then escorted me to my car.

"Text me so we can hang out again," he told me, as I got into my car.

"Yeah, see you Monday..." I said.

He smiled then disappeared into his house. I lingered on the curb for a moment, unsure if I made the right choice to leave. All of a sudden there was, on the other side of Nathan's door, a loud shout and a crash. My first thought was on Nathan. Was he okay? I went to open the door again, but all was quiet. I pressed my ear to white wood.

I heard Fae whispering harshly, "Nathan, you can't just pull something like that! What if you were by her when they emerged? When she gained her..."

There was dead quietness for a moment. Then she said, "She's listening...."

With a start, I shoved away from the door, stumbled across the front yard and into my car. As I drove off, I saw Nathan peeking through his blinds...looking at me.

## Chapter 4

Over the week, Nathan was unusually quiet.

When I tried to talk to him he'd only answer with a few brief words and then find an excuse to end the conversation. I was hurt as he continued to ignore me and even made the effort to avoid any eye contact altogether in our classes.

Almost two weeks ago he was attached to me and now he wanted to ignore me?

I was glad when Friday brought some reprieve; I needed time to clear my head. Abby read me as she walked me to my car. I shrouded my feelings of confusion when she spoke up and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I just need a break; it's been a long week," I told her, getting in my car and rolling down the window so she knew I was still listening. She seemed to be busy texting someone on her phone.

"Sam, are you upset about what I did at the party?" she asked worriedly. I half-smiled at her, remembering.

"No, you're fine," I reassured again as I started the engine. I tucked another loose curl behind my hair. "It's other things..."

She lifted an eyebrow and her phone was in her purse. Crossing her arms, she told me with a gentle smile, "Call me when you're ready to talk; you have my number!"

I knew she knew what was up. And she wasn't going to pry, but I knew she wouldn't let me by without a reason for my discomfort.

"Thanks, Abby," I managed as I pulled out of the parking space and drove off.

I parked at my favorite beach, the same one Nathan walked on with me a week earlier. Since then we'd gone on two dates, and our relationship was growing stronger or so I thought. But this week had been strange; Nathan changed. I wrestled with thoughts as my imagination ran crazy with reasons that Nathan may have been avoiding me. Was he ditching me for another girl? Should I even be worrying? How was I to know it even mattered if we weren't boyfriend-girlfriend? Or were we already?

I stepped out of the car and took my sandals off. I picked up Max from home to keep me company. He pounced out of the car and stood on his hind legs so he could attempt to lick my face.

"Okay, Max!" I told him, nudging him off me. Max was trained enough to know not to run off. And even if he did, he always came back, when I called for him.

I walked up and down the coast of the beach, the waves rhythmic and calming. Max sauntered by my side; his panting synching with the waves' rhythm. They both alleviated me and allowed me a chance to think. I watched the waves come in and out, hungering for my feet. They rolled up trying to catch and drag me out, but they came only inches close and then slid down into the ocean.

Why had Nathan been acting so strange? Was he hiding something? No, he wouldn't do that...would he? Could Nathan be lying about his feelings for me? Vanessa's daunting note came back at me as if she said the words herself. " _Nathan's known as a world-class flirt."_

Max's growling pulled me out of my trance.

I felt someone's hand on my shoulder, and my reflexes positioned me quickly into self-defense mode. Max was never wrong when it came to people he got bad vibes from. And in Denver I had taken rigorous and advanced self-defense lessons after my mom insisted they were necessary. I'd learned numerous techniques on how to kick, punch, and initiate other moves I never knew were even taught in self-defense classes.

My kick would be fast. They wouldn't even notice until they were on the ground.

I twirled around my leg up for a swift, roundhouse kick. But they grabbed it and stopped my leg faster than I thought humanly possible. Even in my self-defense classes, most of the time my instructor ended up on the floor before he could guard himself.

"Samantha?" I looked up and saw Nathan with his hand on my leg. He looked vaguely amused. "Did I startle you?"

"Oh! A little, I'm sorry." I dropped my leg, embarrassed. "You're lucky..."

He laughed, "Ha, I guess you have a few moves up your sleeve. Anything else I need to know before I approach you again?"

I smiled and he leaned close kissing the top of my head. Max barked, snarling menacingly.

Startled, I looked back at him, "Max, no! Sit down!"

He sat.

I looked at Nathan my eyes apologetic and confused. "I'm so sorry! This is Max...but he's usually got manners."

"That's all right," he reassured me.

He took my hand and pulled me along the beach. As soon as I felt his touch all my suspicious thoughts of the week before melted and we were walking along the coast.

This was probably the best time to ask him what was on my mind.

We continued walking while I figured out what I was going to say, but then we stopped by some rocks where no one was in sight. I was just about to say what was on my mind, but he took the chance first.

"Sam, I can't help it anymore, and I just can't seem to keep quiet about it, either." He took a deep breath and said firmly, "I love you."

Max barked, but I was completely oblivious. I stared at him, speechless. He actually said those words; he may not have known that it meant so much, but it did to me.

"You do?" I was still unsure about the past few days. We had only known each other for two weeks.

"Of course," he exclaimed smiling back, nonchalant to the expression in my eyes.

The corners of my mouth itched to frown. Did he know what love was? Did _I_ know what love was? How was I supposed to tell him how I felt?

"Well, Nathan...I don't know," I started, "with the past week and everything, I felt like..."

"I'm sorry. Really I am, but I wanted to tell you."

"Oh, well I..." I hesitated and then said cautiously, "I love you too."

Ecstatic, he pulled me alarmingly close with one arm around my waist and his hand still locked with mine, as the news rushed over him.

Suddenly, Max jumped between us, and clawed Nathan back with his front paws. He clasped his teeth over Nathan's shorts ferocious snarls ripping out from his chest.

"Max!" I scolded him. Max turned around facing me and sat down, sticking his tongue out like an innocent puppy. It didn't soften my anger. He never acted like this before. I pointed my finger toward the opposite way we came and told him with a glare, "Go now!"

His head fell low to the ground and his tongue retreated, replaced with a whimper. He got up sadly and trotted off with his tail between his legs; I watched as he went and sat down some thirty yards off. I turned around to look at Nathan with an apology on my tongue.

"I'm sorry," I told him earnestly, "I've never seen Max act like that around any one, ever."

"Wow..." he joked in a casual manner, "a karate kick and a near attack from your guard dog."

I flashed my teeth at him and he curled his arms around the smallest part of my waist, kissing my forehead then my cheek. Then he leaned down closer. Hesitant in his every move, he braided one hand through my hair, gently holding the back of my head. Then with the lightest pressure his lips kissed mine and an electric shock rippled through my every nerve. And after the first two seconds, I was already dizzy. But the kiss, as amazing as it was, was short.

I looked up only to find him already staring at me. He chuckled softly and I smiled in return when I stepped off his feet. I hadn't noticed how tall he was; he was at least '6'2', a whopping five or six inches taller than me. He pulled me close to his chest and held me there—our foreheads pressed together.

"Your eyes are so beautiful...." he murmured.

"I'm not the only one with beautiful eyes..." I beamed at him.

Then he looked out across the ocean, and I followed his gaze to see a stunning sunset, the ones that you'd only see in paintings or movies.

"Nathan...." I finally said. He looked back at me, studying my expression and pondering the change in my tone, "I wanted to ask you about what was going on this past week...."

I was aware that this could've ruined the moment, but I needed to know what was going on.

"You've been acting so odd lately. You weren't talking to me at school and..." I trailed off and he suddenly tensed up. That made it obvious that something was wrong. He looked away, his face unreadable.

"Well, my mother called and said that my father was in the hospital. It was a really tough week. I'm sorry," he told me. He was a horrible liar. I could tell immediately. It was as easy as I could look into his eyes and know.

But then he placed his chin on my head and held me tight against his chest. I wanted to see his expression, the look in his eyes, but I patiently waited for my opportunity. It was silent for a moment, except the sound of the waves.

Though my mind wanted to believe his words, because he loved me and he wouldn't lie to me, my gut was telling me different. I pulled myself out of his strong arms and looked at his startled expression. Something clicked inside my head and my mouth dropped open.

I knew it! There may have been something going on that I couldn't comprehend at the moment, but I could tell that he was lying to me. The clouded expression, the look in his eyes all seemed to blare that he was covering something important up.

Did he really think that I was that stupid?

"You're lying! I cannot believe you..." I exclaimed my stomach clenching.

"No Sam, I didn't lie to you. I just—"

"Don't say anything!" I remarked. I was hurt. How could I trust him if he lied to me? "I thought it was rude to avoid me for a whole week without an explanation, but a fake excuse and just straight lying to my face? This is just..."

I didn't finish the sentence, too beyond my emotions to find words for his actions. I struggled to hold back my anger while I turned away from him. As soon as my back was to him, my face crumpled in pain with the hurt that still sizzled deep inside of me.

If he was lying about the entire week, he must've been lying about his feelings too. I should've never thought he actually cared. He was just like every other guy. I can't believe I let him take advantage of me! It wouldn't have been the first time....

I blinked quickly to stop the tears that were about to leak out. But the stubborn ones danced across my face; making me feel worse as they taunted my eyes and encouraged the other tears to run along with them. I walked away from him and toward my car.

"Max!" I called out.

Max came running up and padded to a stop near me. I stroked his neck as I continued to walk away. I could feel Nathan's bitter, regretful eyes on my back as I ambled up onto the concrete at the top of the cliff. I thought for a moment, ignoring the burning urge to turn and glance down at him, as I got into my car—but Max jumped in behind me and I had no choice but to put the Aston Martin in drive and go home.

***

I hung the phone up after a good two hours of explaining to Abby what happened over the week and then the events at the beach. She told me to just talk with him and ask him to be honest with me, but I didn't want to listen. Why is it that whenever you received advice on something, you refused to follow through because you were too afraid to go through with it; even though you knew the advice was upright? I dragged myself over to the couch and collapsed onto it, letting a huff of air from my mouth.

A headache came along only a moment ago, and now it was a full-blown migraine. Max claimed a seat by the couch, his head resting on my stomach. I felt his throat vibrate slow and soft, but then it became stronger and fiercer; it took me a second to realize that he was growling.

"What now?" I asked, irritated. Then the doorbell rang and he barked angrily; the noise seemed to resonate through my head and worsen my migraine. I could've sworn I could hear supersonic waves. I got up and opened it, forgetting to check whom it was. My eyes were upset to see Nathan standing on my doorstep.

"Samantha...." He said and then slowly frowned. He brought his hand up and wiped my cheek gently with his thumb. I hadn't noticed what he did until he pulled his hand away. I was crying, probably from the migraine.

"What are you doing here?" I asked my eyebrows lowering in pain.

"Sam, I just wanted to talk."

"There _is_ nothing to talk about." My hurt and confusion melted into anger and I turned to shut the door when he stopped it mid-way, his firm hand on the white wood.

"Please don't be mad at me, Sam," Nathan said, reopening the door and stepping in.

"Well, why can't I?" I snapped back icily.

He came in and closed the door behind him. Somehow my fury faded as soon as Nathan touched my arms looking into my eyes. My anger waltzed away in seconds and I felt calm and serene.

"Sam, I'm sorry. I never meant to lie to you. And honestly, I was having a bad week for my own reasons," he apologized.

"I'm sorry for overreacting," I told him, an apology in my eyes.

"You have every right to be angry with me," he told me.

Another little voice in the back of my head—one that popped up often—asked several questions. _How did_ that _happen? Suddenly you're angry and then in less than a second everything is great? Isn't it odd that as soon as he touched you, your anger disappeared?_

I kept those questions in my mind as I leaned my head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and murmured, "I love you."

I closed my eyes sighing as the little voice's questions replayed over and over in my head. "I love you too..."

***

All of us were at the beach; it was the first time Abby, Vanessa, and I'd ever been on a triple date.

"Hey how'd it go?" Abby greeted Andrew and Travis, giving her boyfriend an animated kiss when they ran up to meet us. The boys were both holding nicely decorated surfboards in their arms.

"The waves are _perfect_ today!" Travis replied. Abby seemed to frown and Travis drew her closer to him. "But not as perfect as you, honey."

"Well in that case, may I try?" I asked holding my arms out and pretending to balance on an imaginary surfboard. "I don't have a lot of experience with surfing but I have a great sense of balance."

Travis and Andrew glanced at each other momentarily and then laughed.

"All right, you sure you don't need any help?" Travis asked shaking his wet shaggy hair all over me. I rolled my eyes and extended my hand to grab the board.

"I'm perfectly capable—"

Nathan interrupted, grasping my extended hand as Andrew handed me his board.

"Thanks, I'd love to try out your board!" Nathan exclaimed happily, being extraordinarily sarcastic. I rolled my eyes at him.

Travis raised an eyebrow. "You know how to surf with two people?"

Nathan chuckled almost to himself, and replied, "Just wait and see."

I looked up at him and grinned excitedly.

"I didn't know you surfed..." I whispered as we made our way through the water.

He smiled. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me."

I followed Nathan out to the deeper, less shallow waters. And when the water began to get too deep to walk in, Nathan told me to get on the board. He then paddled our way out; we swam up to what I assumed was a good spot and Nathan looked behind us, waiting for the ripple of waves to come up.

I was still sitting when Nathan helped me up, holding his arm securely around my waist and then rode over the wave as it grew in size. Then we were standing on top of a wave! He guided the board over and then down under the wave and began to glide smoothly through the water. The wave was small for the both of us but exhilarating.

The water that flew over us was smooth enough to be made of glass and I reached my hand out to touch it, mesmerized. Nathan held me back with his hand around my waist and I pulled back obediently. Why was he acting so overprotective? Couldn't I have a little fun?

Finally he made his way out of the end, the wave crashing down loudly as Nathan slowed to a stop and slipped into the water. I plopped down on the wet board smiling in delight as Nathan leaned over the surfboard his arms crossed. A smile spread across his face that left me breathless.

"That was amazing!" I laughed then added, with bright eyes and smile, "Can I try it solo?"

At first Nathan's expression was worried and his smile faded. But after a second moment of thought he smiled half-heartedly and shrugged, "Why not? Are you sure—it's pretty rough out there...?"

I looked at Nathan oddly. "Andrew said the waves are perfect; I can handle it."

He lingered a long moment and then swam back to shore. I glanced back once then swam out to the waves. My heart pounded nervously and my stomach flipped with anxiety.

As soon as I was under the wave, I balanced as best as I could on the board. It wasn't that hard and the board glided effortlessly on the glistening water. I pulled my hand out and let the cool water flow over my fingers gently.

Everything was going great until the end of the wave began to close! The wave swirled closer to my head then grasped me in its arms and flipped me over, tumbling me down underwater with the strength of a 400-pound wrestler.

My body jerked and turned until the remnants of the wave dispersed. My head popped out from the water and I looked toward shore. Nathan and Travis were both waist-deep in the water looking for me. I waved at them and they spotted me with a look of relief.

"Sam!" Nathan shouted to me, he gestured for me to come back. I smiled with a quick nod and then hopped up onto the board. I began to swim toward them with strong strokes of my arms.

It was gentle at first; in fact, I thought it was just seaweed. But then the grip tightened. I groaned internally and knew it was Abby again. How had she gotten all the way out here so fast? I looked up and saw not just Nathan's dirty blonde hair, but Abby's too. She was chatting with Vanessa.

If it wasn't Abby, then...who was touching my ankle? Suddenly something gave a hard tug on my leg and I got sucked underwater faster than I could figure out what was happening. I tried to fight against it and successfully pulled myself back up to the surface, clinging to the surfboard for my life. My leg felt as if it might pop from its socket. Terrorized, I took a panicked, but deep breath when I heard Nathan calling me.

"Sam? Samantha! Samantha—" His call was interrupted by another yank on my foot and a wave that washed over me. I was pulled further out to the ocean's deeper waters. I came back up to the surface for just a short, raspy gasp of air.

"Nathan!" I screamed. "Nath—!"

I was pulled down instantly and swallowed a huge amount of water that scorched my throat. My lungs started to burn and I frantically tried to get oxygen.

I knew how to swim! I could do this....

But as soon as the thought was in my head I watched the surfboard—that was clinging to my ankle by a Velcro strap—go down below the surface and follow me, its weight preventing nothing to stop this killer of mine.

I used all my strength to fight whatever this thing was, but it way overpowered me. When I tried to swim back up to the surface, whoever or whatever pulled me down further and faster. It was so strong it seemed surreal. Was it an octopus? But I looked at the thing around my ankle and realized it was someone's hand.

Suddenly a face appeared beneath me and I screamed, losing my remaining oxygen. It was a man and not in scuba gear. Could he breathe without oxygen? The man grabbed me around the waist and began to pull me farther out to sea. I struggled under his grip with whatever power I had left, I kicked and pulled with all my might he seemed oblivious.

The light above the surface began to disappear from my vision. The water, the current, and my killer were all pulling me further out to sea. The surfboard string attached to my foot snapped and quickly popped back up to the surface.

My lungs were on fire and when I tried to breathe, I could feel the air scrape at the sides of my lungs when it ran out even faster. Finally I lost, gave up and let the man clutching me claim victory along with the ocean's cold dark waters.

Instantly, I felt strong arms around my waist, pulling me away from my captor. That was when everything went black.

Salt water rushed up my throat and I coughed it out. My throat burned vigorously and my every breath scorched it all the more. Hazily aware of anything, I opened my eyes.

"Samantha?" I heard Nathan ask from above me, his voice frightened. He brushed the wet hair from my face and sighed as if his concern eased when I found his stare. I heard voices and shouts of urgency. I stared up into Nathan's perfect blue irises. He was wrapping me in a towel as I shivered. Sand clung to my wet hair and I knew that was going to take hours to detangle. My skin felt clammy and ice-cold.

"What happened?" I asked in a dry voice.

"You weren't responding to CPR. For a second, I thought I'd lost you..." He murmured looking panicked. I glanced behind him and saw the lifeguard staring down at us.

I couldn't answer. Every time I took a breath my throat burned as if someone started a fire in my lungs. My breath was raspy and every movement was harsh on my frozen muscles. I swallowed, and then groaned as I felt a lash of pain seethe in my throat.

Nathan lightly touched my neck and my lungs didn't hurt, the pain disappeared. I looked around startled; everyone was crowded around me, his or her faces worried and concerned.

"Oh my goodness! Sam, are you all right?" Abby begged for answers. Questions buzzed around us and I answered them as best I could while Nathan did the same. But I had a few questions of my own.

"What happened? What did you just do?" I asked quietly as he helped me toward the car after the lifeguard informed us that I was okay to walk and go home.

"Nothing, don't worry, you're safe now... " Nathan assured me quickly.

"No, Nathan, you just touched me and everything feels fine now. And I _saw_ someone out there! He was trying to attack or kill me or something!" I told him, panic rising in my throat and fear obvious in my voice.

He just stared at me.

"Sam, you're in shock..." He let out a soft chuckle, "You nearly drowned in the ocean a minute ago. People are going to think you're crazy...."

Nathan continued to reassure my friends and promise them that I would be fine, come Monday. Then he put me in his car and started the engine. Nathan drove me home with the towel tight around me, keeping me close to him while he drove. I didn't want to go to sleep though, I had to make him tell me what happened, but my eyelids were heavy. Only when I shut my eyes the only thing I could see was a burning image of that crooked four-legged star I saw on Garrett's arm, burning behind my eyelids.

## Chapter 5

A week after the strange incident, I was walking to the beach. Whenever I approached Nathan about my near drowning, since he avoided the subject consistently, he said he didn't know what I was talking about when I mentioned it was a man that pulled me down and assumed I just imagined it. But I refused to believe that I imagined anything as vivid and painful as that. I know I didn't.

I was on my way to pick up Andrew, Travis, and Nathan who just finished surfing. When I reached the beach I looked over the cliff edge, a shear drop to the bottom, and hurried faster to get down. It was dusk and the sun only shone bits of light when I reached the beach. I saw a large group of teenagers and younger kids all holding surfboards and some had them on the sand, balancing on them as Nathan walked through them.

I took one step and froze.

No! That couldn't be Nathan. It couldn't be! Because he was with another girl!

I wasn't close enough to hear his voice. I watched him as he put his arms around the girl's waist and lift her arms up. She laughed when he said something in her ear but I just stood there frozen.

Travis and Andrew came running up from the opposite direction to me smiling.

"Hey, Sam..." Travis trailed off and noticed my expression, then followed my teary gaze to see Nathan with the girl. Andrew cussed under his breath and started walking toward him, obviously ready for a physical confrontation but I held his arm.

"Don't..." I managed breathlessly but I didn't know what else to say. I felt boneless like I could collapse at any second. My heart felt broken, but I should've expected it. I was hearing nothing, seeing nothing, and feeling nothing but betrayal and anger as I walked back to my house with Travis and Andrew right behind me, talking reassuringly. Nathan was just another ordinary jerk-of-a-guy. It was stupid of me to trust him with my emotions.

Abby and Vanessa were there inside waiting for us, and ran over to me as soon as I numbly pressed the door shut after Andrew and Travis. My mind was screaming questions I myself couldn't answer. The boys let Abby and Vanessa know what happened, but I didn't want to think about Nathan at all.

Abby stared in disbelief as I insisted for the second time, "Abby, I saw him. He was with another girl...there's nothing else to tell."

"It just doesn't sound like Nathan, Sam," Abby murmured her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Sounds completely like him," Vanessa commented.

Abby almost growled at her.

My thoughts were so jumbled I couldn't tell if I was trying to convince myself he was no good, or persuade myself that I didn't see anything.

"Maybe he just didn't want to be with you anymore." Vanessa shrugged and said, "I told you he was a flirt. He never tells the girls when he leaves them."

Abby's brown eyes shot daggers at Vanessa.

"You're not helping, Nessa! Sam, don't listen to her—"

I cut her off, too hurt to care anymore.

"You're right Vanessa, maybe he couldn't. I need to run out for a second, I'm sorry. "I'll be back in an hour..." I told them in a hoarse voice through chattering teeth. I clenched my jaw closed. "There's pizza and breadsticks on the dining table..."

I grabbed my bag and keys and headed out the door. Had he been cheating on me for a while now? I couldn't just make assumptions. But what else could I do?

Swimming had always given me peace and always helped me relieve stress, so had playing piano. But the pool was the best place for me right now. I had to work these angry thoughts out of my head. I walked up to the check-in desk and signed-in. Thank goodness the gym was open 24-hours.

"Hey, Sam, here for a late swim?" John asked, he was in my History class and was always helpful with help with our teacher's agonizingly long instruction. He scrutinized my expression.

"Yeah, I have a lot on my mind," I told him as I finished writing my name.

"Well, the pool's always warm," he said, "Hope you feel better..."

I could tell that he knew I was upset. "Thanks, John."

Reaching the lockers, I pulled my swimsuit on and walked out to the pool, diving in. Hardly any one was here except for a few in the workout rooms but luckily none in the pool; just what I needed to try to clear my head. I began doing laps, back and forth. Back and forth.

Then I felt myself being pulled down like I did only a couple days ago. Fearfully, I swam in a frantic manner to the side of the pool and crossed my arms over the edge, crying heavily when I realized no one was going to drown me in a six-foot deep pool. My shoulders shook with every sob, my entire frame shaking me harshly. I tried to suck it in, but it was already all out.

I dunked my entire body underwater, sinking to the bottom of the pool curling into a ball. Submerged in the water, with no noise was where I wanted to be, nothing to disturb me. Everything seemed peaceful, and I wished I could stay under there forever. But I was no fish, I didn't have gills, and the memory of me drowning last week wouldn't leave me. I came back up to the surface in a personal hurry. I finally composed myself enough to get out and drive myself home.

When I did, Max greeted me in a happy-you're-home-unharmed-with-no-microscopic-scratches-on-you kind of way.

Abby was still there sitting over a nearly empty pizza box and a bottle of Dragonfruit Vitamin Water that she loved so much.

"Was the pool open?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," I told her setting my bag down in the hallway. I took a seat next to her. "What are you still doing here?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were all right," she said, "We left some pieces for you. I thought you might be hungry."

She gestured to the box but I shook my head.

"Well, keep it, I've got to get home, my mom is expecting me," she told me an apology in her eyes. She got up and came over to hug me warmly.

When she pulled away, she murmured in a calm and reassuring way, "I'm sorry about everything, Sam. But I could tell from the day I met Nathan, that he would never do anything to hurt anyone intentionally. Especially someone as pure hearted as you. I just _know_ he'd never do that...." There was a long silence and finally she sighed, seeing that I wouldn't budge, "I guess I'll see you Monday."

"Yeah, see you..." I told her as she left.

Once I showered, I dressed in shorts and a warm, long-sleeved sweater. I put the food away and cleaned the table off. I then sat in my living room, Max curling up into a ball beside me. All that I needed to make this night complete was a soppy, romance movie and a carton of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

***

"Hey, Sam," Nathan murmured in my ear, startling me in the parking lot. It was Monday, and I was walking toward my car after school.

Throughout the day I successfully avoided him. I even sat at a total different desk in our classes, being that there wasn't a seating chart. During lunch, when he tried to sit with us, Travis blocked off the seat with his leg saying that he could go sit with the other people that cheat on their girlfriends. Nathan walked off with a stunned and perplexed expression on his face. Even the night before, I woke up at two in the morning lying across my living room sofa, scrambling through the dark—without even caring to turn on the light—to play a sad ballad on the piano.

"Sorry," he said as he scrutinized my expression carefully. He looked confused but wrapped his arms around me anyway. I couldn't believe he had the audacity to even touch me! I tried to control my temper from flaring.

"Samantha is everything all right?" he asked when I pulled out of his grip. I stuffed the books in my bag not thinking about how I was placing them.

"I'd appreciate it," I snapped angrily at him, "if you didn't call me that; for you information, I respond to the name Sam—unless you're my birth mother!"

"I'm sorry," he stammered, looking taken aback and I instantly regretted what I'd said.

"Sam, what's going on? You didn't meet me at the beach and you didn't return my calls," he asked blocking off my path.

"Please move...." I said in a surprisingly calm voice, looking anywhere but his face, and struggling to hold my tears in check.

"Sam? What happened to you last night?" Nathan asked softly. He was about to touch my arm, but I slipped past him instead. He anticipated that and ran in front of me, nearly making me fall into his arms.

"Okay, tell me what's wrong."

"'What's wrong'? Oh, I don't know, maybe it's that you're with another girl that's wrong," I blurted in an aching voice, moving around him again, so close to reaching my car. Thank goodness I parked far today, so no one could hear our conversation. Then again I wished I could have been closer. I probably would've been in my car by now.

"What?" he said dazed and bewildered; his whole body seemed frozen in shock.

I turned around, fighting to hold back tears and rubbing my temples. "If you wanted to break-up Nathan all you had to do was tell me."

I turned and started toward my car again as he just stood there stunned.

"Hey, wait! What are you talking about?" he asked, following me, like he didn't understand a word I just said.

"Just stop pretending like you don't know what I'm talking about, Nathan. Please. I saw you with her at the beach!" I tried to explain to him.

He seemed to realize what I was talking about when I referred to the beach. It hurt and for a moment I hesitated. I didn't want to say the words. But I needed to. I wasn't going to let him control my decisions. I wasn't going to be that girl who kept going back because her cheating boyfriends showered her with gifts and apologized a million times over.

I went on, "Travis and Andrew even saw you. Why do you think I was avoiding you? Next time when you date another girl just tell her you want to break-up. You know what? Never mind. I'll do you the favor."—I looked him straight in the eyes—"It's over."

He walked over to me as I put my stuff in the trunk.

"Sam, wait.... I'm sorry; I know what you're thinking and I can explain," he said firmly, his face calm.

"Of course you can," I murmured then added, "I've heard it before on television—in books, movies. And I'm sure you have a great explanation...but, I'm sorry. I don't want to hear it."

He placed his hands on my face and made me look at him. When he looked straight into my eyes, they melted me and I couldn't make a coherent thought.

"Sam, I have a..."

I cut him off; I didn't want excuses. "Nathan, I have to go...."

He let go of me backing away, his eyes tormented as I walked away.

"Hey, Nate," I heard a familiar voice greet him from behind. I caught a glimpse of Nathan's brother, Garrett, as I turned away.

"Oh...." I heard Garrett mumble...not apologetically like I expected, but amusingly.

As I got into my car, I felt Nathan's pain wash through me. I simply shrugged it off.

***

Finishing all my homework, I decided to try to get my mind off Nathan by playing piano. It always helped calm me. In the middle of a sweet ballad I composed, Max started barking. I continued to play but he began barking louder and louder.

"Okay, Max!" I shouted at him slamming the piano case shut and he sat down, looking hurt. My muscles relaxed. "I'm sorry."

I ran my fingers through his coat and figured out he wanted to go for a walk. I wasn't going to try and persuade him otherwise. Storing the gentle ballad in my mind, I got dressed in my workout shorts and a hooded jacket, then I got Max and stepped out into the cool air; it felt good against my face. I rolled my sleeves up and shoved my hands in my jacket pocket then started toward the park when Max growled viciously. I looked around and saw a squirrel dash out of a tree and run across the pavement into another tree.

"Quit it, Max..." I started.

He shut up and we made our way to Seagrove Park, right near the beach and just as peaceful. It was a large open park, with a clean sidewalk that led in laps around the park. I began jogging, inhaling the fresh California air. After a few miles, I slowed down to take a breather.

Max casually moved off into the grass, sniffing around for an area to take a potty break. I took in the cool wind brushing past me, and the rustle of leaves in the trees. There weren't many people out. I turned in a circle, my hands on my hips and spotted a man further down the way I'd come. He seemed to be sitting on the park bench, enjoying the sweet weather. As Max finished up, I continued on my jog until I was out of the park and making my way down the block to my house.

Suddenly the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

I shivered and tried to brush the feeling away, mistaking it for the chilly breeze. Max stopped running alongside me and paused to look behind him. I turned to call him to me when I spotted the man I'd seen earlier...following me.

My stomach dropped to my feet yet I told myself he probably just got up to go home. I continued on my way. My fingers grew cold. Casually I stopped and pulled out one of my earphones to change the song and stole a glance down the way I just came; he was even closer than before. His hair was dark brown and styled to look tousled. I realized he was younger than I made him out to be. In his mid-twenties, I guessed. Nevertheless, he sent trembles down my spine.

"Come on, Max..." I started, pulling his collar and he reluctantly followed. My jog turned into a slow run as I realized the man was only a few long strides behind me. There was no doubt he was following me. I needed to get somewhere where there were more people and fast. But all of a sudden he broke into a run after me and I ran faster. I heard the man's footsteps hit the pavement to match my pace and I drifted into a full-on sprint. He was chasing me. I took off down the sidewalk and saw the corner of the street further down. I knew where that led.

My feet took a sharp left, following the side of a brick building and then lunged into the deep hiatus between the walls of two buildings I knew all too well. Abby and I went shopping a little further down from here, and always took this shortcut to a boutique we loved. She always joked about someone jumping out and kidnapping us. Then, it was harmless but now my heart was pumping for fear of my life. Grabbing Max and pulling him through as well, I pressed myself against the wall; my heart beating so hard, I knew it would give me away.

It was silent for a long time. The man should've passed me by now. But did I dare peek around the corner? Had I lost him? My fingers felt around the corner of the brick complex and I leaned over far enough to see over the edge.

Suddenly, I felt someone yank me with so much force I flew onto my back, tripping over Max. Their fingers were around the back of my shirt, pulling me through the middle of the buildings at the same time generously scraping my legs against the gravel and pebbles.

I yelled for help as Max's snarls fill the air; they seemed to seer in every direction. He began to bark over and over. Someone would hear him and have to come to my rescue, right?

The man dropped me on the ground when I screamed again and shoved a hand over my mouth so hard it hurt. My wide green eyes stared horrifically into my harasser's pitch-black irises. He towered above me, staring into my soul with an entertained grin spread across his face. The dimming sunlight made it nearly impossible to make out any of his shadowed facial features.

"Well...if it isn't Serina Calaway. I haven't seen you since you were a little shy of three."

Serina Calaway? Who was that?

"My name isn't Serina! You have the wrong person..." I tried to insist in a panic but he simply put a finger over my lips making my heart thump in terror.

"Oh no," he remarked with a smile, "I don't think so."

I scrambled up and made a dash to the nearest exit but I felt the man grab my arm mid stride and my back hit the ground in a painful crash. I groaned as a shadow covered my face; he was standing over me. What now? Did he want to steal my money, beat me up? What _did_ he want?

Gathering all of my self-defense moves in my mind, I prepared myself. In an instant, I felt adrenaline rush through my every limb and I twisted to kick the back of the man's ankle, something I'd learn in karate. It was _supposed_ to make him fall but it felt as if I kicked steel. I held back a curse word as I heard a soft crack in my ankle. Faltering my guard I tried to move, but the pain just throbbed through me.

All of a sudden, the man took hold of my neck and lifted me up. I gasped for air realization making me queasy, when he let go of me and I hit the ground. My head snapped up and looked around. He was gone. I turned in circles, but he was nowhere to be seen. How could he have just disappeared?

Max's snarls were suddenly replaced with harsh and painful whines. I looked further down the alley and saw Max lying there, whimpering even more now and then it cut off into a low moan.

"Max?" I exclaimed pain tugging on my heart. He was hurt.

I scrambled to him, ignoring the horrid pain in my ankle and legs, and inspected Max's fur. His front leg was badly bruised. How could someone do this? I looked around and found no one. My mind was a jumbled mess and I felt exhausted and helplessly befuddled. Where had the man gone? What in the world was going on? Was I insane?

My cuts and bruises seemed achingly painful when I got up. I cringed infuriated. Whoever did this to my dog would pay. Problem was I hadn't seen the man's face. I couldn't even identify him if he passed me by on the street.

I picked up Max stumbling; with him weighing 75 pounds and I having an injured ankle, it was cumbersome carrying him. But I wasn't going to just leave him here. Cradling whimpering Max to my chest, I walked back to my house, disoriented and limping.

_What was all that?_ I thought to myself. Why had that man call me Serina? How was I ever going to solve this complicated puzzle when the pieces were missing?

When I was in the house, I sat on the couch with Max, comforting him with a familiar lullaby. I wasn't going to take him to the vet, I don't know why, but it felt unnecessary. I would try to treat him myself; I did have some experience with it.

I tried calling Nathan but I swiftly pressed the end button when I realized I shouldn't want to talk to him. I was going to call the police but thought better of it. What would I tell them? That some guy who had super strength came and hurt my dog's leg and flipped me twenty feet into the air? I don't think so. I decided to call into the school "sick" the next day to take care of Max.

My mind was still consumed by last evening's events. Why did that man choose me to mug? He hadn't even taken anything from me. Worst of all, he thought I was someone else!

I didn't have any answers to my questions but I was hoping someone else would have a reassurance and since the phone was already in my hand I dialed Charilyn's number.

"Hello?" she said on the fifth ring.

"Hey, it's me."

"How's it been, Girly?" She asked.

I sighed. "It's good."

"Oh please," she replied, "don't try that mumbo jumbo with me. What's on your mind, babe?"

"Max and I went for a jog the other day and this guy was there too..." As I talked, I moved over to Max with a first aid kit and removed the ice from off his leg to examine it and wrap it up. A bruise was forming and the fur there was gone, so I cleaned it and placed the ice pack back over it. "At first I thought he was just at the park, but then he started following me."

"What?" Charilyn exclaimed over the line; she sounded angry.

I went on, "Then he started chasing me and I tried to take a shortcut through an alley that led to a popular shopping area. I don't know how he caught up with me but he was next to me and he..."

"Did he hurt you? Are you okay?" Charilyn asked, sounding infuriated and flustered.

"I'm fine now, my ankle's a little sore and I have a couple bruises but I'm fine. Max will be too."

"When did this happen?" She snapped.

"Yesterday," I told her and then thought of something and added, "And you know the funny thing is that he didn't steal any money, but he called me Serina. Like he planned to hurt someone, but had the wrong person."

I heard a frustrated sigh on the other end of the phone. Charilyn sounded like she was wrestling not only with her thoughts but with her words too.

"I'm sorry," she finally said.

I chuckled. "It's okay Charilyn. I just need to be more careful."

She was silent and then finally murmured, "Well, maybe I can come over for a visit when I get the chance. I'll still be working until Thursday, so I'll probably take a plane Friday afternoon and get there sometime before dinner. Does that sound good?"

"That would be phenomenal," I told her. I was overjoyed to have something to look forward to at the end of the week. "I'll see you then."

Her voice seemed tense and sidetracked as she said, "Goodbye."

And in a rush, she hung up.

It didn't take too long to realize my ankle was sprained but I made the decision not to go to the doctors' purely out of my own stubbornness. So I started wrapping my ankle in a bandage, placing an ice pack in the middle, and then continued to wrap over it.

When I finished, I rolled my sweats up and looked at the cuts all along my knees and calves; those would be hard to conceal. I simply cleaned them all and covered both my knees with Band-Aids. I pulled my sweats back down and checked on my iced ankle.

Well, at least he didn't try and kill me, or anything. Then again, when someone grips your neck with a smile on their face it's usually because they want you dead.

## Chapter 6

"I was going to go grab sushi with Vanessa. Want to come?"

Abby called again, sounding incredibly worried. It was another Sunday; it was such a long and painful week—emotionally and physically.

Charilyn visited over the weekend, and I'd let her know everything about school, Nathan, and the weird things that were happening lately. She left me with a small, velvet wrapped gift.

When she departed from the airport last night I opened it like she'd asked. Inside the blue velvet cloth was a metal box. Though it was tarnished on the edges, it was real silver. There was a symbol I almost immediately recognized on it. Fae wore the same exact symbol on her charm necklace. I fingered in momentarily and then lifted the latch and opened the box.

Inside was a small scrap of paper with Charilyn's writing on it. Underneath it, laid a necklace with a single, wooden charm on it. Again, the symbol was carved into the polished wood.

Her note read:

### Wear this and I'll always be there for you!

### With love, Charilyn

I was now brushing my finger gently over the charm, as I replied, "No thanks. I'm not really hungry."

But Abby wasn't convinced. She never was; she knew me too well.

"Okay, well we will talk about this later. I'll see you tomorrow, sweetie," Abby said. I knew she was talking about Nathan, but at the moment I didn't want to talk about anything related to him. Talking to Charilyn was hard enough and I didn't want to repeat my distrust to anyone else.

"All right, Abby, see you."

As soon as I hung the phone up, the doorbell rang. I strained to walk properly down the hall to answer the door. When I did, Garrett stood there staring at me with a soft, cunning smile.

"Hey," he greeted me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked taken aback. I plugged my stressful feelings of suspicion down my throat and stared at him unsettled.

"I just came to talk to you."

Without an invitation, he waltzed right in and seated himself at one of the high chairs in my kitchen and I lightly limped over to stand behind the counter.

"Do you want something to drink?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I wanted to tell you something...important."

I looked at him curiously.

"Nathan wasn't with that girl. It was just a bit of a misunderstanding," he said, holding back an entertained smile.

"What do you mean by a 'misunderstanding'?" I remarked.

He shook the smile away and told me, "He's not cheating on you. Never was."

I studied him, clearly not understanding the expression behind his words. I liked Nathan a lot. But how was I supposed to know if Garrett was telling the truth?

He continued without a breath. "And there's something you need to see."

Confused and feeling lost, I had no idea what he meant. What was he talking about? What did he want? Why had he even come over in the first place?

He looked up into my eyes, his face close. Uncomfortable, my heart thumped so hard I was sure the whole neighborhood could've heard it. What was he trying to show me?

"Let me see your hand," he instructed me. I hesitated, then in a softer voice he assured me, "Don't worry, it's fine, I promise."

I reluctantly gave him my hand and the kitchen faded away. It was darker than night and my eyes couldn't see a thing. Suddenly everything started rushing by the blackness. Pictures, images of everything, people I didn't know, celebrations, events, places, and so many things I couldn't ever explain in words to anyone.

Then, it all stopped and I was in a darkly lit tunnel. Garrett was gone, along with my home. I twirled around but all I could see was a faint light at the end of what seemed to be a stone corridor. What was going on? Was I dreaming?

There was a murmuring of voices ricocheting of the walls and I could hear the faint sound of a subway train—no, that couldn't be—passing overhead. I couldn't make out any words. But I heard the sound of painful mutters.

With numb, shaking feet I stepped toward the light and discovered a cell in front of me to my left. There were columns of bars then it stopped and the corridor continued. Across from me was a dark-skinned girl listening to the conversation behind the wall, but wasn't paying attention to me. Staying within the shadows on the corridor, I listened to the argument that was taking place in the cell.

My frame went rigid; it was Nathan's voice.

"Please, don't! Don't do this to me! No!"

My heart cringed at the agony in his fearful tone of voice. I heard someone let out a suffocated yelp. My breath caught in my lungs. It...it sounded like... _me_.

"Please, you don't have to do this! I'll do anything! Just stop it!" Nathan cried. I longed to rush to him, tell him everything was fine, or at least find the source of his pain. Then I reminded myself we weren't together anymore. I pressed my hands to my eyes.

_Wake up!_ I willed my mind.

"Oh, really?" answered a silky tone. I didn't recognize it. "You'll do anything at all?"

Nathan's melodic voice almost interrupted the other, "Yes! Please, just stop hurting her!"

The girl who sounded like me gasped for air again. What was happening? How many people were in there?

The dark-skinned lady across from me seemed to be doing something with her hands. As if she was choking air. I wanted to ask her what was going on, ask her where I was. But something told me I should stay where I was. Even if I wanted to ask her to help me find my bearings, my feet were rooted to the stone floor and I knew they weren't going anywhere.

The silk voice was gleeful, yet still menacing, as he demanded, "Give me your powers."

What had he said? 'Give me your _powers_ '? What was he talking about?

I had to wake up! I pinched myself, shut my eyes tight, and even shook my head a little. In my dreams, I was always able to squeeze my eyes together and wake up. Nothing worked. A thought occurred to me that made my stomach clench; what if I was stuck in here forever? Whatever crazy dream this may be?

"What?" Nathan stammered; the man had his full attention now. There was a short silence. "But..."

"Ah, ah, ah, I don't think so."

The other me groaned again more quietly, painfully this time. I was dying. I couldn't let myself die! I forced myself to move. Move toward the cell at least. I took only one step when I heard Nathan, "Okay! Okay; I'll do it..."

The dark-skinned girl looked up suddenly and saw me standing there. My heart pounded. She stared at me, dark eyes wide and gaping as she stood. She took a step toward me with a slender, pointed finger.

"How did you...?" Her eyes narrowed and she pointed to the cell, "You are supposed to be in there!"

Then in a moment, I was back in my kitchen.

Garrett was perched on the high seat across the counter from me, staring intently at something on his fingers. My breath came in short gasps and I struggled to comprehend this all. What was going on? What was that? Was it a hallucination, a vision? Or was it just a vivid daydream?

"Samantha?" I looked up from my familiar marble counter back in my house. Garrett had his dark brown eyes on me. He looked vaguely concerned. "Are you okay?"

I held my head in my hands and took a deep, quivering breath.

"No..." I choked out, my voice wavering, "something happened. I was in a room...and...and—"

My voice broke as I looked up at him.

"What's going on? Did you do that to me?" I asked panic-stricken as I turned to Garrett, who was suddenly now at my side. He smiled at the questions but didn't address either of them. I must have been daydreaming, because I was losing my head. He must've thought I was crazy.

"I'm just going to get myself a glass of water..." I told him and I turned away and grabbed a glass out of the cabinet.

A voice in my mind startled me out of my wits.

All you have to do is stay with me; I'll protect you. As long as you're with me, neither you nor Nathan will get hurt.

I turned to glance at Garrett, but he hadn't said a word. For that fact, he didn't even look like he was paying attention to me. Slowly, I turned back around when I felt Garrett grasp my wrist before I could pour myself some water. He grabbed the glass, set it down on the counter, and then looked into my eyes. I was easily cornered against my counters.

"I know what's going on, Sam. I know what happened with Nathan and you."

Garrett's eyes went from a dark, dark brown to a kaleidoscope of colors.

"You do?" I asked a little mesmerized. I tried to escape his hypnotizing stare, but failed. He grasped my face in his hands when I started to move away.

"Of course, but _we_ should be together," he whispered magnetically.

"Uh-huh..." I replied, never taking my eyes off his.

"But there's a small problem." He smiled with a pause, as if he were thinking. He unlocked our stare and I pulled my face away from Garrett's hands, for fear of staring once again in his extraordinary eyes.

A pounding headache pulled my mind back to reality.

"What small problem?" I asked, still remembering his words.

"Nathan."

I opened my mouth to say something, but then closed it, because I couldn't make a coherent answer in my head as the headache grew worse. What was going on? What was he trying to say?

"How is...Nathan a problem?" I asked quietly trying to look away from his eyes. As he turned back to me, I quickly eluded them.

Something about Garrett made me suspicious and sent shivers up my arms.

"It's complicated," he murmured then paused for an unusual amount of time. Finally he said, "Sam, look at me..."

I shook my head, stubborn, thinking he might somehow influence me again, like he had only a moment ago.

"Samantha!"

Garrett grasped my face in his hands and turned it around to look at him. Then his eyes held me down like a caged animal; I couldn't look away. And all of a sudden, I felt like every nerve in my body was telling me to kiss him. I _had_ to kiss him. I could think only about him. I wanted to be with Garrett and no one else.

For a split second I leaned into him involuntarily. As soon as I did, he moved in real close to me. I could feel his soft breath on my face as he moved his hand to the back of my neck. I tried to move, my determination acted when realization came kicking in, but something held the small of my back. Was it his other hand?

I shoved hard against his chest but he seemed totally oblivious. Like he was invincibly strong, and I couldn't seem to move away from him.

"What are you doing?" I exclaimed, still struggling as he moved closer.

He looked straight into my eyes—which were now only a couple inches apart—and murmured, "Sam...."

His eyes blew back into that beautiful array of color and I stood there dumbstruck.

I looked away and broke free of my clouded thoughts. He was trying to manipulate me! Why hadn't I seen it earlier? I slipped my hand over his mouth and looked at him fiercely, deep into his eyes.

"No," I told him angrily. I untangled myself from his grip and moved away from him.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to..."

My hand was already on the doorknob. I sucked up my anger, as much as I didn't want to.

"Maybe we should just be friends from now," I told him in a small voice. Garrett walked to my side, standing so close I could smell his peppery, clean-cut scent. It tickled my nose and I fidgeted with my hair.

"Sam, we could be so much more," he uttered pressing his hands on the sides of my face. "I could make you happy. Nathan wouldn't care."

Maybe we could be together. But...then there was Nathan. Did I love him? Did he love me? Did I know Garrett well enough to be involved in a relationship with him?

I took a deep breath. I was new to this school—to this place—and I only just met both Garrett and Nathan. I wasn't going to be tossed around between the two like I didn't have a care in the world. I needed time.

All of a sudden, I heard my door click open and pulled away from Garrett. Nathan saw me first and then laid his blue eyes on Garrett, who stood slightly behind the door.

"Garrett..." He acknowledged looking fixedly between the both of us. His voice was soft, "What's up?"

"Garrett just came over to talk," I said, "he was just leaving."

"Oh yeah..." Garrett said, lifting his eyebrows up and down, and then he repeated, "I just came over to _talk_."

Nathan didn't say a word, yet he glared at his brother with a message I couldn't read.

His angled jaw flexed and his teeth clenched, but he still said nothing. Seeming to get more and more furious, Nathan grimaced as if Garrett was intentionally ticking him off with every breath he took.

"Nathan, did you need something...?" I tried to ask politely, "you can hang out for a little while but I need to finish some homework."

Garrett's eyes were boring into my skin and I turned to look at him. Then, Nathan snapped. He grabbed Garrett by his collar, driving him back against the door, which slammed shut in return. "What are you trying to pull?"

Garrett chuckled. "Whoa! Easy there, Nate..."

I stared at him stunned.

"Nathan, stop it!"

He looked at me, his ocean blue eyes staring almost gently. What was wrong with him? Why did he want to know what Garrett said to me so badly? Why did he think Garrett was pulling something?

"If I find out you did something to her, I swear I'll..."

"Nathan!" I exclaimed, confused. He let go of Garrett moving back. My eyebrows pulled together in blank bewilderment. "What's gotten into you? He only came over to talk. And why do you care?"

I could feel Garrett's eyes on me again, drilling into my back. I shifted my eyes to look at him.

Someone here had it wrong and it certainly felt like I was missing a huge part of this situation. What was bothering Nathan so much that he had to burst out like that in rage toward his brother?

I was done with both of them. They could take their fighting elsewhere, anywhere but here. I unlatched the door and hurriedly, as so not to lose my patience, told them both, "I'll make this clear to you both now: I do not like fighting and if either of you have things to settle, settle them anywhere but my house. I need some time to think...."

My eyes didn't even meet theirs as they left and I heard the door _click_ shut.

***

Wednesday evening, I was strolling along the cliff that overlooked the beach with Max. Cautiously, I sat near the edge thinking over and over again about what arouse. I curled my knees into my chest and took deep breaths letting the ocean wind blow back my hair.

That vision I'd seen yesterday—that was what was really bothering me—still haunted me like a stench I couldn't get rid of. And I couldn't shake Nathan's anguished voice or me...gasping for air in the dark, stone cell. But who was that girl who was choking nothing? And what was she doing? Could it be possible that she was choking me in the cell? That would explain her reaction when she saw me in the corridor.

But it made no sense! It wasn't possible for someone to choke another without making any physical contact. Maybe that man who is was in the cell with Nathan was choking me. Then what was holding Nathan back from rescuing me? I was so bewildered to the core my brain hurt.

"What am I going to do, Max?" I asked him, stroking the spot behind his ears. He closed his eyes, lying down, and plopping his head down on my feet. Max made a vibration for a few seconds in the back of his throat and then was silent.

I sighed heavily. Maybe I was going crazy. No, I had to stop thinking about that. I needed to start focusing on my life and putting the past in the past where it belonged.

"Samantha?"

With a single movement, I whipped around and looked up into ocean blue eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, startled.

But Nathan just grasped me in his arms, pulled me up, and kissed me. For a moment, I could've sworn I would melt in this new intense desire radiating from his inside. When he drew back, there was a second of silence between us as we locked gazes. I stared into those gorgeous blue eyes and felt...regret rush over me. I shouldn't have broken up with him. I liked him a _lot_ ; I just wanted to understand his intentions. I wanted to hear the truth from his mouth, not the opinions of my friends or classmates.

"Samantha, I love you," he told me, without a single hint of irony. His eyes were earnest. "And I don't want anything or anyone coming between us. I'd never cheat on you, and I never have."

My expression turned pleading.

"Nathan, I don't want to talk about this right now..."

"Please," he begged me, "Just hear me out..."

Warily, I met his gaze and murmured, "Okay."

He sighed.

"I was teaching local autistic kids, and a few teens, how to surf. I was at the beach, helping the kids there. It was only a weekend thing and I completely forgot about our plans," he admitted. He turned to stare into the depth of my green eyes. "I don't have feelings for anyone else, I promise you."

"It's just..." I sighed. "I've heard some things and I guess when I saw you with that girl I automatically assumed you were cheating."

Nathan pulled my chin up so he could look in my eyes; a flicker of confusion crossed his face.

He frowned. "What did you hear?"

I shook my head. I wasn't going to tell him that Vanessa called him a flirt!

"It's not important," I said and then added, "But thank you, for telling me the truth."

With a handsome half-smile, he murmured, "You're welcome. And for the record, I was a world-class flirt. But that all changed when I met you."

## Chapter 7

That vision didn't leave my mind. And I couldn't find the time to talk to Nathan about any of it. In class, I focused on my schoolwork, trying hard to keep distractions out of my thoughts and told myself I'd see Nathan when the weekend came. Oddly enough, Garrett wasn't at school all week and that calmed my nerves a bit about the vision I got. When I asked Nathan about his absence he said he'd gotten some sort of food poisoning.

Too impatient to wait for Saturday, I met Nathan at his house after school. I was divided with myself: question him directly or bring the subject up in a gentle manner? I didn't know. When Nathan answered the door, he wound his fingers through mine. His touch sent waves of clarity throughout me and I felt like I finally had a coherent grip on what I wanted to say and how I would go about it.

"Is there something wrong?" Nathan asked, as he wondered into the kitchen, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge door. I leaned over it and he handed me one.

"You mean besides getting pounded with tests today and then told to go do hours of homework when I get home? No. I just wanted to chill out, talk a little bit about some things on my mind, and de-stress by eating everything in my boyfriend's fridge."

I grinned when he laughed.

That's when I spotted the garage door lying open. Through it, canvas and some open paint tubes lying carelessly across the wood of an easel. There was a painting, half-covered with a white sheet, but my curiosity took control. Was that where Nathan made his creations?

"What's that?" I asked softly.

Nathan noticed my change in tone and followed my gaze to the covered painting in the garage. He took a step toward me, hands in his pockets. "Oh...that's a painting I just finished. It's...it's nothing really..."

Before he could stop me, I walked into the garage and went to peel the sheet away. When I did, I gasped. There, on the easel, was a painting of me. My eyes were closed, a smile on my lips, and was leaning over a balcony with a long, white dress on. The setting was brightly colored and the balcony overlooked a beach. I was beautiful, but only because it was by Nathan's hand that made me that way.

"Oh. Nathan, you painted...me?" I murmured. He looked nervous, and then finally nodded. He pulled me toward him, cupping my face.

"It's very beautiful, Nathan, but...that can't be me," I protested.

"What do you mean?" He sighed.

"I'm not that... _pretty_."

He let out a laugh. "If anything, Sam, your beauty far surpasses my dumb painting."

And then he pulled me to him unexpectedly. His kiss was utterly sweet as usual, and his hands were light as a feather as he held my head in both hands, like I was a delicate flower. Nathan pulled back to let me breathe and studied my expression. I smiled shyly and looked away.

I grabbed his paintbrush and asked, "Can I paint something?"

He shrugged with a hesitant grin on his lips. "Why not?"

Grabbing a thick piece of paper from a clean pile I put it on another one of his many easels and started painting with black paint, making sure Nathan couldn't see a thing. Finally I pulled back to admire my work when Nathan asked, "Is that a cow?"

I playfully shoved him away, and told him in humiliation, "No! It's a dog!"

"Oh, well in that case..." Nathan muttered, reaching around me to slap come brown paint across my dog.

"Hey!" I exclaimed and splattered some blue at him. That sparked a war. Both of us were soon covering each other in multiple colors of paint, laughing hysterically. I was incased in Nathan's arms trying to resist as he painted something red on my cheek when Garrett opened the garage door.

"Guess I wasn't invited to the party..." he said, leaning against the threshold with amusement.

I settled down and Nathan replied, "Oh don't worry, we got your car a new paint job!"

Garrett narrowed his eyes, but couldn't help a glance in the direction of his Eclipse and we laughed. Nathan led me to the bathroom where we scrubbed our paint off.

"By the way," he murmured in my ear as he reached around me to dry his hands as I washed mine. "I think you should leave the painting to me from now on."

I flicked my still wet hands at him and he chuckled but grabbed me anyway, winding the towel around my wet fingers and pushing them against my chest so I couldn't get him again. He pressed his lips to mine lightly and then ran from the bathroom just before I snapped the end of the towel toward him.

I almost forgot the reason I was here. I tried to clear my head to remember what I wanted to say. As I came out into the kitchen, Garrett was making himself a sandwich and I caught the last bit of Nathan's sentence to him, "...trying to do the same."

A polite smile flickered across his face and I smiled back. Nathan glanced once at his brother and then took my hands in his.

"Hey..." I said to Garrett and he looked up, "are you feeling better?"

Garrett looked once at me and then to Nathan and then picked up a hunk of roast beef, replying happily, "If there's meat involved, I'm definitely better."

Nathan pulled me into the living room to sit down on the couch; far enough from the kitchen so that Garrett couldn't eavesdrop. "I want to talk to you about something..."

Nathan looked at me questioningly, laying his head on my lap, but only asked, "What's on your mind?"

I took a deep breath and spoke in a quiet, hushed voice.

"I think I had some kind of...vision," I explained to him when something clouded his face momentarily, his brow deepened and I felt weird. What was going through his mind? Did he think I was being strange? The vision was so sentimental and confusing I wasn't sure if I was even recalling it in the same urgency that I had experienced it. I brushed my fingers through his hair and distracted myself by his handsomeness.

"I was in a stone corridor and there was a door, like a cell or something. I didn't see what was in it, but I could hear what was happening inside..." I paused as Nathan twirled his finger around a curl of mine. Quietly, I looked back at Garrett to make sure he wasn't eavesdropping on our conversation only to find that he was still making his sandwich, and piling it high I might add. He noticed me studying him and he waved at me...with a serrated knife in his hand. Biting back a smile, I rolled my eyes instead.

"Anyway," I went on, looking into Nathan's blue gaze to give me motivation. "I heard your voice telling someone to stop something, like you were begging them. And I"—my voice caught in my throat—"...I..."

"And you what?" he asked patiently when my hands that had been stroking his hair paused.

I pulled my broken words together and told him, "I think I...I was dying."

The hand that had been twisted in my curls, now rested on my face. I could feel that he was tense.

"Is that it?" he asked, his voice was surprisingly calm yet...strained. His expression was patient and attentive, but his body seemed to be waiting for something. What was he waiting for? Something I was going to say?

"You told some man that you would do anything if he stopped doing what he was doing to me."—Strangely, I found that I had to stop to catch my breath—"So he asked for your..."

Now suddenly in more control of myself, I hesitated, unsure if I should tell him. I felt like I was mental and irrational. What would he say if I told him the man's words?

"Go on," Nathan murmured quietly.

Reluctantly, I did so, "Your powers but I don't know! I was probably just hearing things...its crazy."

"I think I know what crazy is when I see it, Sam. And you are not crazy." He looked at me for a long time. His eyes were clear and his face softened up a little.

I must've been hallucinating then.

"Sam, I'll always be here to protect you," he told me, but his attempt at reassuring was faltered when Garrett stifled a gag from the kitchen. Nathan shot daggers at him and his voice lowered. It felt as if he was radiating calamity from his skin and I believed him. He ran his fingers through my hair and I felt at peace. "Love always protects...my mom told me that to me when I was younger, when I felt scared. I don't know where she got it from."

I laughed a little at his second go toward reassurance. I sighed and told him, "It's from the bible."

Resituating myself on the white sofa, I leaned against his chest as Fae came bounding down the steps. Kissing my hair he said, "Stay for a little longer. Fae is making dinner tonight."

"And as far as I'm concerned, you're going to miss my world-famous chicken cordon bleu," she informed me in a French brogue. "And believe me I'm the best cook these two boys know."

Nathan nodded a confirmation.

"All right," I said with a gentle glance at the clock. Max would be fine for another hour. When I stood, Nathan's hands wound around my waist and pulled me into him.

"I love you," he told me again with firm emphasis. He bent his head down so his lips could reach mine. As soon as they did I forgot about his assurances altogether. It didn't bother me as much as it should have.

***

I was late _again_. I hated being late. If Max wasn't getting me up, I was going to have to revert to an older, more reliable version: an alarm clock. With a hasty gait, I strode outside of my house and into my Aston Martin.

The dark seats were cold, but I didn't care. School started in five minutes. I pulled out of the driveway, the road being completely empty and it bothered me. The red light glared me angrily in the face as I waited and begged for an eternity to melt into green.

My mind floated back to the conversation I had with Nathan last night. Did he really believe I wasn't crazy? Maybe I was being doubtful, but there had to be a logical explanation for all that was going on. My foot pressed quickly on the gas and the car shot forward as soon as the light buzzed green. Out of my blind spot, I saw a small flash of red and then a screeching sound as a red Ferrari scathed hard against the front of my car. I slammed on my brakes far too late and my car tipped to the side, spinning out of control. The next thing I knew, the hood of my Aston Martin was smashed headfirst into a lamppost, air bags blinding my vision from the shattered window shield.

My head throbbed horribly and I was so shaken that I couldn't feel anything in my arm; probably because there was a shard of glass lodged into my bicep. Everything felt numb and I was vaguely aware of anything except a figure.

It emerged from the red Ferrari and walked to the side off my car, almost leisurely as if it was a normal day with normal weather and normal events. I wasn't conscious enough to recognize the fear in my heart even if it was looking me square in the eye. Then the male figure stepped to the shattered window of my car and tugged the door off its hinges like he was unplugging a plug from the wall. He kneeled by me, but I could barely see him because my eyes were closing.

With callused fingers I think I felt and saw him brush my hair from my face. A muffled voice reached my ears, "How are you, Serina?"

And then there was only black, dead silence.

## Chapter 8

It was a week later—a Tuesday—that I was fully healed and out of the hospital. I vaguely remembered my mother's voice on the phone asking me a million questions about the accident and apologizing over and over for not being there. And I did educe the memory of Charilyn sitting next to my hospital bed reassuring me that I was going to be okay. I could hardly recall the nurses or the doctor or even Nathan's voice as I went through the process of restoring myself. The nurses stitched my arm up and urged me to get a sling for it but I refused—I wasn't walking around school with one of those on, so I talked my way into a brace. They told me I couldn't use my left hand for a while—nothing serious, just some minor nerve damage—which meant no piano.

Everything was so foggy and I wasn't sure if I dreamt the whole accident or not. The proof I got was a useless left arm and a totaled car. Thus, I was now at home fretting over how I would get to school, when the doorbell rang.

I answered it and a grin flooded over my lips.

"Hey."

"Hi, Nathan," I greeted when he embraced me gently, "What are you doing here?"

Nathan smiled handsomely and brushed back my tousled curls.

"I'm going to be your escort for the next couple of weeks. You think I'd leave my girl without transportation?" He kissed me once then pulled me to his car.

On our way to school, Nathan's blue eyes glanced once at me and I saw surprise flicker across his face.

"What?" I asked.

"That necklace..." he murmured as we pulled into the student parking lot, "Where'd you get that from?"

I pressed my hand over it. "Um...Charilyn gave it to me before she left."

"It's very pretty," he replied, "You like necklaces?"

I laughed, "Nathaniel West, are you thinking about getting me jewelry?"

He chuckled and muttered, "Well I was."

Nathan cut the engine and stepped out to open the door for me. The flood of students made their way across the parking lot toward school as I wound my arms under his shoulders and gazed into his eyes.

"I don't want to be impressed," I told him quietly, "with gifts. I just want to know that you love me every day."

"Tell me how I can let you know then," he requested curiously.

"I want a kiss and then I want to hear,"—I horribly attempted to mimic his voice, as I said—"Gee, Sam you look nice this morning. Would you like me to buy you ice cream at lunch today?"

He grinned, kissed me, and then echoed, "Gee, Sam you look exceptional on this fine morning. Do you want to buy my lunch today?"

"Wow," I heard a bell-like voice exclaim, "Put my lunch on the tab too!"

He rolled his eyes. Fae had her bag slung over her shoulder and her blonde eyebrow arched up when Nathan quickly pressed his lips to mine and then led me toward her. She curved her arm around mine and drew me away from Nathan.

"Pretty necklace," Fae said and walked me inside school.

For the first four periods, no one questioned me about the freak accident and by lunch I was patting myself on the back for no one noticing. But the thought slipped out a minute too early, because as soon as we sat at our table Abby was stomping right up and plopping herself straight down beside me.

"Samantha Clearwater!" she nearly cried, her cheeks were flushed and her warm brown eyes wide with concern. "Why on earth did you not tell me you were in the hospital? What the hay! Are you okay? Is anything broken? Are you dying? Oh please say no!"

I smiled, my expression a bit confused. I couldn't comprehend her worried expression. "I'm fine, Abby..."

"Good! Because when I heard you got in that car accident I didn't know what to think. And Andrew is bringing balloons and flowers that I asked him to pick up this morning and—"

I stopped her mid-sentence. "Wait, what?"

"I said Andrew is bringing you balloons and flowers, you know so you can feel better! I made sure everyone was going to get you something so you could heal real fast and all."

I turned to glare at Nathan.

"What?" He exclaimed sheepishly, "It's not like she didn't have a right to know—she's your best friend!"

"Yeah, and she's Abby," I muttered under my breath then groaned in exasperation. "She probably told everyone in the whole school."

Vanessa's undeniable platform heels clicked hurriedly across the cafeteria floor just as the words made it from my mouth. Flicking her brown waves back, she exclaimed, "Oh Sam, thank goodness you're back—Abby told me _everything_. Are you okay? Did they have to use those metal things on you to bring you back from the dead?"

I flicked my eyes at Nathan in an I-told-you-so kind of way, but he simply gazed back with unrepentant, blue eyes, shrugging innocently. For the rest of the day, I had to continuously smile and reassure every one of my friends—and even a few people I'd never met before—that I was fine. All the attention was leaving me drained and my cheeks aching. It was like I had fascinating pink skin with neon green hair and wings sprouting from my back.

As soon as Nathan and I were in his car, I turned to him before he started the engine. I waited.

"You're seriously mad at me, aren't you?"

"Well..." I deflated. "No."

It was so hard to hold anything against him. Especially when he smiled and laughed melodically like he was doing now.

"It's not funny...!"

"I'm sorry, I can't help myself," he told me then explained promptly, "You're cute when you're angry."

Tracing my cheekbones with the tips of his soft fingers, he pressed his lips to my forehead and then started the engine. When we got to my house, I received an energetic welcome from Max. Nathan and I did homework until his brain started hurting, which was within the hour of getting home. I plainly laughed at him and then let him pull me away from my Calculus homework and watch reruns of _Friends_.

"What is it?" I asked, curious that he'd looked at the clock on my wall twice now.

"I have to pick up Fae in ten. She has gymnastics after school today and she's going to need a ride home."

He sighed heavily, eyes lingering on mine.

"No...don't leave me!" I begged, playfully clutching him tighter to me.

"All right. Ride with me then, my love." He stood with a handsome smile and an outstretched hand, making it impossible to reject his offer.

When we got to the high school, Fae was perched on a bench chatting with a couple of other girls. It was difficult to believe she was only a sophomore. She spotted the car and waved, smiling angelically. She grabbed her bag and made her way toward us, gesturing good-bye to her friends.

Nathan rolled down the window as she walked up.

"You took long enough! I thought you guys would never come," she exclaimed, giving me a big smile and laughing like a little bell when she saw my face. Slap some glittery wings on her, give her a wand and she could be a pixie. The ruffled, chiffon pink skirt did not change my mind. I let a smile spread across my face; whenever she was around I couldn't help but to feel happy.

"Come on, Fae, hop inside; you guys can talk on the way home," Nathan said. She got in quickly and Nathan sped off.

Fae was a bundle of energy. Talking to her was an adventure—she knew so much! I thought we might be leaving Nathan out but he seemed content just to drive and listen to us prattle on like girls do.

"Do you know what I could go for, right now?" Fae said coolly.

"What?" I responded.

With a passionate sigh, she said, "A Chipotle burrito. Nathan, can you swing by there please? Just really quick, it'll only take a second! I'm starving."

With a roll of his eyes, Nathan stopped for her food and she swung out of the car, her blonde hair swishing behind her as she almost flew to the front door. As we waited, Nathan braided his fingers through mine and sighed.

"What are you thinking about?" I murmured.

His blue eyes met mine and his thumb stroked the top of my hand. "How busy things are. But that doesn't matter. How are you feeling, I mean, after this weekend?"

I heaved a sigh.

"Fine, I guess. My arm hurts a little, but I'll be okay," I told him in a distracted voice.

Fae came out of the restaurant, carrying a To-Go bag in her thin fingers. She jumped into the back seat and shut the car door behind her. "Hey, do you think maybe we could even get dessert? Like maybe a..."

"Fae..." Nathan scolded lightheartedly, "No."

She frowned and sat back dramatically and I had to laugh. She responded with a squeak, "Party pooper."

As the trees and houses of the town passed by the car window I thought. There must be something more. The past events—the drowning, the car accident, that man trying to beat me—were building a picture; they were telling me something. There was a blurred underlying message shoving itself in my face, but I was too blind to see it. My stomach seemed to clench itself in panic. What if...what if...none of those things were accidents? What if they were on purpose? What if someone wanted me dead?

## Chapter 9

Nathan just pulled up to my house, when I saw the car. Though it had beautiful rims and an exquisite paint job, the only thing that caught my eye was the fact that there was no label on the side of the sports car.

My jaw dropped as I stepped out of Nathan's car.

It was a Porsche Boxter Spyder. The sports car could go from zero miles per hour to 60 in five seconds! Sure, my dad called me earlier to apologize about not seeing me when I was in the hospital and said he'd send me a "Get Well" gift. But he didn't tell me the gift would be bigger than my mailbox! I went to the side of the car and felt the exterior.

From the back of Nathan's Eclipse I heard Fae, "OMG! Do you think I could take that for a test drive? You know, make sure it's safe and all?"

"Fae...no," Nathan responded again and I smiled at them both. It was like she was a dog that never listened.

"See you in an hour," Nathan called as he drove off. I rolled my eyes and punched in the key code. I drifted inside and took the letter my dad sent me in my fingers. I opened it to find the keys to the Porsche inside. I went back out and cautiously parked the car in my garage.

Deciding a shower was extremely inviting, I walked up the stairs to start one. I just made it to the top of the stairs when the doorbell rang. I groaned dragging myself back downstairs, checking to see who it was through the window by the door. I unlocked the door and held it open ajar, a look of vague attentiveness on my features.

"Hello, Sam." Garrett smiled wryly.

Startled, I murmured, "Oh hey, Garrett."

I hadn't seen him around since last Friday, and he seemed be skipping classes at school though I wasn't going to question him on it. It was none of my business anyway.

Glancing out in the driveway, I could see there was no car. Wouldn't I have seen or at least heard him drive up? Had he walked here?

Nathan and Garrett seemed to be arguing over things that were deeper than I was aware of, but I had an unwanted hunch that it was something to do with me. I knew I was going to have to speak up sooner or later, but not with him.

"You're not just going to leave me standing out here, are you?" He asked.

"Sorry, yeah come in," I told him and he sat down in my living room, looking a little too comfortable, with his feet on my coffee table and all.

"Um, do you want something to drink?" I asked.

"Nah, I just wanted to come see how you were doing," he said, his dark brown eyes wondering around the room. I looked at him a bit suspiciously and decided to confront him about the conclusion I made about my recent _incidents_. Nathan wasn't here yet so maybe Garrett would have an opinion.

"Garrett, actually I did want to talk to you about something," I started. He leaned forward, his undivided attention on me.

I sighed. "Weird things have been happening recently; the car accident and the incident at the beach. And I think it has something to do with the vision you gave me, but not just that..." I paused to make sure he was listening to me.

"What vision?" He laughed dryly.

How could he not know?

"When you were over my house," I told him, "in the kitchen."

He stared at me for a minute, incredulously.

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Garrett, something is wrong here and I just want to know what it is," I insisted, "I feel like someone's...chasing me. Constantly on my back watching me, and I'm scared. Do you know what that feels like?"

"No," he told me honestly, "I don't."

"Well, you should!" I snapped.

I was stunned with myself. Why did I do that? I wasn't an impulsive person, but _that_? That was involuntary. Garrett got up from the couch as I muttered, "I'm sorry..."

"Sam, are you all right? You don't seem...well."

"I'm fine," I said stumbling away from the living room and into the kitchen.

I probably just needed to get some Aspirin for this headache that was coming on. Before I got to the medicine cabinet, I spotted a letter on the top of the pile of mail sitting on the counter. I almost forgot I even brought it in. I only paused because the name on the envelope made me frown.

The address on the letter was unfamiliar but the name was clearly marked by the California state government. Since when did I receive telegrams? I took my Aspirin then ripped open the letter as Garrett walked past me and helped him self to my refrigerator.

Quietly, I read the formal introduction then choked on my breath. I stared at the flawlessly, typed words on the milky paper. This must have been wrong. It had to be. My eyes read the words over and over again, forcing them to change shape, forcing them to be anything that they weren't! I barely heard Garrett's words as my sight blurred and cleared, "Hey, do you have any Coke?"

A tear escaped my eyes. I clutched the counter as my mind went wild with painful memories that made my imagination go crazy with questions. I saw lights flash in front of my eyes and spirals swirl in the air. The rush of thoughts and emotions was too much for my mind to comprehend and I lost my sense of balance.

The only thing I could get out was a sob as I collapsed. Overwhelmed, I stared at nothing, unable to register a single thought in my head. After what seemed like only two seconds, I heard a musical hum in my ear, suddenly became clearer, like tuning an old radio.

"...Long has she been like this?" I heard a panicky voice ask.

"At least a half an hour, she hasn't moved an inch," one voice told the other, "She doesn't even blink! I don't know what's wrong. I keep trying to get her attention but she just keeps staring at the wall and mumbling things here and there.

"Maybe I should call Fae; she'll know what to do," I heard the other voice say, "Do you know who Charilyn is?"

The name drew me from my senses. I looked up and saw Nathan and Garrett kneeling next to me.

"Sam?" I heard Nathan say. I slowly turned my head to look into his eyes. "Samantha, sweetheart, can you hear me?"

I couldn't respond, couldn't even find any words in my head, like it was completely empty. It couldn't be true. I refused to believe it.

"I'm going to call Fae," Nathan said with finality in his every word. Garrett nodded, surprisingly agreeing without argument, but I pulled myself up—with help from the kitchen counter, although Nathan helped too when he realized what I was doing. He looked rigid and deeply worried but I simply told him, "No, I'm fine."

Pulling me to him he asked, "Are you okay, Sam? What's going on?"

That's when I saw the torn envelope and the letter sitting on the marble counters. I cringed and grimaced, my eyes wouldn't stop watering, then in a quiet voice I muttered, "She...she..."

"Who are you talking about? Charilyn?" Nathan said.

I cried out and shook, nearly collapsing again. "No, no...please tell me it's not true. It said that she...she can't be."

Nathan pulled me into his chest and I sobbed when he murmured, "I'm sorry, Sam, the letter said she passed away in her sleep."

"No!" I whispered so quietly I didn't know if I said it. Nathan's arms held me to his body, which was good because I would've fallen without them. "No, that's not what it says..."

"I'm so sorry, Sam."

I don't know how long I cried. Minutes turned into hours. Garrett had to leave to pick up Fae from somewhere. Nathan stayed by my side and eventually my crying forced me into unconsciousness.

***

"Just give her a break!" a flawless voice exclaimed, "She needs time to take this all in.... Does she know _anything_ yet?"

I was still half-asleep. Or maybe I was dreaming.

"No. I want to tell her, Fae. She needs to know, but only when it's safe for her. The Light Blue would never let us."

"Well, you'll just have to wait a little longer..."

"Okay," Nathan murmured, "let me know when you're done. I want to make sure she's all right."

Someone's hand gingerly shook my shoulder and I stared at a familiar ceiling. When I sat up, I found a girl's sapphire blue eyes.

"Hey, Fae," I whispered in a hoarse voice, my head was throbbing.

"Hey, are you all right?" she asked, her forehead creased in concern. Pain twisted in my stomach and couldn't reply as I felt my throat strangle out the words I was going to say. Who was I supposed to talk to when something went wrong in my life? Who was supposed to be on the other end of the line at two in the morning when I couldn't sleep? Charilyn was gone. The two people who raised me were gone. And I was devastated.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Fae told me, "Nathan told me how close you and..."

"Please don't remind me," I cut her off, not wanting to hear her name but I flinched anyway as if she actually said it.

"Sorry," she whispered in a careful voice. I moved my legs off of the couch and let them hang over it. She looked at me uneasily, as if I might faint.

"Nathan told me what happened and I read the letter. I want you to tell me everything, everything that's happened since you've moved here. I just want you to know that you have someone to talk to," she said. Her eyes were open and gentle. I trusted her enough to make the effort to gather my thoughts and try to put them into words that made sense. So, I told her about moving and then how I fit into the new school. Then I recalled all the incidents that happened afterwards—nearly drowning at Del Mar beach, the mugging, the mysterious vision I had, and then the car accident. She listened to everything I said, not saying a word, with an understanding expression.

When I finished she looked straight into my eyes.

"Wow, seems like...well really just a lot of bad luck," she commented blue eyes wide, but clouded. But her attempt at humor offended me. My mouth nearly dropped open, flabbergasted.

"But, don't you think maybe there's something more?" I asked. I couldn't believe that she thought it was all just bad luck! With tears in my eyes, I went on desperately, "Like maybe these weren't just accidents...maybe someone is behind this all. I've thought about it, Fae and...I feel like someone, somewhere doesn't want me alive. And now with Ian and Elena and...Charilyn gone, I feel so vulnerable."

She shook her head, "No! I don't think so, Sam. I know there are people looking out for you too; it wasn't just Charilyn or your parents."

"Please, please don't talk about them," I whispered hoarsely, giving up. No one was going to believe me. Charilyn was the only one that ever had faith in my words and responded to me with rational answers.

"It feels like I'm going crazy! I can't get a grip on reality anymore and I...I don't know what to do.... I just...I feel so lost," I admitted, my face buried in my hands. When she didn't respond I looked up and met her eyes that seemed uncomfortable. Almost...almost as if she knew I was on to something. She was lying to me! She was as bad a liar as her brother.

"Do you know about this?" I muttered. I leaned forward, nearly falling off the couch. "You know the explanation behind all of this, don't you? Please just tell me what's going on!"

"No, Sam. You're not allowed to..." she started then let out a breath, "I don't know anything."

"I'm not _allowed_ to know? I'm not _allowed_ to know that I'm in danger?" I was speaking relentlessly now, but with reason, "I know I have everything wrong. That's why I tried talking to you. I trusted _you_ to give me an answer, the truth at least. The people that were ever there for me are dead."—I was referring to Charilyn and my parents, but I was so bewildered in my own thoughts I didn't care to correct myself—"And it's obvious now that no one's going to help me..."

Fae frowned. "Samantha, I want to help you understand all of this more than anything. But for your own safety, I can't tell you until you're ready."

In a quiet, lost voice, I answered, "How can I be ready to understand something I don't even know about? It's like trying to understand the air without ever really knowing what it's called or where it is or what it's made of."—I turned to face her—"I _need_ help."

Fae stared at me with her sapphire eyes. "You will get help, Sam. I promise it."

## Chapter 10

Beads of sweat were already settled on my forehead when I woke. It was Friday night and four o' clock in the morning, but I just couldn't seem to go to sleep.

My body shivered nonstop and my mind was continually haunted with the fact that Ian and Elena were dead. And Charilyn...was never coming back. I'd never be able to call her again and talk at whatever hour of the night. I'd drift off for an hour and then just wake back up again crying and clutching the necklace she'd given me.

I got out of bed and opened the window to let some cool air in, let it dry the tears on my cheeks. Max awoke and trotted over to my side lying down when I seated myself on my bay window. The sky was splotched with dark bluish-black clouds and I gazed down my lonely street.

The night's distant soundtrack, busy with the wind and distant ocean waves, was more calming than anything. Out of nowhere, there was a noise downstairs. I couldn't tell what it was. If it was a creak on the stairs or the muffling of a pan dropping, I wouldn't have been able to tell, for it was faint. Max awoke and perked his ears, a growl working its way up his throat from his chest. I put a hand on his neck and he quieted.

Noiselessly, I opened my bedroom door and felt around for the stair railing in the dark. As I began down the stairs, Max moved ahead in front of me; the guard dog he was. Wouldn't my alarm system have gone off if it were a burglar? How could they have gotten in without me noticing? Max would be furious if anyone got past him. Before my feet touched the wood-paneled, first floor, I heard a huff of breath as someone let out a sigh. My stance went rigid.

Someone was in my house.

I gripped Max's collar in my hand and tugged him back. Should I've called the police? Or taken care of it myself? I knew self-defense techniques and how to fight. I was a full-grown woman who could take this on her own, right? I could handle my own situations. Then again a higher authority sounded like an extremely reasonable choice right now, but was reasonable what I wanted? What if I was just imagining these noises?

The chair in my dining room scratched softly against the tile and I heard footsteps leave the dining room and circle around to the hallway. Every footstep was my heartbeat: one step, one beat. Another step; my heart slammed against my chest. As they got closer and closer, my courage slowly seeped through my fingers and disappeared as I realized I couldn't handle this situation by myself.

The footsteps stopped, right behind the wall. And a plan formed in my head and I knew what to do. I felt the clean sweep of adrenaline rush come on and I rounded the corner giving the crook a hard slam in what I guessed was their chest with my foot. They stumbled back with a low, " _Oof!"_

My eyes adjusted to the dark and I made out the figure of a young man and realized he was taller than I anticipated. I swung back around and delivered a beautiful roundhouse kick to the back of their head. I went for another kick but they caught on and sidestepped the assault. I went for a punch in the gut, but they suddenly grabbed my arms and twisted them behind my back. But I elbowed them in the stomach and they doubled over.

"Sam," the stranger exclaimed, breathless, "it's me!"

My blood went cold and I backed away. I'd know that voice anywhere. I turned around to find Nathan standing there, features distorted in the little light there was.

"Nathan?" I managed, flabbergasted and in utter shock. I squinted; it was Nathan all right.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, sounding strained, "I didn't mean to startle you but...geez, you give some hard blows."

"Oh my g..." The word stuck in my throat.

I flicked on the light to find him with a fresh, new bruise flowering near the side of his forehead. I grabbed him and helped him to the table.

"Are you all right? Let me get some ice!" I said in a hurry as I darted to my freezer. I threw it open and took the icebox out. I was just putting the ice into a baggy when I felt warm fingers grasp mine.

"No," he murmured almost gently, "I'm fine. I don't need any ice."

I turned to look at him as if he was being unreasonable, but when I did the bruise vanished. I could have sworn it was only there a second ago! He grimaced unhappily when I touched the spot where it was...or used to be. He wasn't frowning in pain, but in discomfort.

"What...where is the...?" I stared at him, puzzled.

"I'll explain later," he told me, "but you should put the ice back. I don't need it."

I knew that a good explanation for hallucinations was a quick, "I must be dreaming" but I didn't say anything. It was tempting to glance back at his forehead.

Instead, I took deep breath and asked something a little more reasonable, "What are you doing here?"

Reticent and urgent, his lips met mine. My confusion cleared and Nathan pulled back only an inch to say, "I know it's early but I was going to drop something off at your door."

"What?"

He shrugged, seeming to placidly look off into the distance. "It was an idea I had...for a date."

"A date?" I asked quizzically.

"Yes. I was going to leave a trail of gifts starting from your house, but your door was unlocked. I knew you'd never be that careless so I came in to make sure you were safe."

"Oh..." I murmured relieved—but my cheeks blushed in flattery—"I thought you were a burglar or something..."

He smiled uneasily and I still couldn't believe his bruise was gone. Nathan studied my distress as I put the ice and the icebox away.

"All of this is driving me crazy..." I mumbled to myself, staring at his forehead. He brushed my tousled hair from my sleepy eyes, placing his hands on the side of my face.

The expression on his face said he was upset.

"What did you say?" he whispered.

"Nothing..." I told him, looking away, pulling his hands from my face.

"Sam, you're not going crazy, you're just..."

"Mad?" I offered, moving out of my kitchen and into the foyer. "Insane?"

"No," Nathan grasped me in his arms, and he said, with a hidden innuendo beneath his words, "You're _important_. You have a purpose; everything that happens in your life has a reason behind it. Sometimes it's revealed immediately, but other times it's not, not until you're ready to handle it."

In disbelief, I looked up into his eyes. Then he took my hands and gently opened my clenched fingers. He set something inside them and then closed my fingers back over it. I retrieved my hand and looked to what he gave me. A silver jewelry box, with a dark purple ribbon tied in a bow on top. I pulled away the top and smiled.

Dangling on a thin, antique silver chain was an aquamarine gemstone, encircled by genuine silver. It was my birthstone and more than anything it reminded me of his eyes. I looked up, staring at him in wonder.

"What's this for?" I asked.

He frowned then replied with a blunt, "You don't like it."

I simply whispered, "No; it's beautiful. But why?"

He laughed, softly wrapping his arms around my waist. "Gosh, I don't know...maybe I have a crush on you."

I grinned and, with a roll of my eyes, admired the necklace. "I love it."

"I love you," he replied as I turned back to him. He kissed my forehead and wrapped his arms around me. There was a short moment of silence before Nathan's head snapped up and his cautious, watery-blue eyes landed on the garage door.

"What is it...?"

He cut me off with a silent hush and pulled me away from the kitchen.

"Nathan," I started but he put a finger on my lips and then gestured to the couch for me to sit. I sat down as he moved toward the garage door. I remembered he said my door was unlocked when he came in. Did someone, besides Nathan, actually evade the security system? In a flash, the lights flickered in synch with my heartbeat and then finally went black.

"Nathan?" I called out panicking. I groped around in the darkness until I found someone's gentle fingers that seemed to have been searching for mine as well. He tugged me close to him.

"I'm right here, sweetheart. Is everything okay?" he asked.

And that's exactly when it happened; something hit me. Literally, hit me fast like a bullet from a gun, but silent as a whisper. I gasped and went limp in Nathan's arms. I couldn't even look at what was rooted deep in my skin, for it went straight in my neck. All of a sudden, I started feeling sleepy.

"Nathan...!" I murmured when an unwelcome dizziness flowed through my every nerve.

"Sam? Stay with me, come on, Samantha!" I heard his uneasy voice plead in my ears as his hand stroked my face softly trying to force a response out of me. I was in his arms, when his grip loosened and we were both on the floor. Drifting in and out of consciousness, I murmured his name in one final groan as sleep engulfed my body.

***

I woke up to find that I was not where I should be. I didn't smell the nice fragrance of the ocean or the calm, but faint, crashing of the waves, like I did when I was outside my house.

Bolting up from the sheets, I looked around the small hotel room. There was a large sliding glass door covered with thick dark curtains that you couldn't see any light through, even if it was midday. There was a second room through two doors that led to a living room and balcony. There were no decorations and no other furniture but the bed. The only accompaniments were bare, yellowing walls.

I threw open the curtains to the window and found there was nothing but night sky. The view outside of my window was the city skyline of New York.

Gathering my confidence, I peeked down hesitantly. I was staring down at least forty other stories. I backed away slowly. The bustle of traffic and sirens was easily heard from here. I stumbled back and sat down on the bed. How did I get here? _Why_ was I here? Where was 'here'?

_Ha!_ I thought to myself. A small voice in the back of my head said matter-of-factly, _don't you see? Why ask questions? You already know you're mad!_

I agreed with it instantly and fell back across the bed. I let my eyelids close as I drifted off aimlessly hoping to wake from this madness. It—the madness, that is—was like a hard shell that covered me, but the real Sam was somewhere in there. All she had to do was find something strong enough to crack the mask that clouded her mind. The only thing hard enough was the truth.

I awoke to someone calling my name. But could it really be my name? Maybe I was imagining it.

The small voice spoke again, _duh! You're nuts!_ I shrugged then sat up and curled into a ball, winding my arms around my legs, as I strained to hear the faint words. They seemed to be coming from...my balcony? I hauled myself off the bed and sauntered over toward the curtains. Then I drew them back. Standing in front of me, with an expression I could not comprehend, was Nathan. I was overwhelmed to see his perfect blue eyes staring at mine, but with agony deep inside them.

"Nathan!" I exclaimed exhilarated.

"Sam, are you okay?" He asked, urgently, pulling his eyebrows down in confusion. "Is everything all right? Are you hurt?"

"I don't know. I'm just glad you're here!" I told him as he looked into my eyes.

"Sam, I need you to listen to me..." Nathan insisted urgently. "You're in danger."

"Does it matter?" I asked. "All I know is that I'm completely mad! I don't need to remember where I am, who I am, or even how to breathe!"

"Samantha! You must listen to me, please! You are _not_ mad. You have to keep calm." His voice was broken and if he ever started to cry it sure looked like he was about to. "Sam, you were kidnapped."

Was he talking about from my house? Who would want to kidnap me?

"How? Why?" I asked frantically.

"I'm different, okay? Both of us are. And I need you to listen carefully. First, open the windows..."

I moved to unlock them but they wouldn't budge. I stared at him in panic trying to tell him my situation but he already knew. Through the thick glass I heard him say firmly, "Stand back."

What? I moved anyway and watched in horror as he raised his fist to punch the glass. Who did he think he was, Clark Kent? I ran back to the window, my hands up and shouted, "No!"

But it was too late; his fist made impact with the glass and I cringed back expecting shattered pieces of glass to rain down on me—but most of all, I expected him to cry out in pain.

I heard the hard impact of something on glass. A _crack_ followed by a frustrated grunt. But there was no cry or shattering of window pieces. When I looked back up Nathan looked enraged, not agonized like I believed. I wanted to ask for an explanation when his expression changed dramatically and he was no longer looking at me, but someone behind me. Simultaneously, Nathan began pounding against the glass as I felt hands grab me from behind and cover my mouth. I screamed and struggled against my attacker as I was dragged from the window.

There was a man's voice in my ear, yet it was directed to Nathan.

"You really expected it to be that easy?" he said. Nathan was fuming. "It's not glass, Nathaniel! It's specifically designed so no Universal can break through; primarily you."

I cried out for Nathan but it was muffled. The man's words didn't register in my mind and instinct began to take over as I fought him, but it was like attempting to fight a wall that had arms. Then realization kicked me hard in the gut.

What did the man say? What was a "Universal"? The glass prevented Universals from entering? Did that mean Nathan was one? Maybe that explained how he'd calm me every time he'd touched me. How he healed me when I was hurt, like when I almost drowned, or the bruise that vanished only minutes after it appeared. I knew it was crazy but maybe unexplained things were all because I never knew. My drowning, the accident, the vision, the mugging, and now this all felt like they were connected to him.

Did he have supernatural powers?

_Ha!_ The small voice in my head started to crack up at my assumption and I quietly laughed along with it in my head. Then I watched in terror as someone jumped down from the story above and tackled Nathan off the side of the balcony.

## Chapter 11

I looked around dazed. As I scanned the area with my eyes I saw only dull, cold walls belonging to a large, empty cave. It was dark and I could hardly make out a thing. All at once my eyes adjusted I saw that on the side opposite of me, there were what seemed to be bars. I felt a tightly wound cloth around my mouth and another that tied my wrists together. I studied the area, inhaling shakily.

Was I in an underground jail cell? There was something that happened but my memory seemed far away from me. How did I get here? What was going on?

I started to laugh against the rag. I couldn't stop. All of it was so surreal and it was the only way I could express my confusion. I couldn't take it seriously; it was a dream...all of it! It had to be....

Once my hysterical laughs subsided, I felt cold air slap me across the face and I curled my legs into my body. The hysteric laughter turned into hysteric tears as I realized that Nathan wasn't here.

All of a sudden, the metal door across the cell groaned, turned, and popped open with a loud shriek.

"Serina..."

There was that name again! What was with this girl Serina?

The man paused and sighed, "Excuse my formality. Samantha Clearwater, is it?"

My heart froze against my chest and there was a horrifying silence lingering in the air for an immeasurable time. I wanted to go home. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping I'd soon wake up in my bed. This couldn't be real.

"Do you know why you're here?" the silk voice continued.

I could only manage to choke out a "no", which was inaudible against the rag, before my voice cracked and I decided there was no point in answering. Hesitant and wary, I looked up.

A middle aged man stood there, his dark brown hair styled back and his eyes, a dark menacing gray, glared into mine with an icy intention that I had yet to find out. He looked stuck between thirty and forty; not old enough for wrinkles but not too young to not know what he was doing. I was too scared to say anything, but I kept a mask over my face to hide my hysteria and puzzlement.

"My name is Josef," he told me, fiddling with a ring on his left hand and it gleamed in my eyes. I stared at the symbol printed over it. It was a distorted, dark red star. Why did it look so familiar? Noah came to my side and yanked the rag off my mouth.

"What do you want?" I asked surprisingly firm in my words, but my composed mask was clearly slipping.

"Oh...it's _very_ complicated..."

"Where—" I froze. Where _was_ Nathan? "Where's Nathan?"

"Nathaniel? He's doing just fine, but he's as stubborn as a mule..." he laughed, then muttered something low under his breath. The door banged open and a burly man pulled Nathan through the door, threw him on the ground like he was a sack of flour, and then left. Nathan was unconscious and very pale.

"Nathan!" I exclaimed, crawling over to him, and stroking his cheek, "Nathan! Wake up, please! I'm so sorry..."

Josef sighed bitterly.

Ignoring him, I pulled him to the wall of the cell, as far away from Josef as I could manage, and cradled him gently in my lap. I never saw him so helpless, so pale, so unprotected....

"No..." I cried. Was he even breathing? I closed my eyes, angry and hurt. When I opened my eyes again they were on the brink of fury. I stood and ran at Josef. I lifted my fist up and went for the punch. Without a word, he grabbed my fist before it came near him and twisted my arm down behind me.

He chuckled. "I think you could do so much better. Don't you?"

Then he grabbed my arm and swung me at the wall. My spine collided with the wall first and my vision blanked out.

When I woke again, I felt someone stroking my cheek. Nathan? He pulled me into his arms, relieved. I cringed, shaking softly.

"Sam, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He asked, pulling back and touching the back of my head. It throbbed dreadfully and I winced. My spine was difficult to move without letting out a soft cry and I shook my head.

With gentle fingers, Nathan touched the exposed skin at the back of my neck. I felt energy flow both up and down my back. The pain began to fade in my shoulders and it worked my way up through my head. My green eyes widened on his expression as he told me, "Josef's gone for now, but he'll be back..."

"What was that?" I asked, referring both to what he'd just done and what I tried to do to Josef. Nothing was making sense here. "I tried to...Josef he just..."

"I know..." he said, brushing my cheek lightly, "and you shouldn't have done that. He could've killed you."

Tears began to sprout in my eyes.

"Nathan, I'm scared. Can you please just tell me what's going on?"

He gazed into my eyes, his hand on the side of my face.

"You'll understand everything, soon," he told me, "I promise."

Then he stood and gathered me into his arms, holding me to his warmth tightly.

"I'm so sorry..." he whispered in my ear.

At the same instant, I felt something sharp bury itself deep into the skin at my waist. A strange sensation crawled across my skin, too disturbing to ignore. But before I could look at my waist, I felt a whip of pain unleash itself and electricity run through my body. I stared at him, my eyes wide with surprise and I gasped in anguish.

"Sam...I-I...I'm so sorry..." He said in my ear, holding me close. I felt dizzy, like I could faint at any moment. He caught me as soon as he saw me sway, holding me up in his arms. I started feeling dizzy again and unbearably drowsy. I looked down to find stuck in my side, something that looked like a cross between a tranquilizer and a syringe.

Astonished I stared into Nathan's eyes that were filled to the brim with regret.

"I didn't want to, I had to..."

I forced myself to interrupt him.

"W-what did—" I managed to choke out before I felt more shock radiate throughout my body. I shivered involuntarily in his arms.

"I'm so sorry...but it was the only choice."

"What did you...?" I murmured, breathless, unable to finish one sentence.

"I-I..." He stammered.

I interrupted him again my voice weak and hoarse, "You have powers. Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I couldn't. Samantha, there were rules. I couldn't tell you!"

My comprehension was running slow and it was hard to understand any words. I needed to lie down.

"What's going to happen to me?" I took a breath, my sight becoming blurred. "Is everything...just going to end?"

"No, no, sweetheart, it's not like that. It's not going to end. You'll be fine," he mumbled his voice almost too low for me to hear. "It's going to put you to sleep."

I felt more life drain out of my body. "Nathan..."

He looked at me with agonized eyes and then twisted around to face Josef, who suddenly appeared in the cell without either of us noticing. But Nathan's words were inaudible as I faded. Except, I fought against the feeling of drowsiness, but like a powerful drug, it was overwhelming and it forced me to sleep.

"Are you done or do I have to get someone else?" Josef asked impatient, voices suddenly blasting in my head as if someone was messing with my volume control.

"Okay! I'll do it!" Nathan exclaimed his tone filled with disgust.

My eyes shot open and I screamed. The agony was acid flowing through my veins, pumping through my heart, eating at my insides. Was it the injection? What was going on?

I screamed. A white light was protruding from my chest. Out of Nathan's hand came a blue one. Josef's gasp was inaudible through my shrieks of agony as he watched. I screamed even louder as the blue light seemed to suck the light from the glowing, white flame in front of me. Abruptly it all faded, and the pain was replaced with numbness. The white light rushed back into me and I felt limp.

"You're...a...Light—a-and...she's...a...a human?" Josef couldn't manage to get anything more than that out, his voice filled with absolute astonishment. "But, you signed the contract, I saw you! And that's Serina Calaway...! How...?"

"Nobody will know..." Nathan murmured as I finally faded out. I saw him run at Josef and then I shut my eyes. As I exhaled I found I couldn't inhale for air. Someone's hands were around my neck. Were they Nathan's? My eyes flashed open, startled and confused and I choked for my oxygen. What was going on?

"Sam!" I heard Nathan's panicky voice; he wasn't anywhere near me!

_So this is it,_ I thought, _is this where my life ends?_

I tried to breathe but my throat was closed, with no sign of loosening. Then it all hit me. The familiar gray, stonewalls, the cell, and the echoing of voices. If I strained my ears I could hear the subway above us. The girl out in the hallway was trying to strangle me. Maybe Garrett showed me this vision to warn me. Was it possible that Garrett himself was a Universal too?

"No. No!" Nathan shouted.

In an instant, he was standing near Josef, who looked a little deformed and bloody. A dark purple bruise encircled his left eye and his face looked as if he'd been smashed into the wall.

"What are you doing to her?" Nathan's beautiful voice was full of uncontrolled rage, as he grasped Josef by the collar shoving him against the door of the cell. Josef chuckled darkly but said nothing.

Nathan fumed and his fist collided with Josef and in less then a second he was slammed into the wall, creating a crater in the stone. Nathan ground his teeth in frustration then turned back to me, crouching down to cup my face.

"Sam, listen to me!"

I gasped for air struggling to breathe again, holding tightly to his arm.

"The girl..." I couldn't finish the sentence and I began to give in. My lungs were closing and so was my life.

"No!" He turned to Josef. "Stop it! What are you doing to her?"

It hurt to hear his voice so agonized. He turned back around his hands on both sides of my face.

"Please, don't!" He cried in rage. "Don't do this to me! _NO!"_

I yelped from a strong slash of pain on my cheek. I felt warm liquid run down my face. It was blood. The girl behind the wall _slapped_ me!

This was all too hard for my mind to go through again. The words replayed over and over in my head again. They were all from the vision back when Garrett visited me. Back when I thought no one was trying to kill me.

"Please, you don't have to do this! I'll do anything! Just stop it!" Nathan begged Josef. Josef's eyes flashed with excitement and glee. He was amused at the weaknesses of others, even though he was beaten up quite a bit.

"Really," Josef asked in his dark, rough voice, "you'll do anything at all?"

Now, I could see Josef smiling as he said it and I knew that what Garrett showed me was true.

"Yes! Please just stop hurting her!" Nathan cried again. I could no longer gasp for air again, too weak to do so.

"Give me your powers," Josef said, his menacing half-smile spreading across his face.

"What?" Nathan said whipping his head up and looking directly into Josef's piercing eyes. "But..."

"No buts about it. You want us to stop? Then do it. No questions asked..."

A quiet whimper escaped my lips, one that declared that I gave up. Why couldn't I wake up? It must have been soon! I only gasped in agony.

"Okay! Okay..." Nathan said giving in. "I'll do it..."

The hands suddenly let go of me and I gasped out, "No!"

Nathan swung around to see me. I coughed, getting my air back. But the tranquilizer had done its part and before I could reach him I immediately passed out.

"Sam..." I heard Nathan's beautiful melodic voice whisper my name and fade away in my ear as the world around me went pitch black.

## Chapter 12

A blanket was spread over me and the fluffiest pillows I'd ever felt were propped up underneath my head. I heard calming, rhythmic waves outside as if I were back in California, but closer than if I were at my house. Was Josef and New York all just a dream?

Of course it was. You are crazy after all....

I sat up and looked around at a barely familiar setting. There was an exasperating, curious tug at the back of my thoughts that begged me to fully recall the dream, although my intuition told me otherwise.

"Samantha?"

My response was quick as I turned, startled at the sound, to see the most amazing living thing on earth lying beside me.

"I must be in heaven..." I murmured in disbelief, hugging him to me. It was all just a dream. Even if it was all real, I was with Nathan and that was all I cared about.

"Not even close..." Nathan laughed in my ear and then gently pressed his lips to my cheek. His eyes were bloodshot as if he'd pulled an all-nighter and his posture was tense yet exhausted.

"Well...it's close enough for me," I told him and he chuckled softly. After a long moment of silence, I turned to face him, propping myself up on my arms. "I had this crazy dream..."

Nathan frowned as if on cue and he pushed me gently down back onto his bed, "Lie down and I'll explain it all..."

"I don't understand."

"It's complicated. So listen carefully," he warned me, sitting up on the side of the bed. "There is a whole other world that only a handful of people know about, we're called Universals. I have special...abilities or powers. My entire family does. And whether or not you believe it, you are a Universal too.

"A long time ago, these Universals came together and created a group called the Formers. But soon there were feuds between the Formers, over what to do with these powers they gained. Use them to save the human race or destroy it? The formers split into two separate groups—The Dark Red and The Light Blue—and they both hunger for the most powerful Universals to help in their cause. They created a treaty."

He looked at me, "They want you on their side; your powers could help them solve everything they've been wanting for the past hundred years. You control the fate of the world. Samantha, the Dark will do whatever it takes to get your powers. From kidnapping to drowning you, or even tricking your mind to believe what they want...they will do anything. Both the Light and Dark are working hard to get you recruited."

"I don't..." I trailed off, thinking of this as another insane dream.

He added, "Sam, they will never stop trying to hurt you until you choose a side."

All of this was a bit overwhelming; I couldn't get it through my brain. But, even though I thought it was unreal, somehow a tear managed to slip out of the corner of my eye. But I wiped it away quickly. The conversation went from my crazy dream to this stupid explanation?

"Okay, clearly I'm hallucinating..." I mumbled under my breath, wiping my eyes from their sleep, hoping I'd wake up completely. I needed to go home and feed Max. I asked, "Where are my car keys?"

"Samantha," Nathan said, trying to snap me out of my search as I pushed the bed spread away from me. He grasped my arm and I turned to face him. "Sam! Your car keys are at home. You've been here since Friday."

"What's today?"

"It's Sunday."

"So you're saying that everything I dreamed last night was real?"

He nodded. I rolled my eyes in disgust and yanked my hand away. He was actually satisfying my insanity!

With a strange, unreasonable finality I said, "I'm leaving California. I've had it with this place."

"You go anywhere out of California and you will never be able to live a normal life," Nathan told me, "Elena let you stay here because you're safe here. Charilyn was literally your guard; she had powers too. The Dark took you to New York because that was where they established their third base; the other five are located around the world. That's why your parents moved so much...that's why when you came home from school nearly every year you were leaving for Berlin or wherever would keep you farthest from danger."

It took me a few minutes to find myself. And I burst out laughing.

Nathan looked offended. When I saw his hurt expression I laughed even harder. I shook my head back in forth managing to get out words in between my chortles.

"Now _that_ was pathetic. Wow...that actually sounded real. I'm crazy... _lost it._ Ha!" I laughed and stood to leave his room when he gripped me by my shoulders.

"Samantha, stop it! Don't you dare walk out that door," Nathan yelled at me. I squirmed underneath his strong hands. I was leaving, whether he liked it or not. What was he going to do about it? "You are not crazy! And don't you ever say that you are!"

I stared hard at him, ignoring his lying words.

"Sam, listen to what I'm saying! You cannot let this insanity take over you! You are not crazy, and you should know that because _I_ am telling you! Nathan! Don't you trust me?" He asked. I couldn't understand his expression when suddenly I started to cry. Why? Why was I crying? I didn't know.

"Sam," he murmured, holding my face in his hands and stroking my cheeks with a kind gentleness, "you've missed out on so many things. Everything that has happened to you is absolutely alien, I know. But, you must control yourself! If you stay strong, so will the others who need your help. Everyone believes in you. You have so many people that are trying to protect you. You'll understand everything soon, I promise."

"How?" I asked, more tears slipping from the corners of my eyes, thinking of the impossibility, "How are _you_ going to do to help _me_ understand anything?"

He got down on his knees by the bed. "I'm going to tell you everything, from the very beginning to the very end. And I'll tell you the truth and nothing but the truth...." He murmured, looking gravely serious. I looked at him, tears still in my eyes. But he just pulled me into the warmth of his chest. And he kept me there, not letting me go as I tried to stop crying. I wiped the tears off my face and pulled away from him.

He stared into my eyes, studying my expression. I felt the sheer feeling of peace wrap around me and I exhaled in surprised.

"Sam, when Ian and Elena adopted you, your name...your real, birth name was," Nathan hesitated and then looked deeply into my eyes. "Serina Calaway."

I stared at him startled. _I_ was _Serina_? The entire time they were talking about me; I was the person everyone kept calling Serina Calaway!

"What...how...?" I didn't know where to begin. Nathan looked worried.

"Please try to listen, Sam," he said. "I know this is hard to hear."

I just shook my head and sat on the bed, because I couldn't find my voice yet. I lifted my knees up and hid my face in my arms. I remembered now. I remembered the man in the park who mugged me and called me Serina. And Josef! He called me Serina then later apologized that he got my name wrong and still knew my real name!

"What is it, Sam?" he asked, "Please talk to me...."

"Oh, it's nothing," I told him, then sarcastically added as I looked up, "just the fact that what you're telling me isn't real and you're trying to make me believe in something that is humanly impossible!"

He stared at me flabbergasted.

"So if all this is real, what kind of powers do I have?" I asked with a dry hostility.

Nathan looked hurt and taken aback. His blue eyes were watery, concerned, but he reluctantly answered my question, "Well, you can create huge amounts of power within seconds. The force you can create can be more powerful than an atom bomb, except without explosives. You can control all of the elements, fire, water, earth, ice, and wind."

"You could whisper one word and something that was in front of you, is gone; it never existed! You have speed that makes you so fast that you could run around the world two times in less than two minutes. You're strong enough to lift whole buildings out of the ground..." He told me.

All the while I was making vitriolic comments like, "Oh, really?" and "Wow, no way!"

I closed my eyes with a sigh and tried to wake up...

Wake up! Wake up!

After at least five minutes, I let out a breath and opened my eyes to stare into Nathan's sapphire blue eyes. With a sudden ferocity, I drove him back.

"You are such a jerk!" I yelled at him. I was angered to tears. Teasing my madness was one thing, but consistently screwing with it was crossing the line. No explanation would suffice for my disconcertion now.

I forced open his bedroom door and ran down the steps of his home. I proceeded across his living room indignantly when he gripped my arms and pulled me back to him. I felt his lips crush against mine but I jostled away from him. No kiss, no words would make up for his vulgarity.

Fae was in the kitchen, gawking, caught off guard by our quarrel. He held me in a tight grip and suddenly it felt like I was trying to push away from a stone statue with its arms around me. My only choice was to stop and look at him.

"Stop trying to fight me!" He exclaimed looking at me boldly, " _Samantha_ , this isn't a joke. I'm trying to be serious with you but your mood swings are not helping. Open your mind and consider this possibility: that there is another world out there. You need to know this, because you are one of the most powerful Universals in the world. You are going to get killed if you ignore this! We need you on our side...."

Would he? Nathan saw my abrupt change in emotion and realized what he said.

"So you just want me to accept this," I said, "so I can join in your little club? So you could pretend to love me, just to later force me to be on your 'side'?"

Fae stepped in, "Sam, I know you'll need time but if you're scared you can talk to us. We know everything there is to the Universal world."

Okay, fine. I'd regard the possibilities. What if they were both on the Dark Red? Well, I had news for them; I wasn't joining them in a million years. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to pull away from Nathan.

"She thinks we're on the Dark Red," Fae said suddenly, "And that we're only doing this to get her on our side."

How in the world did she know that? He shook his head back and forth quick, denying something. My accusations?

He placed his hands on the side of my face and suddenly I felt an aura of serenity surround me, and my anger disappeared from me. Reason settled in and I decided I'd let him talk; maybe his words were authentic. He looked into my eyes apologetic, but passionate.

"No, no! Sam, don't get me wrong, I would never force you to be on sides with me. And I'm definitely not saying 'I love you' just so you can join my side but because I really _do_ love you. It's just that I was told stories of you when I was a little boy, and now...you're actually in my arms!

"When I first met you, I convinced myself that you weren't really _her_. But when I learned more about you at the beach, I couldn't believe it was actually true! Your story and the stories I was told, were undeniably the same..." He said it with so much enthusiasm; I would have pushed him away again if he weren't so strong.

"Nathan, I—"

I met his eyes and the blue took my breath away. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could get a word out I shut my eyes tight, pulling my clenched fists up to cover my eyes, and shook my head quickly. I found that we were going in circles; there was him trying to convince and assure me. And then there was me, going from upset to angry and then back to confusion.

His hands stopped my head from denying it any further and gently wiped the tears from my cheeks and whispered, "Serina, I couldn't help falling in love with you! And now that you're in my life...I can never live without you..."

"No..." I murmured my voice cracking, keeping my hands over my face, "I don't believe you..."

Suddenly he pressed his lips to mine, and this time it was different. It wasn't out of desperation or any other surface emotion, but out of a deep love that seemed to resonate from his core. The crazed emotions withdrew from my body as instantly as he uncurled my tensed fingers to braid his into the spaces between them. My thoughts jumbled up and I forgot all about being upset. I did love him; there was no uncertainty in that.

"I have to go...upstairs suddenly," Fae told us and literally sprinted faster than I'd seen anyone move up the stairs.

I pulled back an inch, Nathan's fingers stroking my cheek. I closed my eyes as he gently pressed his lips on my hair. He spoke in a serious but calming tone, "Sam, I love you, and nothing is ever going to change that. I _can't_ live without you..."

I sighed, trying my best to put my trust into his words.

"Maybe, we should just take a break..." I murmured feeling exasperated.

Suddenly, I frowned. My words stumbled from my mouth and my thoughts were tangled together. What was I talking about? Nathan's fingers were on my cheek and he murmured, "I'm sorry I had to do that."

"Do what?" I asked. His fingers were in mine again and I was instantly angry then almost simultaneously it disappeared. I pulled away from him and blinked in surprise.

And then I was utterly happy. I grinned and I wanted to jump into the air with joy. Why? I didn't know.

He let go of me, and the happiness rushed back out and into his fingers.

Was he controlling my feelings?

"Do you believe me now?" he said. I think I nodded, still trying to get it through my head. Maybe he really _did_ have powers.

"Don't think about it too much..." he chuckled and I nodded again dumbly.

His soft laugh filled my ears once again, warmed my heart, and made him smile that smile I loved. With mesmerizing, ocean-blue eyes he looked at me and then vowed, "I promise, I'll always be here to protect you...until the day I die."

# Part II: Sapphire Cocoon

Part II Preface:

I never really thought that doing what I was doing now, would help Nathan at all. I never even knew I was capable of doing it! But with both of our lives at stake, things had to be done.

Nathan couldn't keep protecting me, and then only hurting himself in return. I didn't want to hurt him any longer. I needed to do something about it, and somehow still keep us alive.

Did I even have the mind to do this, or the will?

At the moment, it seemed like it was the only way.

## Chapter 13 Serina

The start of the week brought plenty of rainfall and high tide at the beach; Nathan and I didn't spend our time there. But even though the weather was bad, that didn't change my bright mood. Nathan was still with me every day, so everything was perfect, despite the where or how. And Spring break was only a few weeks away. After discovering that I contained powers within myself or even that my real name was Serina—it was all Nathan called me—I knew things were going to change.

I was washing the dishes, waiting for Nathan to come over, cleaning a small boning knife I used for making dinner with a sponge. Even though it was small it could've sliced right through the sponge if I wasn't careful. The smell of baked garlic chicken filled the air and I breathed it in with a content inhale. Suddenly, with no warning, I felt arms wind around my waist and a voice murmur, "Hey, Serina."

Involuntarily I clenched the knife I was cleaning and felt the blade slice into my hand. I gasped when I saw bright, red blood rolling down my fingers. Shocked, I let it clatter to the sink. Nathan acted immediately, an uncomfortable and anguished expression clouding his face. I drew in a deep breath through clenched teeth as he helped rinse the wound clean.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized. I couldn't say a word as the fresh pain shot up through my hand. Nathan leaned over and examined the cut in my palm. Then he licked his thumb and pressed it against my wound tracing the cut from the bottom to the top. To my astonished disbelief, the cut disappeared after his finger. I inhaled as the pain slipped away. He gave me a sideways, dog smile, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Oh my gosh...." I murmured.

"Are you all right?" he asked, gentle hands cupping my face. I stared at him unable to say a word through my awe.

"I'm sorry. That was stupid of me. Serina, I—"

I twisted my fingers in his hands, pulling them away from my face to silence him.

"Please it wasn't your fault."

Still wrapped in his arms, I carefully picked up the knife, and washed it thoroughly, putting it away. I turned to see that his jeans and shirt were both dry. His ocean blue eyes sparkled in the kitchen light and his golden, blond hair shone like the sun. I studied his lean, athletic figure for a moment. The oven's timer made me jump and I twirled around to open the oven door.

"That smells amazing," Nathan told me, "you made it yourself, like, without a recipe?"

Grasping the pan with potholders, I turned and frowned at him. Playfully acting as if I was offended, I said, "Ouch."

He laughed apologetically and muttered, "That's not what I meant."

With a roll of my eyes, I replied sarcastically, "Sure it wasn't."

I shrugged the chicken off of the sheet then scooped out the broccoli from a pot on the stovetop to dish both of our plates. Nathan took them to the dining table and we both sat down to eat.

I heard the rain pick up against the roof. I loved it almost as much as I loved Nathan. As I grasped my fork, eyes flashing, I murmured, "Now, tell me all the _fantastic_ things about these so-called Universals."

Today, he was finally going to confess everything. I always knew that Nathan had something that he was hiding from me, ever since I met him. Discovering that you and your boyfriend had supernatural powers was not the easiest thing to work out. But now, he needed to explain the incident in New York...and I would make sure of it. Nathan melted my thoughts with one smile and I dug into my food as he talked.

"There are a few select humans that have powers," he said, "We call them Universals; they are rare. They have two main powers along with super speed and strength. A Universal could gain powers at any time in their life. And then, there are contracts you have to sign, to hold you accountable to each side. You can choose to be on the Light, also known as the Light Blue, and use your powers for good. Or you can be on the Dark or Dark Red and choose to use your powers for evil. But both the Light and Dark fight over what we call the Apostles. And you are an Apostle.

"The Apostles are a line of offspring that have greater powers than normal Universals. Every five years, a new Apostle's powers emerge and are fought over by good and evil...sometimes even before they realize they're a Universal."

He took a bite of his chicken, moaning in delight at its flavor. I rolled my eyes.

"But, how can the Dark or Light get powers from Apostles?" I asked.

"The only way Universals can get other powers is by placing their hand in front of someone and consciously pulling their powers out. But, they must have their full concentration on what their doing. If something distracts them, the chain breaks and the powers are returned to their owner. When a Universal's powers are taken from them in this way, there's not a good chance of survival."

Wincing briefly at the memory, I understood now what happened in New York.

"So, is that what those floating lights are?"

"Yes," he answered, "this flame or light comes out of the Universal as their powers are transferred. It contains some of the Universal's soul, which is why you usually can't survive after it. It's called a Soul Exchange.

"But, Soul _Possessions_ are a completely different matter. It's when a different soul with powers takes over another Universal's body. Only the Dark does it, because it's extremely dangerous and is always fatal to the old soul. Humans have white flames and Universals who are neither Darks nor Lights have lavender flames. If you have a maroon or dark black soul, you have sworn an oath to the Dark and if you have a light blue flame, you belong to the Light Blue. The lighter the flame, the better the person's soul is. The darker it is...well you see my point."

"And why do some Universal's eye colors look different?" I asked.

"Your eye color shows which side you support as well. Your green eyes would change to light green if you joined the Light and vice versa. There are signs that represent each side as well. For the blue, there is a sign that looks circular," Nathan explained as—the artist that he was—he pulled out a small piece of paper from the table, grabbed a pen and began scribbling on it. He showed me a beautiful oval with a several thick lines surrounding it.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, "Like the necklace Charilyn gave to me?"

It was still around my neck. I felt a heavy weight on my chest.

He nodded and then drew another symbol. This one was different. It started with numerous outlines of squares that got bigger. Then four jagged points came out from each side, more accents and lines were added and then he showed it to me, and continued, "This is the Dark Red's symbol. It represents everything they stand for. And the circular one stands for the Light Blue. They put it everywhere: to mark territory, to wear as jewelry, even tattoos."

Gravely I said in a small voice, "Garrett has that on his shoulder, doesn't he?"

It was horrible to think that Garrett made that choice.

"Yes," he answered remorsefully, "When you gain powers, you gain a responsibility. And you have to choose a side. You can't decline against agreeing to one without being fought over in the end."

We were silent for a moment as we ate and then finally Nathan said, "When I was nine years old, my grandmother had amazing powers. Power sensing—that's what it was called. She knew exactly when an Apostle was born, what their powers would be and what their futures would hold. Being an Apostle herself she was influential to all other Universals but there were many fights over her,"—he scrutinized my expression for a moment then continued—"She never joined a side. Universals visited her in a secret place to find whether or not an Apostle was born.

"My grandmother was the one who told your biological parents that their daughter would be an Apostle. For some reason, she favored you out of all the Apostles she knew about. She told my family about it and when she shared it with me she told me the reason behind her joy. She said that I would meet you someday and fall in love with you. At the time, I was just glad I'd get to meet someone who too was a Universal. Who would understand how hard it was to keep the secret only to my family...."

He was quiet for a long time, and I squeezed his hand. He looked up at me with sad, blue eyes and he said with a soft voice, "But uh...when we went to visit her one day, she passed away in her sleep."

"I'm sorry," I told him.

He shook his head, half-heartedly smiling, "It's all right. Anyway, when I met you, everything about you reminded me of my grandmother's stories so I knew I had to know more about you."

"The beach," I said, piecing it together now.

"Yeah and when you told me about your life it was as my grandmother said it would be. I couldn't believe that you were really _Serina_! And then once I began to learn more and more about you, I fell in love," he said stroking the side of my face. His words lingered in the air for a moment and he pulled my face to his pressing his lips to mine. When he pulled back he sighed contently.

"What kind of powers do you have?" I said.

"I can feel people's emotions and manipulate them. Like making them believe one thing and not the other. I can also heal, as you probably know," he told me looking down into my eyes. "You remember all that crazy stuff that happened to you the first month you moved here?"

Even he couldn't stop the pain that leaked through the edges of the wall of protection in my mind. It only reminded me of my parents' and Charilyn's death. I nodded stiffly.

"Well, those weren't just accidents. They were Universals trying to kill you, knock you into unconsciousness and take advantage of you. Everyone wants your powers, because no Universal has ever been born with the ability to control _all_ elements. Not just that but for the past seventy years, the Dark have been plotting to destroy the human race. But since you can extinguish all life, you are practically they're cheat card. If they get you its checkmate for all us and they will do whatever it takes, even if it's the last thing they do," Nathan told me honestly in a grave way. His blue eyes stared deeply into my green ones. "But I won't let that happen; I won't let them hurt you anymore. They will pay for what they did to you."

"I love you, Nathan," I said softly, trying not to be anxious as he grabbed my hand in his across the table, "but can I tell you something?"

"Of course," he answered.

"I just wished you could be normal like I am right now. I don't know if I'm ready to be a Universal," I told him, letting his hand go and finishing my dinner.

He was quiet for a moment then he said, "You will, sweetheart."

I had one question left and it was burning in my throat. I couldn't hold my tongue good enough to keep my mouth shut. I was a cat. And curiosity killed the cat, right? I could never help it.

"Nathan...what about your family—how are they, you know, organized?" I asked softly after Nathan finished his food.

"My father signed the Dark contract several years ago and my brother followed in his footsteps. My mother divorced my father and signed the Light contract and Fae did the same."

I asked quietly, "And what about you; what side are you on?"

He looked into my eyes truthfully and murmured, "I signed the Light contract."

Without warning, a sharp pain shot my back, like a whip hit me straight across the back. I gasped, falling to the floor and the chair followed my lead, but Nathan stopped it before it could touch me.

"Serina!" Nathan exclaimed, pushing the chair away as I coiled in agony on the tile. My back stung with the heat of fire and agony. I groaned, biting back a scream. "Serina, sweetheart, are you okay?"

Nathan reached to my lower back where I felt the burning pain and his eyes widened. He gently touched the spot then pulled his hand away, when I moaned. There was blood on his fingers.

"Come here," he murmured helping me sit on an upright chair. Nathan moved around me and pulled my shirt halfway up. I heard him catch his breath in horror as he traced my lower back near the spot where it stung. Then his tone took on a sense of fear, "No...."

"What?" I managed to gasp out, but not without effort. I gripped the edge of the chair for support.

"No...it can't be...." Nathan continued to mumble to himself. But this time his tone took on a horrifying tone of realization. "I can't believe this..."

"Nathan, _what is it?_ " I insisted, tears rolling down my cheeks.

Without saying a word, he picked me up and we were both standing in the bathroom, my back facing the mirror.

Nathan cursed under his breath. I turned my head around only to turn it back around a second later and feel my stomach flip. I held back the urge to vomit. A slash, the length of my entire waist, was imbedded in my skin bloodied and burnt as if I had been struck with a whip that was engulfed in flames. Tears beaded on my eyelashes and I shut my eyes tight.

"Nathan," I cried, clenching his shirt in my hands, "it hurts...I can't stand."

He helped me sit on the seat of the toilet, a look of torment on his face. I cried silently. How could I have gotten that just sitting there? What in the world was going on?

"Don't move I'm going to try and heal it," he told me. He placed his hand above the wound and, after a moment, cursed under his breath. His expression became exasperated and his shoulders rigid.

"Nathan?" I moaned under my breath, the slow pain creeping through my body, making even the smallest of movements send acid pumping through my veins. A sob escaped my body and I let out another cry.

"Serina, I...I can't heal it...." Nathan murmured in a defeated tone.

"What?" I croaked out.

"It was created by...a Universal; a Dark Universal."

***

_"Ow..._ " I exclaimed again as Fae—for the last time—cleaned the long gash. But, it felt like it was making the pain worse. Fresh tears still rested on my cheeks as Nathan tried to make me focus on something beside the pain. He tried making conversation but shut his mouth with a miserable failure and just let my fingers clutch onto him so tight the knuckles lost their color.

"I'm sorry, just hold still...!" Fae tried to tell me earnestly. She was wrapping my wound but I was making it far too difficult by crying.

Nathan's blue eyes were easy to concentrate on until Fae pulled tighter on the bandage and I inhaled quickly through clenched teeth.

"She's done, baby," I heard Nathan whisper in my ear. I let him draw me into his chest. "You're fine."

"Oh for crying out loud," Fae groaned, "You're welcome!"

She exited the bathroom, but I stayed wrapped in Nathan's arms unwilling to move. But my back hurt just standing. In the other room, as I hid my face in Nathan's collarbone, Fae told Nathan, "You know what this means, right? Ben is going to know about this and he's going to want a pretty good explanation for it."

"Yeah, I understand Fae."

I looked up into Nathan's uneasy eyes; they seemed to stretch on and on for miles. He spoke, brushing back my curls, "Are you okay?"

"I could be better," I told him. "What is she talking about? Who's Ben?"

He sighed clenching his fists, and then finally told me, "It's hard to explain right now. But whatever happened, Serina, I swear I will find out who did this."

I let it go, in too much pain to pry any further for an elaboration. Max stood there staring at us, cocking his head like he knew something was wrong. I went to him and stroked the top of his head.

"Nathan, we should probably head home," Fae murmured gently, "Serina needs some time."

"No," he cut her off with such finality I winced, "I'm not leaving you."

Fae was spot on. I did want time alone.

I sighed closing my eyes for a moment and leaned against the wall. It seemed even I was going to have a hard time convincing him.

"Nathan, I need to take this all in. Fae, am I going to be fine?" I asked my eyes still closed. Fae nodded. I turned to him, opening my eyes to stare into his critical blue sapphires, "Nathan, sometimes we need time to ourselves."

"I don't know, Serina...." Nathan started unsure, "I mean with what just happened and..."

"Please?" I asked in a quiet voice. "It doesn't have to be that long, just a couple of hours. I can manage—besides Max is with me!"

He still looked undecided. I moved to him, my arms locking around his waist, and stretched up on my tiptoes to kiss him. Then he pulled back to look into my eyes.

"I'm sorry for being so controlling. If you want a few hours to yourself then I'll let you have some alone time. Just call me if you need anything, okay?" He asked, giving me the victory.

"Thank you," I told him.

"All right, then. I'll see you later," Nathan concluded. Slipping on his jacket, I escorted them to the door. He turned, kissed my cheek, and then slipped out into the rain with Fae.

## Chapter 14 Serina

"Come in..." I called. My eyes were fixed on the game screen. I swung the sword back and forth and then tumbled past a fireball that was thrown at me. It was another rainy morning. Abby spent the entire day with me shopping until the sun came crashing down to the horizon and the clouds came out with a heavy rain that forced us back home. Today was my chill day. I was playing one of my favorite video games on my Nintendo game cube. Surprisingly, it still worked after I blew about an inch of dust from the top of it. I paused the video game, setting the malfunctioning controller down to see who entered my house.

His blonde hair was styled today, spiked up into somewhat of a cowlick. It was cute. He shrugged off his jacket, his blue eyes bright and attentive as I stood too.

"Hi."

I smiled when he returned the hug with a soft kiss.

"What are you playing?" Nathan asked me gesturing to the game surprised.

"Oh, I used to play this game as a kid. It's called Zelda. Old school..." I laughed, mindlessly brushing my hair back behind my ear.

Nathan smiled, looking extremely amused. "That's awesome. What else do you have that I don't know about?"

I laughed then revealed the entire rack of them that was shoved into the drawers of the entertainment center.

"Wow...I guess I don't really know everything about you..." Nathan muttered.

I smiled and then asked, "From now on, no more secrets?"

"Of course..." He said.

"Well," I said softly but suddenly gravely, "then you should probably know that I..."

"What?"

"Never mind..."

"No," he murmured, knowing I was serious, "tell me."

I took a deep breath and said, "I stole all of these..."

"What?"

I swallowed. His eyes widened a bit.

"Are you serious?"

I nodded guiltily.

"Serina, you couldn't have actually..."

I couldn't help it. Before he could finish, I started cracking up.

"I'm totally kidding!" I laughed, another round of giggles escaping my lips. He ground his teeth together and stalked out of the door.

"Nathan!" I called after him accidentally letting another amused chuckle free. I turned off the game system and ran after him, grabbing my keys, my phone, and my jacket, struggling to multi-task in a rush. He was silent as I shut the door behind me.

"Come on, Nathan..." I called, grabbing his face in my hands and staring into his blue eyes. "I was just joking...."

I smiled and then pressed my lips against his.

"Is that your apology?" He asked when I pulled away.

"Mmmhmm..." I murmured simply.

He leaned forward.

"In that case, I think you need to apologize again..." Then he stole another kiss from me.

I smiled as we got in the car. He started the engine then drove me to the beach and we strolled on the empty shore for a while saying nothing. The sky was dark and the waves were rough but we stayed away from the tide, nice and dry.

There was no one in sight since it was still drizzling—no one went to the beach when it rained—and I loved it. It was private and it felt as if man had never touched the endless sea of crystal blue water.

"Hey, Nathan..." I began, turning my head to look at him. "I was thinking...about my powers?"

"Go on..." He urged, wrapping his arm around my waist. I moved to wind my fingers in his hand when all of a sudden the ground beneath us shook and let out a loud groan. Nathan grabbed me before I fell over, losing my balance to surprise and confusion.

"What's happening?" I exclaimed, terror in my voice as I looked up into Nathan's panicked expression. My mind was going wild with questions. Was it an earthquake?

His eyes darted around as soon as I flung my head to the side staring at the sand that was rippling beneath our feet. A loud, but muffled, boom spread out around us, and made the waves in the ocean churn. Wind began to blow; so strong at first I lost my balance. I fell from Nathan's arms and onto a thin coat of ice along the sand.

"What in the world?" I said aloud stunned. Nathan grabbed me and held me in an unbreakable hold in his arms before I could get up. I couldn't move an inch. "What are you doing?"

Nathan put one secure arm around my whole body, and a finger to his lips before I could say another word. His face was frozen into a mask of fear. He knew what was going on!

"Serina..." Nathan's voice was serious and a little startled, but not afraid like his expression had been a few seconds ago. I looked up at his face, only to find that it was twisted into a relieved expression. Another shake hit the beach as I moved my head up.

"Don't move."

I froze under his direction and stared at his face paralyzed.

Suddenly, my eyes refocused on him and his face was more beautiful than before, although I never thought it possible. His eyes were brighter and bluer than any blue I'd seen. Every breath he took, every time his heart pumped, it reached my ears in a symphony of human sounds. I could see the perfection of his skin, even the tiny flaws and indents of past-healed wounds—the little amount that there was. The sun broke through the clouds and ricocheted off of his golden strands, sending his hair into a miraculous, golden fire. I was mesmerized into stunned idiocy.

Not only that, but my ears were suddenly fine-tuned to hear the faintest sound from miles away. I heard the cry of a baby further down the beach in a house. The quick moving beat of a train's wheels; a group of teenagers laughing; a fish popping out from the surface of the ocean water; the anchor of a boat hitting the surface of the ocean; everything. It was magnificently overwhelming.

Once Nathan thought I wouldn't move, he pulled me up, standing slowly. Letting go of me, he cautiously darted a few yards away keeping his eyes on me. But I didn't want, or like, the space between us. I itched to have my fingers in his hair, to have my lips against his. He was more attractive than ever and I wasn't sure if I could control myself.

"Serina," he said in a gentle, guiding voice, "I think..."

Before he could finish what he was saying I ran toward him, forgetting his instructions, in front of him in no time at all. The ground didn't tremble. The wind hadn't blown. The ice melted. And for some odd reason, I could _smell_ him. I could smell a mix of the ocean breeze and his clean scent. The smell was wonderful, yet impossible to explain.

I kissed him furiously, in a way we'd never kissed before. He gently tugged at my face, but it only frustrated me. I pulled him closer to me grasping his hair in my fingers. He winced under my hands and made a horrid attempt to move away.

"Serina," Nathan murmured, when I pulled back for a momentary breath. I wasn't able to keep his lips to mine, when he pushed my face away forcefully. I frowned. What was that for? I kept my hands in his slick hair, not willing to let go. His skin was amazingly smooth, but I couldn't get around to feeling it when he pulled away from me.

"What happened?" I asked breathlessly winding my fingers through his hair again, despite his hands trying to pry them back away. Something was telling me I was stronger than him.

"Serina, you just got a small taste of how strong you are and you need to listen to me. I don't want you to get hurt or anyone else for that matter, but you have to focus on controlling your strength. I'm sure you feel really strange but it's only because of the sudden change. The start of your powers causes all of your senses to escalate," he explained to me.

"Oh," I breathed. My cheeks took on a shade of light pink as I looked at him a bit embarrassed. "But...I can _smell_ you..."

"You'll get used to it. I know it feels unfamiliar and new but you have to hold the power back," he said very seriously. I nodded a quick bob and he half-smiled. My heart pounded unnaturally loud.

"All right, now I want you to..." I listened to his voice, sidetracked, rather then his words. It flowed like a spring breeze, and it soothed me, even though I didn't know what he said. He placed a hand on my arm and his touch sent shivers down my back, it felt good and I was wholly distracted by the gesture.

"Serina," Nathan repeated.

"I-I'm sorry," I apologized, blushing again slightly, "I didn't hear you; you're just so different...in a good way!"

"I see," he said, giving me a hesitant smile. There was no comparison; it was the most handsome smile in the world. My breath caught in my throat and I seemed to stare at him in fascination. When he noticed his mistake, his smile disappeared.

I pressed my lips to his. My blood pumped with a new, fiery passion. Nathan's reluctant lips made my temper flare. Suddenly, he broke away. It wasn't until then that I noticed I'd propelled him against the cliff face. He was right; I did need to control my strength.

"Geez, Sam..." Nathan murmured almost angrily in a tone I didn't understand. He unlocked my arms from around his neck and pulled me alongside him, looking straight ahead. He looked upset.

My attitude changed from befuddled to apologetic in seconds.

"Nathan, I didn't mean to upset you," I told him frowning. I wanted to snag a good look at his face, but every time I tried he always turned away. My eyes trailed down his shoulder, to his arm, studying his defined muscles... _no, I had to stop that!_

Before we reached the aperture between the slope and the cliff top, I glimpsed Nathan's new expression. Upset now seemed to be an understatement.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked regretfully. He didn't give me a reaction, seeming to be fighting with himself over something—even when I tugged on his hand he refused to say what was on his mind when we stopped.

"We have to get to Fae," he told me. He kept his eyes away from me and startled me by walking away again, not even bothering to hold my hand anymore.

A rush of shame passed through my frame. Being an Apostle was useful for nothing. I hurt Nathan and only embarrassed myself. Already, I was felt stupid for the feelings I once had on looking forward to gaining my powers. Now, I wanted more than anything for them to be gone. But I made Nathan bitter with me because of my haste and carelessness. It was just that they were so difficult to handle! Like a foreign energy entered into me and my body hadn't a clue of how to understand it all.

"Nathan?" I called looking up at him. Maybe there was a slim chance he would forgive me.

He responded only with the cold shoulder; he was probably too angry to say anything. I let the tears slip from my eyes; the regret that washed through me filled my stomach with an unsettling hurt. A lump grew in my throat and my mouth dried up.

My eyes fell as I took my hand and wiped the tears off my face and the trail they left behind. Why couldn't I control myself? My emotions, my senses, and everything in between suddenly took on their own minds. I walked away; the opposite destination Nathan was headed.

At my sniffle, Nathan appeared in front of me flawlessly just to cup my face in his hands.

"Are you crying?" he asked startled, all traces of whatever feelings he had wiped clean from his soft features.

"No," I muttered stupidly, as the tears I had been trying so hard to keep back spilled out again. His fingers brushed them from my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to shut you down like that," he told me kissing me sweetly. He caught me in a tight hug, holding my head against his chest, resting his cheek on my hair then pulled back to look into my eyes, stroking my cheek. "I know what it's like. It's just...I can't control myself when you do that!"

He couldn't control himself when I kissed him? My cheeks felt hot as he whispered, "You're fine. Just don't startle me like that again.... Do you forgive me?"

I sniffed and didn't answer at first. But then he smiled meekly and I couldn't help myself.

"Yes," I said in a small voice.

He ducked his head down to meet my teary, green gaze and grinned widely. He asked, "Do I get a smile?"

I shook my head stubbornly.

"Please?" He begged looking into my eyes. He pulled out a dog grin that sent my heart on red alert. I hid my face away to cover the small curve growing on my sealed lips; he already had me.

"I see something that looks awfully like a smile..." Nathan teased softly, arms slowly moving around my waist. The small curve spread across my face until it was a full-blown smile and he spotted it.

"Yes!" Nathan exclaimed triumphantly. I ran toward the water fast enough to make me trip in surprise and I splashed him when I realized he was on my tail. He caught me quickly and lifted me out of the water, laughing along with me.

"Put me down!" I told him. Ever the softie, he planted my feet back into the water turning me around so he could hug me.

"That's my girl..." He murmured, grinning handsomely. I returned a weak smile and then he walked with me back to the car.

***

Nathan took us back to his house and I sprawled myself across the couch, feeling drained of energy.

"Fae!" he called up the stairs. "I need you down here."

My mind wondered back to earlier, when Nathan said I had a small taste of how powerful I am. Did that mean I really had my powers? I sat up and leaned against the arm of the sofa. I stared at my fingers, my brow furrowing as Fae came bounding down the steps. I snapped my fingers and breathed a word I didn't know had meaning, " _Ignis_."

A small flame, like on the wick of a candle, appeared from the tips of my fingers.

"Oh my goodness...!" Alexandra exclaimed, her eyes wide on me, "You got your powers!"

I smiled as Nathan too turned to observe the flame in my hand.

"You can control fire, water, ice, wind, and earth," she told me, smiling, "and you can control large amounts of energy."

I closed my palm then quietly whispered, " _Glacialis_."

My clenched fist froze. I smiled and opened my hand when it returned to normal.

"We'll need to help you work on control," Fae told me as she took a spot by me on the couch. "But for now, we have to keep it a secret. No one knows what happened at the beach..."

Nathan finished for her, "But there's no doubt the Light and the Dark won't know about it very soon."

Fae let out a sigh and heaved her self back up from the couch. "Well, there's not much I can do for you. Just be careful about _everything_. Both the Dark and Light will no doubt be on our tails now."

"I'll take her home." Nathan let out a sigh.

"Well, gee," I murmured, with a half-smile, "I'm glad to have contributed to this group discussion!"

Nathan omitted a gentle laugh and pulled me to him to press his lips to the center of my hairline.

When we got home, Nathan wondered to the shelf above my television to gaze at the pictures. I brewed myself some peach tea and settled into one of the high chairs, simply content to study the new way my eyes took in my surroundings. Everything seemed to be in high-definition, no more blur just an extraordinary replacement of color.

"Is this your family?" Nathan asked, looking up from the picture frame in his hand, in it a wrinkled photo of my mother, father, brother, and I. I looked up at him, as I sipped at my tea. I remembered only a few things about my real family, but they were faint memories in my mind.

"Yeah," I answered at the weak memory of her in my head.

"You look so much like your father." He smiled.

"We got professional pictures taken on my third birthday. The couple that adopted me found the picture in my pocket a couple of nights after they took me in. I've never let go of it. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to remember anything about them but this one lullaby my mom used to sing to me. I don't remember the words, hardly the melody. But I do remember what happened the night Ian and Elena took me in," I told him, holding back tears by staring at the floor and playing with my fingers.

"Will you sing the lullaby for me?" he asked, lifting my head up so he could see my face.

"No, I can't remember it all that good anyway..." I objected, but he held my face in his hands smiling lightly.

"Please?" He pleaded.

"No..." I shook my head, extremely embarrassed. "But I can show you on the piano...."

My smile faded as I went to sit at the piano seat. Nathan sat next to me as I laid my fingers on the piano keys. A familiar lullaby found my ears and I realized my hands had already begun to play. As the music played, memories flooded through my mind and tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them out. I remembered the lyrics though, because as I played they came to me:

Walk into the light my darling

Hold to the world above

Know that someone is always here

To love you, love you as you are

Failed to do the right my darling?

Always endlessly wrongdoing?

Know that I will always love you

Love you as you are

"It's beautiful...." Nathan told me wrapping his arms around me when I finished.

His smile was warm as he leaned down to kiss me. As he lips met mine, so did his sweet taste. My heart thumped with obnoxious strength and my face grew hot as I pulled his skin closer to mine. If it wasn't for his self-control, I probably would've made a fool of myself.

"Serina..." Nathan whispered softly, unlocking his lips from mine. I leaned in to him again, pressing my mouth against his before he could speak and, unwillingly, he let me. A moment later, he moved back an inch, flashing a row of heart-breaking straight, white teeth.

"Serina," he murmured gently, "sweetheart, you're doing it again..."

I pulled back, my cheeks flushing for the third time today. I pressed my forehead against the lid of the piano and mumbled, "Sorry."

He laughed musically and said, "Come on, how about I kick your butt in a game of _Mortal Combat_?"

I grinned at the challenge. "Bring it on..."

## Chapter 15 Nathan

"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to believe that? What happened?" I demanded harsher than I intended. _Good._

Benjamin finally spoke, "Nathaniel, in your contract it said that you cannot say you are on the Light Blue, or engage in any event of the—"

"Light Council, I know," I groaned internally, remembering. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes briefly. How could I have forgotten? How could I have been so stupid to tell her the truth? It had only brought her more pain. But if I was playing along I had to play by the rules.

"Since we're finished with that, can you explain why you haven't delivered a single package this week?" Ben asked. I hoped that subject wouldn't have come up.

"I'll get one now, an _Apostle's_ ; they weren't activated until yesterday...but they're powerful, believe me."

"And why didn't you get them then?" He pressed, cutting me off.

"I didn't have time; there was no opportunity," I told him, making my tone convincing. I calmed him a bit and made sure that he would believe me.

Suddenly, he glared at me darkly. "Don't play any games with me, Nathaniel! Do you think I'm stupid? Look at your brother, once and while, will you? He brought me twice his normal amount of packages last week."—A flash of anger and, surprisingly, jealousy coursed through me—"You're getting more like your mother every day. You will give me a package soon, Nathan, or else..."

My father stared at me for an agonizing moment and then turned away.

"I will see you when your Spring Break starts, Nathaniel...and you _will_ have at least four packages at the Sunday meeting," he concluded, walking swiftly into the darkness. I turned and walked out into the overcast day, slipping my jacket on and getting in my car, and then I sped off, taking the dark contacts out from my eyes.

How dare he compare me to Garrett, as if he expected me to go down with the both of them! I should've known this was going to be a daily challenge. But I was doing it for the sake of the ones I loved most. If I let them down, I let the Light down. And if the Light went down so did humanity.

Speaking of those I loved most, I pulled into her driveway by the time my anger faded, but stress temporarily replaced it. I stepped from my car, walking to the door. Before I could even touch it, it swung open, and I watched her expression lighten with joy. Her scent exploded in my face and I smiled at her. I may have seen some beautiful girls before but none were as gorgeous as Serina was.

She threw her arms around me and exclaimed, her voice tingling like wind chimes, "Hi, Nathan!"

Right away, I could tell that she must have still been upset from the other day. Not just that but in her olive green eyes it wasn't hard to see that she was trying to control herself. Involuntarily I wanted to frown, only because I remembered how hard it had been for me when I discovered my powers. I didn't want her to struggle, to hold back her new, uncontrollable emotions for me.

"Hey," I greeted planting a kiss against her silky, dark hair—equally shiny and smooth in its full curls. Her face was soft and feathery, but delicate. I stood in the threshold as she gathered her things and pulled on her sweater.

She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed me but I grasped her face in my hands and held her to my lips a moment longer. I felt her blood pump faster underneath my fingers and she circled her arms around my shoulders. I pulled back in time to look in her green eyes that gleamed with a soft confusion—they were the most beautiful green I'd ever seen in the world, and I'd been around. She realized what she had been doing and I stroked her cheek.

"It's okay, Serina. Don't be so hard on yourself," I whispered.

Finally, she sighed and said straightforwardly, "I owe you an apology."

"For what?" I asked.

"For acting like a wild animal," she murmured sheepishly, "It wasn't right that I kissed you like that. And I should've controlled myself better."

Had someone told her to apologize to me, or was she doing this all by her own will? Immediately I took her hands in mine and looked deep into her eyes. I said, "I forgive you, sweetheart. Because forgiveness is one of those things loved ones should have a huge supply of."

She laughed and nodded in agreement as I guided her toward the car.

"Come on, I've got a surprise for you."

"Really?" she asked, her voice a high shrill as her face lifted. Her eyes sparkled as she opened the passenger door.

"Yeah," I told her, smiling widely, "come on, I'll show you."

When we reached my house, I parked the car and we got out. I smiled at Serina's half-startled expression.

"I'm going to show you something before we leave," I told her getting out. She followed my suit and I led her over to the side of the house where no one could spot us.

"All right, I'm going to teach you how to run, although you already seem to be getting it down..." I laughed. Serina's eyes were abruptly anxious and a bit scared. "Don't worry, it's easy. It will come naturally to you."

She nodded then inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Right..."

"Relax, it's very simple just fix your mind on speed."

I ran down to her house and back in less than a second.

"Did you notice that I was gone?" I asked. She nodded again.

"Good, your vision is perfect," I said, "Now, I want you to try and run to your house and back as fast as possible."

She nodded and closed her eyes, exhaling.

Her eyes opened and she stared at me weaving her fingers nervously as if waiting for me to do something. I stood there stunned. I'd only seen a slight absence, but that couldn't have been...

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked in a small voice.

"No!" I forced the word out of my mouth, trying to find my mind. "Did you already go?"

"Yeah..." she said, anxiously.

I was speechless; she hadn't even moved an inch. But then she started to apologize. "I'm sorry—"

"No, no! It's just that I've never seen anyone so...so fast before. It was almost as if you teleported."

She smiled timidly and thanked me.

"I guess we can go now," I said, offering her my hand. She braided her slender fingers through mine and I pulled her along side me. And then we were both running. Deliberately I slowly let her hand go and she pulled back behind me switching over to my right side and I saw her eyes wild with glee.

Serina grinned and exclaimed, " _This is amazing!_ "

"All right," I told her and smiled, running off ahead. I shouted back, "We're almost there!"

Out of thin air she was in front of me running backwards her hands behind her head, relaxed, but her expression playfully jeering.

"Come on, slowpoke! I can walk and still beat you!" she said, throwing her head back and laughing lively. I slowed to a quick jog but not quite human pace. She flashed in front of me then around my back as if we weren't going the speed of light already. Shaking my head in amazement, I nearly fell into a tree as we hit the forest area. I heard her laugh pass by me like a breeze.

I paused, my feet turning to find her, but she was nowhere in sight. There was a sudden snap of a twig, and I swiveled back around to see Serina but only for a split second right before she slammed into me. We both fell to the forest ground, pine needles snagging our clothes and hair. Serina grimaced and her green eyes found mine as she tucked back her curls.

"Sorry!" she said breathlessly. I helped her back up and brushed the leaves from her brown locks. I caught her by surprise by grasping her waist and drawing her close to me. I pressed my lips to hers.

"I can't wait any longer!" She exclaimed almost bubbling over with anticipation. Her eyes lit up, as she asked, "What's the surprise?"

That was one thing I loved about her: her sweetness. And when her rare spunky moments shone through that beautiful face I cherished them. She was sophisticated and mature when needed, and at the opportune moment she was always ready to give herself to others.

"You'll see..." I told her, smiling as I turned her around and led her down a naturally made path in the woods. My arms twisted around her and I stood behind her frame careful not to step on her feet.

"By the way," she asked, winding her fingers in mine as we walked down the trail. "Where are we?"

Her voice was full of naturally honest curiosity.

She shivered for a second, rubbing her arms trying to create friction to keep warm.

"You left your sweater in my car, didn't you?" I asked softly. I shook off my jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders without a second thought.

"No, you don't have to..." she started but I just gave her a lifted eyebrow. I wound my arm around her shoulder.

"We're in your hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona."

Several emotions passed over her sharp features. From surprise to joy, from sad to anxious, but she was happy and I was glad of that. We finally came to our destination—a clearing that was a little smaller than a baseball field.

"I'd like you to meet someone," I told her smiling and imagining her reaction as I planted my feet and gestured ahead of us.

Serina let out a shaky sob.

## Chapter 16 Serina

"Serina, this is your brother, Jonathan," Nathan said.

Nathan didn't need to introduce me, I knew who it was.

A huge grin spread on my brother's face. His light russet skin was identical to mine, though his hair a little lighter. His eyes were the color of sun-kissed soil and he was around Nathan's height.

In an instant, he ran to me in a rush of excitement and we embraced. I cried softly as we hugged. This was my brother. My brother! A boy I had never met but should've known my entire life. The arms around me were comforting and he radiated a strong sense of muskiness and love. It seemed so unreal. I could barely breathe against his bear hug.

When he pulled back to look at me with a grin, I wiped the tears from my face and smiled timidly as he looked me up and down.

"You're so grown up...the last time I saw you, you were a little baby. What were you like three?" he murmured. He laughed, seeming to bring me out of my stunned shell. Planting his hands on my shoulders he turned me around to reveal two other people. "I'd like you to meet these crazy people I call our parents."

There standing in front of me was a slender, middle-aged woman with long, dark hair and light brown eyes; the color of her skin was a subtle peach. She resembled Jonathan. A man maybe in his late forties stood next to her, his feet keeping a firm stance on the grass. His dark brown hair was in small curls—compared to my mom's swooping waves—and he held piercing, forest-green eyes that popped from his russet-colored skin.

"This is our mom and dad," Jonathan informed me, "Maradith and Chris Calaway."

I stood there for a second, trying to register it all in my head. My adopted parents told me that my real mother had been taken away from me. I believed them. But why had she been taken away? What about my father? Had he fought for me?

I took one step closer, curious and overwhelmingly unsure of what to do. With a frantic cry, my mother rushed to embrace me in an overflowing show of tears and sobs. She nearly stumbled in her frenzy.

Was I dreaming?

I threw my arms around her and she kissed my hair, unable to hold me quite tight enough. I felt my father's arms wrap around me too and I was whole—filled to the brim with distant memories of images and family glimpses. This felt _right_. I knew that I belonged here in my parent's arms. The aching in my stomach passed but I wasn't crying. I was content, just happy to breathe in the scent of my mother and father, and know that I _belonged_ to them. I found them—no, Nathan had found them.

My mom pulled back, smiling joyfully, tears covering her make-up smeared face. She didn't seem to care one bit.

"Serina..." Her voice was a river; it flowed with clarity in every word. She sighed like she had been waiting for this moment her whole life, like she'd been underwater her whole life and was finally able to breathe. I felt as if I could breathe now too. "Do you remember anything?"

Through tears, I took a breath and murmured, "A lullaby...a lullaby you used to sing to me. And sometimes I remember Dad playing it on the piano for me."

"Oh," she cried, and then laughed. It was unique, her laugh. I had never heard anything like it. It was the most comforting thing. "Look at how much you've grown; you're not my little girl anymore!"

Nathan entered the jubilant circle and Maradith smiled brightly, grasping his face and kissing his cheek.

"Thank you for keeping your promise," she told him. With a look of respect he nodded, slipping his arm around my waist to draw me close, but I had already moved into his chest.

"Why don't we talk inside?" Chris considered coolly. I hadn't noticed that there was an inside at all. I looked over my mother's shoulder and saw a two-story house, painted to blend right into the forest—no wonder I didn't see it. The worn, wooden boards stuck together with fresh paint, making the house look like new even though it was clear—because of the outstretched ivy that clung to the home—that it endured many years in this forest. With my newfound super speed, I ran and skidded to a stop in front of the home. Something large spread across my face.

Out front there was a small pond with a little waterfall flowing like liquid silver. Crystal rocks surrounded the pond with a wonderful glow. I touched the water then pulled back, giggling in interest at the weird sensation of cold liquid on my fingertips.

The windows were open and I could see that there were curtains, silver and thin as the waterfall. They blew gently in the breeze and danced gracefully on the air. I recalled the time when I stared out the window at a young age, gaping at the little white flakes falling on the other side of the thick glass.

A second later, Nathan and my family were beside me. Chris was the first to go in but I stalled behind the rest of my family as they drifted in. And for a moment I felt scared. Nathan turned back around, his brow lowering in concern.

"Is everything all right?" he murmured, my family paused right past the doorway and turned to look back at me puzzled.

I nodded my head as Nathan grasped both my hands and blocked me from my family's line of sight. He lifted my fingers to his lips to kiss and then hold them to his chest.

"I'm terrified," I finally admitted. "I know it's silly."

"It's not silly at all. And I know you're terrified," Nathan said in a sweet, warm tone. He was reading my emotions again. "But everything's going to be okay. We're just going to talk about what happened when you were separated from Maradith. They want to remind you of your childhood, so we can all move on. Okay?"

It was all just so much to take in! He pressed his lips to my forehead and lovingly guided me into my house.

The inside was massive and spacious; it didn't even look like the same house. I gawked in wonder as I eyed the staircase and turned around, struck again by fascination. Above, the ceiling held a real crystal chandelier that shimmered proudly. Each crystal was shaped to be unique so that every angle and facet caught light and ricocheted of the ceiling and walls.

I looked around to study the stairs. They wound upward delicately; the wood lighter than any wood I'd seen. It was a type of natural-looking, white wood that I could not identify but it twirled elegantly with the staircase winding along seemingly endless. A memory flashed in front of my eyes again; it was when I was a little girl, running down these same stairs and throwing my arms around my father's neck.

I turned my hypnotized gaze to the tile. It was a white, almost translucent. Small silver lines wove and braided themselves in the tiles like thin veins. I remembered always skipping on the same tile to get to the kitchen or living room. The walls were colored a beautiful green. Some rooms were a light blue and others were a perfect white. I stared at one particular wall near the kitchen door and walked slowly to it placing my hand on the surface. I remembered that I would trail my hand across the rough wallpaper when I was little.

I smiled at the memories that filled my head. Chris interrupted my train of thought.

"I'm surprised you remember; you were so young," he said quietly. My head flashed up and a smile spread across my face.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"I can read minds," he replied.

My mother waved us in to the living room and we all sat down. I took a spot in the middle of my brother and Nathan, and my parents sat across from us on the other couch in front of a lavish glass table.

"Serina..." Maradith said calmly grabbing my attention with my name in an instance. "I want to tell you your story fully, now that you're here. You need to know everything. Nathan's grandmother, Rebecca, had the power to sense other people's gifts. She came to us the day after I found out I was pregnant with you and told us that you had powers that were exquisite and far beyond anything in the whole universe since the last Apostle. But, we wanted a safe future for you; we wanted _you_ safe.

"We treated you with so much love and care. We watched your every move just so we could protect you. A friend of ours even took some precautious measures to shield the house from any other Universals. I got careless. I thought that you would be okay if I turned away from you for a second but..."

It took her a moment to start again, but as soon as she did, anguish was in her voice, "I was playing with you outside in this forest. I looked away for only a second and...and you were gone. I called for you again and again, yet I couldn't find you until I heard something off in the distance. It was you...screaming my name and crying."

Pain struck my heart. The fact that I barely remembered any of this was all the more heart-breaking. I watched my mother as her eyes filled with tears she'd cried before. She told me, "I ran faster than I had ever run in my life!"—She seemed to laugh at that—"And as I neared you, your crying stopped and a Dark stepped out from behind one of the trees. He was holding you, trying to keep you quiet. You were squirming but stayed silent and I thought he was using his powers on you. But when I tried to attack him another Dark appeared out of nowhere and tied my arms and mouth. The Dark man took me away to the Red Base. And I never saw you again. I was kept in the Dark Base for two years after that, as a prisoner."

My mother covered her face, motionless except for the slight shake in her shoulders as she held herself back from crying out. I endured the silence, blinking rapidly to force my own tears back. I imagined what the incident would've felt like. My face cringed with agonized thoughts.

Chris spoke then, rubbing Maradith's arm in an attempt to comfort her. "At the time I was out with Jon running errands, when I was coming down the trail I heard your mother screaming. Jon and I ran from the car searching for you both...but I was too late. I'll never forget that moment when I saw you in that man's arms. Maradith was far off by then and it was a battle to get you back. Jon broke his own arm saving you. But I couldn't save your mother."

"Once we brought you back home, I tried to get you to explain what happened. You weren't very much of a talker, but you couldn't stop asking where Maradith was. I was devastated. That was when I knew that I couldn't have protected you. Just Jon and I; I knew I would've never manage to do it, not with me working and him in school.

"So I gave you to a couple that were loyal to the Light Blue. Both of them were Apostles that had the ability to protect you better than we ever could. They changed your name just to be safe," he explained. His voice was cool and reserved but even his calm expression couldn't hide the agony behind his words.

"I didn't want you to grow up so vulnerable and unprotected. None of us realized how... _greedy_ other Universals were," Maradith told me honestly, "Chris did the right thing. But it took a long time for me to recover when the Light found me...especially with you gone and because..."

"They tortured her," Jonathan finished almost angrily. Maradith seemed to go pale. I never thought to see Jon angry, but he was now. It hurt to know that my family, whom barely knew me for four years, sacrificed so much to protect me.

"I'm grateful for the choice you made. Ian and Elena treated me like the most important thing in the world. I'm so sorry for what I put you through..." I told them staring down at my fingers.

"It was never your fault, Serina!" My mother told me, shaking her head, "We struggled to protect you; even Ian and Elena constantly had to move from place to place because you were in danger. Charilyn didn't die in her sleep; neither did Ian and Elena die in a car accident. It was all the Dark's doing."

Horror filled my mind and my heart dropped to my feet.

"I was a horrible mother," Maradith went on, "I let you down for one second and it cost me a whole lifetime of memories with you."

I fell silent, my hands clammy in my lap. Nathan intertwined his fingers in mine, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze, when Jonathan interrupted my train of thought.

"Well, I'll start by making up for those," he stood and smiled at me. I felt warmth flood my body and my emotions spill open, exposed to his gentleness. "Why don't you and I check out the rest of the house?"—I hesitated and realized I was unsure of leaving my parents after such an emotional talk.

Maradith urged me on with a swing of her hand, smiling passionately. "Go! Have fun."

Jon raised an eyebrow, seeing that I was still reluctant.

"What if I told you we have a Bosendorfer grand piano you could try out?"

My face brightened and my eyes widened in disbelief. Jonathan led me out of the living room and up the stairs. As I followed half a step behind him I asked incredulously, "We own a Bosendorfer Grand piano—as in one of the best pianos in the world? And we have one...? _In_ _this house?_ "

He shrugged. "I kind of just said that to get you off your butt."

## Chapter 17 Nathan

Chris was in the forest, a mile away from the house, as soon as he told me we needed to talk. I glanced back, my eyes lingering on their home, and then ran after him. We met the damp trees, our feet crunching in the dead pine needles.

Chris said levelly, "Thank you."

I smiled politely. "I would've done it regardless; you know that."

He stopped and turned to me. He stressed his terms all the more, "Truly, you have no idea how grateful I am. I owe you for the rest of my life. Even that's not enough."

"There is nothing that you owe me. I would do anything for her without a single thing in return..." I murmured.

"Yes, I know," he said nodding his head. He seemed to think for a moment and then he asked me deliberately, "You really do love her, don't you?"

I lifted my head and met his eyes, saying with a natural assurance and confidence, "With my life. I'd do anything for her. We've been through too much already. I'm glad you set this up and I'm sorry for waiting so long to reach you."

Chris shook his head. "All that matters is that she's here now."

Quietly, I admitted my concerns to him, "What if she finds out?"

Chris' stare didn't waver from my face, but clung with a modest concern for a long time. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"Nathaniel, I'm not sure. You're right, how long we can both hold this from her? We can't hide this forever," he said. "The truth finds its own way out. No matter how hard one tries to keep it away, it always finds a way back in to show itself to all who deserve it."

"I just hope that she knows, no matter what—" Before I could say any more, my name was called out, interrupting our conversation.

"Nathan!"

I swung around automatically, to see my angel bounding toward me at blinding speed. Serina embraced me, a genuine smile on her face—something I hadn't seen for a while. It made my heart warm knowing she was pleased.

"Nathan..." she said again in her breeze like voice; it was thin and relaxing. There was an indescribable emotion in her eyes; it looked as if she wanted to cry.

"What?" I asked with a frown, "Is something wrong?"

She suddenly hugged me tightly.

"No, everything is perfect. Thank you. It's the best thing anyone's ever done for me!"

I kissed her forehead gingerly, my voice earnest; "I'm glad you're happy..."

Wasn't that the reason why I'd sacrifice my own life—to make her content, make her life as blissful as it could be?

***

The next day, I dropped Serina off at her house after a long, tiring day at school and then drove home. I climbed the steps to my bedroom; everything was quiet in the house. The hallways were covered in my paintings, each of them shining with the bright colors of paint I'd used over the years. Of course, I saved my favorites for my bedroom. I stepped inside my room, closing the door tightly behind me. Gradually, my eyes swept across the room taking in the empty canvases and other masterpieces I'd created.

They landed on Serina's eyes. She looked up at me through her tousled curls. Her hair blew in the invisible wind and the dress she wore hung loosely and ripped short just above the middle of her thighs. I captured her posture and leg shape so perfectly, I'd sometime mistake it for the real her. I felt the urge to want to stroke my fingers across the painting where her face was, but that was inane.

The mattress gave me a soft response as I jumped on its sheets and lay there staring at Serina's portrait. I could never get away from it. Even when I closed my eyes, her face was behind my eyelids. I did so and let my imagination drift, grateful for the quiet soundtrack of the ocean waves and the laughter of children down at the beach, which only added to my peaceful state of mind. I zoned out for a good half hour until a picture forced itself into my mind.

I stumbled quickly down the steps, and swung open the door to the garage. My vision was blurry but the picture was clear in my head as I began to paint. I was mixing a variety of colors, especially the blues and whites. And when I opened my eyes again there she was. You couldn't see her face, but it was obvious it was _she_. There was water, from a birds-eye view. She was swimming by a sea turtle and several brightly colored reef fish, half-naked; her hair flowed out behind her in beautiful brown, reddish curls. My train of thought came to a halt when I heard Fae's voice call from the kitchen.

"Nathan?"

"Yeah," I replied. She would hear me.

"Will you come here for a second? I need to talk to you; something feel's...wrong."

I lowered my eyebrows, setting my paintbrush in its proper place on my easel.

Fae knew _everything_ , and that wasn't an overstatement just because I was her brother; "ultimate knowledge"—as my grandmother put it—was her power. She was an Apostle.

She could tell me the weather forecast in China right now or even how many rocks were on the Earth. If she was in the mood she'd let me know what the correct answers on my math tests were. If she felt wrong or uncomfortable about anything something bad was going to happen.

I was next to her in the blink of an eye.

"What's wrong?" I asked gravely. She looked up at me, her sapphire eyes boring into my face as she sat rigid on the high chair at the kitchen counter.

"Something isn't right; I know usually I can see what's happening, but I don't know. I feel like my vision is blurred...like something...or someone isn't allowing me to see what's going on. It's just not right."

"Break it up for me, Fae. Who is it? Can you tell?" I asked. Her face went blank, as it usually did when she was searching for what she wanted to know. Then her eyes widened and she exhaled, drained of energy. She lost a large amount of energy when she used her powers.

"Fae, who is it?" I asked, supporting her weight on my shoulder.

She gasped for air again then whispered in a choked tone, "Serina..."

Her words repeated over and over in my head, echoing like they were spoken inside a cave. _Serina...Serina...Serina...._

She had to be lying. But she wasn't. My mind wanted to believe that she couldn't have seen something wrong with Serina. Could it not have been anyone else?

I swung the high stool around for Fae to face me. I firmly gripped her shoulders.

"Fae, what's happening? Where is she?"

The hair on the back of my neck rose when Fae didn't answer; she was too lost in her powers to respond. But all of the sudden, I heard a barking yelp from only a few miles away.

It was undeniably Max. Gentle but swift, I set my exhausted sister on the couch and ran out the door.

_Please, don't let me be too late,_ I thought to myself, _tell me I'm not too late..._

## Chapter 18 Serina

A breeze cooled off my sweating skin as I made my way in a swift jog down the sidewalk. There was a tug on my sleeve and I twisted around to see Max sniffing my jacket.

"Max, stop that!" I scowled at him, pushing his nose away from my pocket. But when he pulled away something came loose and he held a dark and flat object in his mouth.

"Max!" I exclaimed, a bit appalled but mostly startled. He never disobeyed me—except occasionally when Nathan was around. Max suddenly ran off with what I soon realized was my wallet.

"Max, come back!" I called running after him. _Where did that dog go?_

I heard a pained yelp and then laughter. I turned down an alleyway with two brick walls indicating where houses separated and where the garbage truck picked up garbage. It was dusk and a bit hard to see. My heart thumped unevenly against my rib cage and I stepped deeper into the alleyway.

"Max?" I called into the shadows. I saw a group of men, in their late-twenties, step out of the shadows of the alley; there were at least seven of them. A gang? I felt the instinct to turn back and run when I realized Max was standing behind them—I couldn't leave him here.

"Look what the _dog_ dragged in, boys!" One of the men exclaimed in an obnoxious voice. He was tall and muscular with dark hair and hard, black-brown eyes. The gang circulated around him as if he was the sun and they the planets.

"We got us a lil' lady that was in the wrong place at the wrong time..." A short one said. I watched them warily as they slowly surrounded me, pushing me further into the heart of the alley.

"What's your name?" A pale, scrawny man with dark hair asked, grasping my waist and tugging me toward him.

"Don't touch me!" I said, pushing him back easily. The men exchanged glances with each other in mock horror and offense; they made excited and startled hoots. I wasn't in touch with my powers enough to use them correctly and safely, so how could I defend myself without accidentally hurting them—or worse, killing them?

"I like 'em feisty..." The man who seemed to deem the role of Alpha said. He laughed and stepped closer to me.

That's when I kicked him between the legs and dug my elbow into his back as he fell to the ground. I spun around and dropkicked a man behind his head with my heel and he fell, fainting from the blow.

All those self-defense classes were paying off. Turning back around, the gang pressed in tight to me and I ran at another throwing him to the ground. One moved to kick me in the chest. I grabbed his foot at the last instant and spun him around and he landed with a loud groan. I grabbed another's wrist and ducked as he threw me a punch that I was easily able to dodge. Then I sprained the wrist of another by accident just by gently twisting his arm at certain angle. He cried out loud as I threw my foot into his stomach.

After a few seconds, all seven of them were on the ground temporarily silent or whimpering in pain. Though it was all in self-defense, I had to fight the urge to reach down and help them. I pulled in my arms to my chest, a little stunned at how fast my body reacted, adrenaline still raging through my veins. Shakily, I stepped over the gang members to reach Max.

I wound my arms around his neck, murmuring reassurances to him as if he could understand me. Scaring me nearly out of my skin, the leader appeared in front of me—far too fast for any normal human being to move. But I'd seen his movement. Was it possible he, too, had powers?

"You take too many things for granted," he remarked. I shoved Max out of the way as the man's hand gripped my neck, hauling me off my feet and yanking me to a metal dumpster by the brick wall. I wheezed for my breath. I messed with the wrong group of people.

Everything about this man had the Dark written all over it—his dark brown eyes that were just approaching the dawn of blackness, his merciless expression, and, the more obvious of observations, his ring that bore the Dark Red symbol. I'd had a few run-ins with Darks, but never one where I had felt so helpless, so scared—because now I knew what they could do.

But why did none of the others have powers?

With a grunt, he slammed my head across the top of the dumpster, deforming the rusted green opening. I groaned in pain just as he leaned down close to me, his breath hot on my face.

"I knew who you were," he murmured, stroking my hair back, "the second I saw you."

From the corner of my eye, I spotted Max. His tail was tucked beneath his bottom and his ears tucked beside his face as he stared with teary eyes. Kyle looked in the direction of my gaze and Max let out a whiney hiss as he backed away, his eyes never leaving mine.

What was I supposed to do? I couldn't summon my powers. I could barely remember the words and was far too scared to try and think about them!

My jacket in his hand, he threw me down on the remaining trash dumpster and it crumpled under me as if it were cardboard. I struggled to stand, crawling on all fours off of what was left. All across my back I could feel my spine pulsing in red-hot pain and I slunk to the floor, unable to keep myself on my hands and knees.

I wasn't fast enough to defend myself when he grabbed my neck once more and held me to the brick wall. He slammed my head against the bricks so many times it left a hole, gaping in the wall. Sparks and stars zoomed past my vision. I felt the invitation of unconsciousness slide into my thoughts but I wasn't going to give up now. A word slipped from my lips, " _Ignis._ "

His jacket caught on fire and he stamped it out with his hands, dropping me to the floor where I lay in a crumpled heap. When it dispersed, he glared at me. The thought occurred to yell for help, but as soon as I thought it, the man clenched my neck so hard I let out a weak croak.

"Not gonna happen, princess..."

I was on the verge of tears, as my body pulsed with aching pain. Why was he doing this?

He took me, as if I were an animal, and slammed my head down hard on the pavement. Pain rippled through my bones as I felt my skin split and warm liquid flow down through my hair. I let out a final groan of help when I saw a figure standing at the side of the alley, its stance rubbing off as intimidating. The man standing over me grasped me tighter as if to show off to the stranger. Why wasn't this man helping me? And the thought occurred to me, that he too was a Dark.

The man threw me back onto the winkled dumpster that responded with a _crunch_.

Suddenly, as the figure walked toward us, the metal began to curl into me as if it had a mind of its own. The metal formed to my skin so tightly I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even croak out the words that spurred my powers. The man was trying to crush me to death!

There was a familiar voice I couldn't connect to my brain through my struggle.

"Enough."

I heard a chortle and then the metal pressed even closer. Just when I felt the metal flatten tight against my skin, something in my arm cracked. I gasped in anguish.

After a moment of curt silence, the man sighed, and I could feel the dumpster coiling back away from my body. I coughed, trying to regain my breath back, involuntarily withdrawing into myself, and the man turned to the approaching figure. What was the newcomer going to do when he got his hands on me? Beat me like the man, Kyle, had? Torture me? Or worse, kill me?

"Thank you, Kyle. Now, let me finish the job," an unmistakable voice commanded. I twisted around to look at him. The streetlamp was perfectly poised right behind his head. I couldn't see a thing. As I tried to shade my eyes, pain shot up my arm and a soft moan escaped my lips.

"You're _welcome_ ," Kyle spat and then _flew_ off and was gone. The figure stared hard at me and then suddenly picked me up and hugged me to him, letting out a gasp of relief.

I shoved him away shakily, and shouted, "Don't touch me!"

When he pulled away, I recognized him almost immediately in the soft shading of the dim light.

"Serina, it's me," Nathan tried to explain, sounding heartbroken. I let him hug me to his chest and stroke my hair back. He pulled back and stared horrifyingly at his fingers that were now slick with blood.

"Serina, you're bleeding badly," he exclaimed, quickly helping me up. Briskly, we made our way from the alley and into the light of the street. "Fae said there was something wrong and I came to find you as fast as I could. We need to get you home."

"I'm fine," I murmured then turned to face Max. He whimpered under my glare and sat down in the dirt, his ears falling and his eyes apologetic. "Max..."

I walked over to him and found my wallet next to him. I stroked his fur and pulled him to stand. Though he was slightly limping on his back leg, but followed me obediently as I guided him toward our home.

The throbbing in my skull worsened and it was starting to become hard to think straight.

I turned back to Nathan and exhaled a sudden frustrated sigh. I was angry. Yes, he saved me, but I was tired of this all, tired of having my life interrupted because I had powers other people wanted for themselves.

"You can go now," I said turning to go home with Max. He appeared in front of me to stop me dead in my tracks. He determinedly looked into my eyes.

"Serina," he started, surprised, "I don't think you understand the significance of this situation, how much danger this puts both of us in."

Ignoring him, I made my way back up to my house. As soon as we were in my living room I turned back around on him and my resolve snapped.

"Nathan, I'm sick of being guarded like I'm a bank safe or something!"—Nathan gazed at me startled. He froze in his tracks. His hands, which were still on the doorknob, hadn't moved an inch—"I'm not a baby, Nathan. Elena treated me like this for fifteen years, as if I was some precious stone she wanted to keep safe from the entire world."

"Serina," Nathan started, as if my words were unreasonable, "you _are_ a precious stone! You have to be protected; for your own good."

"Are you hearing yourself, Nathan?" I tried not to scream; my anger was beginning to boil over. "I am not a _thing_. I'm a living person!"—I took his hand and held it under my collarbone, near my heart—"Feel that? That is warm, living flesh. That is a heartbeat. I'm not some worthless _stone_. I'm a _human being_! For God's sake, I have feelings! Why can't anyone understand that?"

Nathan was dead silent.

My arm stung and I grasped it with my free hand, inhaling through clenched teeth. Nathan reached out for me but I drew away muttering, "Just leave me alone."

I wilted from him, my head throbbing. I left him standing there, and felt the back of my head with my fingers to find the wound, only to wince a moment later. Gratefully, I took a shower, rinsing the half-dried blood in my hair down the drain. The wound was tender and as I stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around my body, a wave of light-headedness swept past me. I dropped to the sink, knocking over several bottles and condiments.

When I opened my eyes, trying to make them find something to concentrate on, Nathan had his hands on both sides of my face. I was still on the bathroom floor, in my towel. The blue eyes in front of me were watery.

"Did I faint?" I mumbled. Nathan's forehead creased in utter concern, and then he nodded in the tough silence.

"I heard you fall and I came in," he whispered in a coarse voice, "You were unconscious for only a few seconds."

He helped me up and I leaned against the counter, feeling Nathan scrutinize my expression.

"Sorry to make you anxious," I said.

"Come here," he said. I went to his open arms and he held me to him tight. He only pulled back to press his lips onto my forehead. Energy surged through my body and I felt around the back of my head for the wound but it had disappeared as if never been there in the first place. My back and my arm all felt like new. I stared at Nathan and murmured a soft thank you.

Maybe the Universal things would get better; Nathan healed all of my wounds flawlessly and I'd still be in pain if he hadn't. I just needed to learn how to control my powers when I used them.

All of a sudden he crushed his lips to mine. I pulled away yet he leaned his forehead against mine.

"I'm sorry," he said, eyes shut, "my mind was so clouded with wanting to protect you I got overwhelmed. I don't deserve your forgiveness, because no one should be treated like that."

"Just forget about it," I told him quietly.

"Serina, please," Nathan started, holding me at arms length. He couldn't seem to fit his thoughts into words so he just stared at me, grimacing. He looked tormented, uneasy. I brushed past him and into my room to change. And for the rest of the night, neither of us brought up the topic again.

## Chapter 19 Nathan

"I'll see you in a couple hours," I told Fae, snagging my brown leather jacket from the kitchen chair and making my way toward the door.

"You're going to go see Serina again, aren't you?" she asked, before my hand was even on the doorknob, her eyes still transfixed on the ceiling as she did a yoga pose that looked...painful.

Apparently, it was her yoga time. I had come out of the garage, my recent painting still stuck thick in my mind, only to find the room soaking in the dim light that tea light candles brought. Fae was in what she called the _Warrior_ pose.

"Is there a problem with that?" I asked, turning and leaning against the door, my critical eyes on hers.

"No, but _they'll_ catch you sooner or later."

"If that happens, it will be my problem. Not yours. Mind your own business," I replied in a harsh tone I rarely ever used with her. I opened the door and ready to flee from her next reaction when she spoke again.

"I was just trying to help!"

I took a deep breath. I shouldn't have yelled at her.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, "I haven't had a good day. I feel like I'm being watched."

Fae commented in an obvious tone, "You are."

"I know! It's just..." I sighed. "I have to go see Serina. And please don't _look_ into anything for the rest of the night—it makes me anxious."

"I promise I won't. I'll make dinner tonight; it should still be hot by the time you get back."

Ten minutes later, when I got to Serina's house, I knocked on the door. No one answered and I knocked again. There wasn't a single sound inside. Her Porsche was parked outside, so where was she?

Pulling out my phone, I dialed her number and heard her ringtone play from inside the house. It resonated from her room and for a moment I frowned as it reached the seventh ring.

I heard someone pick up and a voice murmur groggily, "Hello?"

I exhaled silently.

"Hey, baby," I whispered tenderly, "Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine," Serina responded. I heard her bed springs creak and realized I'd woken her. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll let you go," I said, climbing back into my car, "Get some sleep, all right?"

I heard her murmur an agreement and then I hung up. The sun was beginning to set and there was barely any light as I rode down the street back home.

When I unlocked the door and walked in, the lights were still off. The curtains were drawn from Fae's little yoga session but the candles were blown out and Fae was nowhere to be seen.

Setting the keys on the kitchen counter, I called, "Fae?"

She wouldn't have left without shooting me a text. She knew better.

"Nathan..." she whispered from upstairs.

"Fae?" I repeated. My footsteps quickened as I made my way up the steps. My head dodged in and out of the rooms so fast I nearly missed her. I doubled back to the office and found her, facing her laptop.

"I was looking for you all over the place. What's wrong with you? I thought you said you wanted to cook dinner tonight."

I stood over by the chair she sat in, but she just stared unblinkingly at the computer

"Fae..." I started. "What's going on?"

Suddenly, I felt another presence in the room. Before I could respond, Clark appeared next to Fae his hand pressed over her mouth.

Invisibility. I felt like an idiot for not noticing the strange aurora as soon as I had walked into the room.

"Get your hands off my sister!" I exclaimed, holding back curse words. I pried his hands away from Fae and shoved him across the room.

Fae's head rolled back lifelessly and he laughed. My heart dropped.

"What are you doing here?" I asked through clenched teeth, "What do you want?"

"I already have what I want." He said almost gleefully, "Sucking the knowledge out of Fae was extremely entertaining. I wanted to see how loud she'd scream before she realized it was me."

His eyes were bloodthirsty and he licked his lips, letting out a thin smile. "But, really? _The_ Serina Calaway? Quite the beauty; you're lucky to get her all to yourself."

My eyes widened and then narrowed in anger. He knew _everything_ now and I knew the second he got the chance, he'd go running to the Dark with the information.

Sensing my mixed emotions, he murmured provocatively, "I got to meet the gorgeous girl myself."

My eyes flickered over his in fury and shock.

But he wasn't finished, "Oh, about an hour or two ago...a good thirty minutes before you showed up. Her lavender sheets are particularly soft. And Serina has such delicate skin, so smooth she could be an _angel_."

I grabbed his collar and drove him back against the wall, glaring ferociously. The word was out of my lips before I knew it was gone. " _Sensus!_ "

I made him feel pain, as much as I could muster. Clark gasped, startled, and then inhaled through clenched teeth, managing to get out another statement, "Just wait until Ben hears that his son's dating the Apostle everyone's been..."

I slammed his head back against the wall and he groaned before he could finish. Anger surged through my body.

"I swear if you even _think_ about touching her again I will kill you..." I threatened, pressing harder on my powers. He managed to let out a short, mangled laugh. "And if you Drain my sister one more time, Clark, I will personally make sure you never wished you knew how to."

"Your pathetic sister _and_ Serina won't be here long enough for you to make threats, West..." That was all he said before he fell to the floor, unconscious from the pain. I turned to Fae, in a panic.

"Fae..." I murmured as I appeared by her side. The lifeless position of her head and the aimless look in her eyes struck fear into the core of my heart. Her usual flushed cheeks were terrifyingly pale.

"Fae, come on say something!" I exclaimed, supporting her head. I scooped her up, rushing to her bedroom. I laid her down on the bed, and placed my hand over her forehead. I refused to accept that she could've been gone; she had to have enough life in her for me to heal her. I whispered silently, a hand on her forehead, and a moment later she gasped out in pain.

"Nathan, geez..." She exclaimed, her blue eyes unfocused. "Nathan, he knows! He knows everything...."

I gently guided her back down to the bed and she started to cry.

"Get some rest..." I told her and her eyes found mine then nodded in response. Relieved, I let out a sigh then stumbled back into a chair and placed my head in my hands.

For the first time in my life I was going to kill someone.

I scrambled to the office angrily but Clark was nowhere. I cursed and slammed my fist against the wall, ripping out nothing but plaster and anger. I had let him get away. Why had I been so careless? I paced angrily back and forth across the room. He was gone and without a trace! What could I do? The only thing I knew, I supposed. Angrily, I flew down the stairs and into the garage—the one place I could get my anger out.

Then I found myself splashing black and red and yellow across the canvas. When I opened my eyes I don't see Clark. Not Garrett. Not even Benjamin, who was the source of all my troubles.

But I find myself, glaring hard back at my own blue eyes, the Dark symbol faintly painted in behind me...and I realized that _I_ had been given this. _I_ was the one on this mission. Not anyone else. And I was going to have to be strong, just like my painting made me look like I was. What I would do without them, my paintings? I didn't know.

Then it hit me: Serina. Where was she? Was she okay? Clark had said Serina wouldn't be around long enough for me to make threats. How could I have been so thoughtless? He had visited her before I even dropped by and then he had beat me back home and hurt my sister. Who knew where he was now!

I scrambled to retrieve my jacket, already dialing her number when I heard a knock on the door and someone say—the voice muffled by the door—"Nathan?"

Throwing my jacket to the couch, I ran to the front door, faster than human pace, and yanked it almost off its hinges. Serina was standing there in a ripped up green sweater that brought out the color of her eyes and beige shorts. She looked apologetic. Her hair was tangled, the slept-on curls easily visible, and there were shadows under her tired olive green eyes. Her skin glowed in the light of the sunset, her delicate fingers twined together, yet she was still the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen.

"Serina..." I murmured startled.

"Is this a bad time?" She asked, biting her lip, form going rigid. I didn't answer at first, relief tearing through my chest. Beginning to turn away disappointed, she blurted, "I can go home if..."

"No. Come in," I told her, taking her freezing cold hands in mine—realizing my fingers were still splattered with wet paint, but she didn't seem to mind—and pulling her into the house. She walked in gracefully, as I shut the door, and then suddenly swayed her hand flying to her head. Her free hand tried to find something to lean on so she wouldn't fall. I held her up by my side before she could come close to falling. There was blood stained across on her forehead and my heart skipped a beat in panic. How could I have not noticed that a second ago?

Then I realized it was only red paint, transferred from my hands to hers to her forehead.

"Serina, are you feeling okay?" I asked concerned. She shook her head and I helped her to the couch.

"It's just a migraine. I completely overslept and almost forgot about the dinner tonight with Abby. She was bringing Andrew, so I thought you should come too," she said in a quiet, exhausted voice.

"Of course I'll go," I told her then asked, "What happened to your sweater? Did someone hurt you? Did..."

"Nathan," she interrupted, smiling weakly—my heart fluttered at that beautiful flash of teeth—"I'm fine. I haven't even seen anyone but Max all day."

I felt my face warm. "Sorry. I was just worried..."

She giggled faintly. "Are you blushing?"

I smiled. It never happened often, but around her, I never really knew. It was unpredictable. She suddenly grimaced and her brow furrowed and I felt her misery of being sick. I asked, "You don't have any Tylenol?"

"No," she muttered wearily, "fresh out and I didn't want to drive to the drugstore like this."

I wet a rag with some cool water and wiped the paint from my hands, hers, and her forehead. I felt her forehead again. Not only did she have a headache but a scorching fever.

"Did you take your temperature?"

"No," she told me again in a small voice, "I don't have a thermometer either. Do you think, maybe, I could borrow yours?"

"Yeah..." I told her, stroking her hair behind her ear. I retrieved the thermometer from the kitchen but hesitated when I came back. With my palm, I felt her cheek and neck. Both were burning hot. She slipped the thermometer in her mouth, lying back across the couch. I sat down on the floor, resting my arms on my bent knees and watched her silently. She closed her eyes, her breathing slowed, and she fell asleep in a heartbeat.

The thermometer beeped and I took it, cringing at the numbers. 106 degrees? I set the thermometer down on the table and kneeled next to her, brushing her hair out of her face. Her skin burned and her face was flushed despite her beautiful caramel-colored skin. She trembled in her sleep. Did this have something to do with what Clark had said?

I grabbed a blanket from over the couch and placed it over her because she started trembling. I touched her cheek, soothing her with my powers as much as possible then kissed her burning forehead, pushing my powers through her.

_"Curatio_...."

I heard her inhale sharply and she opened her eyes startled. "Nathan?"

"I'm right here, sweetheart..." I told her locking my eyes on hers. I lay next to her and she stared into my eyes for a minute then curled into my chest.

"I feel better," she murmured looking up into my eyes. I sighed, relieved, when she pressed her face to the exposed skin of my neck; the fever was gone.

"That's good..." I murmured. She placed her hands on my chest and looked up at me.

"Did you heal me?" She asked quietly.

I nodded.

She thanked me then wove her hands in my hair and pulled my face to hers. I knew the boundary lines, but whenever her lips gently pressed against mine, I couldn't help but always feel overwhelmed by the fact that I loved her more than anything in the world. She pulled away an inch and smiled sweetly.

"I love you," I whispered placing my lips on her nose. She laughed and pulled her fingers up to trace the outline of my face. I grasped her fingers in mine and kissed the palm of her hand. The subtle, sweet smell of her skin hypnotized me.

Serina pulled back and murmured, "What's your favorite color?"

I chuckled. "Where'd that come from?"

"I just want to know." She shrugged, giving me a half-smile that sent my heart racing.

Letting out a sigh, I thought about it for a moment. "I used to love the color yellow, not too bright, just subtle and pale. But ever since I met you, it's been the color of your eyes."

She rolled them and hid a smile in my shirt. I wished we would stay like this forever, both of us unchanging. But with my secret out there with Clark, what was to keep him from telling the Dark about everything he knew and ruining my chance of saving the life of the only girl I'd ever loved?

## Chapter 20 Serina

Nathan came over early to pick me up. But as I got dressed, picking out some white jeans and my teal Henley top, I pulled my pajama shirt off and heard it shred. I sighed looking at the strips of what was left of the shirt in my hands. The only thing that wasn't ripped—yet—was my camisole, which I was still wearing. I was becoming extremely frustrated with this newfound strength.

I'd have to go shopping soon.

Bringing the top over my head to pull it on, a sharp _rip_ met my ears, signifying that I had once again ripped another shirt. I pulled it on anyway, to find that it was completely ruined. The arm was dangling and one of the sleeves was completely gone. This was the fourth shirt this morning. Pieces of cloth shreds of different colors littered my room. I fell back on my bed, huffing in irritation.

"Serina," Nathan asked standing on the threshold of my room, "what happened?"

"I—" Unable to finish, my arms shielded my face to save Nathan from seeing my aggravation.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sitting next to me on the bed. I looked up at him through my elbows.

_"This_ is what's wrong, Nathan. I can't control my strength long enough to get dressed. I'm like a mutant monster."

"You are a lot of things, Serina," he told me seriously. "A monster is not one of them. You know it was worse when I got my powers. I was ten and I got up in the morning and I went to open my window."—He paused—"Well let's just say that for a while, there was a nice draft in my room. I tried to tell my mom and dad but when I opened the door to my room, it _and_ the hinges came off. I started feeling what everyone in the entire neighborhood was feeling. I didn't know what to do."

"But Nathan you don't understand. I'm so much stronger than you..." I insisted, stubbornly. Nathan soothed me with his powers, cupped my face in his soft fingers and said something that made me laugh.

"I beg you to try and beat me in an arm wrestling contest," he said.

"Don't tempt me," I muttered.

Smiling, he got up and pulled an untouched black-navy blue striped long sleeved sweater from my closet and turned and pulled it over my head. I pulled my arms through it with as much gentleness as I could manage. When I was in, the thin sweater was unharmed.

"See? You can do it just fine," he muttered in my ear pulling my hair out of the shirt and then putting his hands on my neck to kiss my lips. When he left, I pulled on my jeans, without ripping them, and swiftly walked down the stairs, two at a time. Nathan embraced me when I reached the second step. He pulled away for a moment to say, "You look gorgeous."

"And you look as handsome as ever..." I told him, and then we got in his car and drove to school. After the first period with Nathan, we walked to my next class hand-in-hand, Abby on the other side of me talking to Andrew about how ridiculous it was that she had to do this two hundred-point project for her fashion design class. This period and the next were the only hours I didn't share with Nathan. He squeezed my hand when we got to the door and leaned over to briefly kiss me.

"See you at lunch..." he murmured gingerly, and then turned to leave.

"See you," I replied as I watched him walk off and disappear through the crowd. I turned to Abby when she giggled, flashing me a large grin.

"He acts like he can't stand a minute without you," she exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and walked through the class door. Maybe he couldn't.

After enduring a lecture on how the constitution came to be—as if none of us hadn't already known—I met Nathan and the rest of my friends outside for lunch. It was refreshing hanging out with them all again. I had missed several days of school due to "strange" incidents. But, I was glad to be back and having fun. When school ended, leaving me with a ton of make-up work and stress to deal with, Nathan and I walked back to the car talking about finals and spring break.

Closing the doors behind us, Nathan turned to me and immediately asked, "Do you want to take a 3-hour vacation?"

I smiled and stared at him incredulously, "You're insane!"

"What?" He smiled sweetly at me and I laughed. "We could get away for a little while, forget about school stuff."

"I have a _ton_ of homework, not to mention make-up work...." I started.

The sarcastic look on his face made me want to laugh.

"What?" I asked.

"You're not going to win," he told me matter-of-factly.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Do you know why?" he asked, leaning across the center console.

"Do tell..."

He was only an inch from me now. "Because I have something that you don't..."

"And that is?"

He pressed his lips to mine, his satiny fingers tracing the line of my jaw. I felt him using his powers on me and I succumbed easily. When he pulled back he whispered, "Persuasion."

"Fine..." I replied, letting it go.

Nathan started the engine then drove off. The car was quiet for a while until he murmured, "I love you."

Using my two index fingers, I outlined the shape of a heart. Ice froze from the tips of my fingers. They formed a three-dimensional ice heart and it fell into my palm.

"Take it. It belongs to you..." I murmured staring into his flawless blue eyes. He half-smiled and held his freehand out and it dropped into his palm. It was the size of a golf ball and felt like glass. He studied it, his eyes glancing back and forth from the road to the ice heart.

"It won't ever melt as long as our love lasts," I whispered. He smiled and thanked me weakly.

"Hey," I started looking into his troubled eyes, "what's wrong? Is it something I did?"

"No, no...you didn't do anything wrong, baby. Nothing's wrong."

It was only what felt like a minute before we stopped on what looked like a deserted street I'd never seen with a thick vegetation of trees alongside the stretch of the road.

Rain pounded down on us from all sides.

It was dark and cloudy and by the side of the road, nearly hidden by the trees, I saw a vacant warehouse. But otherwise, there was nothing else.

"Nathan, what are we doing here?" I asked. I stared as the rain came down in buckets over the windows. Before I could say another word, Nathan turned toward me and placed his hands on my face. Deliberately he pressed his lips against mine and my heart stuttered frantically. I kissed him back, his arms tenderly pulling me tighter to him.

I felt a foreign urge and whispered one word. And the rain lowered to an enchanting drizzle. I had controlled the storm, outsmarted it. Nathan suddenly moved his hands to hold the back of my neck.

All of the sudden there was a _slam_ on the hood of the car and I let out a vocalized gasp of surprise. My eyes flashed out the front window shield. I made out a figure crouched on the hood of Nathan's car. A voice shouted, "Do it! Finish the job!"

I leaned away from Nathan, my fists still clenching his shirt, and turned to find Garrett. My spell on the rain broke and it fell from the sky as angry as ever.

"Hi," Garrett's muffled voice greeted us.

"Stay in the car..." Nathan instructed me. I shook my head and Nathan let out an aggravated sigh.

As he unlocked the doors we stepped out and Nathan appeared by my side. I folded my arms into my chest as he demanded, "What are you doing here, Garrett?"

Garrett seated himself on the side of the car and glared hard at Nathan. I shivered, as the rain began to reach my bones. I was soaked already, the cold clinging to my frame.

"Oh, I thought you might need some help," he called over the rain. He smiled brightly, but his eyes stayed dim with dark purpose. I was mystified. I hadn't seen Garrett at school for weeks, so what was he doing out here in the middle of nowhere—and nonetheless sitting on Nathan's car?

"What is he talking about Nathan?" I asked looking up at him, all the more confused at our position and role here.

"Nothing," Nathan told me, and then turned to Garrett, "Leave us; I don't need your help."

"Help with what?" I asked again trying to make sense of what they were talking about.

"Oh no, it doesn't matter," Garrett went on, as if I hadn't even spoken, "Because you see, Dad sent me to find you and finish your business. You're taking far too long, and he's getting restless. Especially when you pulled of that trick with Kyle, he got suspicious. And with Clark's help, I know what you're up to..."

His hostility startled me, but Nathan just ground his teeth and backed up a bit, holding me behind him.

"Get back in the car," he commanded me with fierce enunciation. I frowned. When he realized I hadn't moved he almost pushed me back toward it, "Go now."

"No!" I exclaimed with the same amount of firmness in my tone. I wasn't going to run away and sit around for no reason. Garrett laughed and then drilled his gaze on Nathan.

"What?" Garrett asked, "You're not scared, are you? I haven't told anyone about your secret...not _yet_ anyway."

I looked up at Nathan's puzzled expression on his perfect features.

"By 'yet' I mean when I bring it up everyone _will_ know. Starting with..."Garrett trailed off, his dark eyes scanning over me.

"You wouldn't dare..." Nathan murmured.

"Oh come on!" Garrett roared with laughter, relaxing and rolling his eyes. "You can't seriously hide this forever. She deserves to know, doesn't she Nate?"

Garrett spotted me as I looked around the side of Nathan and he smiled wickedly. Not something I'd thought I'd ever see Garrett do.

Nathan became furious and another strange emotion I couldn't comprehend flashed across his face then disappeared the moment it had appeared. He remarked, "You have no right to be following me, even if Ben says so!"

"I have every right!" Garrett shouted back. His mood swings startled me; it was not the Garrett I knew. He stared at me, and then a malicious grin spread across his face. "He hasn't told you, has he?"

"What are you talking about?" I said, my body going rigid. He laughed when a hint of curiosity slipped from my flat voice. I could've controlled it if I had made the effort.

"Don't you dare—" Nathan started but Garrett cut him straight off.

"Nathan hasn't told you that he's a Dark?" he asked me.

"What?" I asked, startled but too scared to hide my tide of emotions coming in.

"He's a Dark Red...! Do I have to explain any further? Because it seems you don't understand," Garrett said as if I were mentally slow. The rain slowed but a clap of thunder made me jump. His face bore the expression of pure vicious glee. He told me in a matter-a-fact, but serious voice, "He's been to the Dark council meetings ever since he signed the contract in March."

My entire body went cold. Could Garrett be telling the truth? I looked to Nathan for an answer.

"Nathan..." I said in a quiet voice, my eyes empty, "Is that true?"

"Serina, please..."

"Just tell me it's not true," I mumbled in a tiny voice my eyes begging for it not to be real. "Please tell me it's not true."

Every fiber of my being wished that Nathan wasn't really who Garrett claimed he was, but Nathan looked at me with such a deep sadness in his eyes that I already knew.

"I...Serina, you don't understand...it's not what you think it is."

"Then what is it?"

"I can't tell you, I _wish_ I could, but I..."

It _was_ true. I didn't let him finish.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"I didn't.... I-it's complicated. Serina, I can't tell you," Nathan stammered his eyes begging for me to understand. I didn't. I couldn't.

His words stabbed deep as if he had dug a knife straight through my chest. It would have been better if he had. I let out a gasp of breath and the heart I had made for him earlier flew out of his pocket and into my open palm. I took hold of it and flung it to the ground. All the pieces shot out in different directions as it shattered on the asphalt. The little ice crystals from my heart flew out and into the forest where I knew they would be lost forever. I was flabbergasted.

Nathan reached out for me, the pain in his eyes making it look as if he wasn't sure how to act around me anymore.

"Please, Serina I can't...I'd never lie to you unless it was to help you."

"How does that make it any different? No. Don't touch me," I told him, shoving his hand out of the way, "I can't believe you...."

The agony of his words sent the acid of betrayal through my veins. Nathan stared at me his face filled with silent anguish.

"Serina, it's not—"

"Just stop!" I cut him off, anger welling in my throat. Fury abruptly replaced my hurt.

"Well, this is awkward." Garrett murmured with his hands folded behind his back.

I didn't care if I was a mess. All he had done for me, all he had told me about his loyalty to the Light was a lie.

He was a Dark.

I refused to look him in the eyes. And it made me sick to think that only a moment ago I had been kissing him. If he was a Dark, it was guaranteed that he had killed people and stolen other Universal's powers knowing they might possibly die during a Soul Exchange.

I ran back down to my house in less than a minute, the water from my soaked clothes dripping onto the tile. I fell onto my knees; my head fell into my hands, sobbing. I shivered when I heard a loud ringing. I nearly jumped out of my skin.

The phone went to voicemail and my dad's voice met my ears.

"Hey Serina, um...you promised to call today. I didn't know if you got caught up in homework or what, but just call me when you get the chance. Hope everything's all right...okay, bye."

The voicemail ended but I sat there on the floor.

I couldn't believe I had gone out with Nathan. What was wrong with me? I went to my room to change and lay in bed until I fell asleep. I'd call my dad to explain in the morning.

***

When I woke up the clock read 5 a.m. and school wouldn't start for another three hours. I took a shower, changed into some jeans and a long-sleeved, lavender sweater. I made myself breakfast and then picked up the phone, dialing my father's number. I hoped he was up.

Chris picked up on the third ring, "Hey, sweetie."

"Hey, Dad, sorry I forgot to call you yesterday. I was...busy."

"That's all right, how are you?"

For a moment I thought silently. How was I? Did I even know myself? After a second I replied, "I'm...managing. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Shoot," he told me.

"Nathan and I went out last night and ran into his brother, Garrett. He said that Nathan was a Dark. I didn't believe him at first, but Nathan wouldn't deny it and...I don't know. Did you know Nathan signed a Dark contract in March? It's the same month he met me. I can't believe he's been lying to me this whole time!"

There was a long, sullen quiet on the other end.

"Dad?" I murmured.

He said in a strong voice, "Serina. I knew Nathan was a Dark..."

"What?" I exclaimed stunned, trying to get a grip on this. "But, how could...why would...?"

"Let me finish, Serina. Nathan loves you. And you mean more to him than anything the Dark tells him to do. He's trying to keep you safe, Serina. He doesn't want you to be fought over and neither do your mother and I."

I shook my head "I don't believe this. A Dark's a Dark. How is he any different from any other Dark Red?"

"Serina, do you trust me?"

"Yes, but..."

"Did you trust Ian and Elena?"

My breath stopped in my throat and I whispered sorrowfully, "Of course."

"Did you trust Charilyn?"

I went deathly quiet. Charilyn. I hadn't heard her name in over two weeks. There was another stab in my heart, the prick of tears in my eyes.

"Serina, did you trust Charilyn?" My dad pressed.

I whispered in a hoarse tone, "Yes."

"Then I'm telling you to trust Nathan. I've trusted him with the most precious thing to me: your life, Serina. Charilyn gave you that necklace before she left because I asked her. It's your mother's. She knew she was going to die, that's why she came to see you—not just because you were in the hospital.

My eyes were filled to the brim with tears now. She had died knowing about it?

"But why would she..."

My father didn't let me finish.

"I need you to know this. And you need to know that I am only doing this because I love you and I'm trying to protect you as much as everyone else is. Okay?"

"Yeah, Dad," I told him, trying to put my security in his words. Charilyn's death had still haunted me, and there was no doubt it'd be haunting me even more. She trusted Nathan...but why? Had she known he was a Dark?

He paused, the words seeming to stick in his throat.

"I am a Dark, too."

There was nothing in my mind. It was empty. All feeling was lost; save for my imagination as it conjured up all the possible things my dad could've done to innocent Universals. Suddenly...I felt something welling up deep inside me, imploding from my core. Waiting for me to rip it out and unleash its full power: anger.

"Then you're not my father."

Speechless, stripped of all my security, I hung up, anguished at the last words that had come from my lips. Had I really just said that?

In my bedroom, I found Max lying on my bed staring at me. He whined a low moan as I walked over to my bedside and sat on the floor, eyes shallow. He seemed to stare at me as I stroked his neck mindlessly.

It was Friday and Spring break would begin as soon as the day was over. I just had to make it through one day. I managed to finish my homework, all the make-up work and drive to school, pushing all other thoughts of the daunting morning from my head. Both Abby and Vanessa tried desperately to coax me out of my phase, but even I couldn't cheer myself up for longer than a minute or two. I didn't even look in Nathan's general direction once. In class, I turned my head away from him, making sure to avoid any contact whatsoever. Garret confronted me in the hallway but I made sure he didn't get to me.

At long last, I went home with tears in my eyes and no whole heart left to break.

***

The silence at the beach was beginning to drill itself too hard into my ears, as I walked through the waves. I collapsed on the sand a few feet away from the water and let out tired, broken sobs for a while.

I wanted comfort, someone to come to my need, but no one did. I kneeled there on the ground, crying; but over what? Nathan didn't deserve to be cried over. So was I crying for my own sake? Or was I crying to get emotion out?

Eventually, I collected myself enough to get up and go home. Ready to leave, I saw someone ahead of me. I studied the surrounding beach. It was empty. I kept walking, wiping tears from my eyes. As I walked my vision blurred as tears again filled my sight.

Staring up through my tousled hair, I looked closer at the figure ahead of me making out a tall, young male a good half-mile away from me. I finally made out the golden hair and blue eyes and choked first on pain and then on terror.

It was Nathan.

I began stumbling back at a slow pace and I turned. What was he doing here? Was he going to try to talk to me? No. He was probably going to try and take my powers. I had to get away before he took advantage of me. I walked even faster when he moved his pace to match mine. Before I knew it I was bolting off.

"Wait, Serina!" I heard him call but I kept running and didn't stop.

I was out of the country and heading north past everything I knew. When I stopped, I realized I hadn't a clue where I was. Though I wasn't aware of any of my surroundings, it didn't matter to me. Opening my eyes, I made out knee-high grass blowing in a gentle breeze that came with a soft drizzle. Immediately I fell in the grass, circling my arms around my knees as tears streaked my face.

Nathan had tried to come and find me like the only thing he didn't want was my powers. He never really loved me. I remembered standing there in the rain as he struggled to find an answer to my question. After all those days, the truth had come out and he had tried to explain. As if he actually cared.

## Chapter 21 Serina

Someone seized and yanked me backward. I couldn't stop them; I couldn't even struggle. I felt their unfamiliar powers press down on my free will, smothering it. There was something placed over my head and darkness met my eyes. I was taken somewhere unfamiliar and before I knew it, all was silent. And I heard nothing but the drops of water from my damp clothes fall, splash to the ground, and echo into the distance. My eyes adjusted to the dark and saw that I was in a huge cavern. The bag was gone but I didn't care to look around or even wonder what was going on. I saw a faint light out of the corner of my eye. I didn't move; still in too much shock to think or do anything. The glow became brighter until it was right in my face.

The light was entrancing and I forgot about everything on my mind. All of a sudden, a low whisper filled my head.

"Come...."

The light began to float away and I obediently followed, dazed, bewildered, but obsessed with the glowing orb of light. I wanted it. It would make everything in my life better again.

I shivered and realized I should be upset, that I should be forming a plan of escape in my head, but my mind was blank. My eyes stayed on the light. Nothing else mattered in the world but that beautiful light.

Faint voices began to echo off the tunnel walls and although I listened, it went in one ear and out the other.

"That should get Nathan off of our hands for a little while," I heard an intimidating voice say; it demanded attention. "She should be arriving soon."

Several murmurs ricocheted around in my head.

"Well, I guess that settles everything! Nathan was slacking off..." I heard a familiar voice.

After a few minutes, the light halted and we came into a massive cavern, bigger than the one before. The whole place was carved out of stone. The seats were carved right out of the walls and formed into a semicircle and in the middle sat a stone table. The light suddenly faded away into a person concealed in a black, hooded robe.

I shook the strange feeling away and took control of myself again. Hugging myself with my arms I took in my surroundings and my problem. It wasn't good. If it wasn't for that stupid light that had...

"Ah, Serina Calaway," said the voice I'd heard earlier, "my name is Benjamin. I thought we could borrow you for a moment. If you don't mind..."

What in the world did he mean by 'borrow' me?

Some of the people seated on the stone chairs chuckled. I looked up startled to see a man in front of me. He looked shockingly familiar, though I could've sworn I'd never seen him in my entire life. He had dark hair roots and the tips were a golden blond, his eyes dark as the night and equally menacing. But there was some feature about him I couldn't put my finger on.

I had had something extremely clever to snap back but when I opened my mouth to say it, I just stood there like an idiot, suddenly startled out of my wits. The soft, but dark threatening voice I had heard earlier filled my head again.

"Speak up."

But I couldn't find my voice.

I saw Benjamin raise his right eyebrow at the cloaked man behind me, "Ruben, it seems our guest has something in her throat."

The cloaked man turned swiftly and collided his fist with my stomach. I doubled over with a cry and fell to the floor clutching my abdominal. Suddenly I realized the pain was in more than just my stomach. It spread through my bones, leaving me reeling in pain inside and out. My skull was breaking and my body was collapsing. I continued to cry out in both rage and anguish. My mind couldn't come back to itself enough to use my powers; even thinking poured hot acid through my every nerve. My eyes flashed open and I was lying on the ground breathless but my body intact; save for the bitter soreness in my stomach where I had been punched.

Suddenly straightforward, Benjamin remarked curtly, "We want your powers, Serina Calaway."

"Answer the Dark leader!" Ruben's icy voice threatened in my head again. "Or else you will get much worse than that scar I gave you on your back!"

That was him?

"I-I..." I stuttered softly but I must have been too slow, because Ruben sent his foot flying into my gut. I withered into the ground. When the agony subsided and my shrieks faded away, I finally spoke, too afraid to do anything else. I talked quickly, "Yes, yes take my powers! Do whatever you want with me just please don't—"

Benjamin laughed, rolling his eyes. " _Now_ she wants us to take her powers..."

"Gentlemen," he proclaimed, gesturing toward the guards by the entrance of the cavern and then to me. "Will you do the honors?"

The two men sauntered over to where I laid and grabbed me, hauling me over to a vertical ring of stone. I felt my arms drawn to it and they let go. My ankles and wrists stuck to parts of the stone ring as if I were metal and it a magnet. Held to the cold stone, my limbs grew weak. I didn't move when Benjamin walked up to me.

"From now on Serina you won't have to worry about any troubles with your powers. I'll just take them for you and then you can go on with your life like nothing ever happened that is if you survive."

"You're sick!" I accused him. But all he did was chuckle. He placed his hand in front of me and I squirmed, panicking.

I found recognizable eyes and turned to Garrett, my expression pleading. I cried, "Garrett! Help me, please!"

He just stared back, not saying a single word. What was he doing? Why wasn't he making any move to help me in the slightest? Betrayal coursed through my chest making me sag in response.

I struggled under the ring's grip. But it was pointless.

What were the words to revive my powers again? I barely remembered any of them. I was scared out of my mind but one little word floated back to me.

_"Ignis!"_ I exclaimed and a part of the ground lit on fire and then was extinguished like a candle on a cake.

"Oh my!" Benjamin chortled. "Is that all you know? Well, I don't know if I want your powers anymore!"

There was a chorus of laughter. His face went deadly serious. "Don't you think we know all your little tricks, Serina? We've been waiting for you for a long time...and we're prepared."

I felt eerily depleted after using my powers when I realized that Benjamin was about to perform a Soul Exchange. He whispered something unintelligible and his hand lit up. Literally a dark maroon light began flowing out of his palm.

All of the sudden, the wall across the cavern exploded, causing Benjamin to stumble, and four people stood in the midst of the raining dust and rock.

I screamed for help when something began withdrawing from my chest that I could only define as a lavender ball of flame while Benjamin reconnected into the process. I felt a sudden whip of pain seep through my bones as if all my energy was sucked from me. Weak and unable to move I screamed for someone to help me.

Three people had grabbed the guards and before I knew it there was a fight breaking out. Were these Lights?

"Ah...brother...." Garrett said, relaxing his attack position and opening his arms a bit, palms forward, like he was about to embrace one of the Lights. I couldn't see whom he was talking to, but thinking about it increased the pain and I screamed louder as the maroon flame seemed to suck out the color from mine.

I cried out for Nathan. I didn't care that I was supposed to be angry with him or feel betrayed. I still loved and needed him; whether he was a Dark or not. Wouldn't he want to save me? Wouldn't he know where I was?

"Nathan...you wouldn't dare go against the contract. You know the rules," Garrett warned. My eyes widened in hope, as Nathan moved out and into my peripheral vision. Nathan ran at Garrett, fighting for only a few seconds as he made a final lunge to break Benjamin from the Soul Exchange.

Benjamin was still over me focused on nothing but what he was doing, when I saw someone step out from the shadows. It was a Ruben. And he had his eyes on Nathan.

I shrieked Nathan's name in warning as he tackled Benjamin to the ground.

But my acclimation was too late; he was already on the floor howling in agony. And that set me off.

My eyebrows furrowed in anger and Benjamin, who had swiftly thrown an anguished Nathan aside, came flying back to start another Soul Exchange. All of a sudden, he flew out from over me and slammed against the wall. The sound of bones breaking barely made me flinch; I was consumed by my fury as it burst into flame and let go of a huge amount of energy. The earth started to tremble but I wasn't on it anymore, I was in the air. My eyes flamed with fury as rocks started to fall down from the ceiling of the cavern.

I stood on air as I blew wind that howled outside the mountain, threatening to crush it to dust. My powers were suddenly overwhelming my body and another wave of energy shot out around me and the mountain crumbled; the sound was a muffled, earsplitting boom.

People—both the Dark and Light—flew in every direction as the cavern burst into tiny rocks. I watched as the wave of energy as it caused even the thickest trees to bend from force.

Then my powers subsided and the pouring rain slowed to a soft drizzle. I sank to the cold, muddy ground shivering, fearing myself. I let wild trembles of shock control my body as I lay there.

What had I just done? That was someone else, not me. It wasn't me...it couldn't have been. But it _was_ I; it was I who had killed them. My anger caused my powers to take uncontrollable measures.

Through my blurry sight, I managed to make out a beat-up Nathan in front of me. Standing, I tried to walk toward him but pain rushed over the walls of my self-control and my knees collapsed from the unbearable emotions. Someone caught me before I hit the floor and within seconds I slipped out of consciousness.

## Chapter 22 Nathan

Why had she run away from me? All the tables seemed to be turning. My family was broken and my friends didn't trust me. Worst of all, Serina didn't trust me. My father was gone, which in more than one way, was a good thing. I could let go, because he'd died a long time ago. Ever since he'd signed the Dark contract, he never treated me as his son. His decision had cost my entire family a father.

I gently cradled her in my arms and dashed back to my house. With diligent steps I walked up the stairs and brought her into my room and set her down across my mattress. Fae came stumbling in, still rubbing her eyes from their sleep.

"Nathan!" She said in a hushed tone. "What on earth is going on? Where have you been and why are you covered in mud?"

She spotted Serina and sighed. Her face went blank as I peeled Serina's jacket from her soft, wet skin and grabbed a towel to dry her hair and clothes with. Then I shrugged my blanket over her body.

Fae found out what was going on in a second and left to get her a change of clothes for when she woke.

Realizing I was muddy and wet, I grabbed a pair of new jeans and a tee shirt to change into. When she took off away from me at the beach, I went back home when Fae informed me that Clark had taken her.

Nothing stopped me from grabbing a few more Light Universals to break into the Dark base and rescue her. I shivered, brooding over that moment when we had broke down the wall to the Dark's base and I saw her there on their torture machine horrifically named after its purpose, the _Dolor_.

Throwing off my disturbing thoughts, I took a shower, trying to ignore the lingering pain she had just endured on the Dolor. I had felt it all from the moment she'd screamed to the moment she'd fainted, enduring it just as agonizingly as she had.

I returned to my room, dressed and clean, but she was already up, too, in dry clothes. Her dark brown hair cascaded down her back in damp curls as she stared out into the night from my balcony window. Fae stood next to her, talking in an inaudible voice.

Walking warily toward her, like she'd disappear if she went out of my sight, Fae left the room to give us some privacy. I felt her tense under my touch when I put my hand over hers on the railing, but she kept her face away from mine. The air around her resonated a subtle confusion and I wished I could see her face so I knew what she was thinking. I didn't dare you my powers to find out—she distrusted me enough already.

Back at the base she had lost it. It wasn't like her to use her powers like that. Maybe it wasn't her who had acted. Everyone had his or her breaking point. Had that been it?

I should have told her before, but no thanks to my hesitance, my father was gone. If I had just told her why I was a Dark, she would've understood. She wouldn't have been hurt, been in danger. I had gotten far too careless and this was my consequence.

Serina's mind was distant. I had to tell her the truth—the whole truth.

"Serina?" I whispered in a gentle voice.

It took a minute for her to come to react. The ocean breeze ruffled her curls and I grew uncertain if she had heard me. When she finally came around, she turned and looked at me, her green eyes glassy as if tears would spill out at any moment. It killed me when she cried.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly.

She swallowed, blinking back frustrated tears.

"What are you doing, Nathan?" she remarked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I'm asking."

I didn't respond. The quiet that stood between us was disturbing yet I couldn't answer. What was I supposed to say?

She couldn't stand it anymore.

"Nathan, I mean with this whole dark thing," she murmured in an icy tone.

"It isn't a full contract, its..."

I couldn't tell her. It was a huge risk, especially out here in the open where anyone could be eavesdropping.

"I don't understand," she told me, "I don't understand any of this. My father is a Dark and you're a Dark? How come you two don't have dark eyes and..."

I couldn't let anyone hear us even though she deserved an answer more than anything right now. I shoved away from the railing and the window and stepped back inside.

"Serina, please..."

"No, I deserve an answer, Nathaniel!"

Never before had she used my whole name. I looked her square on the eyes, my emotions thick in my throat.

"And I swear you will get one, even if it's the last thing I do."

Her temper began to vanish as fast as it had come. I could feel her mind searching for something in me to hate, something on me that was Dark and she came up short of her expectations.

"I'm so lost, Nathan...." she said in a small voice, giving up. Her hand came up to cover the tears falling on her face. Without thinking, I pulled her into my chest and felt her sob softly against my shirt. My heart ached and I hugged her tighter.

"I killed them all, didn't I?" She said in a whisper, all the while pulling away. When I couldn't answer, she stood and looked me straight in the eyes. "Nathan, I want you to leave me. I don't want you to come back."

I blinked startled. Is that what she had been thinking of? She wanted me gone? I didn't try to hide my hurt expression. My wordlessness seemed to last longer than she wanted it to, so I spoke up, a lump in my throat, "Is this about my father?"

"Your...father?" she stammered her eyes snapping up to me in astonishment.

"Yes. Benjamin," I said. She let out a strangled sob as guilt overtook her. I felt her emotions roll downhill and she started blaming herself heavily. Then it hit me. She hadn't even known we were related. That whole time...she hadn't even known she had been talking to my father. No. He wasn't my father; and I had to stop thinking of him that way. My father was gone. And now so was the Universal soul that had possessed him.

"I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed tears in her voice. "I'm so sorry."

I cupped her face in my hands, staring deep into her teary green eyes.

"Don't cry over him," I told her levelly, "he doesn't deserve it."

She stared at me surprised and then nodded.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," she said, looking down, "but I don't know where we stand anymore. For now I don't want you visiting me anymore."

I whispered with a frown, "Why would you want that?"

She didn't answer my question but instead looked up into my eyes, saying, "If you don't agree to this, then I'm going to have to leave here."

My heart stopped. I stared at her speechlessly.

No. I wouldn't let her. I was supposed to protect her. She wasn't supposed to do this. Fae had mentioned something about it, but I hadn't listened to her. I should've known better.

"Serina, don't leave. You won't be safe out there," I exclaimed panicking. She wiped tears from her eyes and actually _smiled_.

"It doesn't seem like I'm that safe here..." She told me, looking at me briefly, and then back at her hands.

"Please Serina, you are safest here, it's worse out there!" I tried to insist. She laughed and then looked at me, shaking her head.

"You don't get it, do you? Nathan, I don't care! As long as I'm not hurting you, I'll go anywhere. I'm tired of making stupid mistakes. No matter the cost Nathan, or how much pain I'd have to suffer for it, I'll do it!" She froze then tried to talk in a calmer voice, "Nathan, I love you and you know that. But...but I would rather die than have to see you in any kind of pain...."

"Please don't say that..." I murmured. I was cut to the heart and it showed through the composed mask I had held in place so perfectly before. Why was she doing this? What was going through her head?

"Nathan—" I placed a finger gently over her lips then removed my finger and looked at her cupping her face, begging.

"Serina...please," I pleaded using the full force of my powers on her. "Please don't leave..."

"It's unbearable to see you in so much pain, I can't stand it..." She told me, tears running down her cheeks. I wiped them away, her crying face making my heart falter.

"You can't leave, not now; it's too dangerous. But, after you sign a contract..." I paused, tormented even more by my own resolve. "After that, I'll let you go. If that's what you want then I won't get in your way."

I took her face in my hands again and made her look at me. "Promise me."

She said nothing.

"Serina, promise me."

"Okay," she said, exhaling, "I promise I won't leave you. I'll stay with you...as long as it helps."

I stared at her, digesting her words. My eyes were locked onto those beautiful green emeralds, searching, probing through her mind with my powers but only found a shield. What was she blocking me out for? Did she not trust me? Of course she didn't still. I then decided that it was enough—that I trusted her independence enough—and I kissed her desperately, feeling her pulse stumble at my lips.

I wasn't going to ever let her go.

## Chapter 23 Nathan

So much for telling her the truth—when she said she was going to leave, it had completely caught me off guard. I hadn't even thought of her introducing the idea. Why was she doing this? She couldn't do this! I couldn't let her go. Could I? No. She had to stay. But she wanted to leave.

I'd given myself a headache thinking about it too much. Half of me wanted to tell Serina the truth, but the rest wanted to protect her and keep the secret away. I loved her more than anything and my life.

She threatened leaving me. I couldn't get it through my head. It had made no sense coming out of Serina's lips. Did she _truly_ want me away? I itched for a paintbrush to hold on to in my twitching fingers. I needed to paint something, but no way would I leave Serina's side, not for a second.

"Nathan?" Serina's beautiful voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked over into her gorgeous green eyes. She was sitting next to me on the piano seat playing a beautiful song she had written, and I had gotten carried away with my own thoughts.

"Are you all right?" she asked again in a small voice, her forehead was creased in concern. Her fingers paused on the piano keys as if her whole body was awaiting assurance from my answer to continue.

"Yes, I'm fine," I told her. Today marked the beginning week of our spring break and a week before I had to have her powers in my hands ready to give to the Dark Council. What would I say? What would they say when I returned without any of my "packages"—the sick term the Dark used that really meant people's souls? I felt stressed and sick to the stomach, though I would never admit that to Serina. I stared into her worried eyes and smoothed out the wrinkles in her forehead with my thumb. I smiled and felt the urge to calm her rocky emotions a bit but I stopped myself. I hated using my powers on her.

"All right..." she approved lightly. I leaned down to kiss her lips but she turned away from me deliberately and resumed playing the gentle song. "Nathan, I wanted to say—"

I knew what she was going to say and I cut her off before she could get out the apology, "You've apologized to me a million times, Serina; I know you're upset, but I wasn't thinking about any of that..."

She grimaced slightly at my reassurance, and asked intentionally, "Then what were you thinking about?"

I frowned, knowing what was on her mind. She knew what I had been thinking about. And I sucked at lying.

"Nothing..."

Nothing but the fact that I had forgotten I had the meeting with the Dark Council tonight. They would want my packages now more than ever. But what would happen if I didn't have any of them? They would be more than unhappy with me. Suspicions were already in place and I couldn't go anywhere without getting a wary eye from a Dark on the street. I couldn't do this. I didn't have the guts to take away something so important from someone who was my whole life. What was I going to do?

I tried to swallow but my throat felt dry. I tried to breathe but couldn't find my lungs. I would have to leave at midnight. I wasn't ready; I hadn't made my final decision. Should I stall for time? How would I explain it to them if I came to them empty handed _again_? They'd be infuriated with me...

"Nathan!" Serina asserted; the panic in her eyes grew dangerously high as they tried to grasp my attention. Her hands were tight on my arm as she tried to force my eyes to look into hers. She had abandoned playing her song altogether; her focus was now undivided and on nothing but me.

"I'm sorry, I just spaced out for a second," I attempted to assure her, grasping her fingers in mine.

When I pressed my lips to her fingers, she asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I told her. I struggled to calm her but she was holding up a stubborn shield. She knew I was trying to make things better, but she didn't want it anymore.

"Why won't you talk to me?" she inquired, looking offended.

"Serina..." I made my voice as soothing as possible and sighed, "There's a meeting with the Dark Council I have to be at tonight and..."

"Oh..." She trailed off and pulled away from me, not letting me finish, "I thought it was...something else."

She started to play again but I cupped her chin and turned her face to look at me.

"You don't trust me...." I said sorrowfully, my voice thick with emotion. She blinked back tears and shook her head, looking down. I was unsure if she had shaken her head to deny my statement or to agree with it.

"I'm sorry..." she began but I cut her off.

"No, I'm sorry," I told her, suppressing the urge to kiss her beautiful, defined lips. I heaved a sigh. "When you're told to choose between the Light and the Dark, the choice at that moment seems obvious. But when the time comes for the decision to be made, we hesitate. That's just our nature. It's much harder than you think. Some Universals spend their whole life indecisive."

"Are you trying to give me a reason for why you joined the Dark?" She asked implausibly, hiding her anger just beneath her sweet skin.

"No, Serina," I insisted, leaning my arms across the piano hood. "I'm not trying to justify my actions because I know what side I'm on. I just want you to be prepared that when you make that choice you know the consequences, good or bad."

"Anything else?" She asked abruptly. Her voice was cold and skeptical; I'd never seen this side of her. I grimaced.

"What?"

"So you want me to make good choices, like you did." Her tone wasn't chilly this time, but with a hint of anguish in it. When I didn't respond—too shocked to comprehend her words—she stood and locked the cover over the piano emphatically. She said in a subdued, heartsick voice, "I'm tired of your secrets Nathan. Is the truth too much to ask for anymore?"

Serina flung out of the room and up the stairs, but I followed her. It was unbearable seeing her like this, torn between our love and the fact that she was convinced that I was a Dark.

"Please, Serina..."

Before I could get another word out, she slammed the door in my face. Rejection slugged me hard. I felt dread swell through my muscles. Why hadn't I just told her right then and there? Remorse drowned my thoughts as I swayed and then leaned against the wall adjacent from the door of her room.

She was never going to see me in the same way again. She barely trusted me with being in her home!

I sat outside her door for over an hour, reflecting over our small fight that meant so much more. Eventually I pressed my ear against the wood. Her beating heart was like my own; I would've been able to know where she was even if she was a mile away. Slowly, I opened the door a crack, letting the hallway light flitter in like dozens of yellow butterflies settling across the room.

She was sleeping, still fully dressed, and Max was sprawled on the ground alongside her bay window. I sighed heavily and stepped in, closing the door silently behind me. I went to her, kissing her forehead lightly and then brushing her hair out of her face I gazed at her. Mindlessly, she wore an expression of such pure, innocent beauty that I lost track of time.

My mind hadn't even begun to approach sleep. Though my body grew drowsy, I was receding into a guilty mindset over things I hadn't even done yet. Would I really take this wonderfully innocent girl's powers? _Could_ I take them? I loved Serina more than she knew. So how could anyone do such a horrible thing? What would I gain from doing so? Exactly...I wouldn't gain anything. I kneeled by her side, exhausted and troubled.

With conviction, I made my decision and my hand lingered over her heart. I'd seen Ben and Josef do it before. But I, myself, had never performed a Soul Exchange.

## Chapter 24 Serina

With a horrible choking sound I woke, forcing my scream back down my throat. My hand gripped my mouth so I wouldn't let a single sob out. Nathan was such a heavy sleeper he'd only stirred by my side.

I had seen his father's still body; that's what had woken me.

The chilling crunch of splitting bones replayed mercilessly in my brain. I remembered his face, his eyes as he hit the mountain wall and how they stared off with sorrow and no hope of a future. And then there were the others, who were blown off into some dark abyss; who knew what happened to them? Yet, I could hear their screams and they were miles from receiving any kind of aid. Had they died too? Was it a long, slow death or an instant one?

The tears stung my eyes and I rubbed them in pain; I suppose that happens when you stare at the ceiling for too long. And I needed space under this hot comforter. Nathan's arm was wound gently around my waist but I was dying of a heat stroke.

Without disturbing him, I stood and began pacing in my room. The cool air shocked my flushed cheeks and neck but the pictures wouldn't leave my mind. And the sounds! The screams! The bones breaking! I couldn't wave them from my ears.

With finality, I yanked my door open without a sound, but Max awoke and followed me. I frantically searched the coat closet and grasped my duffle bag from the closet. A few seconds later, I had packed clothes and anything else I needed inside. I shoved it into my car and got Max inside too.

As I walked back into my home, a dark, grim color seemed to hang over everything. My heart felt weighed down with my culpable, reckless decisions. I wandered through my home; my eyes glazed over the furniture, lingering over the picture frames, and then the piano. Then I made my way up my stairs and into my room. And there he was.

I looked at his serene expression as he slept on my bed, his arm resting where I was only a minute ago, snuggled underneath it. Tears welled up in my eyes and I moved to his side. Ever so gently I laid my hand on his cheek and kissed his lips as softly as I could manage.

Was I even going to regret this?

Misery pierced through my chest, as my fingers caressed his blonde hair back and then pulled away unwillingly, memorizing the feel of his hair in their fingertips. I felt clammy and hot. A lump worked its way into my throat and I turned away.

I couldn't believe that he was trying to pretend like me killing his father was a good thing. Did he hate his father? Or was he just trying to make me feel better? Nevertheless, he was hurt and I couldn't stand to see him like this. In one abrupt movement, I left my house and got into my car.

"Shh...." I hushed Max as he whined again. He was settled in the passenger seat and staring at me as if I had committed a crime. Funny thing was that I had. I put the key in the ignition and sat there for a minute, a load of anxiety crushing me flat.

What was I doing? How could I do this to Nathan? A moment ago it seemed fine, but now? I was having second thoughts. And it bothered me. Was leaving the right thing to do right now? Where was I going to go? And how was I going to protect myself? I looked down at Max and he was staring back, like he could read my thoughts. He always seemed to know what was going on and at times made me feel guilty. For example: now.

My fingers shook and I squeezed my eyes shut to block out the questions—and the small voice in my head that screamed uncertainty at me—and started the engine. The car purred softly and I backed out of the driveway. As I put the car in drive, my sweaty hands lingering on the wheel, I stared out at the empty road, tears bordering my eyes.

I glanced up only once at the window of my room.

Then I sped down past my neighborhood and let the road disappear beneath my tires.

## Chapter 25 Nathan

"You 'lost track' of her location?" His voice echoed through the cavern, silencing everything in its path.

I held my steady gaze with a tenuous resolve. "Yes."

He chortled humorlessly. "You are the only one here who has connections to her. And from what I've heard, you two are very close. At first I figured it to be a sneaky way to get in her life and ruin it, but now I'm thinking different."

"If you just give me one more week, I can..."

"Silence!" He yelled. His black eyes bored into mine. "If you can't finish off the Apostle, then I'll do it myself..."

# Part III: Emerald Butterfly

### Part III Preface:

This is what happens when I do things without thinking about the outcome. As I realize I'd done something wrong, things happen quicker than they're supposed to and...people get hurt.

People I love. Even people I've never met.

He was hurt more than he should have been. And even worse, I helped plan it. I wished I could redo my mistakes, but I can't. I shouldn't have left in the first place. I wouldn't have hurt him as much if I had just listened. But I couldn't go back in time, knowing what to say, and make everything better.

I needed to accept the consequence as it was...even if the consequence was death.

## Chapter 26

I was terrorized, ripping through the trees of Yosemite, a scream working its way into my throat. I couldn't feel my legs. I ran until suddenly I met a dead end, a semicircle of mountains blocking my path. Breathless, I searched the trees for my pursuers. And then hoards of Dark Universals jumped from the trees and overtook me. Their fingers tore at my skin, the hands twisted my hair back and the arms strangled my body. I was suffocated, petrified.

_I deserve this,_ I thought, _for all the others I killed._

A cold wind whipped past me.

I screamed for help and then bolted up, convulsing for air. I took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from my forehead, adrenaline pumping.

Max looked up from the passenger seat, his ears drooping. I pulled the seat up, and glanced at the dashboard, unsure of the time. It was barely light out and it was clear I'd been asleep for only a couple of hours. This was getting bothersome. I couldn't sleep for more than a few hours without waking up repeatedly or having such horrible dreams of those I'd kill or who wanted to kill me, my own body threw me out of sleep.

Wiping my forehead with the back of my hand, I rolled the window down letting a cool breeze in. It felt good on my flushed, hot skin. My breathing slowed and I turned the key and started the engine. I drove back onto the road, keeping both hands on the wheel, and my nervous eyes glancing at the forest around me then flickering back to the road.

Driving through the blackness of night, I went through the cities of northern California looking for my destination with a wary spirit. I stopped at a place near Yosemite and stepped out of my car. I walked inside the hotel built like a large lodge and went up to the wood desk, where a tall, slender woman stood. She looked older than me, maybe in her early-thirties with beautiful, dark brown skin and a welcoming smile. Her nametag read 'Octavia Edmunds'.

"May I help you?" She asked, smiling at me.

"Um, yes, I have a reservation for one of your rooms," I told her politely. I had rented a room earlier on my laptop.

"Your name?" she asked.

"Ser—eh, Samantha Clearwater," I replied, my heart beating hard against my rib cage. Her fingers flashed across the keyboard and as the computer loaded, she looked me up and down.

"A beautiful girl like you must have a boy to go with her, no?" she said, smiling. Her intentions were innocent but I cringed before I could control myself.

"It's complicated." I told her, managing a smile. My hands tightening so hard around my suitcase I heard something _snap_. It was more than complicated. It wasn't as if I could go talk to Abby about my boy issues without placing her in danger too. With Charilyn absent from my life forever, I wasn't sure what else I was supposed to do. I felt so clueless.

She nodded. "I understand. Sorry I asked; it was none of my business."

Clicking her mouse a few times, she pulled my name up and read aloud, "You have the single bedroom and bathroom, with the kitchen, correct?"

"Yes." My cold fingers fiddled with the now broken suitcase handle and my feet shifted my weight from side to side.

"And looks like you already paid. Can I see your license?"

Retrieving my license, she glanced at it and then gave it back. Then she gave me my room key and I picked up my bags and took the elevator. When I reached the sixth floor, I ran to my room, appearing almost as if I had teleported and walked inside, closing and locking the door behind me.

The room was small compared to my house. It was about ten by twenty feet and held a cozy atmosphere. On my immediate left there was a closet and around that corner was the kitchen. I stuffed my things in the closet without unpacking and looked around me. Next to the kitchen were a table and two chairs. Past that, a floral comforter spread neatly across a queen-sized bed with a tray of empty, upside-down glasses and a list of the food they delivered to your room. I pressed down on the bed and found that it was more cushioned than mine was. It didn't matter though; I didn't think I'd be able to sleep for a while. Not with so much stuff on my mind.

Adjacent from the bed was a TV and a dresser built into the wall; the bathroom was located right next to it. Farthest from the entrance was a large window, the curtains drawn, and a loveseat settled next to a white lampshade. I had rented the room for spring break, hoping the scenic Yosemite would ease my mind until school started up again. Because...well, I hoped to pretend like nothing had ever happened, like this whole Universal thing never existed. I wasn't sure if Nathan was included on my "To Forget" list.

Unfortunately, I had given my heart to him and I couldn't just take it back as easily.

I set my bags down, going to the window and opening it up. But when I thought there would be a breeze, the air was a still as stone. So I blew some air myself—a nice gentle, cool wind—with one word, " _Ventus._ "

I looked down at the five stories below me and remembered Max was still in the car. I planted my feet on the windowsill, balancing myself on the ledge. Keeping my eyes on the ground I took a deep breath and jumped.

I landed with the sound of crunching leaves and ran to the front of the hotel. My powers were beginning to come effortlessly to me. Maybe if I wanted to ignore the Universal world, I should be ignoring my powers as well. I walked to my car and opened the passenger door to let Max out. He jumped out, panting quietly as I led him back around the hotel and out into the forest. We jogged for some bit and for a little while it cleared my head...until the memories came back.

My feet halted before a steep cliff and I peered over the side then pulled back immediately. I knew it had to be a good two thousand feet or more: Yosemite Falls.

I sighed heavily and then turned to face Max who looked at me strangely but dropped a stick at my feet. With a half-hearted grin, I weighed it in my hands and then threw it far through the trees. It vanished from sight and Max just stood there his eyes saying; _you really think I'll go get that?_

"Sorry, Max," I told him and then we continued through the forest. It had gotten significantly dark to the point where Max was beginning to lose sight of me. I found him lying down in pile of moss, fast asleep. I chuckled and stroked his fur.

What was I doing here? How had all this happened? I remembered feeling guilty for hurting Nathan...and those people. Were they okay? Was he okay? Was I? Somehow, I was going to get back to being myself. I'd try. I didn't want to be this Apostle who couldn't control her powers. I wanted to be normal again and being here I felt as if I could be ordinary once more.

"I could get used to this..." I murmured.

Dawn was inducing itself through the large trees at a rapid pace. I cradled Max in my arms and ran back to the hotel, breaking my own rule of not using my powers and jumping to the open window of my room. When I was inside, I shut the window, locked it, and drew the curtains closed tight. I plopped Max down on the loveseat and he snored on. After a while, I managed to fall asleep myself, quiet and sad, retreating into a place where things were never real.

I dreamt of a figure making its way through the dark clouded arena of my mind. He stood a little ways off, close enough to neither touch me nor make out his features. Then he drew closer but his face was still indistinct. He stroked my cheek and I felt frozen. Who was this man? Why did he care so much about me?

I opened my eyes.

Faint, yellow light shone through the meager opening in the curtains. Sleep had only made me groggier. I stretched, feeling the aches in my back tighten rather than stretch out. I dropped my arms back down to my sides as I searched for Max. He was lying on his back, paws up, sleeping like a baby on the small sofa. Silently, I stood up, not wanting to wake him. If the hotel staff found out my dog was here, they would throw me out in the blink of an eye.

My feet found the cold tile of the kitchen floor and noiselessly walked toward the sink to rinse my face from the sweat it had built up last night. Careless and not even nearly awake, I stepped on something sharp.

"Ouch..." I muttered. I looked at what was under my foot. It was a small silver ring. I picked it up and turned it over in my fingers admiring the workmanship. In my hand was a ring big enough to fit on my index finger. Outlined in the silver were two small, emerald butterflies. The color matched the green in my eyes to perfection.

Someone must have lost it, maybe the maid. I stroked it curiously and then turned it over to see if it was real silver. Next to the letters and numbers, there was an inscription:

Through whatever, I'll love you forever -N

I nearly dropped it. But my fingers involuntarily grasped it tighter just so I could double-check what my eyes were really seeing.

_N_? Did that stand for Nathan? He had given me this? How? When had he been here? Why?

The tears I didn't accept streaked my face as I struggled to put the ring on my finger. But my hands wouldn't stop shaking and the tears blurred my vision. Finally, I managed to slip the ring on my middle finger of my right hand. I let out a sob and fell on my knees looking as pathetic as I felt.

Why did I leave Nathan? He was my life, he was everything, and now...I was empty of all that mattered. I couldn't understand why I had been so stupid. But, this ring told me something I couldn't quite understand.

Did Nathan forgive me for what I did?

Even though I had left him, killed his father, lied to him, put my self in dangerous circumstances—resulting in him risking his life to save mine—he still loved me? Was it possible for someone to love another that much? It wasn't. It couldn't have been. No one in the world had room for that much forgiveness in his or her heart.

I got dressed and then cradled Max in my arms so gently, he didn't even stir. I looked out the window, checking, and then jumped out. I was by my car in a heartbeat. I laid Max on the passenger seat next to me and sat there, key in the ignition, thinking. I stared at my ring playing with it, sighing and longing to see Nathan.

Helplessly, my mind drifted back to the night I had left him. I hadn't had a sliver on trust in him.

What had his reaction been the following morning when he woke up to find nothing but cold sheets next to him? It hurt too much to think of it. My phone let out a beep and I realized it had been in the car this whole time. I stared at the screen. Seven missed calls, ten text messages and four voicemails. Two calls were from Chris, three were from Abby, one from my mom, and the last from Nathan. I looked into my inbox and found five texts from Abby, three from my mom, and one from Fae. And there was one text from Nathan.

I didn't look at any of the texts, but instead dialed my voicemail.

Abby's voice picked up, _"Samantha Elizabeth Clearwater! Where in the hay are you? We were supposed to go shopping the Saturday we got on Spring Break; you promised! I told you..."_

I deleted the message. Maradith spoke next.

"Hey Sam, just wanted to check up on you. I know you're on Spring Break, but I thought maybe you wanted to talk sometime, go get coffee, maybe? Hope everything is going well. I love you. Bye."

I deleted that too and then deleted the next one when Abby started shrieking in my ear. Then I nearly had a stroke when the next voicemail played.

"Serina, I'm sorry for whatever I did. I just wanted to make sure you were safe. I love you. Please call me."

The old, robotic lady asked me if I wanted to save or delete the message. But I just sat there, the phone going cold in my hand. A single tear fell from my eye and there was a _clang_ as my phone slammed against the floor and I jumped. I picked it up and dizzily ended the voicemail. My heart slammed hard against my ribs, not in fear or in panic, but in horror. What had I done? Now, Nathan was blaming himself since I had left. I had only caused him more grief...and maybe even guilt.

***

That night I had thought about going back, but I just couldn't make myself do it. Would Nathan be mad at me? Of course he would've! I left nothing but an abandoned home and him to cope with a shattered heart. Why in the world would he take me back? The sun was about to set but I kept walking through the tall trees, my eyes fixed on the beautiful ring settled on my finger. It had been a week now. And I still couldn't get my mind off Nathan.

The soft crunch of leaves behind me startled me out of my wits and I screamed. I felt arms around me and turned...I knew that strong grip. Nathan's expression was overjoyed. I forced a smile that hung weakly on my lips as we embraced momentarily and he pulled away to stare at me.

"Nathan..." I murmured.

He smiled and then leaned down to kiss me. Then he turned to dust in the wind.

Tears filled my eyes and I blinked several times.

"Nathan?" I called out bewildered and hurt. The name hung there until it dropped dead and the air became still. Had he only been another hallucination, a figment of my imagination?

"Nathan!" I screamed out again, my voice echoing through the trees.

My self-control was slipping like sand through my fingers. I could feel my nerves about to break. Over the weeks my temper and emotions had rapidly flipped from depression to infuriation. Suddenly, Nathan appeared again in front of me smiling. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him, holding me against his chest.

"No!" I exclaimed. "Leave me alone!"

He frowned and then once again disintegrated. My cries turned into broken sobs and I fell to the ground. I lowered my head over my knees, hugging myself with my arms and rocking back and forth. I felt his hand on my shoulder. But I knew it wasn't real.

My last nerve snapped.

"I said, _leave me ALONE!"_ I shrieked. I stood and my hands burst into flames.

My eyebrows immediately relaxed and I stared in regret. A middle-aged man stood there, in his hiking gear and all, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. He stared at me slowly backing away and then sprinting off as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

_What was that?_ I had never acted like that... _ever_. What was wrong with me? I couldn't believe what I had just done. How could I have been so impulsive? My hand automatically reached out, and in surprise I pulled it back, knowing that I couldn't take that back. Anyone he told would just think he was crazy.

I turned stumbling toward the hotel, when I heard a husky voice from behind me.

"Bravo, bravo," I heard someone approve wryly.

I turned in no time at all, half hiding behind a tree, only to find a man with black hair and skin dark as night, leaning against a thick tree. I peered at him childishly from behind the trunk. He wore dark jeans and a double-breasted jacket that was open to show his black shirt. His eyes were black and menacing as he talked.

"It would have been better if you had just killed him or something, but that can be worked on. Nevertheless, I think you would be great on the Dark Red."

Who was he? And who gave him the right to interfere with my self-esteem? Still horrified at my actions, he wasn't making me feel any better. I had never acted like that before, and now—because of my overreaction—I was being invited to tea with a Dark?

"My name is Noah," he said lifting his hand up toward me, as if I'd actually return the gesture. I didn't even look at it. He shrugged then pulled back, leaning back against an adjacent tree nonchalantly.

"Serina, all you have to do is pick a side; the Light or the Dark? How hard is that? All of this time of going through hardships, you could have just chose a side, mumbled a few words, and wa-la! That's all you have to do, my dear. You wouldn't have to ever worry about people fighting over you all the time! And even better, you know that boyfriend of yours...Nick, was it?"

"Nathan," I corrected him. His name still made the knife carve deeper and more sharply into my chest.

He waved a hand, rolling his eyes, "Right, right. Well, isn't he on the Dark Red too? Might as well join so you can be with him, right? Even your father, Bill..."

"Chris."

"Yeah, sure—he's on the Dark! Isn't that what he would want?" I glared at him skeptically. He didn't let me respond. He raised a dark eyebrow, setting the deal down, "Serina Calaway, would you like to join the Dark Red?"

My heart skipped a fearful beat and I dropped my gaze to the floor, staring at the dirt. After five whole minutes, I lifted my head up and stared into his eyes.

"I'll do it. But...give me a week."

Noah shrugged as if he didn't care. "Fine, I'll send some messengers to escort you in a week at dawn. They'll lead you to our base in Chile, where we settled after our recent...incident."

Was he talking about when I had killed Nathan's father and blew up that cavern? He stared hard into my eyes. "Yes, well, you know what happened there, everything's okay now. We had a few _problems_...with a few _people_...and you fixed them."

My stomach flipped at his words. It wasn't just that he didn't care that I had killed Ben, but I had done him a favor by killing Nathan's father.

"Although, we did lose a strong Apostle that day..." he muttered then looked up at me through his dark eyelashes with those unsettling dark eyes, "...I believe his name was...Ruben."

I looked away—tears forcing their way to my eyes, as if ready to show off for another encore of sobbing—at the guilt I carried around my neck everyday over that horrid night. But Noah smiled and threw his hands in the air, "Well, look at me, babbling on and on. I'll leave you now. And don't forget, Serina, one week..."

## Chapter 27

Loneliness ached in my stomach and I realized I missed my mom terribly. The voicemail she had left kept replaying in my head; she had no clue of what was going on in my life, whatsoever. And now, with Noah's pending request I needed to spill to someone, anyone—any Universal, that was.

A few days later, I called her. When she didn't answer the first time I called the house phone. Jon picked up, startling me out of my wits when he said, "Tom's Tow Shop, you got the dough and we got the tow."

For the first time in days, I laughed a genuine laugh.

"Very clever, Jonathan," I heard in the background. His laugh filled in my ear and then went distant when my mom took the phone from him.

"Sorry, sweetie, I was in the shower. How are you? I haven't heard from you in weeks!" She exclaimed.

"I know, Mom," I replied, "I was hoping we could get coffee. I can meet you there in Flagstaff?"

"Of course. I'll see you in ten?"

"Yeah, sounds good," I said then hung up.

My appearance looked pale and grainy in the mirror and I knew I'd have to fix myself up to look acceptable. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and combed through the tangles in my hair and maneuvered the beast on my head into a low messy bun, allowing some untamed curls to spill out and frame my face. Some make-up would have to do so the bags under my eyes wouldn't be too evident. I changed into some sweater leggings, a loose, lavender sweater, and my dark brown combat boots. Flagstaff was probably still getting some cold weather.

Max whined and I looked at him, completely forgetting. I kneeled in front of him, placing my hands on the side of his face. I'd only be an hour.

"Now, you be good okay? No barking and no going crazy while Mommy's gone. I'll be back in an hour, all right?"

He nudged my face and licked my cheek. I set out his food and water bowl and his toy. Hugging him tight, I stood and grabbed my wallet in hand and stepped out of my room. Once I was in the parking lot and no one was watching I sped off toward Arizona on foot. A few seconds later I stood at the front of my parents' house.

That's when I remembered the last conversation I had had with my father. My hand froze before it reached the doorbell. Jon swung the door open with a huge grin on his lips.

He caught me in a breathless hug and laughed.

"How's my baby sister doing?" He asked.

"Good," I responded which wasn't too far from the truth. Jon brightened my day whenever, wherever.

Maradith stepped out of the house only to catch me in a similar hug and kiss my cheek. She hooked her arm in mine and strolled off the porch with me, waving a hand at Jon as he closed the door behind us.

Within ten minutes we had gotten our Dutch Bros coffee and were making our way to a secluded bench in a nearby park. My mom was wearing pants and a tank top, and she pulled the loose, cashmere cardigan she wore around her tighter to stay warm.

I sipped my Chai tea and she looked into my tired, green eyes. "What's on your mind, babe?"

With a soft smile, I crossed my legs on the bench and faced her. I told her everything. I told her from when Nathan and I had left their house to now. There were tears in her eyes at many arts in my story and I felt bad, especially when I had to admit what had happened to Benjamin and Ruben.

At long last, when she didn't say anything, I spoke up, "What are you thinking, mom?"

She still didn't speak, taking it all in. "I'm proud of you and disappointed, I suppose."

I nodded, looking down and my drink.

"I can't imagine what I would've done at your age. Probably no anything as mature." She laughed gently. She put a hand on my cheek and made me look at her.

"Serina, you have a whole life ahead of you. The choices you make now will greatly affect the world around you and your future. Sometimes it's good to worry about what's good for _you_. Enjoy your life, sweetie."

"And what about..." I couldn't say his name.

She laughed. "Well, he's the handsomest and smartest, may I add, young man I've ever met. Have you ever thought about your future _together_?"

Wow. I hadn't. I had been so caught up in the now, I hadn't even thought about what the future might hold in store for the both of us. My mind went vivid in its imagination of us: a future home, wedding, and children. We could go through life together.

With an enthusiasm that surprised me, I embraced her joyously and threw my empty cup out. I kissed her cheeks and laughed. "Thank you. I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't talked to you."

"And Serina?"

I met her steady gaze.

"Consider yourself lucky."

A frown spread across my lips. "What do you mean?"

"Some people don't have the freedom to choose what side they want to be on. Choose soon, okay?"

"I don't understand," I murmured.

"You will, baby, you will."

## Chapter 28

I didn't eat after that. That chai had given me a hard sugar crash when I got home. I had to come up with a plan to cancel this meeting with the Dark.

It didn't take me long to realize that the ones I was coming up with weren't useful. How was I supposed to avoid this upcoming meeting with the Dark Red?

I broke down that night. I cried until my eyes dried up and no more tears fell. I looked up from my coiled body—like a turtle peeking out of its shell—and stood up from the bed, my head throbbing. My eyes fixated on the red digits on the digital clock. It had only been an hour.

I slipped out the window and ran through the forest. I bounded past the trees and didn't stop. I didn't want to stop but no notions came to me. I ran for as long as my legs could manage in a random trail. As it got dark I at last slowed by the hotel, tired yet restless.

Blindly, I stumbled through the thinning trees, tears flooding my eyes at my failure, and I managed to clamber back into my room. The tears came out the instant my feet touched the carpet. I reached out for something to hold on to before I fell. My fingers found the loveseat and gripped it so tight, my knuckles went white and the wood that shaped the top of the small sofa cracked and crumbled into my fingers.

What was going to happen? I could try to go to the Light Blue for protection, but I wasn't sure I was ready.

Then, I started to ball, my entire body releasing its own miniature seizure. I was so tired; I hadn't slept properly nor barely ate anything since Noah had asked me to be a Dark a week ago. Water was helpful every now and then but the glass usually remained unfinished. Even though Max got his food and water, my mind was too anxious to consider the physical needs of my body. But I couldn't shut my eyes now, knowing that in fewer than two hours it would be dawn and the messengers would come to bring me to the Dark base.

But what was worse, were the constant, evanescent cravings to see Nathan. My subconscious yearned to have him back but I wouldn't allow myself the fulfillment.

I collapsed to the ground in a disgusting mess. I needed to put a halt on this emotional rollercoaster and fix things _soon_.

All of a sudden, I saw a movement in the far corner of my room. My gasp of terror morphed into astonishment. I stared at him for a good minute, unable to register the face in my mind. In spite of everything, I managed to stand and say something coherent.

"Nathan?"

It couldn't be; it wasn't. I must have been dreaming again. Yes, dreaming was good. That meant my body was getting some sort of sleep.

But I could see his flawless face and smell his hypnotizing scent. My mind felt irresolute and so bewildered it hurt. Unable to say another word, I moved away from him, tripping into the loveseat behind me and knocking over the floor lamp.

He grabbed the lamp before it fell over and stood it up straight. No. I wouldn't even consider the possibility of him being here. I was too far beyond confusion to think coherently.

He couldn't be here, in my room or by my side. But he moved closer, every step making me shake with anticipation. I could see his blue eyes staring at mine and taking me in. My dreams had never _ever_ been this real.

"Nathan...." I breathed involuntarily as if his name was part of my being now. He pulled me up almost roughly and hugged me to his chest. I could hear his heartbeat under my ear.

After several moments of embracing me, he brought his hand up and stroked my face. Once again he wrapped his arms around me and held me to his warm, sturdy frame too tightly. My arms hung limply at my side. Something in me refused to embrace him back. I started to cry.

"Hey, it's okay..." Nathan murmured in the small room. Stunned, I drew myself away from his arms, stumbling into the loveseat behind me once again.

Okay? Nothing here was okay. The Dark was coming for me and I had no clue what to do. What was I supposed to say to him? My head throbbed.

"Serina, sweetheart, I won't hurt you," he murmured to me; he reached out as if I was some sort of scared animal. Maybe I was.

I met his fingers halfway. I moved to touch his arm and then brushed my numb fingers across the light blond hairs of his forearm. Underneath it, I felt his skin and muscle.

"What are you...?" I muttered finding my voice and staring at him through my tears, "What are you doing here, Nathan?"

He stared at me, still soaking up my presence.

"I couldn't stand another day." My breath shook when I heard his tender voice touch my ears. Warily, he walked toward me and took me in his arms as he sat on the loveseat next to me. He hugged me tighter, kissing my forehead, saying, "Fae told me where you were a long time ago, but I wanted to give you time...to think. I want you to trust me again."

"I do trust you, Nathan..." I whispered against the skin of his arm. He pulled me closer to him and his presence alone was enough to assuage my fears. I still couldn't bring myself to tell him of my situation. Nathan murmured something and I felt a cloud of peace and calm wrap me in a blanket. My anxiety slowly seeped away from me as he kissed me gently, again and again. Then he smiled faintly, "I can't tell you how much I've missed this."

"Me too."

I laced my fingers through his. With a shiver, he said, "You're cold..."

"What happened?" He murmured in a voice that was quietly hurt. He was struggling to hold his emotions back. Carefully, he brushed the hair out of my face making me shiver at his warm touch. I had to tell him.

"Nathan, I..." I started to say in a small voice when he muttered something.

There was a slight sting on my cheek and I found that he had healed something on my face. I lifted my fingers up to my other cheek, feeling a thin cut and then Nathan healed that too. I felt a soft tingle start in my fingers and then rapidly spread through my body releasing the tension and aches in my back. It flowed through my stomach and I no longer felt hungry.

I pulled away.

Nathan stared into my eyes confused and hurt. He started, "Please, Serina, you need help..."

"I'm not going to let you heal something that I should be taking care of," I whispered, quivering as I moved away from him and stood. I looked away from his piercing blue eyes, "I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" He murmured, coming to me, stroking my cheek and then leaning down to kiss my lips full on. He moved his lips desperately with mine, his fingers solidly holding my face to his.

"Nathan," I whispered when I pulled away for a breath. He kissed my lips again, but I couldn't focus. He pulled away and stared at me with a worried expression.

When I collected myself, I said, "Do you know a man named Noah?"

Nathan's voice grew low and dangerous. "How do you know him?"

For a moment, mistrust flashed under my skin and I felt a flash of fear snake through my mind.

"Don't answer that. Just..." He closed his eyes and then started again, "Serina, I love you. Nothing, and I mean absolutely _nothing_ , is ever going to change that. But I need to know how you know Noah."

Of course he knew Noah. He was a Dark....

Who cared if he was a Dark? My father was a Dark and my mother was a Light, yet they loved each other more than anything.

"He confronted me in the forest..." I said, staring at my fingers.

Nathan's eyebrows furrowed. "What? He just caught you in the forest and did what exactly? Noah can convince someone to do anything for him. Serina what happened?"

"He invited me to sign the Dark contract!" I exclaimed as if he would understand. I tore myself away from his face and opened the curtains, letting the smallest of lights in. I needed some air; the room felt stuffy and my thoughts seemed to be getting dizzy themselves. Just as I was lifting the latches on the window I saw two figures, one female and the other a male running toward the hotel through the trees.

Noah's words echoed in my head, ' _I'll send some messengers to escort you in a week at dawn ... don't forget, Serina, one week.'_

No. I wasn't ready for this. What had I been thinking? I looked up and saw that it was getting light. Turning around swiftly to face Nathan, I exclaimed desperately, "Nathan, you have to hide!"

"What?" He asked stunned.

"Go! Get inside the closet! Please," I exclaimed.

"Serina," Nathan insisted, "What's going on?"

"Please just trust me..." I begged him. His eyes faltered and willingly he let me shut the door behind him...just as the two Darks landed in the room.

The man stepped up and said through clenched teeth, as if he was told to say this with politeness, " _Ma'am_ , are you ready to leave?"

I knew him from somewhere. But I couldn't put my finger on it.

"I-I've changed my mind," I told them in an unstable voice. But inside, I was ready for a fight, "Send Noah my apologies."

Both of them looked at each other, frowns on their lips, and the man grimaced.

"Nobody just _changes his or her mind_ about signing a contract," the man said, all politeness dropping from his voice. He gripped my arm dangerously hard, but the women touched the man's shoulder.

"Kyle, be gentle. Noah doesn't want us damaging any _packages_."

_'Packages'_? Were they referring to me as a _package_?

"Please, what's the difference?" Kyle exclaimed with a glare at the women and then pulled me with him toward the window anyway, though I resisted. That was it! Kyle was the Universal from that gang. The one Nathan saved me from.

"Come on, Sarah..."

Sarah, who had hair as black as night, pale skin, and dull blue eyes moved to stand in front of the closet. I turned to her, "What are you doing?"

"I can smell you, Nathaniel..." She said, looking into the crack of the door, no longer talking to me.

Suddenly, the closet door came open so fast—if I had blinked I would have missed it—Sarah's head snapped back, blood across her forehead and she fell to the floor. A gasp slipped from my mouth and Nathan appeared next to me in a flash. He ripped Kyle's hands from my arm and faced him, standing in front of me defensively.

"Stop," I exclaimed, moving in front of Nathan, staring pleadingly into his eyes, but he returned the stare back, flabbergasted. Kyle ignored us, moving toward Sarah desperately.

"Nathaniel..." Kyle said, glaring darkly at him. Ever so gently he cradled Sarah in his arms and then _floated_ out the window. I had forgotten that he could fly. He turned back around to look at Nathan. "Noah is going to make you pay for this!"

Then he flew off.

"Were those Darks?" Nathan questioned me, turning to close the window sharply and then face me.

"Yes," I answered, "but there was no need for what you did."

"Are you hearing yourself, Serina? You're defending a _Dark_. They've probably killed hundreds of people!"

"And you _haven't_?" I snapped back. "I'm sorry; I didn't know I wasn't allowed to commune with Darks. In that case, I'll take another look at who I trust and leave."

He winced at that last part grasping my arm in his fingers, shutting his eyes tight, and whispering in a hoarse voice, "No, Serina...look...I..."

I murmured softly, "Nathan, I'm doing this for you."

He looked up and lowered his eyebrows at me. "Signing the Dark contract? You think you're doing me a favor?"

Taking a shaky, troubling breath, I let my face fall.

"I thought you'd be happy."

"What?" His voice was full of several emotions, anger, surprise, and fear, but most of all, panic. "That's the one thing you won't make me by doing this. Serina, you can't..."

I couldn't back out now!

"I have to, Nathan, you heard what Kyle said!" I told him, regret making me shiver anxiously and I added in my defense, "Noah convinced me to agree to come. I wasn't well then; my mind wasn't coherent! He took advantage of me and I gave him my word. He told me in a week at dawn he'd send escorts, and it's been a week, Nathan!"

"Okay, all right. We'll just have to figure something out..."

That's what I'd been trying to do all day. I turned around, pacing back and forth in the small living room. Finally I sat on the bed, cradling my head with my hands. Before I knew it, Nathan's fingers were on mine and his blue eyes were in front of me. After a few moments of silence I whispered, "Nathan, I _want_ to sign it."

He stared at me like I had said I was going to kill myself.

"What?" he asked, ripping his hands from mine, "Are you crazy? Serina, you don't know anything about signing these contracts. It's completely different signing the Light contract. The Dark take people's souls. They manipulate pure souls, brainwash them, and force them into your body! From there, it's just a bloody battle to see which soul will win. It's called a Soul Possession."

"That's ridiculous..." I told him.

Without acknowledging Nathan's words, I checked out, got Max, and put my things in the car. He was on my heels, before I could reach the parking lot. Nathan leaned into my window, his hand on mine before I could turn the key in the ignition. "Don't do this, please."

I stared down, seemingly at a loss.

"Give me a reason why not."

"You won't be able to control your body," he insisted.

"Well, you look like you're controlling yours fine. And so does my father."

I started the car.

"There are things," he started, blue eyes earnest, "things I can't tell you about the contract your father and I signed with the Dark."

I frowned. Another secret, another thing Nathan hadn't told me. He could tell I wasn't convinced.

"At least let me come with you," he murmured desperately, "please."

I gave in and let him drive down with me. We drove back south and I dropped off Max to Fae's care then I parked the car back at my house with my bags still in the trunk. Nathan told me he'd lead me to the base and he kept his word. It was near the end of the Andes Mountains in Chile. We were standing by the mouth of cave seconds later. Etched into the outside of the cave wall, was the Dark symbol. The dangerous-looking symbol that looked like a distorted ninja star was familiar to me now, maybe a little too familiar. I took a step toward it, when Nathan gripped my arm.

"Please...Serina, don't do this," he pleaded, his eyes on the edge of desperation.

I was on the brink of anger.

"Nathan, I have to," I told him hopelessly, "I want people to stop fighting over me! What else am I supposed to do?"

"Serina," Nathan beseeched me, "this is the one thing that won't ever stop the fighting. Please, _please_..."

With an airtight reluctance, I whispered, "I have to."

I entered the cavern to find it strikingly similar to the one I'd destroyed merely a week ago. Noah was seated at one of the stone chairs conversing modestly with a small group of council members when I walked in. He smiled welcomingly and motioned to a table off to the side.

There was no one there to force me into anything. No one was there telling me what I needed to do. Just a paper was sitting on the edge of a table and an old-fashioned, ink pen. It was bright in the cavern though there was no light source to be found.

Nathan followed a step or two behind me as I approached the table. Feeling Nathan's hasty presence made me fidgety and agitated. Without reading any of the rules of the contract, I snatched the pen from the table and pressed it on the parchment.

"Serina, please...you don't understand, you have to kill people when you sign that. That's the Dark Red's goal, to wipe out all humanity. You won't be _you_ anymore," Nathan began.

There they were again, in my head; the people were screaming—the gory snapping of their bones blaring in my ears. And the conversation with my mom ran through my mind. She had told me that I had the freedom to choose. I was on the verge of tears again; my eyes sought and found where Nathan stood. I needed his arms, his warmth, and his reassurance.

"I can't do it...!" I tumbled back into his arms, withdrawing into his being, sobbing. His shirt was in my fingers as he drew me in taut.

Noah stood from his chair, a look of wild determination on his dark features. His deep voice rang through the cavern making me wither closer to Nathan, "You gave your word!"

"I-I'm sorry..." I stuttered losing control of my soundness, "I...I can't."

Everything happened so quickly from there I barely knew what had occurred until it was done. Nathan maneuvered me behind him, throwing a Dark into the wall across from us. Another Dark grabbed me but then Nathan had his arms on him, shoving him away. But there were so many of them; soon four or five Darks were holding him down. Noah had his hands on me and the pen was suddenly in my numb fingers.

Nathan was shouting at Noah, "You can't do this! You know the rules of the treaty; your father signed it himself 70 years ago! You can't force her on your side...!"

Noah turned toward him and chuckled. "You think I play by the rules? What my father did 70 years ago ended when he died. We're writing our own rules."

The words my mother had said to me hit me hard. Why hadn't I listened? Now it was too late.

"Do it!" Noah yelled at me. Nathan struggled under the men as Noah forced me to bow over the contract.

"No, Serina, don't listen to him!" he exclaimed. It was a fight for words, for choices. When finally Noah lifted his free hand and someone grabbed Nathan's neck in a position I'd seen before, but only in movies and described in books.

"No!" I screamed as the man held his arm tightly around Nathan's neck, ready to snap it. "I'll do it! I'll do it, okay? Please just don't hurt him!"

With quaky fingers, I placed the pen on the line. With a glazed look at Nathan, Noah's hasty fingers pressed over my wrist, and he whispered in my ear, "Do it, or he's dead."

And with a gentle sob, I signed my name.

Then Noah breathed into my ear almost possessively, "Now it's anyone's game..."

## Chapter 29

I swallowed hard, as Nathan screamed insults in Noah's direction. The guards locked his hands behind his back with metallic looking fetters and hauled him on his feet as he tried to tug free of their grip.

No. This isn't what I wanted.

The ink scrawled across the paper that made letters that spelled my name; I felt dejected. Then the black ink I had written in, faded into permanent gold lettering:

Serina Calaway

"Finish it! Say the words!" Noah shouted at me. I stared at Nathan helplessly as he shook his head. Yelping when Noah grappled my tangled hair within his fingers, he forced me to bend over the contract again.

"Say it..." he threatened murderously indicating to the words written on the bottom of the contract. It was the oath of the Dark Red. I wouldn't. I couldn't.

In half-sobbing, half-shaking words, I muttered, "From hereon, I serve the Dark Red. Until eternity ends, I..."

I paused, unwillingly. Noah yanked back my hair again and exclaimed in my ear, "Finish the oath!"

I let out a cry and whispered, "I am here to live out the goals and desires..."

_"No!_ " Nathan yelled painfully.

"...Of the Dark," I finished in a voice so quiet I wasn't sure if I had said it. But Noah heard me. There was a whooshing sound coming through the cavern tunnel. As I turned I met a black fireball as it speeded through the tunnel...straight toward me. Almost as if in slow motion, simultaneously I saw Noah's gleeful expression and then Nathan's horrorstruck one. And for two milliseconds I felt true sorrow rock my bones as the black soul slipped through my chest.

It was a weird sensation, not painful, but very uncomfortable. Immediately, I felt every nerve in my body absorb strength and energy I'd never felt before. I could feel my powers flowing through every cell, vein, and muscle in my body, leaving a tingly sensation in my fingertips.

Suddenly, I felt my brain pulled at and then the sucking stopped as I fell on my hands and knees, feeling incredibly weak.

"No!" I heard an enraged cry, "You monsters! You can't take her away!"

I felt hands on my face and I was looking into Nathan's sapphire eyes.

"Nathan..." I murmured feeling disconnected.

"No," he said, desperately trying to keep my attention, "Serina, stay awake. Fight it...don't leave me again...please..."

Then he was ripped away from me. And it was then that I realized I wasn't afraid to lose my life; I was afraid to lose the life that I could've lived. My entire world went black.

The first person I laid my eyes on was Noah and I knew he was my master. The only one on earth I was to serve. I knew my purpose here. Build an army. Destroy humanity. That was what the Dark wanted and I would carry that out.

"Master..." I murmured, in a low, dark tone that was unfamiliar to me. He smiled at me, suggesting the behavior of a father when he sees his newborn child for the first time.

"Isobel," Noah said, "my loyal servant."

He extended his strong hands out toward me and I took them, as he led me over toward a row of chairs. I heard a yell and sensed someone running toward me on my blind side. Was it an attacker?

When I turned, I came face to face with a young man about my age. His face was pained as if he had been stabbed in the chest. His dirty blond was damp from his subtle perspiration and his eyes an enthralling ocean blue as if they were from the surface of the bluest of blue seas. They were mesmerizing and he was extraordinarily attractive.

"Serina," the boy said, studying my face for a minute and then his dark eyes bulged in worn realization.

I cocked my head, and smiled, "No, you must be mistaken. I am Isobel. And you are?"

Noah stepped forward with a grimace. "Nathaniel West. I hope you realize now that the decision the Light Blue made by sending you here as a spy was illiterate on their part."

He motioned to a guard and then looked back at me with a reassuring expression.

"I did it for her," the boy tried to say as the guards closed in on him. He was oblivious as they grabbed him by his already cuffed hands. "I wasn't doing this for information; I never delivered a single piece of information back to the Light. I was trying to protect Serina."

There was a soft ache in my stomach. Noah rose an eyebrow and turned back to face this Nathaniel to say, "Clearly you've done nothing for her."

The light in his blue eyes faltered and his face crumpled in heartfelt pain. Then hatred rushed down over his stance and expression. With an icy viciousness, he said in a cold voice, "I won't let you kill her. She's stronger than you think."

"That's what your brother said to me when Benjamin signed the contract," Noah replied curtly. Then his smiled a thin smile. "And, well...you know what happened there."

Confused at where the conversation had drifted, I looked up at Noah and inquired, "Master, who is this boy?"

"Serina..." Nathaniel said in a strained tone as he crumpled on his knees in front of me.

I was on my hands and knees in a white room. Behind me lay pure darkness from which I had traveled through just to reach this place. Why had I needed so urgently to travel here? Who knew why?

My head was murky; I couldn't seem to figure out where I was or what was going on. But in front of me was a large screen. A cloaked figure stood in front of it, looking preoccupied at a glass desk layered with strange images.

I knew who the figure was and I make no attempt to alarm it of my presence. I saw a boy on the screen, as if I was looking through someone's eyes.

The boy was so agonizingly familiar it was a struggle just to think correctly about any memory. But there was nothing—absolutely nothing. I couldn't seem to remember anything!

Who was he?

Suddenly it clicked. I knew that boy! I knew him from somewhere! _Where?_ Why did he look so utterly familiar? Was he my friend once? A brother? A neighbor? Who?...Who was this Nathan?

Then I remembered, so vividly that I let out a gasp. I grasped the memory and held onto it because it the only thing I had left. I reached my hand out frantically. _Nathan..._

The cloaked figure turned to glare at me with two bright, iridescent eyes—if you could call them anything other than glowing orbs of fire. It let out a growl, and told me in a voice that scared me out of my wits, "You are no longer in control. I've taken over you and your body. You can do nothing to stop me."

Then it shoved me back into the darkness.

And the only grasp of the memory I had of the boy, slipped away.

I shot my arm back, my nerves flooded in confusion.

"Serina?" I heard another voice call. I turned to the voice and glanced at a man who seemed familiar as well. Where were all these people coming from? Did I know them all? Did they know me?

"Yes?" I asked, confused. What was going on?

"Serina, it's me," he told me coming closer, "your father."

I didn't have a father. The only person who was close enough to me to be like a father was Noah.

"I'm sorry, but I've never seen you before," I said quite calmly, "And again, my name is Isobel, not Serina."

"You...you signed it," he stammered quietly looking anguished, as if he had failed.

"Well actually, _she_ signed it," I replied almost laughing, "Whoever this Serina was, she made a brilliant decision."

The man's dark green eyes studied my features, just like the boy had, and his eyes bulged in horror. The smile was wiped clean from my face when I sensed a shift in the air—Chris' air.

I turned back to my master, my eyes blank and my mind more puzzled than before.

"Isobel," Noah said almost nonchalantly, "I believe you have a very useful power to tell whether or not someone is lying."—He stroked my hair back as if I were his pet—"That's why I chose you, isn't it?"

With a nod, I gave him a smile and turned to Chris.

_"Veritas_ ," I whispered under my breath. He was lying. I lifted an eyebrow.

I grinned gleefully. "You think you're fooling everyone don't you?"

Chris swallowed hard.

Sauntering over to Noah, I murmured, "He's lying—he never signed the Dark contract. He's a council member for the Light Blue."

Instantaneously, Noah's guards were called over and both Nathaniel and Chris were seized. Noah instructed them to be put in cells as he led me off in the opposite direction.

"Come with me, child," he said smoothly directing me through the dimly lit tunnel. "I'll take that necklace of yours."

I frowned in puzzlement. He snatched something from my neck and I found that it had a strange symbol on it. I didn't question his authoritative decision.

"Master, who were those people?" I asked instead.

With a deep exhale he remarked, "They knew the old soul that you possessed. I apologize that we couldn't make your transition a little smoother, but you handled it well."

"No need to worry about that, Isobel," Noah continued, smiling darkly. Abruptly, I forgot all about the strange boy and man. "We have things to do."

I smiled, my dark green eyes gleaming with a sudden darkness that was unfamiliar but undeniably inviting. This was what I was made to do.

"Isobel, this soul you possess can control the elements of fire, water, earth, ice, and wind," he explained, "It can create waves of energy and extinguish any living thing as if they never existed. But you, my dear, already know how to tell if someone is lying and I added something special just for you."

My expression turned questioning and he took my hand, patting it happily. "The power to torture is now yours. You may thank councilor Ruben for that since he's found pleasure in another field of work."

All of a sudden, the spirit inside me screamed for freedom and I gasped, surprised. Noah turned to me concerned.

"Will they always scream at you?" I asked breathless; I felt as if I had gotten the wind knocked out of me. I remember the guidelines given by the instructors when I had decided to be a Soul Possessor. He had told me to never listen to anything the Souls' said and to never give in to their desperate emotions. It was more difficult than I had thought it was going to be.

Noah frowned slightly and informed me, "At first, yes, but eventually they will grow weak and die off. If their thoughts don't begin to wear in a few days, let the council know and we'll kill it for you. And if it starts controlling you more than once or twice, let us know immediately."

I nodded and ignored the screaming in my head as I turned my attention back to Noah.

"Now, follow me," he said turning to display the small mouth of a cave lit by a row of torches. He walked through the tunnel, planting his feet when we entered the opening of another cavern, similar to the Dark Council's meeting place. However, this cave had tunnels—twenty or so—going out from the big cavern and through the mountain. Almost like a huge house with hallways and rooms.

I saw movement from the corner of my eye and realized I hadn't seen the people in front of me. There were men, women, and children lined up in four long rows of about fifty people in each. Noah appeared behind me and said, "We've recruited over one hundred Universals from around the world. We want you to choose Universals with useful powers; athletic and powerful Universals are what we need.

"Thus, categorize them into those who are fit to fight, those who can be brainwashed into possession, and those who are inept for either. Do what you wish with those who aren't suitable," Noah told me and added in a hushed voice, "Prove to me that you can use this new body and its powers to their full capacity, understood?"

Without argument, I did what my master told me to do. I walked up inspecting and censuring each person, to see his or her strength, speed, and power. Halfway through my work, I came to a small group of children standing tall and frozen with fear. A young girl, her smooth, ivory face unblemished with deep-set green eyes, steadily stared me in the face.

"I can control people's minds," she said, maybe one of the only ones in the line that stood with a sassy gait. Her hands were rooted on her hips and her brown hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail.

The edges of my lips curled up. "Show me."

Turning to a boy she looked related to, she uttered something and he suddenly rose up. He flung himself in a circle and then started to crawl on all fours. I chuckled and then said, "Run through all the rooms and around the cavern for me."

She nodded slightly and ran off. She was back in two seconds without breaking a sweat.

_Quick,_ I thought to myself.

I kneeled in front of her, glaring at her feisty expression that screamed, " _Bite me"_.

"What's your name?" I asked narrowing my eyes.

In a firm voice, she told me, "Kara."

"Kara, I like you..."—the girl smiled slightly at the comment—"and you have a very useful power."

I told her to stand with the others that were fit for fighting.

I moved on to the next child, a young boy holding the face of an eleven year old. Boredom was growing on me and I asked, "What are your powers?"

"I can control water," he told me.

"And?"

He stammered, "T-That's it...."

Holding back a laugh of amusement, I told him to do the usual.

He ran sluggishly, a solid eight seconds; running in and out through twenty tunnels—those were about fifty yards in length each—took me less than a second. When he came back, he already knew his fate when he looked in my eyes.

"Please..." he begged, his voice breaking, "don't! Please...I don't want to die!"

I stared at him disgusted as he pulled at my legs. I yanked my leg away and summoned my powers.

The word was spoken from my cold lips, " _Torqueo_."

The boy howled in what could only be merciless agony. He grappled his head between his hands and withered into a ball, wailing for help from someone, anyone, but everyone was too scared to move as I gazed down on him, pressing my powers even further.

A sweat broke on my forehead but I pushed even further.

But suddenly I doubled over as I was gripped with another being.

I was in the white room again, trying to convince the dark soul. I was desperate. Something was telling me this was wrong.

_No, stop it! He's just a boy!_ I pleaded with the cloaked figure in front of me, grasping its cloak and begging.

"Shut up!" the dark soul spat aloud using _my_ mouth.

Please, don't kill him! He has a family and—

"What did I say?" It hissed at me, through my lips again.

Then it grabbed and threw me back into the darkness.

I should've known the consequences of a soul strong enough to stay in its body while I invaded it. I would have to deal with it later though. I stood up and gripped my head solemnly.

A middle-aged man at the end of the row snickered. It wasn't at the boy's pain, but my subtle struggle. My eyes shot up from the floor and on him.

I was up and in front of the man before anyone could even blink.

"Do you think that's funny?" I demanded; stabbing my finger so hard in his juggler vein he stopped breathing. His gray eyes bulged but held my gaze as his broad body fell to the floor gasping for oxygen. I bent down, grabbed his collar and slammed him into the side of the cavern. The wall quivered.

"Why don't you try a Soul Possession of an Apostle and let me know the next time you want to laugh about it," I demanded then added, "Oh...wait! There won't be a next time...."

Without warning a woman down the line took off offensively and lunged toward me. But Noah was promptly by my side halting the woman with one hand as she struggled with bared teeth, thrashing her arms in my direction.

The man in front of me grabbed at his throat trying to breathe but I let him go and he slumped to the ground, permanently silent. The lady in Noah's arms shrieked at me and pounded her fists against Noah. I looked at her, amused. Was she a lover of the man I had killed? Maybe. Did I care? No.

I grinned and shook my head, playing around with a charming façade, "Is this how you treat an Apostle?"

My hand went out for her neck and propelled her at the wall of the cave. The rock wall shuttered, groaning in response when the woman's body collided with it. Her body fell to the floor in a broken bundle. I turned and glared at the crowd.

"No one disobeys the rules!" I yelled. "Is that clear?"

The woman hadn't moved from where she had fallen. And no one had moved from where they'd been standing.

"I'll clean this up; just finish what I told you to do, Isobel," Noah murmured in my ear.

I nodded. "Of course, master."

Overlooking the long row of people, I asked, "Does anyone else have any commentary?"

My voice rang clear and hung over everyone in the room. Every single Universal had stopped breathing.

Not a word was discoursed.

"Good," I murmured.

Then I walked back down the row to continue my work.

Soon, I was undergoing objectives daily. Generally, Noah desired a kill as badly as I did. He'd give me a name and I got pretty good at hunting them down. Every victim was almost always a Universal. I simply either convinced them to join our side or kill them if they resisted. My attitude toward the jobs began to slip into apathy. I wanted more.

I had visited a house that the old soul, Serina, used to occupy. It looked like no one had been there for weeks. I went through her closet and found nothing I had liked—all of her clothes were brightly colored and nothing to my taste. Using her card, I withdrew money and bought new clothes, dark jeggings, a black, cropped shirt, and new shoes. I stayed in her home for days, ordering Chinese food.

There were so many calls from her parents and friends and letters from her school, I could've hung myself if I got a piece of thread for every time they contacted her. On the other hand, I was lucky to get this Universal body. Not many souls got someone as rich as whoever this Serina was—or someone as attractive.

After a while though, I got tired of spending the girl's money and by mid-April Noah came to me with something far better than my past tasks.

"Are you content?" I asked. There was really no need to ask because I knew he was already happy with all I'd done.

To my surprise, he frowned at me.

"Not quite, Isobel. You remember Nathaniel and Chris from a week ago?"

I dipped my head in acknowledgement.

"We were unsuccessful in containing them. The careless men who were at fault are being punished but I want you to find them and preferably within the next day."

"Gladly," I replied.

He stared hard into my eyes. "Isobel..."

"Yes, master?"

"Another Apostle is hunting Chris, but I want you to take on two other Universals. One is a woman named Lillian. She has heat vision as well as the capability to run through objects. However, Nathaniel is someone that your old soul used to know...so be very, _very_ conscientious. Be on your guard at all times around him."

I nodded and the soul inside me screamed again. I shut her up with a shove.

"I will find them, master." I turned to take off but Noah clasped my arm.

"Isobel?"

"Yes?"

"This is an extremely risky mission."

I blinked passively.

"So when you find them," he said in a soft voice, "kill them immediately."

## Chapter 30

I'd never seen trees as massive as these. I looked down from my perch in the fir, watching as hikers clambered by, some laughing, some conversing, and some trudging on completely oblivious. _Yellowstone_ —such a strange name for a place—had too much air. The forest's path began to clear, and no one passed for a long while. A couple stopped beneath the tree I was perched in and stared at each other for a moment. I eavesdropped on their conversation, two hundred feet up in the tree.

"You're crazy!" The women exclaimed, as the man bent down on one knee.

The man shook his head, and murmured, "That's only because I'm in love with you, Clara..."

I gagged as he began babbling on about how he'd give his life for her and blah, blah, blah. I didn't understand how humans could feel any emotion but darkness. How could they want something rather than that? Inside, the only emotions I knew were the love and loyalty to my master. I got tired of his little speech. They all needed to be destroyed.

Bracing myself on the branch, I sprang down and landed on the male human, nearly killing him. The girl let out a bloodcurdling scream of terror and I rolled my eyes; I had only broken a few major bones, big deal.

I slammed a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, please! Wait until you see what I can do," I told her, " _Torqueo_."

Her scream never made it past my hand. I stared into her little, brown eyes until the light went out of them. She dropped to the ground while I slipped back into the forest.

Down the path I spotted a family making their way toward where I had been only a second ago. There was a man with a child strapped to his back leading a woman carrying a backpack. Standing behind the thick trunk of a tree, I made out the woman's long strawberry blond hair and unnaturally light blue eyes.

Lillian White. The man, obviously her husband, froze and saw the two people lying on the road. He ran to them, checking to see if they were okay.

That's when the woman saw me. I was behind her before her heat vision could activate. The heat scorched the place I'd been standing but my arms wound around her neck, holding her head in the perfect position to snap. Though she tried, I was just too strong for her; with this newfound adrenaline rush of power I had gained I wanted to play this up a little bit. The man looked up and saw me. I laughed.

"Don't hurt her! Please," he started, "what do you want; money? I'll give you all I have, just let my wife go."

It was clear he wasn't a Universal and it was clear Lillian hadn't told him she had powers because Lillian barely made a struggle. But I held her down roughly anyway. I narrowed my eyes at him, "I don't want your money. I want your wife dead."

"It's okay, Robert, take Emma. Leave, _now!_ "

He didn't budge as I felt her trying to pass through my arms—Lillian was trying to fight me—but I held her tighter. In reply, I murmured, "Two can play that game."

The baby on her husband's back started to cry. I shook the ground beneath us and with a blast of energy blew her husband off. She screamed her husband's name and then I whispered—"Nice try, Lillian, but when the Dark wants something fixed. I'm the one to fix it."

With a flick of my wrist she fell to the ground; death could accompany her in her sleep now. I flicked my finger at the ground with a single word, " _Ignis._ "

The dead pine needles caught and my fire burst into flames. I looked away innocently, muttering, "Oops."

I took off toward southern California, cooing beneath my breath, "Oh, Nathan...!"

A small fragment of my sanity had flitted back to me; it was enough spur me on and try to stop what this soul wanted to do. The pain and guilt I had felt was indescribable when the soul had killed those people. The people in the cavern, the couple in Yosemite, and so many more...

I couldn't take it anymore, I wasn't going to wait here and watch Isobel commit these horrible vices.

I stood and ran toward the cloaked figure pushing it from the control and gripping my body in an attempt to stop moving, but I failed pitifully and the Dark soul, ripped me away and ran even faster than I thought imaginable.

"Behave..." It hissed.

_No!_ I shouted at it. _Just stop this! I can't let you kill innocent people!_

I heard the dark voice fill my head and run off _my_ lips like liquid. "And what will you do about it?"

_Don't think I'm going to give up! I'm a lot stronger than you think I am...I_ will _stop you, Isobel. No matter the cost._

"We'll see about that, now won't we?" The voice faded as I slipped into darkness, recoiling from the harsh and painful prying of my soul and mind.

Breaking into his house wasn't hard. I slipped through the open balcony door and beat down every door in the hallway. Each one was empty. I stood in the middle of his room, memories of being in here replaying in my head even though I'd never been here before. I stepped onto his mini balcony looking out over the beach.

I made my way to the Oceanside, the vast ocean spread in front of my eyes and soft, pale gray sand settled beneath my shoes. Behind me loomed a cliff twenty times taller than me.

"Serina...?"

I turned around to see a boy standing in front of me. He carried a tall and lean body, with sharply defined features.

Nathaniel West. How convenient. I smiled joyfully.

"I've been looking for you," I said, forcing my voice to take on that high pitch tone like the girl he once knew. I ran to him and threw my arms around his neck, feigning the part. His arms encircled me for a long moment. Then he pulled back and stroked my cheek.

"What happened?" he asked. "To Isobel and...?"

I lied, with a smile—I went so far as to fabricate tears in my eyes—"I fought back Nathan and she came out of me!"

He smiled and then leaned down to kiss me. Passionately, I grasped his face in my hands and moved my lips with his. But I stared at his blue eyes threateningly. His eyebrows suddenly furrowed and I smiled wickedly. I grasped his throat with my fingers so hard he let out a suffocated croak. Gradually, I pulled away from him and stared into his eyes with amusement, the grin still spread wide across my face.

"You know," I laughed. "You are so gullible! You have given me the most fun I've had in weeks!"

I threw him to the ground—forming a slick ice sheet over the sand just before he fell—and heard his head _smack_ against the frozen sand. My right knee was on his chest a moment later, my left foot planted right beside his head and he groaned. I let out a chime-like laugh and stood. He moved to get on his hands and knees but I delivered a swift kick straight in the ribs, and he fell back onto the hard sand, his blue eyes staring at me sadly. Was he even _trying_ to fight back? He was just giving me the advantage. I dug my heel into his neck, cutting of his air.

"Like the new black wedges? I thought they reminded me of someone powerful and dark and sexy..." I paused for dramatic effect, "...kind of like me, you know?"

I was the only one that laughed. Oh, well I thought it was funny. Finally I sighed and removed my foot from his neck.

"It's amazing how she fell in love with you...really it is. Was it because of her beauty or her charisma?" I turned in time to catch him staring at me in despair, "It's too bad I have to kill you. You really are so _hot_. Ugh...it's irresistible!"

"Serina, please..." he grumbled desperately, straining to sit up.

I turned to him in a heartbeat and slammed him back down against the ice, my foot on his neck _again_. My black eyes shot him daggers.

"Didn't you hear _anything_ I just said? My name is not Serina!" I yelled, ticked off. Human emotions were so hard to control in this body and I was much more impulsive. I loved it. I would never give this body up, not for anything.

With a sigh, I moved away from him and turned back around in an offensive position.

"I want to have a little fun with you," I told him and lit up my hands with fire just as he got on his feet. I threw a ball of fire toward his toes but the fire just caught onto his shoes and all he did was pat it out with his hands. I made a dozen ice spikes and threw them at him. He didn't even care to evade them. Instead, they caught him on his side and he held his hand to his waist in anguish as his skin started to bleed. I frowned when he just stood there, looking utterly weak. "Why won't you fight back?"

I lunged for him and gave a good roundhouse kick to his head. He dropped the ground in a lame, helpless clump. A bruise was beginning to form where I had kicked him.

"Huh?" I shouted at him. He still refused to get up. But I just screamed at him, getting angrier, "Fight back!"

He sorely got to his hands and knees but I drove my foot into his jaw, not giving him a chance to move. He howled in pain. I was furious.

"Get up and fight, you coward!" I yelled then decided to antagonize in a softer, gentler voice, "Serina is _dead_ , Nathaniel. I killed her days ago. She wouldn't stop screaming...."

He was up and when I blinked he had me pinned to the cliff face, his expression distorted into anguish. This was what I was waiting for. I blew him away with a quick pulse of energy and he landed some ways away and I began making my way to him. He was on his hands and knees just getting up when I slammed him back to the floor with my foot.

"I'm so sorry," I purred in a baby voice. Tears brimmed his eyes and he looked away devoid of hope, "that you never got to say goodbye to her..."—I paused, as if thinking, and said flatly—"No, I'm really not sorry at all."

I went down for the kill when suddenly I felt small hands around my wrists, holding my arms behind me. I jerked quickly and threw the stranger off my back. They flung off, found the ground and landed in a crouch. She was blonde and blue-eyed, and looked a lot like Nathan. She had to be twelve years old! I looked between the two and laughed.

I laid my eyes on Nathan, a finger pointed at the girl.

"This is your reinforcement?"

I was shoved from my blind side; the girl's kick in the gut sent me flying across the beach. I splashed into the ocean's chilly waves.

Shrieking, I found that the new outfit I'd just bought was soaked and ruined.

_"Aiqua_ ," I spat, lifting my hands to flux a saltwater tidal wave around me. The girl shot herself at me, hiding just beyond my reach and my wave missed my target. She wrenched my arms behind my back and jostled me underwater.

"Fae, don't!" I heard Nathan exclaim. But I just wanted him to shut up. I could kill both of them so easily with just a look, but I wanted some fun. I wanted a fight. I was on my toes, tearing myself from Fae to break the surface of the water.

_"Potestas_ ," I said and energy pulsed underneath my feet, allowing me to grasp Fae and brutally hurl her against the cliff face. She hustled me around pinning my back to the rock wall but before she could retaliate with another blow, Nathan was holding her back.

"Fae, stop! You're going to hurt her; you know there's another way!" He was exclaiming. Fae scowled at him.

"Nathan, Serina doesn't know who you are! She doesn't even know who she is anymore!"

Nathan's face fell.

"I know," he finally said. Aw. What a touching moment. Just the thing I hated.

"Enough!" I screamed. I went for Nathan's throat but Fae stopped my hand midway and shoved me back. I ran at her and twisted her arm back so far I heard it _pop_ ; she let out a yelp of pain. Swinging her around behind me, I let her go and she tumbled into the sand some ways away.

"Serina," Nathan shouted, looking at me, but not truly. As if he was looking deeper into me, past my eyes and into my very soul. "You remember something!"

"I'm not Serina!" I shrieked at him, fists clenched, but he persisted.

"You remember everything, I know you do! Please Serina! You must fight it! Your memory is there, you just have to hold on to it."

I unclenched Isobel's fists.

Nathan? I remembered him. I stared hard at the blond hair that showed touches of gold and the deep blue eyes that held the same color as the ocean itself. But he looked exhausted and pale.

I did know him! Was he a friend or neighbor? No, maybe he was....

My brain groaned in achy fatigue. Who was he? He was... I had loved him once, hadn't I? I had. It was hard to remember anything specifically, but there was something...I knew there was.

He wanted me to _fight_ Isobel? Why? I had tried so many times before, but the Dark soul had kept winning, wearing me down with every time I had lost. Draining the life from me...the only flame of my faith to be saved was gone. I had given up hope and let her take everything away, including my memory. I didn't know where it was, let alone have the strength to grasp it.

"Nathan..." I murmured, through Isobel's mouth, struggling hard to remember.

Maybe he could help me. Help me get away from all this suffering. Save me somehow, when I could no longer save myself.

I took control of myself again and the opportunity to call for help. I cried out, "Help me...please!"

Yet the dark soul was too strong and threw me into absolute darkness and I once again forgot about the boy with the sad, ocean-blue eyes.

"Serina!" He shouted. "Fight it; you're stronger than her! The real Serina is in there...somewhere!"

"I must obey my master, Nathaniel West," I told him, my arms rising up in flames. I desired a kill. I heard Fae whimper and glanced over to find her rubbing her shoulder.

_"Torqueo_."

She began to cry. Softly at first, and then she screamed. I think she begged for me to stop but I could barely hear her over the ocean waves.

"Serina, please..." he pleaded.

"Or what, you'll hurt me?" I shouted my arm at the ready to hurl fire at his head.

_Wasn't he on the Dark? Wasn't that the reason the girl had joined the Dark in the first place? It was because of him that I was here._ My other being pushed the thought into my mind. Was she trying to persuade me? Well, I wasn't going to listen. Noah had said he was a traitor. I had to obey his commands.

"Isobel, don't do this!" Nathaniel tried to say. Oh, please. He was only speaking out of fear. Without warning, Serina joined forces with me and I was taken aback by how strong she was.

Good. We could kill Nathaniel easily now. Maybe she had given up, deciding to do what she could for the remaining time she was alive.

"No, we must do this!" We exclaimed, the strange pitches of our voices blending.

"No, Serina, fight it! Please, you have to let me help you!"

"Help _us_? What have you _ever_ done to help us? We don't need anyone but Noah's help!" We shouted, becoming more furious.

"You did this! It's your fault! Everything I did for you, you never wanted! I joined the Dark for you!" She screamed.

I was impressed.

What was I doing? I was so angry and confused that I'd joined forces with the one thing I hated most. I could finally grasp my memory and now I realized who I was.

Is this what happened when you join the Dark Red? The soul they put into your body tried to make you forget your past and join them? Or kill you off when they got the chance? Why had I been so stupid? Hadn't someone warned me about this? There was someone...someone...but I could hardly remember.

I couldn't do it. I wouldn't let this other soul make me forget who I really was, who loved me, and who was going to harm me. I had to break free. But I felt so weak...

"Help me!" I shouted, reaching my hand out to grasp something real. A boy ran toward me and grabbed my hand to pull me up. But I couldn't control the hold on my memories any longer and I slipped maybe for the last time.

How dare she betray me! We grabbed hold of Nathan's hand tightly and I threw him into the cliff. The sound was earsplitting as he slammed into the hard rock, and it cracked from the force.

She was horrified at what I had done.

"Nathan!" She frantically screamed through our lips.

_What have you done?_ She thought. I felt her urge to fight against our partnership ripple through me.

"Traitor...!" I shrieked at her as we fell to our knees, gripping our throbbing head. She wanted to get rid of me.

"No!" She screamed again. It was all of a sudden a war of words and who was in control.

"I won't let you do this!"

"Get out of my head!"

"I'm going to kill you!"

"You can't!"

"I'm stronger than you!"

I took a handle on my consciousness and began to use my powers to get Serina out of me. I opened out an acclimation, " _Torque_ o!"

But this time, I flipped my powers. She shrieked and I heard Nathan call her name.

That's when she mirrored my moves with one word, " _Potestas_."

Her energy didn't go out and away from us, but went inward, into, and through our body. We both shrieked in pain. Who knew if it would kill Serina or me first? But it was worth the risk.

"You betrayed me!" I screamed in agony as we fell to the ground. I knew what I was doing and did it again and again and again, until I could do it no more.

"You don't belong here!" Serina exclaimed finally.

Something flew out of our chest, a flame that was night black.

Almost simultaneously, I was staring at the girl's green eyes that were frozen wide with horror. I hated her for forcing me out of her body, for ruining my Master's plan. This was all her fault.

I no longer had nobody to possess. My flames burst forth and I died. The last hated word rolling of my tongue was, " _Serina_...!"

I stared into the black flame in front of me when suddenly Isobel's voice emerged, screaming my name with loathing and then the flame exploded. It threw me back a ways, where I lost consciousness.

***

There was nothing but the waves of the ocean. I breathed shallow breaths and opened my eyes to look up at the sky. I tried to move but I couldn't feel anything, turn my head but it wouldn't budge. Panic rose in my throat. Wiggle my toes? Flex my fingers? Nothing worked. My body wouldn't respond. All I could see was the sand in front of me meet the waves coming in.

A pool of blood came into my vision. Was that mine? No, it couldn't have been; I wasn't in pain. It couldn't have been my own blood, could it? Had I lost to the dark soul? Had she pushed me away from the control and imprisoned me in some sort of emotionless death?

The blood began to color the waves a dark crimson and wash out into the sea. That's when I heard someone shout my name, not in heated anger but in loving desperation, "Serina!"

I sought to answer them but couldn't get a word out. I looked around slowly trying to find him, but couldn't get a good view of anything. All I could hear was the _whooshing_ of my shallow breath going in and out. In. Out. In. Out....

My face rolled to the side weakly, my neck unable to support, only to see a beautiful sunset; the second to last thing I'd want to see in my short life. I watched as the waves came toward the shore and then rolled back out, tinted a rusty red. I regained some air and took a slow, raspy breath as if it could be my last. But another one soon came and I cherished it.

Maybe I'd lose my life in the next few minutes. Maybe it would be saved. I didn't know. But if I was going to die, I would be grateful. I'd be grateful to let go and give Nathan another chance to better his life. I could see my tombstone:

Serina Calaway

Beloved friend and daughter

March 16, 1994 – April 28, 2012

Abby would kill me for not telling her about my real name. Jonathan might give a speech. My mother would be dressed in a beautiful, black dress and my father would hold her close if she cried. Fae would place a white rose over my coffin. And Nathan....

Nathan would be heartbroken. His blue eyes wouldn't have the same sapphire shine as they used to. His face would grow weathered and his mind would never forget this day. I prayed that he'd move on, that he'd find another girl that would love him just as much as I did, a girl that would be there for him and one that he could love and protect as he had for me. I hoped he remembered me until the moment he breathed his last breath.

"Serina...." I heard a voice pulling me from my vivid thoughts.

I looked around, unable to move my head as I felt a presence near me. I could suddenly smell something wonderful and familiar and I tried to turn my head to look, but I couldn't make it move. I could smell? That was good right?

"Serina, please listen to me!" I heard Nathan's voice plead. He cradled my head, propping me up onto his lap. I caught a glimpse of his gorgeous blue eyes. Content, my eyes slid shut.

"No! Serina, don't you dare..." he said firmly.

I forced my eyes to open again; taking so much of my effort was a struggle. I looked up and saw his beautiful face, staring at mine in anguish. I shared a broken smile with him—to see his face was like a blind man seeing for the first time. But there was blood across his head as if he had hit his head against something hard. Seeing his face, I looked at his body, taken aback that his arm was oddly deformed. Luckily, I managed to find my voice.

"Nathan...what happened to your head?" I gasped, spotting several bruises and long bleeding cuts all along his arms. I stammered, "A-and your arm...it's broken!"

He looked away. "It's nothing; you don't need to worry about it."

The guilt wasn't leaving me. If I had only been there, to stop Isobel...I could've been stronger, I could have...I could've.... What could I have done? Surely something! His arm moved suddenly and was no longer crooked. I watched as I saw the cuts in his arms heal and the bruises vanish. He had healed himself.

"Why are you worried about me? Look at yourself! Serina, you're..." He couldn't finish, trying to hold back tears.

"This is my fault," I said weakly, "I'm so sorry...you should—"

"Serina, I couldn't hate you even if my life depended on it," Nathan murmured quietly. I stared into his blue eyes when something occurred to me, adding to the pile of pain in my gut.

"I did that to you," I exclaimed, tears rolling off of my cheeks, "I broke your arm when you hit that cliff, I remember!"

"No, Serina! No, you didn't," he said in a soft voice, as if defeated, "Serina, please I need to help you..."

"I did it," I continue to ramble miserably, "And I hurt your head, when you fell and I...I..."

"Serina," Nathan exclaimed, determined, with tears in his eyes, "You are _not_ Isobel."

I murmured softly, my voice calm, "I know, but...I...I still..."

Remorse weighed down heavy on my thoughts as his blue eyes stared into mine. I tried hard to keep my emotions from showing, but it took all of the effort I had left. It was pointless anyway; he could sense everything I was feeling.

"I don't want you to heal me..." I mumbled and the expression on his face told me that he wouldn't allow it, not for the world.

"Don't say that..." Nathan moaned holding my hand desperately to his cheek, his eyes as half-crazed as I felt, "Please..."

"I've done too much damage," I murmured, trying to force a gentle smile and regulate my breathing but both were futile, "I've helped you as much as I could; I've done my part in your life...and I don't...I don't ever...want to hurt you again...like I have before.... I had my chance, Nathan, and I missed the opportunity to do the right thing.... I tried to help."—I attempted humor—"But you know that messing things up...is my number one talent."

"No.... No..." Nathan tried to tell me.

My words were a bit slurred as I tried to go on, make him smile at least once more before I left, "'Member...'member when I...when I burnt that toast...on our first date? Huh? And...and...."

"Serina, please..." Nathan said.

Obviously, I wasn't very appealing at the moment. I went on in a more serious tone, "I don't want you...to make the same mistake...I did before Nathan...."

My voice was soft and teary, but my eyes were dry. Words took on my breathing as I spoke weakly, "I love you."

"No, don't say that," he muttered in agony, "I'm going to help you. You'll be fine, okay?"

I wasn't going to let him heal me. He needed to understand that he had to move on without me. It would be better this way. Fae appeared on the side of my vision. She seemed to have her arm around my shoulders, but I could scarcely feel it.

"Serina, I'm so sorry..." she murmured horribly. The last thing I wanted was her blaming herself because of me.

"Don't apologize, Fae," I muttered, "You did your best...thank you."

Nathan looked up hopefully into Fae's eyes but she gave him a sad shake of her head. Death rapidly became real thing at the shake of Fae's head. Fear of the unknown swept into my stomach.

"No," he said, his voice forceful. His tears began to spill over onto my face, "no! I won't let go of her!"

I studied Fae's beautiful, pixie face as she said in a small voice, "She's not going to make it, Nathan. You can't heal her."

His beautiful ocean blue eyes were the only things I could see in my closing vision. I smiled softly at their flawless beauty. My fingers twitched wanting to reach up and touch his face but I realized Nathan already had my hand up to his cheek.

"Don't leave me...no, Serina. You have to hold on! Please!" He exclaimed with an emotion beyond desperation in his voice. In a faint voice he whispered, "I just got you back..."

But my eyes found the sky and watched the clouds reflect red and orange streaks of light as they flittered by me.

I remembered Nathan's beautiful paintings of the sunset and that one of me, laughing as I leaned over his balcony. I heard Nathan's cries fade from my ears as old memories flitted back to me, flashbacks of Nathan and I on this beach, declaring our love. Flashbacks of meeting my real parents for the first time, others were faint—they were the ones of my childhood—but the last thing was clear. It was the ending stanza of my mother's lullaby:

Failed to do the right, my darling

Always endlessly wrongdoing

Know that I will always love you

Love you as you are....

Then my breath became short and my arm shivered; I released the tension in my muscles and my head drooped over Nathan's arm. I felt the soft trickle of a single drop of blood slide down my cheek and across my neck as it mixed with one of Nathan's tears.

And death took me.

# Epilogue

Death was nothing: blackness and whiteness. No sound. No smell. No feeling; blindness, deafness all mashed into one. There was no movement, like being inside a block of clay. No, _being_ the block of clay. Nothing happened, nothing moved. It was still. There was no emotion or thought. No pain, sadness, anger, relief, memory, or loss. Death was nothing.

Then, when everything should've stayed like that forever, there was a sudden flash of light; pale but I could see it. And I could suddenly hear a rhythmic noise in the ears I didn't have, but the sound was incomprehensible.

Everything changed. The light grew brighter, stinging the eyes I wasn't supposed to have, until I could see a gray mist far off in the distance.

Suddenly, I realized I had eyelids that could open. And when they did, I inhaled sharply using the lungs that shouldn't have been there. My eyes were looking up into a never-ending ocean, the bluest of blue skies, and the brightest of sapphires. But it wasn't the ocean or the sky, the gray _mist_ had been the sky and the rhythmic sound had been the ocean, dashed with someone's heartbeat, with his breath.

No. That beautiful blue had come from someone's eyes staring deeply into mine. The face of an angel returned my wondering gaze.

"Serina..." I heard the angel's voice say, as if it were the only word that we both needed to hear. I looked at the angel; he smiled softly, not in humor but in a welcoming joy.

I was in heaven. I had made it.

"Are you an angel?" I murmured. There was a laugh. It was a serious question. So why was he laughing?

I forced myself to sit up and take in my surroundings. When I did, I frowned. This was no heaven. It was a beach—gritty in comparison to any heaven I had imagined. And Nathan was there and I was terribly puzzled. What had happened? I thought I was dead, gone and in heaven. Had I mistaken death for unconsciousness? No, I'd been unconscious too many times to count, and what I'd just experienced was no doubt death.

Nathan smiled at my bewildered expression.

"Serina..." he breathed, unable to say much more. He pressed his soft lips to mine, passionately exploring my skin with his gentle, satin fingers. When he pulled away I was both sensitively beguiled and mystified. Nathan pulled me up and stared at me as if waiting to see if I'd say something to him. But what was I supposed to say? "Hi there," or "Hey, long time no see,"?

I didn't understand. I looked at him, emotions swarming in my stomach like a beehive. He was still the same beautiful boy that I had known, and what did that make me? A girl with bloodstained fingers, who didn't deserve a single person's care in the world? Maybe that was too melodramatic.

"What's going on?" I murmured after a moment, dazed.

He laughed. What a genuine thing to hear when you feel so lost!

"It's you. You're back...alive," he murmured with such a passionate tone I wanted to cry. In an instant, he had his arms around my waist and his lips slowly kissing mine. I returned the urgency. To my surprise, he winced but neither he nor I withdrew from the other. I kissed him desperately not ever wanting to let go of him. So I could breathe, I was the first to pull back. I scrutinized him.

He said, "I found this..."

Nathan pressed something into my palm but my eyes lingered on his for a moment, as if he could leave me any moment. At last, I looked at what he had given me, or rather, retuned to me. It was my ring, the one with the emerald butterfly. I stared into his blue eyes and whispered, "How...thank you."

He caught me in a tight hug, kissing my forehead. Then he pulled back to show me a triumphant smile of relief. In a search for an explanation, I said, "You know what I want to know, Nathan."

His face went serious and he looked down, hesitantly saying, "I..."

It seemed that his words caught in this throat and it seemed he couldn't say anymore.

I realized he was going to profess something I didn't want to hear when I asked, "What did you do?"

Then from his lips, I heard, "My mother is a _Resurrector_ —the last one out of the two known Resurrectors. She can bring the dead back to life or exchange life for death, but for a price. When you want to revive someone you have to make a choice: give a reason why the person deserves to live or trade something valuable in exchange for the life. So I traded...my powers for your life."

He said those last words with a confidence and vigor I couldn't comprehend. My brow furrowed and I pulled away, not knowing what to do or say or think.

"You _what_...? _"_ I said almost in a whisper then, with volume, demanded, "You gave away your _powers_?"

"Serina, I did it to save your life!" he told me, startled by my disagreement with his decision.

I didn't know what to say. So I _had_ died. But, Nathan gave up his powers in trade for my life? He had resuscitated me, as in literally brought me back from the dead? Didn't he respect anything I had said? Didn't he know that when I said that I needed to leave, that I meant I was going to leave? It was...unnatural.

"I can't believe you!" I asserted.

"Serina, please don't be mad with me; I couldn't just let you die! I could never live, knowing that I let you die or didn't even try to save you. I love you and you know that..." He exclaimed. His eyes went blank for a moment as he searched for the reason of my anger. "Wouldn't you have done the same?"

I turned back around to face him tears in my eyes. Yes, I would have. But now that he was human, I couldn't live like this. I couldn't imagine if...if I....

"Serina..." he murmured pulling me into his arms. I didn't move. "What's the matter?"

"I..." I started, but my voice broke, and I tried again, "I don't want to hurt you."

His face relaxed and he gently caressed my shoulders, murmuring, "Sweetheart, you're not going to hurt me."

As much as I wanted to believe him, believe that I wouldn't hurt him, I couldn't give in to his reassurance. I would never forgive myself for hurting all those people.... But now, with the risk of physically hurting the boy I loved with my very being, I'd hate myself for as long as I lived. He embraced me, his lips planting themselves on my forehead. He chuckled to himself.

"Serina, I've sacrifice a lot more than just my powers for you. And I'd give much more."

I looked at him and realized he was tense. "What do you mean?"

Anger rose up in him.

"Nathan?"

Did I do something to upset him? He didn't react the way I was concerned he would. He drew away from me, shaking his head with disbelief...but not in me.

"I'm sorry, I never told you. It was for your own good."

"What, Nathan? What was for my own good?"

"Everything...everything I've done!" Nathan said, shaking his head when I tried to console him. "I'm a horrible person. Every single thing I tried to do for you, has always backfired. I'm a liar. Everything was a lie!"

He was being unreasonable. I asked, "What in the world are you talking about?"

"Everything I've ever done to you was wrong!" He nearly yelled grabbing my shoulders. "I signed a fake Dark contract, as a spy for the Light, to _save_ your life but I just ruined it. I knew where your parents lived since I was ten. And in the beginning, I lied to you just so you would join the Light. I _faked_ that I loved you. But ever since the day you got in that car accident, I wanted so badly to protect you. I wanted revenge for what happened to you.

"And I fell in love with you, Serina. I fell in love with you; just like all the guys at school did the moment you got out of your car! I lied to everyone else too—your family, my family, the Dark and Light Council—every one of them, just so I could be with you; because I was so consumed by making sure you were safe, I neglected every other thing that used to matter. Because I still love you...but all I did was cause you self-hatred. I'm so sorry...."

When he finished getting this all out, I was incredulous to what I was hearing. I was too far beyond my emotions for any tears or anger or sadness to build on my face. All the things he had explained to me felt dreamlike. It was all a lie? Is that what he was saying? He had been lying to me? Had he really loved me? Or was that a lie too? So when he talked to me at school, in his home, on the beach, those moments we shared had been a lie? When he first said he loved me when we were on his balcony; that was a lie as well?

"Well..." I muttered. I couldn't think about anything but the lies he had confessed. When I moved here, I had built my life on him. He had been my support; he was what kept my limbs working and my heart beating.

"Serina..." I heard Nathan's unfamiliar voice close by me, taking my hand in his.

Unable to say a word to him, I tried to pull my hand away from his. Everything about him seemed different. His eyes weren't the same. His hair, his breath, his smell, they all seemed so alien, and it was like I was seeing him for a different person, for the first time. Yet he was still the same, just regarded through different eyes.

"Serina, I love you, more than anything in the world and absolutely _nothing_ will change the way I look at you. That's not a lie. And if it is, God can strike me dead at this moment! Just because it wasn't that way, doesn't mean it's not that way now," Nathan exclaimed, trying to get some sort of response out of me.

"I know you hate me; you have every right to..." He began, trying to assure me that he understood. But I just laughed. He'd lied before and he was terrible at it. Yet this lie was so much broader and somehow he had managed to keep it going without faltering in the slightest way? It was ridiculously ironic.

His tepid, satin fingers found my cheek. A subtle drizzle passed over the beach and I couldn't help but smile when I looked him in his puzzled, blue eyes.

I asked, "Hate you? Nathan if you think I hate you after all we've been through, you're a fool. You've saved my life on more than one occasion..."

"And you saved mine..."

My eyes flashed with interest. "What do you mean?"

"Serina," Nathan sighed. "In Chicago, Garrett signed the Dark Red contract in February. Right before we left. After that, I wanted to cave in too. My father's identical fate was just beginning to register in my head. I didn't have a reason not to give up my soul to the Dark. I had had such a close relationship with my father and Garrett that I lost sight of who I was."

His blue eyes found mine again and he whispered, "And then the day you walked into school, something clicked. When I recognized you, I had a change of judgment. I thought by protecting you I could negotiate an exchange with the Dark or the Light. But then you convinced me that being a Light was the best choice. I signed myself over, made a commitment with your father to spy on the Dark and helped uncover their plans."

Nathan grasped one of my cold hands and pressed it against his chest. "If you hadn't have showed up, I might as well have been killed by a Soul Possessor. The only thing that kept me running was you."

Faintly, I smiled, feeling as if a burden had been lifted. Nathan, too, seemed to be set free. My small voice was sympathetic. "I didn't know, but I'm glad you told me."

"I love you, Serina," Nathan said, "And if everything in this universe was gone and nothing was left but our love...that would be all I need."

Nathan pulled my face up so I could look at him. When his honest and gentle blue eyes reached mine, he didn't look away and I couldn't.

"Serina, I'm sorry with every fiber of my being that I hurt you like I have. I want a second chance. Please. I never meant for things to get so out of hand," he said gently, his voice pleading and his eyes clear, "Can you forgive me?"

I let out a loaded laugh, looking away from his wide and hopeful eyes. As I did I spotted something, glinting in the faint light of the rain. It was still there; which meant no matter what, he would love me _through whatever_. That emerald butterfly ring symbolized everything he and I did for the other.

He'd already acquired my forgiveness when he had confessed his lies.

"Nathan," I murmured, tears in my eyes, "Of course I forgive you."

He smiled more beautifully than ever then grasped my fingers in his, leading me up back to his house. As we approached his driveway something nearly blew me off my feet. Tears welled into my eyes as the memories smacked me back.

"Nathan!" I uttered; my breath had been stolen from me. I wheezed gripping my head as the images flickered across my eyes. There were people. The one's I'd murdered in cold blood. Ruben. Ben. Lillian. And others—people I hadn't even remembered knowing!

Looking at a lost with confusion and worry, Nathan enclosed me in his strong arms as he struggled to lead me up the steps of his porch. He sat me on the kitchen chair and Nathan's eyes encompassed my line of vision. I hadn't even known we were under his roof so soon.

Nathan's gentle fingers were taking off my shoes—shoes I didn't even knew I owned—and he came to stand back in front of me again.

"What's wrong?"

Withdrawing my legs into my chest, I dug my face into my arms.

"All those people..." I sobbed. "They're all dead..."

"Hey, hey, Serina, I know...I know..."

I peered up at him through my tears. "No, no you don't know. You don't understand what I did! I killed people! I killed children, who still had lives to live. I killed so many people..."

"Serina," Nathan exclaimed, grabbing my face in his hands and looking me hard in the eyes, "I know what happened. You weren't... _you_. That was _Isobel_ , not Serina! No one is blaming you for their deaths!"

_"I_ am..." I told him, tears spilling over my cheeks, "I could've...I could've done something...I..."

I let another cry out.

"Hey!" Nathan made me look at him again, "Stop it! You couldn't have done anymore than what you did. _No one_ in your position could've done the same thing. Of all the Universals who have ever signed a Dark contract, you are the first one that has survived a Soul Possession."

His eyes riveted mine, desiring my trust. He lifted my chin to take me in. I had so many things on my heart I didn't know what to think. I flinched when he leaned in to kiss me.

My lips lingered back a few moments. What if I hurt him? What if...?

Without another moment's hesitation, he enfolded his lips into mine. For a second, I lost myself. So consumed by the sweet warmth of his love I wasn't sure what happened until my fingers were in his hair.

I shot back as if I had just now noticed my hands were on hot burners. I couldn't do it; how was I supposed to know I hurt him if I could barely control myself when those lips found mine?

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked openly. A shiver ran down my spine as his feathery fingers stroked my back through the thin, black top I wore. Dejectedly he said, as if he still had his old power, "You don't trust yourself...."

I moved away feeling ashamed. I trusted _him_...but my powers? It would be pathetic if I didn't...right? How could he be so sure I wouldn't hurt him?

Taking a low breath, I watched his expression, his eyes. Several seconds passed, when I shifted toward him and ever so lightly pressed my lips to his. It was no different than how it'd always been: his lips warm and honeyed on mine. He grinned beneath my lips and pulled away no more than an inch. I rested my head on his chest and he pulled me close to him, letting the pressure of his lips fall on my hair.

"Serina...?" I heard a soft voice ask.

I swiveled around to meet Fae's rigid stance. It was obvious she was still a little beat up from the battle at the beach. She smiled sheepishly at me.

"Fae," Nathan started, rushing to her and pressing a hand on her shoulder. I blinked and alarmingly she was healed as I opened my eyes. She rubbed her shoulder tenderly.

She had tried to save me when Isobel possessed me too. I went to throw my arms around her breathlessly and for a moment I savored the calamity she was giving me. She laughed and pulled away meekly.

"Serina, I've informed the Light of what's happened. And they've given me the honor of inviting you to attend the next meeting. They would be even more than honored if you could accept their invitation to sign the Light contract. No soul possessions and no disputes if you're not ready."

"Okay," I responded.

She smiled at Nathan. "Thanks for watching my back at the beach. I'm sorry for acting like I did. The Light Council wanted me to give you a message to tell you that they admire your courage and sacrifice to protect Serina. They'll have something special waiting there for you too."

I looked up at him as he lifted an eyebrow in illusive marveling.

"I'll be there," he told Fae coolly.

"Yay," Fae squealed, rapidly recovering from her painful state only a few minutes ago. She encircled me in a hug and then skipped past me into the kitchen, pulling an ice cream container and a spoon out. She dug right in. "Oh, by the way I called you in sick for a week at school. You got letters for a while, but I did your homework for you and sent it in. They'll be expecting you Monday."

I stared at her in astonishment. In my peripheral vision, Nathan rolled his eyes and then stepped over to me. His arms wound around my waist and flattened me to his body. Discreetly he asked in a hushed tone, "Will you promise me something?"

"Yes..." I remarked in the same manner.

"Promise me that we'll love each other forever."

His voice held no jokes or airy insinuations. Resting his forehead against mine, a genuine smile crept across my face; it felt good. Not to mention my emerald butterfly ring felt pulsing hot on my finger.

"Nathaniel West," I disclosed, staring into his ocean blue eyes, "I promise that I will love you forever...."

"And I you," he responded.

Out of the mundane silence, Fae gasped with conviction. "Oh! I want to be in the promise too. We could be a trio!"

Simultaneously Nathan and I scowled at her. "Fae..."

## Acknowledgements:

My first and most important thank you goes to the Almighty God I serve each and every day. Though it was a daily challenge to be patient and persevere while following God's path for me, it was all according to His will. Secondly, I want to thank and give my love to teachers that were there to support me in my writing: Mrs. Buckle, Ms. Maye, Ms. Vasquez, and Mr. Fynn. Furthermore, my friends and family were there at all times to support me, give me faithful advice, and foster my hope and passion for all my interests. I am forever grateful to my brother who edited bits and pieces of my story that I wanted so desperately to come to life and my mother who encouraged me with the patience and love that I granted Charilyn and Maradith with. My best friends who were there with me through tears and trials and still had the zeal to encourage me on my brightest days! And a final thanks to FilmRaiseIt for hearing my story and giving me a great start on the career I wanted and still continue to pursue.

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