ã€ŠMortal Obligation (Dark Betrayal Trilogy #1)ã€‹


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    Chapter 1

    The spot just between her shoulder blades had been itching and crawling all night. She had the creepiest feeling she was being watched. It was an unnerving sensation that was almost tangible, growing stronger and stronger. More than once, she had found herself looking over her shoulder, trying to find out who was watching her. Ree had hoped it would go away, but from the time she had arrived at the restaurant with her friends it had only intensified. It didn¡¯t help that the eerie glow of red and green holiday lights shining through the windows seemed more menacing than festive, and the drooping limbs of the Christmas tree in the corner felt like a bad omen.

    She shivered and looked at the goose bumps on her arms as she pulled the sleeves of her black sweater down to cover her wrists. She had to be losing her mind. No one in the restaurant was even looking in her table¡¯s direction. Her mouth pressed into an irritated line as her eyebrows pulled together in worry. It was happening again. Seeing things that weren''t there. Imagining people were following her. Her dreams lately had become so realistic that she woke sweating, once crying out as she sat up in bed. There was always a strain on the whole family just after the winter holidays. Apparently two years was not enough time to heal the scars they all shared.

    She looked out the window into the dark of the parking lot. As she looked past one of the old oak trees that filled Savannah, something moved between some of the cars in the back left corner of the parking lot. Whatever it was had been so dark and quick she couldn''t be sure she had even seen anything. She licked her lips nervously and craned her head to try and get a better look. There was a flash of movement as something obscure seemed to disappear behind a truck. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat.

    ¡°Ree? Hello. Are you listening?¡±

    Ree jerked her head around and looked at the people sitting at her table. Her face felt like it was on fire as she gulped and looked at her friends. All of them were looking at her in amusement. ¡°Sorry. I completely zoned. What are you talking about?¡±

    Bryce shook his head and chuckled at her expression. ¡°I asked if you had heard the new song I posted on my blog. Doesn''t it sound just like the beat for Impossible?¡± He rapped out a few beats on the table with his fingers.

    ¡°Um, I''m not sure I¡¯ve heard that one.¡± She winced, knowing she had apparently checked out for a large portion of their conversation.

    A couple of the people at their table chuckled and rolled their eyes. Ree was often in another world, a glazed expression on her face as she imagined some scene for a painting. No one really thought about her being in La La Land anymore. The only problem was that this time Ree hadn''t been lost in some painting or planning some new art project; she had been trying to figure out who was staring at the spot just between her shoulder blades.

    She looked out the window again and took a deep breath before turning to concentrate on her friends. The guys were still arguing the similarities between the band they were going to see tonight and some lesser-known indie band they were into. Juliette was laughing as she watched Paden groan and flail his hands out in denial. Bryce was hunched forward trying to make his point by drumming the beats of the two songs on the table again. Ree smiled watching them, and the tension in her shoulders lessened by a few degrees.

    When Paden pointed at Bryce¡¯s intent expression and laughed, it made Ree''s smile grow even more. She slid her eyes to the side so she could covertly study his profile. Paden was tall, with brown, messy hair that seemed to enhance the constant focus of his dark green eyes. He had a rugged quality that made him look dangerous and, she had to admit, sexy.

    Growing up with Paden constantly around had made her numb to his good looks. It was only a few years ago that Ree had finally understood why some of her friends swooned when he showed up at her parents¡¯ home. How she had missed Paden¡¯s appeal for all of those years still surprised her. Paden was everything a girl could wish for, but of course she would always be left wishing. He would always see her as Tristan¡¯s little sister.

    Listening to him laugh eased a little more of the tension gripping her shoulders and she decided to try and forget her nerves and just enjoy the company. She swirled the straw in her cherry soda and looked around the room. She couldn¡¯t help grimacing when she saw two familiar faces approaching their table.

    Michael and his girlfriend, Shannon, stopped in front of Ree and Paden, leaving their entourage at a different table. Something about those two always struck her as odd. They made her uncomfortable, and not just because she didn''t belong in their popular group. In the hierarchy that was high school, Ree was clearly labeled as an art geek. But Michael and Shannon weren''t just your typical evil popular kids, they never really did anything outlandish or horrible to anyone. It was something that emanated from them. It probably didn''t help that Ree swore she could see black swirling around them at different times. Of course, that was another bag of crazy she didn¡¯t want to deal with tonight.

    Shannon made eye contact and gave her a small smile. On the surface it looked friendly, but something lurking in her eyes made Ree gulp. How could such a little person look so scary? Shannon''s smile grew, turning into something altogether frightening. As if sensing Ree¡¯s unease, Michael looked at her and jerked his head in acknowledgment.

    Because Michael was on the soccer team with Paden, he focused his comments toward his teammate. When Ree looked around the table she was pretty sure everyone else was happy with that setup. No one really said much about Michael, but everyone knew Juliette couldn''t stand Shannon. Even at that moment Juliette was busy muttering under her breath to Bryce. Ree was certain she was complaining about the short, mildly evil-looking brunette standing next to their table.

    Shannon opened her mouth to address Ree and Ree tried to not grimace. She knew Shannon would call her by her full name ¨C she always did. Ree would never understand why her mother had given her such a weird name. Really, what had her mother been thinking? And while Shannon''s tone was generally friendly, Ree knew she did it just to irritate her as much as possible. They were in the same grade and had shared many classes over the years. Shannon never made an attempt to conceal the fact that she thought she was better than everyone else. Her imagined superiority was always there, waving like a banner for everyone to see. Using Ree¡¯s full name was just another little way of calling her a weird art freak.

    ¡°Alastriana, how is the new job going?¡± Shannon asked over the guys¡¯ conversation.

    Ree¡¯s eyes widened in confusion. This time, Shannon¡¯s voice sounded unusual, like she was attempting to hurt Ree by using her whole name. Everyone at the table stopped speaking and turned to look at Shannon. The air in the room seemed to thicken for just a moment as Ree decided how to answer.

    ¡°Pretty good so far.¡± In fact, her new boss, Sophie, had been really awesome. She had even insisted Ree take the night off to go to the concert. Looking around the table briefly, she saw the uneasy looks on her friends¡¯ faces. Paden rubbed a hand over his arm, and Ree noticed he had goose bumps.

    ¡°You don''t actually work with the antiques, do you? My mother has a chair there for repair. I know she would have a fit to know a high schooler was playing with it,¡± Shannon said. The short girl flipped her hair over one shoulder and sneered at Ree.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Ree treats everything like it¡¯s special.¡± Paden¡¯s deep voice brokered no argument. He turned to look at Ree with eyes that had an intense quality she didn¡¯t understand. She gulped. ¡°Isn''t that right Ree?¡±

    ¡°Um, yeah. Old things deserve a lot of respect and care.¡± Ree didn''t look away from his eyes; she wanted to understand what was going on in his head, but the conversation and the serious look just didn''t match. She wondered if even he knew what he was thinking.

    Juliette cleared her throat before asking Bryce if he was going to finish his pizza. He looked at his half-eaten slice, then pushed it toward his girlfriend. Michael and Shannon left soon after; apparently they had tickets for the concert, as well. Bryce asked for the checks when the waitress came back and everyone rose to pay their bills.

    Paden grabbed Ree''s bill before she could even look at the total. ¡°I asked you to come; I¡¯m paying.¡±

    Ree sighed. He was always trying to take care of her. When would he realize she was practically an adult? She was a junior in high school, with her very own job. Just because he was a year older didn''t make him any more mature. ¡°Really, Paden, I can pay for my own dinner! Besides, I''m getting a free concert out of the deal because your friend bailed on you. I should probably pay for your dinner.¡± She put a hand on her hip and gave him her stubborn face.

    ¡°I don''t think so, Ree. I''m paying.¡± He flashed his lopsided grin before turning to follow the others. He turned back to look at her over his shoulder and jerked his head to signal that she should follow.

    Sighing, she joined everyone at the counter. Bryce and Juliette were in line behind Michael and Shannon, waiting to settle their bill. Bryce was running his hands up and down Juliette¡¯s arms in an attempt to warm her up.

    ¡°Are you cold? Why don''t you put your jacket on?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I think I''m just standing in a draft. I got goose bumps all of a sudden.¡±

    Shannon snickered and turned to look at Juliette.

    ¡°Jules, are you not feeling well? Maybe you¡¯re coming down with something.¡± She smiled like that was a joke.

    ¡°I certainly feel the need to vomit.¡± Juliette scrunched up her face and looked around the room. ¡°But maybe I''m just allergic the cheap perfume I smell.¡± She glanced back at Shannon and sniffed loudly in her direction. ¡°Yep, most definitely something cheap.¡±

    Ree bit her bottom lip to keep from chuckling. Juliette could never give a good reason why she hated Shannon so much. She said it was just natural, like rain, the sun, and Adam Sandler''s jokes. Jules had a thing for Sandler, which was really lucky for Bryce. It was rare to find a beautiful, smart, and athletic girl that also enjoyed a good fart joke.

    She looked at Shannon and her smile froze. The short girl¡¯s eyes were dark, too dark. She tilted her head toward Juliette and made a sound that was something like a quiet snarl.

    Jules stood her ground, bared her teeth in a weird grin, and said, ¡°I should have known you escaped from a zoo.¡±

    Michael turned around and put a hand on Shannon''s shoulder. ¡°Now, now, you two. You guys really could get along if you tried, you know.¡± Shannon straightened up, and tossed her dark hair out of her face. She sniffed and turned around without saying anything.

    ¡°Yeah, only if I ate out of a dog bowl,¡± Jules muttered. But it was quiet and she didn''t take her eyes off of Shannon.

    Ree was still looking at Michael, unable to look away. There was a cloud of black circling around his head. She blinked, but it didn''t vanish liked she had hoped. As if drawn by her stare, he met her eyes and his mouth pulled at the corners in some parody of a smile. For the third time that night, Ree sucked in air through her teeth with surprise. Michael¡¯s eyes were black. The pupils were so dilated you couldn¡¯t see the normal brown. He chuckled after looking at her face, then turned back to the cashier to pay the bill.

    Bryce turned and looked at Ree, his eyes wide. ¡°Holy crap. Did you see that? He had, like, black eyes or something. Do you think they¡¯re on drugs? Maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re so weird,¡± he said in a harsh whisper.

    Michael and Shannon stalked off toward the exit, his arm around her shoulders. They caught up with their friends and headed out the swinging doors.

    Ree sighed when they were out of earshot. She hated being around those two. ¡°What is with them?¡± Ree asked. ¡°They really give me the creeps.¡±

    ¡°They smelled different. Did you notice that?¡± Juliette said quietly after they had all paid their bills. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t think it was really perfume. They just smelled off, like old deli meat.¡±

    ¡°Old deli meat?¡± Bryce chuckled. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re coming down with a stomach bug.¡± Juliette pushed his shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him as she shoved through the door.

    Ree shook her head and looked at the clock above Paden¡¯s shoulder. With a surprise she realized they were running a little late. Hopefully the friends they were meeting weren¡¯t waiting for them in the cold. Of course, knowing Melanie and Weylin, they had probably already made friends with the other people waiting outside and were involved in an animated conversation about computer graphics or special effects.

    ¡°We''ll see you at the Civic Center,¡± Paden called as he and Ree made their way to his Corolla. He hit the unlock button on his keychain and walked to the passenger side of the car. Ree raised an eyebrow in question, but he merely shrugged and held the door open for her. This was somewhat new. She didn''t really know how to respond, so she bit her lip and sat down in the seat before buckling the belt. He closed the door gently behind her. She looked up at him through her window as he turned around. For just a moment he paused, looking quickly about the parking lot and then shrugging to himself as if confused. He made his way to the driver¡¯s side and reached for the handle. Again he paused, his gaze lingering on the dark corner Ree had watched earlier, and she felt a thrill of fear. Could he feel it, too? Had he seen something? Finally he opened the door and sat down in his seat. She immediately hit the automatic lock, making him look at her and smile.

    ¡°Afraid of the dark?¡± He asked with a quiet chuckle. But she noticed his eyes looked a little tense, and his smile a bit strained. He put the key in the ignition.

    She rolled her eyes, trying to be nonchalant. ¡°Just random muggers, vampires, and aliens.¡±

    He laughed and turned the key to start the car.

    Suddenly a violent shudder racked her body, causing her teeth to chatter. Her hand gripped the handle bar on the door, her knuckles white. If the feeling of being watched in the restaurant had been intense, it didn¡¯t come close to explaining the fear that coursed through her body at that moment. Something dark ran in front of the car, barely brushing the bumper before the headlights came to life.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Paden exclaimed, looking toward the moving bushes.

    Ree shook her head and did her best to slow the beating of her heart. For the first time in her life, since all of the weird things had started happening to her, she prayed it was all her imagination. Nothing more than an overactive fantasy life. She had always wanted proof she wasn''t insane, but now she would be happy to know it was only shadows playing tricks on her. She was pretty sure that a lot of artists were insane on some level, anyway. She took a deep breath, and tried to calm her heart. Yeah, she could work with the whole quietly insane artist thing. Paden¡¯s hand touched her arm, causing her to jump. She cursed softly and looked up at him, her eyes wide.

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    ¡°It''s alright, Ree. Probably just a bird or something. Freaky timing, though.¡± He shook his head ruefully and pulled out of the parking lot.

    Chapter 2

    The Center wasn¡¯t far, but parking was dreadful. They were finally able to find a spot three blocks away and Ree was glad Paden had insisted on driving. She hated to parallel park¡ª it was always a rather painful and embarrassing ordeal. The Civic Center was decorated in bright colors for the winter holidays. Twinkle lights were strung through the trees and Ree could hear Christmas music drifting into the street from some of the surrounding stores as they half-walked, half-ran toward the entrance. Weylin and Melanie, the friends that were waiting for them, were already standing in line.

    Weylin was leaning against a railing with his hands in his pockets. He always looked so casual with his light brown, tousled hair and laughing brown eyes. Melanie was talking to some people Ree didn¡¯t know, which was nothing unusual ¨C she seemed to have friends everywhere. Ree waved at Mel, and smiled when Weylin held his arms out to hug her. He swung her around, making her laugh, and then ruffled her hair. She shoved his arm away and tried to fix the mess he¡¯d made of her hair.

    Bryce was standing with an arm around Juliette as they chatted quietly. They had apparently beaten Ree and Paden by a few minutes. Michael and the others were nowhere to be seen; thank God. She really hoped their tickets had them sitting somewhere far away from that group.

    The line at the door was moving along pretty quickly now that they were seating people for the concert. As they neared the door, Ree reached into her pocket for the concert tickets Paden had handed her earlier that night.

    ¡°Crap!¡± She reached into her other pocket and grimaced. ¡°I''ll be right back. The tickets must have fallen out in the car.¡± She started to head back to where they had parked and Paden jogged after her.

    ¡°Wait up. I''ll walk with you,¡± He slowed to her pace and looked down at her. ¡°It''s not safe out here by yourself.¡±

    She suppressed a sigh as she looked up at him and smiled instead. He really was a delight to look at. The moonlight glinted in his eyes, and shone along the planes of his face. His hair waved gently in the light winter breeze. ¡°My, aren''t you the chivalrous one today? My very own knight in shining armor.¡±

    ¡°Always at your service, Milady.¡± He swept a bow in her direction.

    She chuckled and hoped it was dark enough to conceal the blush creeping up her cheeks. She just could not seem to stop that reaction when he was around. As she had gotten older, she had been drawn to him. He had a stubborn face, but with an undercurrent of sensuality that hadn¡¯t been there when they were younger. She rolled her eyes at herself. How had she ever missed how cute he was?

    It felt weird to be uncomfortable around Paden. She had known him most her life. When she was little she told him everything. When she had reached high school, he stuck up for her. Even when his best friend, her brother Tristan, had started going downhill, Paden watched out for Ree. As the popular jock, he had enough pull to keep the nerdy art girl from being an easy target for jokes and ridicule. All of his friends had been so rich and beautiful, the opposite of Ree. They all lived in a different world than the one she inhabited. Some of them often made a face when he would make a point of stopping and talking to her. Or worse, they had looked at her in pity, making her feel like she was a lost puppy they wanted to pat on the head. Well, all of them except Jules, Bryce, Melanie, and Weylin. They had seemed to get her. And, in spite of Paden¡¯s social status, she had never felt uneasy with him. She was quick to spout off her random thoughts to him where she would normally become tight-lipped with others. She never felt like he was judging her or secretly waiting to get away from her. In fact, he seemed to enjoy her company. After the accident he had made a point of checking up with her every week. He went to her art showings at school and bragged about her to his family so much that his younger cousin, Claire, started going with him, too. He had even taken it upon himself to interrogate her homecoming date last year. But now . . . things were different.

    Did he resent looking after her? She had never asked him to fill Tristan''s shoes. When Tristan died in the car accident, it had seemed that being around the family had helped Paden as much as it had helped the McKennas. It had been a comfort to have someone to look after her at first, but recently the fact that he treated her like a younger sister had actually started to grate on her nerves. Would he ever be able to see her as a woman? Would she always be the gangly art nerd in his mind? Ree had grown over the years, and while she might never look anything like Juliette, she had fleshed out nicely. Tall and slim, she had natural blond hair, dark blue eyes, and a light sprinkling of freckles over her nose. Some days she liked the freckles, other days they were the bane of her existence. She was definitely not Angelina Jolie, but she wasn¡¯t without her good points. She sincerely hoped he would see that one day.

    They rounded the corner just in time to see someone duck into an alley near their car. Both of them stopped in their tracks. ¡°Did you see that?¡± Ree whispered.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Paden shivered. It was unnerving to see the skin crawl along his neck. ¡°Be careful, Ree. Let¡¯s make this quick.¡±

    ¡°Definitely,¡± she agreed.

    They hurried to the car and Paden unlocked the driver¡¯s side door so she could search the seats and floorboards.

    ¡°Ah ha! There you are!¡± She backed out of the car and held the tickets toward him. ¡°Got¡¯em!¡± Paden didn¡¯t notice; he was looking up and down the street, then back toward the alley. ¡°Er, what is it? Did you see something?¡± She looked around suspiciously.

    ¡°I keep feeling like someone . . . .¡± He trailed off, shook his head, and locked the door. Ree stared at him for a moment before licking her lips nervously. ¡°Like someone is watching you? Like someone is staring at the spot just between your shoulder blades?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡± He shivered and ran his hand across the back of his neck, trying to smooth the goose bumps away.

    ¡°I¡¯ve felt that way all night.¡± She shrugged her shoulders, trying to look calm and sane. Sane was important. ¡°I didn''t realize anyone else felt it, too.¡±

    ¡°I was beginning to think I was going crazy.¡± He chuckled before motioning for them to start walking back.

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one. It¡¯s nice to know I¡¯m not losing it. Not insane.¡± She settled into a stride next to him.

    ¡°Well, sane. Hm. I don''t know if I would go that far, Little One.¡± He chuckled when she frowned up at him.

    She hated it when he called her that. It made her sound like she was still five years old. Surely any moment he would reach over and ruffle her hair. That would definitely make things worse. How could she ever get him to see her as an adult if he kept doing things like that? She crossed her arms over chest. ¡°Why do you insist on calling me that? Maybe I should start calling you the Jolly Green Giant.¡±

    He laughed loudly and threw a friendly arm over her shoulders. It was always nice when he touched her. She shivered just a bit in pleasure, careful to not dislodge his arm. He pulled her a little closer, obviously thinking she was cold. ¡°You''re just so cute when you¡¯re angry. I can''t help it.¡±

    She elbowed him gently in his ribs. ¡°It''s not nice to irritate people, O''Reilly. I''m going to have to find a way to get under your skin.¡±

    He looked down at her and there was an intensity she hadn¡¯t noticed before as he scanned her face. His eyes lingered on her lips for just a moment and she felt like he had actually touched them. He gave himself a small shake before shrugging. They continued in silence for a while, and Ree realized they were almost back to the Civic Center. The area taken up with waiting fans was now deserted.

    Paden dropped his arm and hurried his steps. ¡°We¡¯re going to miss the cover band! Let''s hurry up.¡±

    Ree rolled her eyes. ¡°Relax. They probably haven''t even gotten on stage yet.¡± When he didn¡¯t slow down she quickened her pace to match his long stride. Paden hesitated mid-step, and Ree saw the swirl of black out of the corner of her eye. Seemingly from nowhere a man in dark, dirty clothes stood between them and the steps of the Civic Center. Alarm bells rang in her head, screaming there was something very wrong. Goose bumps ran over the length of her body and she froze where she stood.

    ¡°Alastriana,¡± the man rasped. The cracked whisper sounded like breaking branches in the middle of the night. It sent chills down her spine, causing all of the hair on her head and arms to stand up. Silence made it feel as if they were standing under a bubble, somehow removed from the rest of life in the down town area. Her breath puffed out in a cloud of steam as she felt her heart beat erratically.

    Paden grabbed her arm and stepped in front of her, effectively shielding her from view. ¡°Can we help you?¡± His whole stance had shifted. Suddenly his six-foot, two-inch frame looked intimidating. His muscles were taut and ready for anything. Even his voice sounded deeper and more authoritative.

    ¡°Alastriana.¡± The dark man reached a hand out toward them, his fingers curved into claws. ¡°Give me the Alastriana.¡±

    Chapter 3

    The alarm bells in Ree''s head grew louder, shriller. Something was building in her, making it hard for her to breathe. A hot feeling prickled under her skin, the energy moving and shifting in the pit of her stomach, choking her breath.

    ¡°Paden! Watch out!¡±

    Before she had finished that short sentence Paden had wrapped her in his arms and thrown them both to the concrete ten feet away. She barely had time to register the impact of the cold ground before she felt something brush over their heads. The strange man barely missed them with his outstretched fingers as he seemed to fly past. Without thinking, she pulled out of Paden¡¯s arms, rolling to her knees, and flung her hands in the direction of the man. If you could call it a man. A feeling akin to boiling water seemed to bubble out of her. With a shout, green energy flowed from her hands and collided with the thing, splintering its body. There was nothing left except for a fine dust floating to the ground.

    Paden was on his feet before the gritty flakes settled. He walked over and kicked at the pile, but the ashes disappeared as he watched. He looked around the area, but there was no one else to be seen. Ree moaned and sagged back toward the ground. She propped herself up on one elbow, the other hand cradling her head. Paden rushed to her side, and cool hands cupped her face.

    ¡°My head.¡± She gasped as he tenderly stroked her temple, and after a moment the pain began to recede. Carefully, she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

    ¡°Are you alright? What was that? What did you do?¡± His voice was a harsh whisper.

    Ree shook her head, just as confused as he was. A wave of exhaustion swam over her, and she had to fight a yawn. But the feeling between her shoulder blades returned, and the heat swimming in her stomach allowed her to shake off the heavy sense of sluggishness. Paden growled and jumped to his feet, his gaze constantly shifting.

    ¡°Watch out,¡± someone said from behind Ree. A woman, dressed in jeans, a black turtleneck and boots walked into her line of sight. ¡°There¡¯s one more.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Diakos? Sophie?¡± You could have knocked Ree over with a feather. Sophie Diakos was the owner of the antique shop where Ree had been hired a couple of weeks ago. She reminded Ree of a Greek goddess -- tall, slender and exotic. Despite her regal looks, Sophie was kind of young to own her own business, maybe in her mid-twenties, and she insisted Ree call her by her first name.

    Before the woman could respond, Paden made a sputtering noise. His hand reached up to his mouth, his fingers feeling along his teeth. ¡°Whath the hell?¡± he said. ¡°My teefth!¡±

    The shop owner gave a bark of laughter before doing her best to stop smiling. Ree shot her an angry look before making Paden move his hand. Wide-eyed, he shook his head no.

    ¡°Dammit, Paden. Let me see!¡± She yanked his arm down and stared at him until he opened his mouth. Slowly, he bared his teeth in a grimace, causing Ree to gasp. ¡°Fangs. Paden, you have fangs!¡± Her eyes were huge as she looked at them. She couldn''t seem to tear her gaze away from the white pointy teeth. In his tan face, it made a striking appearance. Actually, it bordered on frightening.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. It¡¯s natural. You¡¯ll get used to them soon enough.¡± Sophie was a picture of calm. ¡°Right now we have more important concerns.¡±

    ¡°More importvanth? More importvanth van fangths!??!¡± Paden demanded, pointing at his teeth.

    Sophie chose to ignore him, but the corners of her mouth twitched. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry I wasn''t here for the first one. The second gave me a merry chase and managed to lose me near the river.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Diakos, what¡¯s going on? What are those¡­things?¡± Ree stopped and took a deep breath. Why were they asking for her? By name, no less.

    Paden had closed his mouth, careful to avoid his fangs, but he was nodding his head vigorously. Apparently he was going to avoid talking if possible.

    ¡°Sophie, dear. Call me Sophie. And I realize all of this is a bit of a shock, but right now we have to focus on other things. The other Dark One is still out here, and it¡¯s not playing by the rules.¡±

    Ree whipped her head around toward the far side of the Civic Center parking lot. Sophie nodded her head in appreciation. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s watching us. Deciding on its next move. They hadn''t thought you would be able to call the power this early.¡±

    Paden stepped forward and crouched down into something Ree could only assume was a fighting stance. He growled, baring his fangs. His face was angry, his eyes flashing, and Ree was struck by how menacing he looked in that moment. His body tense, muscles flexing, he looked fierce. She shook her head to clear it. If there were ever a time to not notice how attractive Paden was, now would be it.

    The shadow of the creature shuffling toward them bounced off of the parking blocks as it walked under the street lights. Paden growled again, this time much louder. Her friend stepped in front of her, blocking her from the direct sight of the scary creature a few yards away.

    ¡°Patience, Paden. Let me handle this one.¡± Sophie walked forward, her stride purposeful and deadly. Her hands were at her side, slightly outstretched, a faint green glow forming at her fingertips. She turned briefly to look over her shoulder, and Ree realized she, too, had fangs. ¡°Watch what I do, Alastriana,¡± Sophie said.

    Ree could now see that the creature was a man. He approached slowly, his stride smooth. ¡°Guardian, we weren''t expecting you.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t as brittle sounding as the other¡¯s had been, and Ree briefly wondered why.

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    Sophie tilted her head, regarding him. ¡°Well, now that I¡¯m here, what will you do?¡±

    ¡°Finish you.¡± Without any more warning he launched himself at Sophie. He moved faster than anyone Ree had ever seen. His motions were a blur as he struck at the tall woman. He tried to swing around her, but was pulled back by the scruff of his neck.

    Sophie tsked at him. ¡°Nah ah. Not today, newbie.¡±

    Ree felt the boiling sensation from earlier, but not as strong, and more centralized in her chest. As she watched her boss, she realized she was feeling an echo of what the other woman was doing. She tried to focus past the flurry of movements and was able to sense the moment the woman released a short blast of that pent-up energy. The dark man disappeared just like the other one had done earlier.

    Before the dust had even settled, Sophie turned and looked at the young couple. The two teenagers stared back in shock. She had been fast, just as fast as the dark man. And just as ruthless. Paden stood up straight and cocked his head to the right for just a moment as he watched Sophie walk back toward them. Ree wasn''t sure, but she felt like he was evaluating her boss in some way. He ran a hand over his jaw cautiously, obviously frustrated.

    ¡°What the . . . ,¡± Paden began and then stopped. ¡°Hey, they¡¯re gone.¡± He opened his mouth and ran his tongue over his teeth. ¡°You okay?¡±

    She nodded her head at him. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Sophie, are you all right?¡±

    Sophie chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since anyone has asked me that. Thanks; I¡¯m fine. He had no idea what he was up against. Must have been pretty new.¡±

    ¡°New to what?¡± Paden asked, frustrated. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to explain, but now is neither the time nor the place. We need to talk, but I think it can wait just a little while. Perhaps you and your friends would like to come to my house after the concert.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question.

    ¡°Talk? After the concert? How the hell are we supposed to walk into that concert and act like everything is just perfect?¡± Paden¡¯s voice was beginning to get louder. Ree had to agree. This was insane, completely unbelievable.

    A few people wandered around the corner, and Sophie took a step closer to both of them. ¡°It isn''t safe for us to talk about this right now. Not in the open. Do you know how to get to the dock for Sanctus Island?¡±

    ¡°The Witch¡¯s Island? I think the dock is just off of Shipyard Road. But that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re going to come out there to talk to you in the middle of the night. Not to mention, I think it''s illegal to take a boat over the water in the dark,¡± Paden said, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°I understand this is a lot to take in. I understand that you have no idea what is going on. And I understand that you need to know, that you have to know. Go enjoy the concert, and I¡¯ll have a boat waiting for you when you get finished. This is important for more than just the two of you.¡±

    Ree looked at her for a moment, considering everything that had happened. She remembered that feeling of something powerful building up inside of her, knew the fear had been real and justified. She needed to know what was going on. She would go to the island. Her eyes met the dark eyes of the shopkeeper for a long moment before she nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll come,¡± she agreed.

    Paden threw his head back and made a frustrated sound.

    ¡°Two houses down from the boat ramp, there¡¯s a private dock. The boat¡¯ll be there.¡± Sophie took a step back and gave them a serious look. ¡°One more thing before you go. Beware some of the humans you spoke with at the restaurant. They are not what they seem, and would do you harm if possible. Also, you both have gifts you can¡¯t begin to fathom. Do not fight your instincts, but try to keep them in control. You are both very dangerous at this point. Almost as dangerous as the Dark Ones that hunted you tonight.¡± With that final warning she turned, moving out of sight quicker than should have been possible.

    Chapter 4

    Paden stood watching, looking in the direction Sophie had disappeared, his expression thoughtful. ¡°I guess we should go in and find the others. They have to be getting worried about us,¡± Paden said.

    Ree thought about that as they climbed the steps to the center and presented their tickets to the doorman. There was no doubt Sophie had meant to be wary of Michael and

    Shannon. That left Juliette, Melanie, Bryce, and Weylin to come with them to the island. Were they involved in this as well? Didn''t Juliette notice there was something unusual about Shannon tonight at dinner? Jules had made a comment about the way she smelled. Ree had no idea what that might mean, but her gut told her it was a bad sign.

    As they made their way through the throngs of people loitering near the concession stands, Ree began to feel overwhelmed. It felt as if the people were pressing in on her, weighing on her mind. Without a word Paden put an arm around her shoulders and some of the tension melted away, but not enough to calm her completely. Ree¡¯s breathing became heavy, and she ducked into a dark corner to escape the people walking in the hall. Her eyes pressed shut and she counted each breath to try and calm her speeding heart.

    Paden squeezed into the corner and gently tilted her face up to his so he could search her eyes. He didn¡¯t say anything for a while, just let her catch her breath. When he saw that she was in better control of herself, he squeezed her shoulder. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    She nodded her head. ¡°Yeah, but I don''t know if I can handle being around all of these people right now. This is going to sound crazy, but it feels like they¡¯re weighing on me. When someone brushes my shoulder, I get this flash of something. My ears ring.¡±

    His eyes became concerned and he reached a hand up to brush her cheek. She closed her eyes, just letting him touch her, accepting the comfort he was offering. She was overwhelmed by tonight. This was all so crazy. When she was finally able to look at him, her heart skipped a beat. His face was tight and his dark green eyes were thoughtful.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go find the others and get out of here. Can you last that long?¡±

    She nodded her head. They were about to leave their hidey-hole when someone cleared their throat loudly. Both of them jerked around guiltily. Juliette wore a large grin on her face, and Bryce pulled Paden out by his arm and slapped him on the back.

    ¡°What is going on over here?¡± He chuckled loudly. Juliette rolled her eyes at Bryce''s lack of tact. She met Ree''s gaze and raised an eyebrow in question. Ree gave her a head a quick shake no. Juliette pressed her lips into a disappointed line. She was one of the only people that knew how Ree really felt about Paden and she had sworn herself to secrecy a while ago.

    Paden shrugged uncomfortably. ¡°It''s not what you think,¡± he said, embarrassed.

    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Bryce laughed. ¡°Okay. Then why were you two all huddled up in the corner? Looked rather cozy . . . .¡± He let his voice trail off suggestively.

    ¡°Come on, Bryce. Leave them alone,¡± Juliette pulled him around to face the concession stand farther down the hall. ¡°You said you would get me a drink before the opening band finishes. You guys haven''t missed much. The cover sucks.¡±

    At that point Melanie and Weylin caught up with them. ¡°There you are. Dude, some guy took your seat,¡± Weylin said, his face solemn.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Bryce shoved Weylin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you a man or not? You just gave up our seats?¡±

    Melanie snickered.

    ¡°The guy is a giant, wearing all leather. I have to protect the face, man. For the ladies,¡± Weylin waved at his face. ¡°It''s your seat, anyway. He said he would watch ours.¡± At that, Melanie laughed out loud, the sound contagious. It was almost enough to lift some of the dread in Ree¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Uh, not to freak you out or anything, but did you know that your eyes are glowing?¡± Weylin leaned close to look at Ree¡¯s face. His eyebrows were pulled together in confusion. ¡°Are you wearing contacts or something?¡±

    Paden nervously shoved his hands in his pockets and gave them a crooked grin. ¡°What, that? It''s nothing.¡± But he was looking around the place suspiciously, as if trying to spot something.

    Melanie was looking at them both, unconvinced. ¡°Nothing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Actually, we wanted to talk to you guys about something. This is going to sound completely off the wall, but, um, we need to leave. And we want you guys to come with us. It¡¯s really important.¡± Ree said urgently.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Juliette asked, concerned.

    ¡°Yes. No. We''re not really sure.¡± Ree made a face.

    Melanie was watching her carefully, with eyes squinted. ¡°Um, Ree. I''m not sure if it is just the light, or what, but¨C¡± Melanie started to say, but was interrupted.

    Weylin gave a loud groan and rolled his eyes. ¡°Crap. There''s Michael and his rag-tag team of weirdos. I thought we had escaped them after dinner.¡± He looked down at the floor. ¡°Quick, no one make eye contact.¡±

    Paden¡¯s eyes widened and Ree noticed that he was running his tongue over his teeth behind his lips. Fangs, again? When he looked at her, he almost choked. His eyes widened even larger and he jerked his head at her. What was wrong with him?

    Bryce was watching them, his eyes calculating. ¡°Listen, I''m not sure what is going on with you two, but I think it would be a bad idea for Michael to see you guys right now.¡± He looked at Ree and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I mean, he might try to exorcise the demon, if you know what I mean.¡±

    Jules grabbed Ree''s arm. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go to the bathroom while they go get the car.¡±

    She dragged Ree toward the ladies room near the exit. Melanie looked torn about whom to go with, but seemed to decide the boys might need her more, so ran off after them.

    Ree squinted as they walked down the brightly lit corridor. Everything seemed a little more intense, more alive. She could almost hear the hum of the lights overhead. The annoying buzzing from earlier had returned, and weighed heavily on her mind.

    Juliette all but shoved Ree through the bathroom door, towing her toward one of the back stalls. Thankfully, most of the lights in this bathroom were either out or so dim they might as well have been dead. And, oddly enough, there wasn''t anyone else using the smelly room.

    ¡°Hey, not so rough, Jules. What are you so upset about?¡± Juliette closed the stall door behind them, and started rummaging in her purse. She pulled out a small mirror and handed it to Ree.

    ¡°What?¡± Ree demanded, frustrated. Her head was starting to pound, her breathing felt tight and constrained.

    ¡°Just look, and then you can tell me!¡± Juliette said, exasperated.

    She opened the mirror and looked at herself in shock. Her eyes were glowing. The pupils were enlarged and the natural blue of her irises was swirling an eerie silver-blue color. It looked as if specks of light were swirling around her pupils. As she stood watching, the spinning slowed and her eyes started to darken back to their natural color. ¡°I . . . I . . . ,¡± Ree stuttered, not sure what to say. Was this something Sophie had spoken about earlier?

    Juliette raised a hand to stop her. Her eyes were intense, her face drawn in question. ¡°It is fading now, but when Michael and the others got close, your eyes were like quicksilver.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It was crazy. I don''t know what is going on with you and Paden. But you need to tell me what it is.¡± Juliette suddenly looked very stern and placed her hands on Ree''s shoulders.

    ¡°Are you an alien? Are you, like, the X-Men? A psychic with glowing eyes? Do psychics even have glowing eyes? What?! God, please don''t tell me you¡¯re an alien!¡± Each question was punctuated with a little shake.

    Ree shrugged her off and looked in the mirror again. ¡°I don''t think so, but this is what we wanted to talk to you about earlier. Ms. Diakos said we needed to bring all of you to the island, too. Apparently you guys are involved in this mess . . . .¡± She trailed off, looking around. The air had gotten tense, and Ree felt something cold nearing them.

    ¡°Ree, your eyes are doing it again. And what is all this mess about Ms. Diakos? You aren''t working tonight.¡±

    ¡°Hush! Do you feel that?¡± Ree stepped around Juliette and put her hand on the stall handle. That boiling feeling was rolling in her stomach again, but underneath that she felt something unnatural coming toward the bathroom.

    ¡°What? Feel what?¡± Jules asked in an angry whisper. They jerked their heads to the side when they heard the bathroom door open. Both of the girls were quiet except for their breathing.

    ¡°Jules? Alastriana? Are you in here?¡± Shannon asked in a sing-song voice. Juliette''s eyes narrowed and she grimaced. Ree knew she could feel that eerie sensation now. Like cold water running down your spine on a hot summer day.

    Juliette jerked her head in the direction of the exit signaling they should make a break for it. Ree held up her finger to tell her to wait a moment. Something told her Shannon was hoping that they would run right into her.

    ¡°Jules, I saw you come in here,¡± Shannon neared their stall. Ree¡¯s eyes grew brighter, practically emitting light the closer Shannon came to them. She nodded at Juliette and readied herself to throw open the door.

    ¡°I see your feet,¡± Shannon sang in excitement. Ree threw open the door and stepped out. Shannon smiled in satisfaction. There was something horribly wrong with the way she was standing. Shannon was crouched over, her torso at an odd angle with the floor. Her head was craned up and tilted slightly to the left, and her hands hung limply at her side. The most unnerving part was that her eyes were completely black. No defined pupils, no iris, only black spanning all the way across.

    ¡°There you are, Alastriana,¡± Shannon croaked. Her voice had shifted from the sickeningly sweet sing-song tone to that of the Dark One outside. Ree didn¡¯t have long to think about it because Shannon attacked with staggering speed. She rushed forward, her hands outstretched, fingers wiggling greedily. Ree dodged, that boiling feeling built, and she threw one hand at Shannon. A wave of energy seemed to fling itself out of her palm. Shannon was quick, though, and she dodged to the side before rushing forward again.

    Unfortunately, the energy had also thrust Ree backwards, knocking her off of her feet. There was a loud groan from the bathroom stall and the sound of something breaking. Just as Shannon neared her, Jules launched herself out of the stall, brandishing the toilet¡¯s seat. With a heavy thud, it collided with the other girl¡¯s head. The blow picked Shannon up off of the ground and flung her into the wall ten feet away. She landed in a messy sprawl just underneath one of the hand dryers.

    Both girls took a moment to look at each before sprinting to the door. Ree yanked on the handle, only pausing as Juliette dumped the toilet seat in the nearby trashcan. They ran for the entrance, dodging people while they watched over their shoulders. Once outside they slowed to a power walk, scanning the parking lot for everyone else.

 Page 4

    ¡°Oh my God,¡± Juliette muttered to herself. ¡°I hit her with a toilet seat.¡±

    ¡°Really, I don''t think we had a choice. I''m pretty sure she would have done worse to us if you hadn''t hit her.¡± Ree said. Personally she was glad Jules had acted so quickly. She¡¯d been out of ideas. A shiver ran down her spine as she wondered what Shannon would have done if Juliette hadn¡¯t knocked her out.

    ¡°Oh, it isn''t that. I¡¯ve always hated that bitch anyway. It''s just that it was a toilet seat. At the Civic Center!¡± She scrubbed her hands on her jeans. ¡°Can you imagine what was probably growing on that thing? No wait, don''t. It might make me sick.¡±

    Ree snorted and then looked at Juliette. When they made eye contact, both girls started laughing loudly, if slightly hysterically. How she could laugh right now, she didn¡¯t understand. Instead she decided to let it be, as she wiped a tear from one of her eyes.

    ¡°Ree! Jules! Get in!¡± Bryce''s SUV pulled up onto the sidewalk. Paden leaned out of the passenger side window waving them over. Weylin and Melanie were sitting in the very back, letting Jules and Ree have the middle section.

    Chapter 5

    The tires of the SUV squealed as Bryce swerved back into the street and headed toward the island. No one said anything for a few moments, concentrating on the road and gathering their thoughts. As Bryce turned onto the road heading out of the historic district, it was like someone flipped a switch. Suddenly everyone was talking at the same time, interrupting each other.

    ¡°Is anyone going to explain what the hell happened back there?¡± Weylin demanded.

    ¡°Listen, we didn''t really plan on anything like this happening.¡± Paden craned around so he could see the back seat.

    ¡°Ree, your eyes! What was that?¡± Melanie leaned forward, her arm resting on Ree¡¯s headrest.

    ¡°Where did you go when we went out for the car?¡± Bryce asked Juliette.

    ¡°The bathroom,¡± Jules said. ¡°That bitch followed us! I had to hit her with a toilet seat!¡±

    ¡°Toilet seat? You hit someone with a toilet seat?¡± Weylin laughed. ¡°How did you pull it off the toilet? That is just gross!¡±

    ¡°Ree, are you okay? They didn''t hurt you, did they?¡± Paden reached around his seat and touched her hand.

    ¡°Geez, thanks for all of the concern, Paden! She wasn''t the only one crammed in that stinky stall being stalked by a psycho, black-eyed freak!¡± Jules reached up front and punched him in the shoulder.

    ¡°Black eyes?¡± Weylin had to shout to be heard.

    ¡°I knew Shannon was a freak. All contorted like a broken doll. Completely spooky.¡± Jules shivered in obvious disgust.

    Ree didn¡¯t say much as everyone else tried to talk over each other. She watched out the window as the large mansions of the historic district flashed by. She had no answers for them. She was just as lost as they were, but hopefully her boss could explain. She tried to sort out what she already knew. She was different. Paden was different. And she had the sneaking suspicion the others were different as well. Green stuff came out of her hands. Her eyes could glow like silver. Paden had fangs. Michael and Shannon were dangerous, and they obviously knew she wasn¡¯t exactly normal. And she knew from every sci-fi book she had ever read that it wasn¡¯t a good sign when the bad guys were a step ahead.

    ¡°Ree?¡± Paden asked quietly. She sighed and turned away from the window. A lump caught in her throat as she stared into his eyes. His expression was tense and worried. She realized that he thought she was going to freak out. Everyone else got very quiet as they waited on her response.

    ¡°I''m okay.¡± She patted his hand with her free one. ¡°Really. I think we should start at the beginning.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that usually works the best.¡± Weylin offered his opinion from the back. Melanie swatted his shoulder in annoyance.

    Paden nodded and squeezed her hand before turning back to the front seat.

    Ree explained to them all about the feeling at the restaurant, the attack in front of the Civic Center, Ms. Diakos, and the odd things that had happened to Paden and herself. Everyone looked somewhere between horrified and skeptical, except for Jules.

    ¡°Really, guys, I saw the green stuff shoot across the bathroom. And we all saw her eyes go crazy when Michael and Shannon got near.¡±

    ¡°When you say green stuff, are we talking ectoplasm-style green goo? Or beams of green light, wizard style?¡± Weylin wanted to know.

    ¡°It¡¯s more like this energy that just builds up and then flows out. It¡¯s only happened twice now, so I don''t know for sure.¡± Ree made a face as she tried to remember exactly.

    ¡°Yeah, and it looked more like a wave than a beam of light. It rippled across the room.¡± Jules added.

    Bryce laughed from the front seat. ¡°Yeah, and Paden here has fangs! I vant to drink your vlood! Arrggghhh.¡±

    Paden looked at him sourly. ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°So, all of that stuff happened when you were around those dark creatures?¡±

    ¡°Don''t forget Shannon. That was completely weird, even for her,¡± Juliette grumbled angrily.

    ¡°Going all killer-zombie on us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. Sophie warned us that some of the people that were at the restaurant were not to be trusted,¡± Paden said from the front seat. He frowned, his brows pulling together and shadowing his eyes. ¡°I never really liked Michael, but he was always involved in the same sports. It didn''t do me any good to be unfriendly.¡± She could tell he was really angry that he hadn¡¯t realized just how much he had missed.

    ¡°It''s not your fault, Paden,¡± Melanie said. Ree swiveled to look at her. Mel''s eyes were full of compassion. Her full lips curved into a comforting smile. Something in Ree''s chest gave a lurch when she saw the intimacy in that look. Was there something going on between Melanie and Paden? She bit her lip and tried to quell the anger the thought brought her. Melanie was a wonderful person. There wasn''t anyone more thoughtful and fun to be around. Everyone loved Mel. She was beautiful in that natural way, without any makeup or effort. Her hazel eyes were always open and understanding. It would make perfect sense for Paden to like someone along those lines. They would fit well together. That thought didn''t do much to calm the anger, but it did smother some of the flames in disappointment.

    Melanie looked away from Paden when she noticed Ree was staring at her. Her eyes shifted, obviously registering something in Ree''s expression. Suddenly, her lips curved into a smile and she sat back, amused. She looked from Ree to Paden and raised an eyebrow. Ree just looked at her blankly, not sure what she was trying to convey.

    ¡°You missed the turn.¡± Paden pointed toward the street sign that said Waters Avenue.

    ¡°No, I didn''t. I decided to not take it,¡± Bryce said, his tone distracted. Ree noticed that he kept checking his mirrors.

    ¡°Okay, does this mean you have a quicker way to get to Shipyard Road?¡± Paden said icily.

    ¡°No. It means I''m trying to lose the car that¡¯s following us,¡± Bryce said as he whipped onto another road, the tires making a noise a lot like they did in the movies. Everyone in the back braced themselves as the SUV leaned far to the right.

    ¡°Following us!¡± Juliette squealed.

    Everyone in the car but the driver turned to look out of the rear windshield. Sure enough, a red sports car ran a red light and swerved into place behind them. That horrible cold sensation crawled across Ree¡¯s shoulders as the car came closer to their bumper. She looked down at the floorboard, willing herself to stay calm as she felt that answering burn in the pit of her stomach.

    ¡°Who do we know that has a red car?¡± Melanie asked. She looked back up front, her eyes wide.

    ¡°It¡¯s Michael and his friends,¡± Paden said from up front. Ree raised her head to look at Paden¡¯s profile. He had spoken very slowly and carefully. It sounded like he was trying to talk around the fangs he had developed earlier. He must have been responding to the presence in the red car as well. He looked at her for just a moment, his eyes worried, before looking back at the road.

    ¡°Uh, we might need to go faster if we¡¯re trying to outrun them,¡± Weylin said sarcastically from the back.

    ¡°It''s a damn SUV, Wey. What do you want me to do? It''s not like I have nitrous or anything,¡± Bryce said, his voice strained.

    ¡°Oh, no. You hafe got foo be kidding me!¡± Juliette said suddenly. Ree didn''t have time to ask what was wrong because the red car accelerated, slamming into their rear bumper. Everyone slammed forward against their seatbelts before jerking back against the seats.

    ¡°What the hell man! What the hell!¡± Bryce hollered. He jerked around a slower car and swerved down another road.

    ¡°We''ve gotth to losthe them!¡± Paden was gripping the handle above his door. Apparently

    Bryce glanced over at him. ¡°Really, is that what we need to do? Way to be helpful, jackass.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I don''t think the red car is alone,¡± Melanie said. She hadn''t taken her eyes off the car behind them. ¡°There¡¯s a black Mercedes following them really closely. ¡°

    ¡°Great, a horde of angry misfits,¡± Weylin said. He turned and looked at Ree. He paused for just a moment, his eyes narrowed as he studied her face. ¡°Huh, they do glow. Well, what do we do? I mean, can we do anything? What about some of your green stuff? Or maybe have Paden bite them?¡±

    ¡°Har, har,¡± Paden said sarcastically from upfront.

    ¡°I don''t know if I can do anything with all of these people around. What if I accidentally hurt one of them instead? I''m not sure I could even do anything at all. I''m really not sure what I would be doing if I did it!¡± Ree was working herself up into a mini-rant. Why were they being followed? Hadn''t Sophie said they would be fine for the rest of the night?

    ¡°Jules? You''re being awfully quiet,¡± Bryce said from up front. He still didn¡¯t take his eyes off of the road as he swerved around a delivery truck.

    Juliette made a noncommittal noise and shrugged her shoulder. Ree looked at her and was surprised to see she had her arms crossed, her face set in angry lines.

    ¡°Jules?¡± Ree touched her shoulder, but Juliette jerked away. ¡°C¡¯mon Jules. What¡¯s wrong? Are you carsick?¡±

    Paden turned in his seat and looked at her. He searched Juliette¡¯s face and then smiled, showing his fangs. ¡°Openth upfth and let us fthsee.¡±

    There was a gasp as Melanie turned around and saw the light glinting off of Paden¡¯s teeth. Juliette waved an inappropriate finger in Paden¡¯s direction and clenched her mouth shut even tighter. The SUV lurched to the side as Bryce avoided another car, throwing them all into the windows.

    ¡°Jules?¡± Bryce said in a quiet voice. He was the only one that could get through to her when she had a stubborn moment. Juliette¡¯s eyes looked rebellious for a second, and then she slowly opened her mouth. Ree watched, fascinated as Jules exposed the extended teeth.

    No one said anything for a moment and then Bryce chuckled. His dark eyes were watching them in the rear-view mirror. ¡°That¡¯s actually pretty sexy, Jules.¡± She closed her mouth with a snap, but her eyes twinkled.

    ¡°Vine, but it iv very hard to talk vith them,¡± she said. Someone in back smothered a laugh. Ree really wasn''t sure whether it was Weylin or Melanie. When she glanced back, they both wore pained expressions as they tried to stay serious.

    ¡°Well, at least you can hide them if you need to. My eyes are glowing like a night-light back here.¡± Ree said.

    ¡°Vell, vhat¡¯s true,¡± Juliette sighed.

    ¡°Not to break up the moment and all, but the red car is coming in for another hit,¡± Melanie''s voice was tense. Sure enough, the little red Eclipse slammed into the bumper again, this time causing the SUV to fishtail. Bryce cursed loudly from the front seat. He spoke colorfully about the driver¡¯s mother, grandmothers, and siblings before swerving into an empty parking lot.

    ¡°Whath the fhell are you doing, Brythce? We can''th get outh and check the car fhright now!¡± Paden hollered.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Bryce roared. He darted behind the abandoned grocery store, into the dark alley. Everyone was muttering, but Bryce paid them no attention. Suddenly he jerked the car to the left and down a small path that had obviously been used for deliveries. The red Eclipse slowed some, because the little road was in such bad shape that the smaller vehicle literally couldn¡¯t make it over some of the potholes. Ree let out a sigh as they pulled back onto a main road and put some distance between them and their crazy pursuers.

    ¡°Good thinking, man,¡± Paden said in apology. His tone was tense and distracted, but you could sense the genuine appreciation.

    ¡°I think we lost the Mercedes,¡± Melanie said. ¡°But the Eclipse is catching up to us again.¡±

    ¡°Fhit,¡± Juliette cursed, looking back. As the Eclipse neared, the tension in the car escalated and everyone grew silent. Ree felt that power bubbling up inside of her, but she had no idea what to do with it all. Could she lean out the window like they did in the movies? Great, now she was getting ideas from bad movies. The burning was growing, her stomach squeezed in pain, and her head began to ache. She closed her eyes, and gently shook her head in an attempt to clear it. The others were talking amongst themselves, trying to come up with ideas.

    ¡°FhRee?¡± Jules said quietly. She laid a hand on Ree''s arm, and some of the headache drifted away. She opened her eyes and looked at the hands folded in her lap. They were glowing again, and she had no control over it. She took a deep breath and met Jules frightened eyes. Paden turned around in his seat to see what was going on.

    ¡°I''m not sure what¡¯s happening, but we really need to get to the dock soon.¡± Paden looked at her hands and his face shifted. Something in his eyes flashed from worried to dangerous. His gaze shifted to Bryce, and his tone was commanding. ¡°When we get to the next stoplight, slow down and let me out. Take everyone else to the dock.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no. There is no way you are getting out of this car!¡± Bryce yelled frustrated.

    ¡°Listen, I think I can handle them. I need to do this,¡± Paden said his voice tight. ¡°I can''t let them get to Ree.¡±

    Ree¡¯s heart did a little leap in her chest when he spoke of her. He was trying to protect her at the cost of his own safety. She couldn''t let him do that! Just as she was about to tell him hell no, Bryce answered for her.

    Bryce turned onto Waters Avenue, the tires screeching, and hit the child-lock button on his door. ¡°No one gets out right now. And no one is getting to Ree or anyone else.¡± As they drove down the busy road passing other streets, Ree could feel the power begin to leak from her fingertips. Almost like she could no longer hold it all bottled up. She concentrated on holding it inside and trying to stay calm. Juliette''s hand on her arm was soothing, but it did nothing to stop the pain building in her head and chest. The heat in the pit of her soul was still growing, still trying to escape. She felt like there were things pushing on her every time they neared another car or passed a busy store. It was like walking through cobwebs that clung to you as you tried to brush them away. You couldn¡¯t see them, but you could feel them sticking to your face and arms. Now that they were in the coastal neighborhood the feeling stayed, constantly pulling and weighing on her. Emotions warred inside of her head, varying from anger, to amusement, to fatigue, to elation. That by itself might push her over the edge of reason.

 Page 5

    When they turned onto Shipyard Road, a black Mercedes sped out of the dark, slipping quietly between them and the red Eclipse. The smaller car swerved to avoid the larger sedan, but the Mercedes continued to block its path.

    ¡°Is that guy on our side?¡± Weylin demanded. ¡°Or just on crack?¡±

    The Mercedes slammed on its brakes and spun to the side, completely blocking the little red car.

    Ree looked out the window and her eye swirled like silver mercury. She felt the being in the black car open its door and rush the others. She knew whoever was protecting them wasn¡¯t human, but also didn¡¯t carry that evil feeling that would make her skin crawl.

    ¡°Holy crap!¡± Melanie said loudly. ¡°He totally cut them off for us!¡±

    ¡°Let''s hope it buys us enough time. We''re close now.¡± Bryce turned the car down a small private road, and she could see the glint of silver in the distance that must be water. Paden continued to watch behind them, refusing to take his eyes away from the immediate threat.

    ¡°There''s a boat,¡± Bryce said. He slammed the SUV into park next to several expensive models under a shelter. ¡°Paden, Ree, you talk to the guy on the boat. I hope he¡¯s expecting us.¡±

    Everyone bailed out of the vehicle and rushed down the large wooden pier. Ree looked back over her shoulder, but could see nothing through the shadows other than a large Victorian house. When they neared the boat, a large man with a thick beard motioned them to hurry.

    ¡°Come on, then. I''ve been waiting. We got worried when Roland called to tell us that you guys had company.¡±

    Chapter 6

    No one said anything, just climbed into the boat. Paden and Weylin helped push off the dock and they were out in the water, heading into the dark. It was the biggest boat Ree had ever been on, much bigger than her grandfather¡¯s bass boat. The large hull gleamed like a slick pearl in the moonlight and Ree knew this was not a cheap boat.

    ¡°You should be safe now. I don¡¯t think anything could get through our protection,¡± The large man said almost kindly when Ree neared him. He had a thick Southern dialect that roughened his already gravelly voice. Coming from a mouth buried deep inside of his thick beard, it made his words even harder to understand.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied as the ball of tension in her stomach began to unravel. The man looked large and intimidating, but there was something comforting in his tone. He reminded her a great deal of some of her uncles.

    ¡°I''m Eric,¡± he turned and offered her his hand.

    ¡°Ree McKenna,¡± She smiled as his large hand engulfed hers in a hearty handshake.

    ¡°McKenna, huh? Seems like I remember some McKennas from around Guyton.¡± He watched the darkened water as they pushed through. Ree pulled her sweater tighter against her body. Even inside the little cabin of the boat she could feel the bite of the Georgian winter. Customary of the crazy weather patterns along the coast, the wind had picked up, making the crossing even more uncomfortable.

    ¡°My grandparents live in Guyton, now,¡± Ree replied, interested. She hoped he would offer more information, but he merely grunted in a friendly fashion.

    Paden walked over to them and stood behind Ree placing a hand on her shoulder. Despite feeling overwhelmed and tired beyond her comprehension, she tingled at his touch. She tilted her head up to look at him, and saw that his fangs were gone. Now that she thought about it, the burning sensation in her chest and stomach had abated, and she didn¡¯t feel like there were things pressing on her.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡± his voice was quiet, meant for her ears alone. She nodded her head and offered him a small smile in return. His fingers tightened on her shoulder before he turned to introduce himself to the captain of the boat. She was glad to see that Paden didn''t take his hand off of her as he talked to Eric about where they are going. She let her gaze run over the others that had taken seats in the small cabin. Each of them looked lost in their own thoughts. Bryce had his arm over Juliette¡¯s shoulder, while she looked out of the window. Weylin was watching Paden and Eric as they talked about where they were headed. Melanie, on the other hand, was watching Ree and Paden with a small smile. When she met Ree''s eyes, she motioned for her to sit next to her on the bench. She patted Paden¡¯s hand before stepping over to the padded seat Melanie was occupying.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Mel asked as she made room for her.

    ¡°About as good as the rest of you,¡± Ree said. She really did like Melanie and didn¡¯t want there to be any bad blood between them over Paden. ¡°Really tired for some reason.¡± Ree yawned as if on cue.

    ¡°Oh, I don''t know. Weylin and Bryce and I haven''t started glowing or growing fangs yet.¡± Melanie laughed. ¡°Seems like we might be doing a little bit better than you.¡± She held up her hand, her pointer finger and thumb pinched together to emphasize her statement.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. I wish I had a better idea of what was going on.¡± Ree sighed heavily. She was so exhausted she could probably sleep for days. She leaned back against the wall of the boat and fought the weight of her eyelids. She tilted her head to the side in an attempt to pop her neck and shake off the lethargy settling onto her shoulders. Her whole body was sore, like she had run a marathon in half the time it should take. A yawn escaped her mouth, causing her eyes to water, and she sighed in defeat. She doubted that even a case of energy drinks would make her feel more awake.

    ¡°I guess this boss of yours will explain everything,¡± Mel shrugged. She was always so laid-back and relaxed; it made everyone else look like they were a wound up soccer mom. ¡°From what it sounds like, she has some important things to tell you. I wonder what it is that¡¯s happening. This is kind of exciting, you know? A mystery with bad guys, good guys and some kind of magic voodoo.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I guess so.¡± She really had no idea what Sophie was going to tell them and to be honest she was pretty scared of what might come out of the Greek woman¡¯s mouth.

    The crossing was not gentle. The southern winter had taken an odd turn this December, making it colder and even rainier than usual. A wicked storm was sitting off the coast and had churned the waters up a great deal. The waves threw them all about, the boat landing roughly after every swell. Ree tried to not think about the throbbing in her backside each time they crashed down, or the fact that if all of those little electric gadgets in on the console went out they would probably never make it to the island. Eventually, an even darker shape than the surrounding water came into view, and the boat slowed with a quiet shift of the motor. Lights flared to life on either side of what must be a dock.

    Eric motored the boat next to a large stone and wood pier. Melanie and Weylin hopped off and secured the boat as the others disembarked. They all stood there, unsure of where to go.

    ¡°Just head on up to the house,¡± Eric motioned up the dock. As he said that, lights similar to the large lanterns on the dock lit up a path that led into the woods. Ree yawned and stumbled after the others. She stubbed her toe on the ramp and let out a yelp before biting her lip, frustrated. Why was she so tired?

    The others had stopped and were looking at her in worry. She waved them away, but Melanie and Jules took up spots on either side of her. Paden hesitated for just a moment and then continued on in front of her. Ree ground her teeth at his expression and angrily wiped the sleep out of her eyes. She wasn''t doing much to prove the fact that she wasn¡¯t a kid anymore.

    As they neared the edge of the woods, they all slowed. They could see the lights from what must be a very large dwelling. When it finally came into view, Bryce whistled under his breath. ¡°Jules, I didn''t think anyone else had as much money as your parents. I guess I was wrong.¡±

    Ree had to agree. The house was large and impressive. It had an almost Spanish theme, with a tiled roof, and a warm wall color. The entrance was a large, arched double door. It was surrounded by a low stone wall that the lanterns led straight past. As she looked at the house, she was once again assailed by a large yawn. She shook her head and tried to focus.

    ¡°Ree? Are you alright?¡± Melanie touched her arm. She shook it off, frustrated. She didn¡¯t want anyone to point out her apparent weakness. She mumbled a reply and took a few steps forward before it became nearly impossible to keep her eyes open. She just needed to sit down for a moment. Maybe there would be somewhere to sit on the other side of the wall. She stumbled on a root and tried to keep her footing. Someone asked her a question, but she didn''t have the energy to decipher what was actually said, much less to respond. She was almost to the wall when the world began to spin. Her body became sluggish, her feet unresponsive. She yawned again before sighing as her legs caved under her weight. She had just a moment to wonder at the swooping sensation in her stomach and the lack of pain from the fall before she heard Paden mumble soothingly in her ear. Then everything went dark.

    ¡°When will she wake up?¡± Paden¡¯s voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

    ¡°She should come around soon. But she needs the rest. The magic takes a lot out of the Alastriana the first few times. It can be overwhelming.¡± Sophie Diakos¡¯ soothing accent came quietly from a different direction. Someone snorted at the word magic. ¡°Yes, yes, Weylin, I know it seems outlandish. Be patient a little longer, and I will explain more.¡± Sophie came closer to Ree, and laid something soft along her shoulders. Ree tried to respond, to say something, but she slipped even deeper when the older woman placed her hand on her head.

    When she became aware of the voices again, she realized she must have been out for a lot longer this time. Her body did not feel near as heavy or unresponsive. She took a quiet breath as she climbed back out of the deep sleep that had claimed her earlier. She became aware that someone was sitting near her, but she wasn''t sure who it was until they spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s been almost four hours. Are you sure she¡¯ll be ok?¡± Paden¡¯s warm fingers brushed some of the hair back out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. His voice was quiet but laced with worry.

    ¡°Paden, you¡¯re going to need to learn a lot more patience as an Immortal.¡± Sophie spoke quietly.

    ¡°I don''t remember signing up for any of that.¡± His voice was still quiet, but Ree had the impression that he was looking at her when he spoke. ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m immortal? I don''t really feel different. Things are a little clearer, sharper, but that could just be the adrenaline.¡±

    ¡°Paden, trust me. The moment Ree''s magic touched you, it ignited that spark in you. It called out to your genes-- the genes of Brigid, goddess of the Celts, and Poseidon, god of the sea. It was the turning point of your lifeline. Because you have already reached your maturity, you will not age another day. The same goes for Juliette. In her veins runs the blood of strong Japanese gods. When Ree tried to use her magic in that restroom against the darkling, she also touched Jules. She, too, will not age. Neither will the others once she ignites that change in them.¡±

    Ree struggled to make sense of what she was hearing. Paden and the others were immortal? Because of her? Because of what she had done that night? And the way Paden and Sophie sounded, it seemed she was still different from them. Was she immortal as well?

    As if in response to Ree¡¯s internal question, Sophie sighed. ¡°She needs you to be immortal. The things she will come up against will be far too strong for a mortal to stand against on her own. Her magic levels the playing field some, but in one moment, one accident, the Dark Ones could shatter her. End her life with a single blow. She needs a Guardian. In Ree¡¯s case, she was sent five.¡±

    Ree lay there for a moment, absorbing what she was being told. She wasn¡¯t like the others. She was less, and yet somehow important. What was this all leading to? She needed answers, so she fought her tired body and opened her eyes. She was in a large room with a fireplace along one wall and large windows lining another. Sophie was sitting in a chair near the fire, her long dark hair slung over her shoulder in an intricate braid. A book sat open on her lap. Paden was sitting next to Ree, his back turned so she couldn¡¯t see his face. For a moment she wished she could see into his eyes, and then she shoved that thought away. This news about the difference of their lifespans was too much to comprehend at the moment. There were more pressing questions.

    ¡°Why do I have this special talent? Is it a gift or a curse?¡± All things considered, Ree was pretty calm.

    Paden turned around and touched her head. ¡°You''re awake. How are you feeling? Are you still tired?¡±

    She ignored his questions and tried to not notice the pain in his eyes, the darkness that shadowed his words. Instead, she watched as Sophie stood up and went to pour her a glass of water. When she handed it to Ree she touched her head and nodded to herself, apparently pleased with what she sensed.

    Ree drank some of the water as she sat up. Paden got up from the bed and walked over to the windows.

    ¡°It is both a gift and a curse. It will enable to you to do wondrous things; save millions of lives. And yet, it will bring you much sorrow, and comes with great demands.¡± Sophie sat back in her chair and let Ree digest her words.

    Not sure what to say or how to react, Ree just nodded her head. The ability to help other people, but at a cost to herself. She supposed she could handle that. She caught herself before she snorted. She wasn''t that self-sacrificing. It sounded like she was going to suffer for this so-called gift. Well, at least someone would profit from it.

    ¡°Why?¡± She sat up and tucked her legs underneath her. ¡°Why give me this power? What am I supposed to do with it?¡±

    ¡°You are the descendant of a very old, very special family. They were chosen long ago to carry the full potential of the human race. You have the ability to touch the gifts that reside in all of you, all of human-kind. Your family history is full of people with special gifts. Many have a little something extra: a heightened sense of intuition, the ability to move things with your mind, precognition, the list goes on,¡± Sophie said.

    Ree didn¡¯t say anything. She merely listened. Her family had always been different, slightly off from the norm. She knew some of her great aunts and uncles had hidden during the witch hunts. That even today her aunt owned an eclectic spiritual store that catered to Wiccans and other spiritual paths. That aunt also had dreams foretelling things like disasters or the birth of a new family member.

    ¡°But why? Why were we chosen? Why carry these extra abilities?¡± She sipped her water, trying to be calm and nonchalant.

    ¡°That¡¯s a story we would all like to hear,¡± Paden added. He turned and looked at Ree then. His stance was angry, his shoulders were hunched in frustration. It surprised Ree to see him so aggressive as he spoke to Sophie. He was normally calm when dealing with a difficult situation.

 Page 6

    ¡°Yes, I think it is time for the whole story. Paden, would you mind gathering the rest of our group? They should be here for this as well.¡± Sophie smiled at Paden when he didn''t move. ¡°I promise she will be safe with me. Never would I allow anything to harm your Alastriana.¡±

    He merely grimaced before walking quickly out the door. Ree watched him, confused.

    ¡°Already, he is fiercely protective. I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. The gods have pulled out all of the stops this time. I hope they weren¡¯t too late,¡± Sophie said quietly as she stared out the door after him.

    ¡°Why do you refer to me that way? As if my name is a title?¡± Ree focused on one of the things she thought Sophie might actually answer.

    The dark haired woman shook her head and turned to look at the young woman sitting on her bed. Ree had shifted again, her emotional agitation making her physically uncomfortable. She tucked her knees under her chin and brushed at the hair that had escaped from her ponytail. There were soft spots of color in her cheeks, a peachy tint that still remained from her nap. Sophie watched her for a moment without saying anything.

    ¡°That would be because your name is a title. Alastriana means savior of human-kind. You were named for the job you were sent to do.¡±

    Ree couldn''t help the widening of her eyes and she swallowed hard. ¡°My mother made up the name. She said that as she held me in her arms it was as if someone had whispered the name to her, but that¡¯s not real, she just made it up.¡±

    Sophie smiled. ¡°Yes, it would most likely seem that way. Your mother is a very open individual. I¡¯m not surprised she found your name so easily.¡±

    ¡°But, when you use it like a title, you make it sound as if there are more of us. More saviors,¡± She said the last with distaste. ¡°I¡¯m no savior. I¡¯m just the same as every other person, even if I do have a weird family.¡±

    Sophie didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. She took a long, deep breath and looked out the window, her eyes dark with memory. Without turning around, she spoke quietly. ¡°There have been many Alastrianas. Some have won. Some have lost. Each was special in her own way. All of them were important.¡±

    Ree wanted to get more answers, but the Professor did not turn back around until the others entered the room. They all looked much more refreshed than they had before she passed out. Melanie came and sat down on the bed next to her. She leaned into her friend¡¯s shoulder and smiled. ¡°How ya feeling?¡±

    Ree gave her a weak grin. ¡°Much better, now. I¡¯m sorry you all had to wait for me to wake up to get answers.¡±

    Juliette sat on the other side of her. ¡°I guess it makes sense for you to be awake when we find out. It all seems to be centered around you.¡±

    Ree sighed and looked at her friends. Bryce and Paden had taken spots near the fireplace, and Weylin was lounging on the chaise in the corner with a large sub sandwich in his hands. Ree¡¯s stomach gave a large growl when she saw the food. When was the last time she had eaten?

    When he saw her staring, Weylin saluted her with the sandwich and smiled around a mouthful. ¡°We might not know what¡¯s going on, but wait until you see the kitchen!¡±

    Ree chuckled and shook her head. Well at least Weylin didn¡¯t look as stressed as he had been in the car. Bryce and Paden, on the other hand, both looked tense. And in Paden''s case he even looked angry. Juliette looked intense, her energy excited, as usual. Melanie wore her usual look of calm, but there was an undercurrent of excitement that made her eyes even larger than normal.

    Sophie looked at each of them in turn. Her eyes lingered on Paden and then Ree. ¡°There are a lot of questions from all of you; some that you are beginning to figure out on your own, and some that will need a great deal of explanation. I think the best way to start would be at the beginning.¡±

    Chapter 7

    She took a deep breath. ¡°A long time ago, somewhere far away, there was a planet whose people were dying.¡±

    ¡°Cool. Like Star Wars,¡± Weylin chimed in.

    ¡°I knew it. We''re all aliens. Not the illegal kind, but the Roswell kind.¡± Juliette groaned.

    Sophie laughed but shook her head. ¡°No, you aren¡¯t aliens. You are all of this planet. Born here, with your roots entwined with the normal people of this planet.¡±

    ¡°Normal people of this planet?¡± Bryce arched an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yes, as you are all finding out, none of you are what you would deem ¡®normal¡¯. You are all special. But it is much easier if I tell you the whole story rather than parts for you to piece together.¡±

    ¡°So, what happened?¡± Ree leaned forward a bit.

    ¡°Of course. As I was saying, the people of that planet were dying. A war raged in their heavens, and the gods that stood for evil looked to win through deceit and dark manipulations. In a misguided attempt to keep the evil ones from gaining more strength, a horrible plague had been released on the inhabitants by the immortals that were supposed to be caring for them. The first ones infected noticed odd symptoms: they developed an aversion to bright light, and a thirst that was never quenched. The longer the thirst persisted, the angrier and more dangerous that person became. Eventually their bodies developed a way to satiate the thirst. They developed the means with which to acquire that precious liquid; the very one their bodies had stopped producing. They developed fangs that allowed them access to the blood of the unsuspecting, and most often the unwilling. It was a painful experience, and the victims often fought hard. But as the diseased ate, they grew in strength. They became faster and capable of doing things the normal inhabitants could not.¡± She paused and took a sip of water, letting what she had said sink in.

    Ree swallowed and noticed how dry her throat had become. Vampires. She had joked earlier that vampires were one of the things that scared her. Things she thought didn¡¯t really exist. Her eyes sought Paden¡¯s and she saw that he was watching her. His eyes were dark and she wondered what he was thinking. They had all seen his fangs. She turned and looked at Juliette and saw that her eyes were wide. Bryce stood up and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty. Not like you¡¯re saying.¡± Jules¡¯s voice was quiet as she looked at the tall Greek woman.

    ¡°Nor should you be. You are an entirely different creature.¡± Sophie''s eyes were warm and comforting. ¡°But the people of that planet were not so lucky. As the disease spread, most people began to fear it. Others, though, wanted to be infected. Power hungry, they craved the special abilities: they wanted to become Dark Ones. So called, for their reaction to bright light. At first the dark gods were thrilled with this situation, for they feed off of fear, hate, greed, and pain. They thought the other gods had made a fatal mistake, giving them a way to grow in strength. But the true gods had been much sneakier. They knew that, for a while, the dark ones would grow and prosper in their sport of hatred. But their goals had been long-term, and they were willing to start over.

    ¡°As the disease spread, as the greed and hatred took effect, wars began in earnest for ''grazing rights''. Strong as these Dark Ones were, they still needed blood to stay alive. They needed uninfected humans to sustain them. But non-infected citizens became scarce. They became a commodity to trade, like cattle. Some of the older Dark Ones began to see the problem that was sneaking up. Soon they were going to run out of the sustenance their bodies required-- blood. So, they petitioned their gods for advice. After all, they had unleashed this fate on the world.

    ¡°The dark gods saw the problem and tried to find a way around the food issue. They spent many years working to save their planet, for they needed the energy of its populace to keep them alive. They tried to create new untainted beings to feed their dependents, but the gods lacked the tools that creation required. It takes love and self-sacrifice to give life, and the hollow shells they created could not sustain the Dark Ones of their world. It took many years for the gods to realize they had been beaten by the very disease they had celebrated.¡± Again she stopped for a moment and walked to the window and looked out at the trees swaying in the early morning light.

    Ree looked down and bit her lip. The Dark Ones she had encountered earlier that night had been vampires. They were walking among the people of her home town. She shuddered in disgust and fear. They were walking among her family and friends. Ree shook herself away from those thoughts as Sophie continued.

    ¡°When the dark gods turned their attention back to their subjects, a great deal of the population was dead. Without food, they had begun killing each other, and occasionally themselves, for the thirst would drive them to insanity. The only ones that survived were the oldest, wisest ones. The ones that had stockpiled food and were so strong no other Dark Ones could stand against them. But even they would perish soon if they did not get more food.¡± Ree imagined the people that had been herded into cages to be kept as food. Her stomach quivered for the terror they must have felt.

    ¡°The dark gods knew then that they would need another planet, a new place to feed their ''children''. They took their strongest, most cunning Dark Ones and began to search the universe for a new home. They came to Earth. But there was resistance here. Our planet has its own hierarchy of gods: gods that already ruled here, and liked their position. These gods also cared for the humans they helped create and were not willing to hand over their home. A fight among the native gods and the invasive gods was brewing, but both sides knew that would probably destroy Earth, as well. A council of the wiser Earth gods convened to address the problem and thought to make a deal with the dark gods. They would fight on a smaller scale, so the world would not be completely destroyed. After all, if Earth was destroyed they had no reason to fight.

    ¡°Terms were negotiated for years. The dark gods wanted to introduce all of their dark children to the new world and let the citizens fight for themselves. Our gods knew that was not fair; the Dark Ones had strength and abilities most of the humans couldn¡¯t fathom. The dark gods would only be allowed to send one of their ''children'' to Earth for the battle. After all, it seemed the dark warrior would be able to create its own help. To counter the Dark One¡¯s abilities, plans were made. Several different human lines would be gifted with the ability to touch powers most humans were unaware of. They would be given the gifts of the gods. Intuition, precognition, telepathy, and the ability to tap into the very energy that surrounds them and links all humans. The descendants of those lines would be protected until they were of an age to fight, able to fully tap into their potential.

    ¡°The dark gods demanded that the chosen one must be a human; they felt humans needed to prove their worth. Our gods are not fools though, and, knowing humans are much frailer and slower than the Dark Ones, they insisted the human savior, the Alastriana, would need a protector, a guardian. The Dark Ones insisted the Guardian be born to mortals. Our gods had bred with mortals before and were happy to generate blood lines that would have the ability to become immortal. If one of their descendants is touched by the magic of the Alastriana, it instigates a change, a shift that awakens dormant immortal genes. Thus, Guardians have the strength, speed, agility, and healing abilities that all immortals possess.

    ¡°The first battle was fought, and the Alastriana and her Gaurdian were able to win, but at great sacrifice. Both of the defenders died in their efforts, but the Dark Ones were stopped. The dark gods, however, refused to back down. They insisted that because the defenders had died in the process, they only won in default. After more battles, and more arguing between the two factions of gods, a well-respected goddess suggested a set number of battles. The best of those battles would be named the victor. The Dark Ones agreed. Starting from that decision, they began the count, and a secret war was set upon the humans, with only a select few to fight.¡±

    When Sophie finished speaking, quiet rang through the room. Ree''s mind seemed to be moving a million miles a minute. A large jumble of half-formed thoughts were whisking through her brain. She looked at her friends to see how they were handling this story, unsure of their responses. Juliette and Bryce were looking at each other, quietly sharing some form of couple telepathy. Weylin was still looking at Sophie, his sandwich raised halfway to his mouth. He looked down at the food in his hand, gave himself a shake and took a slow bite before letting his eyes return to the woman. His expression was somewhere between doubtful and reluctant. Ree continued her surveillance of her friends and looked at Paden. How would he handle this story?

    His eyes were even darker and more shadowed than they had been before. He seemed to be wrestling with something as he stared past Ree''s shoulder. She wanted to go to him and ask him what he was thinking, but at the same time she was frightened of the answer. She wasn¡¯t sure she could handle the questions he was considering. She still had too many questions of her own. How did this magic work? How had Sophie known she would have the gift, or that the others were immortal? Why had she been sent so many protectors, and would that negate the careful bargain between the gods? Were the gods watching them right this second? Waiting to see what her response would be?

    Suddenly she felt like the walls were too close. Her throat was tight, like she couldn¡¯t breathe. She was trapped. Trapped in this room, and trapped by responsibility, a responsibility that would most likely kill her.

    Chapter 8

    Rushing from the bed, she threw herself at the windows and wrestled with the lock until she was able to swing the large glass pane open. The cold wet air was a welcome shock as she gulped it in greedily. She leaned against the window sill and closed her eyes. Get a grip, Ree. Freaking out is not going to get you anywhere. She counted to ten slowly in her head, taking deep breaths as she did. When she felt a little more like herself, she opened her eyes and turned around to the room. Everyone was staring at her. She shivered and pulled the window shut behind her.

    ¡°Sorry. I needed some fresh air,¡± she didn¡¯t move away from the window after closing it. Better to be close, just in case. Sophie was watching her with a neutral expression. Her eyes were guarded, as if she was waiting for something to happen. ¡°What? Are my eyes glowing again? That can''t be good, can it? They¡¯ve only done that when a Dark One has been near.¡± She looked nervously over her shoulder through the window into the dark. She shuddered, but couldn¡¯t see anything outside.

    ¡°No, there are no Dark Ones on this island. It is a sanctuary. A safe place set up by the gods to allow you to regroup and learn. That is why I didn''t just have you come to the shop.¡± Sophie gave her a small, embarrassed smile and shrugged. ¡°I was waiting for you to freak out. The others either ran away or refused to talk to me for hours. Sometimes they would ignore me for days. Some of them thought we were crazy.¡±

 Page 7

    Ree sniffed. ¡°I don''t suppose that helped them any, did it?¡±

    Sophie chuckled. ¡°No, not really. Though they did take a while to process everything and perhaps that allowed them to deal with it fully.¡±

    It had been a really long day. Things had chased her, tried to kill her and her friends, and she found out that she was gifted with magic, of all things. Oh, and she had to fight for the survival of mankind. Now she was being called slow. ¡°You know what? It¡¯s been a hell of a day and I¡¯m still tired. Yes, it is a lot to take in and process. But I think I have the main points. Now I need you to answer my questions before I go get something to eat and take another nap.¡± She walked over and sat on the chaise lounge with Weylin. He tore off a bit of his sandwich and handed it to her. She took a bite and chewed carefully.

    ¡°So, why don''t we start with how you fit into this equation.¡± She knew her attitude was rude, but she was angry. She could work with angry, it was better than floundering around in despair or fear. The fact that the model-perfect woman was looking at her in amusement only added to her irritation. She narrowed her eyes at Sophie.

    ¡°I am an immortal Guardian. Long ago I was given the task of protecting my step-sister, as you would call her today. My father remarried after a plague killed many in our village. At the time, Tria was simply my sister by marriage. After our fight was over, I was left to help pass down the knowledge to the next Alastriana, to tutor you and your protector, or protectors in your case, in how to use all of your gifts.¡± Sophie spoke as if she had rehearsed it many times. Despite the amusement she had just shown, her eyes now looked distant and impersonal. Ree noticed she left out a lot of information and sensed there was a lot of hurt and pain in the missing parts. Nor did any of that explain how Sophie was able to use the same magic only a human was supposed to wield. But she wasn''t so cruel to fixate on something that was obviously still painful.

    Instead she asked, ¡°Speaking of protectors, why on earth do I have so many? Everyone before only had one?¡±

    She heard the others shift in their seats, interested, but she did not take her eyes from the woman that could give her answers. ¡°It was initially intended for you to only have one Guardian. Paden was sent to protect you, but some of the gods and goddesses noticed the Dark Ones were spreading more than had been agreed upon. The dark gods were testing the rules, killing people that should have been off-limits. They were sneakily trying to tip the scales in their favor because they thrive on the hateful emotions that grow in the Dark Ones. Things were maneuvered so you would come into contact with several different immortal lines. To be honest, after tonight¡¯s attack I feel their decision is for the best.¡±

    Paden spoke up from his spot near the fireplace. ¡°Do you know what lines we are descendants of?¡±

    Sophie nodded her head. ¡°You each bear the mark of your patron in one form or the other. Paden, you and Weylin each have matching tattoos on your wrist. Do you know what they stand for?¡±

    Paden pushed up his sleeve and looked at his arm. Ree knew there was a small black trident on the inside of his wrist. ¡°Every man on my fathers¡¯ side of the family has this mark on their wrist. It¡¯s a family tradition to get the tattoo when you turn eighteen.¡±

    Weylin spoke up from next to Ree. ¡°Our grandfather told us that our family used to guard Poseidon''s temple.¡± He looked at Sophie, a little smirk playing on his lips. ¡°Are you trying to say that Poseidon is our great, great, great, great, grandfather?¡±

    Sophie laughed. ¡°Something along those lines.¡±

    Paden looked thoughtful. Bryce was the next to ask about his patron god. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m not the descendant of a Greek god. Wrong skin color.¡±

    ¡°No, Bryce your family originates with a very wise and ancient African god. Horus of the Egyptian gods is one of the few that foresaw the need for extra protection. You wear his mark on the ring on your left hand. The Eye of Horus is said to give the wearer protection, royal power and good health.¡±

    Bryce looked at the ring on his left hand and gave a thoughtful smile. ¡°It was my grandmother¡¯s ring. She said it would watch after me. The ring has been in my family for a very long time.¡±

    Juliette looked at the ring and smiled. ¡°Well, I don''t have a ring or a tattoo, but I do have a necklace from the Japanese goddess, Amaterasu. I wear it all the time. My mother gave it to me when we moved to the States. The Sun goddess is supposed to be the patron of my family. She rules with the Emperor.¡±

    ¡°And that would be your patron goddess. She has long taken an interest in your family.¡±

    ¡°Jules, are you saying that you are related to the ruling family of Japan?¡± Ree raised an eyebrow in question.

    Juliette shrugged her shoulders delicately. ¡°It¡¯s a distant relation on my mother¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡°Not so distant, it would seem.¡± Paden looked at his friend with a smile. Juliette gave another little shrug.

    Everyone turned and looked at Melanie. She looked back at them and shrugged her shoulders. She sat there for a moment while they waited and finally sighed before turning her back to them and pulling the neck of her sweater down so they could see her shoulder. There, tattooed on her right shoulder blade was a triple moon symbol- two crescents, backs touching a full circle.

    She turned back and looked at them. ¡°I just had it done last month. The symbol had been showing up everywhere. I would wake up thinking about it as if it had haunted my dreams. Plus, it reminded me of my grandmother, she¡¯s a hedge witch you know. When I asked Grammy what it meant, she said it stood for Hecate, the crone, and that I should embrace my heritage.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are the daughter of a wise, spiritual people.¡± Sophie turned and looked at Paden. ¡°You, O''Reilly, are different, though. You have more than one patron god. Do you not wear the symbol of another god? Something from your mother¡¯s side of the family?¡±

    He looked at her for a moment and the reached into his shirt and lifted a gold chain. Dangling from the center was Brigid''s cross, a Celtic symbol from his Irish heritage. ¡°I¡¯ve had this charm since my first birthday. My mother used to insist I wear it every day. Now I feel odd if I don¡¯t have it with me.¡±

    ¡°Paden, because of Brigid¡¯s insight, you are the first Guardian to be of mixed immortal blood. She planned long ago to have someone that would be unbelievably strong in every way possible. She wanted an ace up our sleeve.¡±

    No one said anything at first. Instead, they all turned to look at Paden. He was leaning against the wall, his hands stuffed in his pockets. If you were able to ignore his mouth hanging open, he seemed completely composed.

    Chapter 9

    ¡°Er,¡± was all Paden managed to say before crossing his arms across his chest and clamping his lips shut. Ree raised a hand to her lips to hide her smile, but Weylin was not so discreet. He pointed at Paden and gave a loud whoop of laughter, making Paden shift his feet and grumble under his breath.

    ¡°Can you imagine? Paden, the super immortal?¡± Weylin chuckled. Everyone else was grinning, but they were all looking at Paden with interest, while he was obviously trying to ignore the stares. Ree felt a little relieved at not being the only one that was different from the others. So far she felt like everything was based on her, dependent on her, and yet she was the one that was human. The only one that could not heal quickly, that was still fragile like a human. She looked down at her hands lying in her lap. They seemed just like hands to her. Not delicate, but certainly no super powers either. Just like the hands millions of other people used every day: farmers, artisans, lawyers, doctors, and grocery clerks. Yet her hands had been surrounded by green power. They had shot light at monsters and changed the lives of her friends forever.

    Her stomach began to churn, and she tried to redirect her thoughts. She stood up and stretched. Her shoulders were tense, and she had a slight headache building behind her eyes. She needed to move and to think about anything other than immortals. Otherwise she was going to be sick in front of everyone.

    Sophie seemed to understand. ¡°Why don''t I give you the tour, Ree? Let you see the house and get some food. It should be daybreak in a few hours. Then you will all be able to go back to the mainland and get your things. I¡¯ve readied rooms for everyone.¡±

    ¡°Whoa, readied rooms? Are you saying we have to stay here?¡± Weylin asked, incredulous.

    ¡°If you want to learn how to control your powers, then yes.¡± Diakos walked to the door and motioned for them to follow her.

    ¡°We have lives. Family, school, and friends. We can''t just disappear,¡± Paden said irritably.

    ¡°I can help with the parents and the school, to some extent. Tell your friends you have a job, tell them you''re sick. Tell them whatever you have to, but make sure you are back here on this island before nightfall. You may be immortal, but if you are injured too severely you can die. You have much to learn if you want to survive ¨C if you want the planet to survive.¡± She said nothing else on the matter, just led the others to large, well-appointed rooms. Ree was hard-pressed to not be amazed at the opulence of the home. It seemed to go on forever. Dark wood floors ran through the house. Arches and pillars formed the entryway into every room. There was even a servants¡¯ wing. Though she didn''t see any servants, she knew someone must take care of this large estate.

    Finally, Sophie led her into a huge kitchen. Along the back wall, there was an eight-burner stove and stainless steel appliances. All of the woodwork, including the large center island, was beautiful dark wood that seemed to almost glow. Sophie walked over to a large double cabinet and opened the door to reveal an industrial-sized refrigerator and freezer. She grabbed a pint of ice cream and smiled at Ree sheepishly.

    ¡°My guilty pleasure.¡± She motioned for Ree to take a closer peek into the fridge. ¡°What would you like?¡±

    There were a lot of things to choose from, but she went for the basic sandwich. She grabbed some turkey and cheese, then dug around for some mayonnaise. Sophie pointed at some bread on a rack in the corner and Ree grabbed the pumpernickel. After throwing the ingredients together, she sat down on a stool across from her boss and took a large bite. She ate for a few minutes in silence. Glad to be filling her stomach, which had become almost unbearably empty as she had toured the house, she finally started to feel a hesitant sense of calm. Sophie got up and went to the fridge and grabbed a couple of bottles of water. She slid one over to Ree, who smiled in thanks.

    ¡°So. I''m guessing you have a lot of questions.¡± Sophie scooped more chunky chocolate ice cream onto her spoon.

    ¡°Yeah. That may be the understatement of the year.¡± Ree spoke around a mouthful of turkey and cheese. ¡°More like a million questions. So many questions you may not ever be able to answer all of them.¡±

    Sophie sighed. ¡°Shoot.¡±

    Something in her expression triggered a different set of questions in Ree. Unsure of where to even begin, she went with the one at the front of her mind. ¡°How many times have you done this?¡± She gestured between them. ¡°Sat across from someone and explained the most unlikely, unrealistic story to ever be told?¡±

    The older woman raised an eyebrow in amusement. ¡°That¡¯s where you want to start? If that is what you want, then . . . four times. Four times, including you.¡±

    Ree pursed her lips. ¡°And how many battles have been fought? How many have we won?¡±

    Sophie¡¯s expression became a little more serious. ¡°From what I am led to believe, there have been exactly one hundred battles. One hundred Alastrianas before you.¡± She set her spoon down and looked Ree directly in the eyes. ¡°And out of those one hundred battles, we have won exactly half.¡±

    The turkey sandwich seemed to stick in her throat, so Ree took a gulp of water. ¡°And what was the set number of battles agreed upon?¡±

    ¡°One hundred and one.¡± Her voice was completely deadpan, and Sophie sat very still, waiting for Ree¡¯s reaction.

    The room spun for a moment as Ree considered exactly what that meant for her friends and herself. She shoved the plate away from her as her stomach lurched. Sweat broke out on her forehead as she tried to keep it together. Don¡¯t freak out, don¡¯t freak out, she told herself. It didn¡¯t work. She ran to the sink and lost everything she had just eaten. Once the dry heaves stopped, she ran the water to clean up and splashed her face. She stood there bracing herself over the sink and took several deep, unsteady breaths.

    Sophie said nothing as Ree reined in her emotions, she simply watched her patiently and ate her ice cream. Once Ree was certain she wouldn''t be sick anymore, she went back to her stool and took a sip of water.

    ¡°So.¡± Her voice was hoarse and wavered a little. Ree took another sip of water before continuing. ¡°We''re the tie-breaker. It''s been this close all along. We''re balanced on the edge of becoming the slaves of monsters, and we''re the team the gods send to tip the scales. Okay, no pressure.¡± Ree rubbed her palms against the cool granite and decided to plow through. ¡°Moving on. What makes this group so special? Other than the extra Guardians?¡±

    ¡°That is something that will become apparent as you progress. You will all learn from each other. Grow together.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty evasive,¡± Ree pointed out. But Sophie merely shrugged and motioned for her to keep going. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll come back to that later. How about me? Why me?¡± She tried a different angle.

    Sophie swallowed her ice cream before answering. ¡°You, because of your gifts. Because of your family. Because you have it in you to win.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn''t all Alastrianas have it in them to win? And couldn''t it just as easily have been someone else in my family? I have a cousin my age. Or my aunt? She¡¯s always been gifted with something extra.¡±

    ¡°Each Alastriana was picked to counter what the gods thought the Dark Ones were planning. It had to be you, not your aunt or cousin. And for this, it was obvious to the gods it was to be you. In a way, the Dark Ones picked you themselves.¡±

    Ree grimaced and said, ¡°Picked me? How is that?¡±

    Sophie stood and went to put her spoon in the sink and throw the empty ice cream container away. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for tonight. I will take you back to your room so that you can get a few more hours of sleep before going back to the mainland.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Ree protested.

    ¡°You said you had too many questions for me to answer. In that case, we certainly will not be able to answer them in a single night. So why don''t you get some sleep and we will talk again after you get back.¡±

 Page 8

    Ree heard the finality in her tone, and knew she wouldn¡¯t get any more information out of her. Irritatingly enough, while following behind the tall woman, she couldn''t help yawning several times. She was still tired. And she really did need some sleep, though she doubted she would be able to stop her mind from racing.

    Sophie bid her good night and Ree pushed through the large arched door to her room. The lights were turned down low, heavy curtains were pulled to block any light from the window and there was a dainty nightgown, robe, and slippers laid out on her bed. Ree looked around the room suspiciously. She hadn¡¯t seen anyone but her friends and Sophie in the house. She felt funny about putting on someone else¡¯s clothes, so she moved them onto the chair next to the side table. She stripped down to her undershirt and underwear before gratefully sliding into the bed. She had to give it to Sophie; this was the nicest bed she had ever slept in. As her eyes grew heavy, she wondered if her parents would be worried she hadn''t come home. Lately they seemed to be so lost in themselves they probably didn''t even notice. That was her last thought as she rolled over and sleep claimed her.

    Chapter 10

    Someone tapped on her door before opening it and walking in. Startled, she sat up and groped along the bed stand for something to protect herself with. A really good-looking guy was striding across the room carrying a breakfast tray. He was tall, with thick, dark brown hair that swept across his forehead. He had an amused smirk on his face as he noted her reaction. When she met his blue eyes, she froze. He wasn''t just good looking, he was drop-dead gorgeous. But she was struck by more than his appearance; she felt utterly confused by the sense of familiarity that washed over her. His expression was mocking, but there was something very intense floating in the back of his eyes. He purposefully gave her a long once-over, making her realize that she was sitting there in bed in nothing but her tank top and underclothes.

    ¡°Good morning, Alastriana. I trust you slept well last night?¡± He set the tray down on the night stand and then sat in the chair next to the bed. ¡°Are you planning on doing something with that paperweight?¡± He nodded at the blue crystal ball that she was clutching. Blushing, she lowered her hand but didn''t let go of the globe.

    He had a slight accent, something that wasn''t quite modern. In fact, despite the bad boy haircut and edgy clothes he seemed far older than she was. The more she studied him, she started to notice that he felt different , if that could make any sense. She mentally rolled her eyes at herself. What was supposed to make sense after last night?

    When she didn''t respond right away, his smirk grew and he arched an eyebrow at her.

    She grimaced and pulled the blanket up higher. ¡°Who are you? And didn¡¯t your mommy teach you it isn''t polite to just walk into someone¡¯s room while they¡¯re sleeping?¡±

    ¡°But I brought you breakfast!¡± He pointed at the tray, pretending to look hurt. This time she didn¡¯t bother to hide rolling her eyes.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked again.

    ¡°Roland.¡±

    ¡°The guy with the Mercedes?¡±

    He nodded, his expression amused as he watched her. He templed his fingers in front of his chest and leaned further back into the chair, waiting for her to make the next move. Again that feeling that he wasn''t exactly human came to her. The impression she got was almost dark, but not sinister, despite his obvious enjoyment of her irritability.

    ¡°What are you?¡± She leaned forward, looking at him more closely.

    ¡°What do you think I am?¡±

    She groaned. ¡°You''ve got to be kidding me. How am I supposed to know that? You could be a unicorn for all I know! Anything is possible after last night. Why don''t you just go away so I can get dressed?¡±

    He stood up, but instead of leaving he came and sat on the edge of her bed. ¡°Who is being rude now? And if I may point out, you already know there is more to me than would appear. So I think you might be able to figure it out.¡±

    She shifted so he wasn''t touching her and tried to not think about the fact that she was barely dressed with a strange guy sitting on her bed. For whatever reason, he didn¡¯t really feel like a stranger but, just the same, she could feel herself blushing when he moved a little closer.

    ¡°Look at me, Ree. I won''t bite.¡± His tone had softened, despite the teasing. Without understanding why, she looked up and met his eyes. There was definitely something inhuman. The blue was too deep and dark. Thick eyelashes added to the perfect face, but she had been right. There was an intensity hidden in the depths of his eyes, as if something painful haunted him. Unknowingly, she moved closer to him, caught in the mystery. His complexion was perfect; no blemishes and a warm, golden skin tone spoke of time in the sun. Everything about him seemed perfect ¨C almost too perfect. Her eyes fell on his lips, and her breath caught. Shaking her head she looked back up at him and leaned away. Something in his eyes almost looked disappointed when she moved.

    ¡°What am I, Ree?¡± His voice was almost a whisper.

    ¡°How do you know my name?¡±

    ¡°What am I? Don''t look with your eyes. Look with your gifts. Tell me what I am.¡± Something in his tone demanded that she do as she was told, as if he was daring her. She started to roll her eyes again. Who the hell did he think he was? But before she could tell him to get out, something in her gut tugged her attention back to him. She looked again, but this time paid attention to what she was feeling, too. He was old. Much older than he appeared, it was like a weight in her mind. And there was a real darkness to him. Something powerful was in that darkness, but she also felt sadness and despair. There was a human longing and pain that held his soul captive. Maybe that was why she didn''t freak out when she realized what he was. Maybe it was that human part of him trapped under all of the pain that made her not panic.

    She swallowed, her throat dry. ¡°Dark One. You''re a Dark One.¡±

    His eyes were thoughtful as he watched her. ¡°I was one of the first ones made on Earth.¡±

    ¡°But you''re not evil. Not like the ones last night. I don''t think you mean me any harm. And you''re here during the day time.¡±

    ¡°Hm. I wouldn''t say I''m not evil, but, if you want, we could stick with wicked.¡± His grin turned lascivious. She blushed again, reminded that he was in her bedroom and she didn''t know why.

    ¡°But no, I mean you no harm. In fact, I very much intend to keep you safe. And as for being here during the day time? I was given a reprieve. The gods granted me clemency as long as I help with their agendas.¡±

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I was human once and never really forgot what it was like to be one.¡± Again that sadness filled his eyes. She leaned closer again, wanting to take away some of that pain. He was a Dark One, but he wasn''t evil. And it was hard to watch anyone deal with that kind of agony. Just as she reached out to touch his hand her bedroom door swung open, slamming into the wall.

    She jerked back and looked up to see Paden standing there. He was livid as he strode across the room, stopping only a few feet away from them, almost like he was worried he might trip Roland into doing something drastic. His chest heaved under his t-shirt as he breathed heavily.

    ¡°Get away from her.¡± His voice was quiet and barely controlled.

    Roland smiled at her before standing and stretching. His dark t-shirt rode up to reveal a slice of tanned skin just above his waistband. She looked away quickly, not wanting him to think she was checking him out. She blushed when she noticed Paden¡¯s jaw grinding at the display.

    ¡°It''s okay, Pay. This is Roland. He was driving the Mercedes that cut off Michael last night.¡±

    She started to stand to get in between them but realized she still wasn''t wearing much. Quickly she threw the blanket back around her, but not before she saw the gleam in Roland¡¯s eyes, or the blush running up Paden¡¯s neck.

    ¡°He''s a Dark One, Ree. He isn''t safe.¡±

    Ree took a deep breath and tried to not be annoyed at his overly protective manner. ¡°Yeah, Paden. I figured that one out all by myself.¡± When she said that, Roland winked at her.

    Someone else came pounding down the hall and skidded into her room. Weylin and Bryce stood there, their eyes going from the perceived threat in the room, to their friend Paden, and then to the obviously under-dressed Ree.

    ¡°Then what is he doing here?¡± He took another step closer to Roland, who merely shrugged.

    ¡°I came to acquaint myself with the young lady over breakfast.¡± Roland nodded to the tray.

    ¡°Acquaint yourself? Over breakfast? Is that a metaphor?¡± Weylin¡¯s whisper carried throughout the room, but Bryce shook his head and nodded to Paden¡¯s quivering frame.

    ¡°Not now, dude. We¡¯ll have a Language Arts class later,¡± Bryce said out of the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll see you later, Ree. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have training sessions.¡± He stepped closer to her and took her hand. He looked at the others before bringing it up to his mouth, daring them to make a move. But when his lips touched her fingers, his eyes were only for her. ¡°It was a pleasure to see you this way, maybe we can do it again soon.¡± He winked before grabbing the apple off of her tray and taking a bite as he pushed past the guys.

    Ree took a deep breath and tried to control the blush that was surely noticeable to everyone in the room. What the hell had that been all about?

    The guys seemed to be wondering the same thing, because they just stood there looking confused. All of them except for Paden, who looked like he had bitten into a lemon.

    ¡°What are you playing at, Ree? He could have hurt you.¡± His hands were still clutched at his sides, and a vein was throbbing in his neck.

    ¡°I''m not playing at anything, Paden.¡± She was thoroughly ticked off at this point. ¡°In fact, none of us are playing at anything except for you. You aren''t my big brother, and you don''t get to decide who is allowed into my room!¡±

    His face looked shocked for a moment. And then hurt mixed with anger settled onto his features. ¡°I''m not trying to be your big brother, Ree. But he could have had ulterior motives.¡±

    ¡°What? The gods let him on their sacred island so he could murder me and condemn their planet to suffering?¡± She snorted. ¡°I really doubt that. So what are you really worried about? The fact that there was a guy in my bedroom?¡±

    ¡°That''s . . . that''s not it at all. I just . . . he could have . . . .¡± He threw his hands up in the air. ¡°I don''t know, Ree. I just think he¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well. Let¡¯s hope he is dangerous because he¡¯s on our side.¡± She heard the door close and realized Bryce and Weylin had backed out quietly. ¡°Pay, we''re it. We''re the last battle. We decide who gets to stay. We''re it. And we need Roland, and anyone else that can help us, on our side.¡± She looked down at her clenched hands. ¡°I don''t know how we''re supposed to win.¡±

    When she looked up at him, she saw the shock on his face. He hadn''t known they were the last ones. Without saying anything else, he dropped into the chair Roland had used earlier and ran a hand through his hair.

    ¡°Oh my god,¡± he said and then snorted. ¡°Or gods, I guess. What a mess.¡±

    He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, and looked at her. ¡°Sophie told you this last night?¡±

    She nodded in relief, glad they had moved past the fighting.

    ¡°She said they agreed to one hundred and one battles. And we¡¯re the last ones. Paden, we¡¯re the tie-breaker.¡±

    He grunted and looked at the ground for a few minutes.

    ¡°Look, why don''t you get dressed? They had toothbrushes and stuff in all of our bathrooms. When you''re ready, we¡¯ll go back to town, get our stuff together, and come back here.¡±

    She nodded in agreement, but before she could say anything, he interrupted her.

    ¡°And I''m sorry. You were right, I''m not Tristan. But he did ask me to watch out for you, and now I have to keep my eyes open for even more. I don''t think we should trust Roland yet, but I won''t try to run him off.¡±

    ¡°And you aren''t going to run people out of my room anymore, right?¡±

    He hesitated for a moment. ¡°I can''t promise I won''t get upset about it. That guy is really old, and I don''t want him to take advantage of you.¡±

    ¡°I''m almost eighteen, Paden. I¡¯m old enough to decide who I allow in my room. And he only brought me breakfast and introduced himself.¡± She grabbed the rubber band from the nightstand and pulled her hair back.

    Paden seemed to wrestle with himself for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Yeah, you''re almost eighteen. But I really care about you, Ree. And that isn''t going to just stop because you grow up. In fact¡­¡± He stopped and looked irritated.

    ¡°In fact, what?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I''ll see you after you get ready.¡± Without another word, he got up and left.

    She threw herself back into the bed for a moment and stared at the ceiling in confusion.

    Chapter 11

    After using the expensive soaps, toothbrush, and toothpaste, Ree felt like she had been to a spa. Everything in this place was luxurious and rich. Putting her washcloth back on the towel bar, she wondered who did the shopping for such a large house. It must be difficult to carry everything back to the island, but everything looked well-maintained and cared for. She slipped out of the bathroom, threw on her shoes, and headed to find her friends.

    They were in the kitchen, standing around the large island. Paden stopped talking when she walked in, and, from their serious expressions, she figured he had been telling them what he knew about being the tie-breaker. Weylin was positively green, and Mel''s normal, happy expression had been replaced by one of trepidation. For some reason, she felt like it was her fault they were all being sucked into this horror story. Maybe if they hadn''t been friends with her, they wouldn''t be about to face their possible death.

    Bryce was leaning against the counter by the sink. His arms were crossed, and his expression was gloomy. Juliette was staring out the window over the sink. Her lips were pursed; she was obviously thinking about something intently.

    ¡°Well, I guess we should go get our stuff. We have almost a week before school starts, so we can try to learn as much as possible. I don''t know how any of this will work once the semester starts,¡± Paden said. No one moved.

    ¡°Really? We''re going back to school? There¡¯s a giant battle going on that makes everything in our history class look ridiculous, but we''re going to go back and study trig?¡± Weylin snorted. ¡°Nah, I don''t think so.¡±

 Page 9

    ¡°Get a grip, Wey. You''re immortal. Or going to be immortal. You might as well get an education so you can take care of yourself forever.¡± Melanie piped in. She walked over to where Paden stood at the door. ¡°I mean, I''m not going to support your lazy butt forever.¡±

    Ree grinned. ¡°She¡¯s right, Weylin. You know how you like gadgets. How are you going to buy all the cool things a hundred years from now if you don''t have any money?¡±

    Weylin sighed, defeated. ¡°Fine. Use my love of electronics against me. If we live to next week, then I will go to school. But I won''t like it.¡±

    Bryce slapped him on the back. ¡°Yeah, yeah. You¡¯re so tortured. No one ever does anything for poor Weylin. Let¡¯s go, buddy, and I¡¯ll listen to all of your complaints.¡±

    The dock wasn''t as far as Ree remembered. That was probably because she didn¡¯t feel like she was about to pass out from exhaustion. There were several more boats tied up at the dock than she remembered seeing last night. She recognized the large boat captain that had whisked them away to safety.

    Eric waved and motioned for them to jump on. ¡°So, headed back to the mainland?¡±

    ¡°We need to get some things together,¡± Jules said.

    He grunted and, once everyone was on, took them back to their car. The house that had been dark and mysterious the night before was a dilapidated Victorian in the daylight. Some of the shutters were hanging at odd angles, and the yellow paint was cracked and chipping. A few of the windows were shattered, with shards of wicked-looking glass sticking out of the trim at odd angles. The yard was overrun by weeds and dead plants. Even the trees had vines growing up into their branches. All in all, it was a rather pathetic sight.

    ¡°Wow, if I could have seen that house better last night I might not have gotten out of the car.¡± Bryce whispered.

    Paden snorted but didn''t disagree. Once they were in the car, they discussed what to tell their parents. Ree didn''t have a cell phone, and doubted they even noticed she was missing. Bryce, on the other hand, had over twenty voicemails from his mother, frantic that he hadn''t come home from the concert. Jules also had several angry messages from her father, threatening to disown her if she wasn¡¯t back this morning. Weylin and Paden¡¯s parents were on a cruise together, so they had nothing to worry about.

    Bryce dropped Paden and Ree off downtown. Thankfully, street parking was free on the weekends so there was no ticket. They didn''t say much on the ride to Ree¡¯s house, and she wondered what Paden was thinking about, but was too scared to ask. His features vacillated between anger, worry, and sadness. Whatever he was thinking was taking a toll on his normally chipper personality.

    When he pulled up in front of her house, he turned to look at her while the car idled. ¡°Do you want me to go in with you? Maybe your parents will feel better knowing I was with you last night.¡±

    ¡°Or they¡¯ll think you whisked me away for dastardly reasons.¡± She tried to make a joke, but couldn''t stop the blush that ran up her cheeks. What on Earth prompted her to say that? ¡°Besides they probably didn''t even notice I wasn''t home.¡±

    ¡°I doubt that.¡± He motioned toward the front door where her mother stood watching them. ¡°I guess I need to go up there now. Say hello and all.¡± He reached for the door handle before saying, ¡°And, if I was going to take you away to for dastardly reasons, I would have had an excuse planned ahead of time.¡± He winked at her, and the blush seemed to consume her whole body.

    ¡°Oh,¡± was the only thing she could mumble. He chuckled and hopped out of the car.

    She climbed out after him and followed him up to her mother.

    ¡°Hi, Paden! I didn''t expect to see you bringing home Ree! I thought her boss, what¡¯s her name? Sophia? Anyway, I thought she said she would bring her home after they finished inventory.¡±

    Paden barely hesitated before going along with the story. ¡°Well, I felt like it was my responsibility since I was the one that took her out last night.¡± He kissed Ree¡¯s mother¡¯s cheek before letting her usher them in. ¡°When did you hear from Ms. Diakos?¡±

    ¡°Oh she called me from the concert. Said she had taken her nephew and run into you guys there and wanted to check with me to see if Ree would be free to help with inventory this morning. Said thatshe offered to call since you guys were having such a good time.¡±

    Paden grabbed a gingerbread cookie from the plate she set on the counter. ¡°Well, apparently she said it all! I didn¡¯t hear her say she was going to call. The concert was really loud.¡±

    Ree hadn''t said anything and took a seat on the bar stool next to Paden. He held the plate of cookies out to her. She grabbed one and took a giant bite. She was a terrible liar, and figured it would just be best to let Paden handle it from here.

    Her mother didn''t seem to notice her daughter¡¯s silence and started working on cleaning the kitchen. Ever since Tristan had died, she baked nonstop. There was always a cake, cookies, or some new concoction being whipped up. Ree guessed that in the coping department this wasn''t too bad. Her father on the other hand was hardly ever home. He was always working, or doing some PR assignment out of town. He couldn''t seem to stand being at home, as if the memories there haunted him. And her mother was always too busy baking to go anywhere with him. As for Ree, she just did her thing, and occasionally they would ask how her day was, or if she had homework. She had to admit they never really seemed to listen to her response.

    ¡°So, the inventory is finished? She said she wanted you to stay overnight so you guys could do it before the store opened today.¡± She was looking at Ree with more interest than she had shown in two years. It was as if something had woken her mother from a long sleep. Ree thought that it couldn¡¯t have come at a worse time.

    Ree swallowed the cookie in her mouth and tried to not choke. ¡°Actually, I just came back to pick up some things. She underestimated how long it¡¯s going to take. So, I''m going to stay there for a few nights and help out.¡± She looked away from her mother and hoped that she didn''t see the lie.

    ¡°I see.¡± She didn''t say anything for a moment, but then swung her gaze over to Paden. ¡°And what about you, Paden? Are you going to be staying there as well?¡± Ree looked up at her mother. She could almost swear there was suspicion in her tone. Paden obviously heard it as well, because his cheeks colored just a little.

    ¡°No, ma''am. I think it¡¯s just employees. The guys and I are going to do a horror movie marathon tonight. But I¡¯d be happy to give Ree a ride back since you have a cake in the oven.¡±

    ¡°Is that okay, Mom?¡± Ree hopped down from her bar stool and started to head to her room.

    ¡°I suppose so. I''m going with your father to Atlanta for a few days. This way I don''t have to worry about you being at home alone.¡± She said it nonchalantly, but they both heard the tremor of fear underneath the words.

    ¡°You''re what?¡± Ree asked stunned.

    ¡°Going to Atlanta with your father. It''s time for me to get out of this kitchen.¡± She swiped at the counter with her rag. ¡°If you guys wait a little while, the cake will be finished and you can take it with you.¡±

    ¡°You''re leaving? You''re actually going somewhere with Dad?¡± Ree felt like the Earth had moved off its axis. Everything was changing. She hadn''t realized how accustomed she had grown to having her Mother at home all of the time. But it was great that she was getting out of the house.

    ¡°Yes, yes. Now go pack, and I¡¯ll get this ready for you. Paden, grab that cake box off the top of the fridge, will you?¡± And with that, she turned her back on Ree and went about tidying the kitchen with Paden¡¯s help.

    Chapter 12

    Ree grabbed a bag from under her bed and started shoving clothes and other things in it. She grabbed a pair of pajama pants from her closet and stopped to survey the small room¡¯s contents. She figured she mainly needed jeans, sweat pants, and things that would be good for training, but she really wasn''t sure what her training was going to be like. On an impulse she grabbed a sweater dress and leggings and her biker boots. She made sure she had a couple of sweatshirts, t-shirts, and tank tops. She was wearing her sneakers and a pair of jeans already, but she changed shirts since she was wearing the same thing from last night, and then grabbed her favorite hoodie. She looked around her room, grabbed a book from the table next to her bed and was zipping the bag shut when she heard her mother clear her throat from the doorway.

    ¡°What''s up?¡± She was really happy her mom was going to spend time with her father. It would be good for them.

    Her mother looked down the hallway before stepping in the room and closing the door. Ree arched an eyebrow, but tried to not look suspicious. It had been a long time since her mother had looked to have a private chat with her.

    ¡°Is there something going on between you and Paden?¡±

    ¡°Why would you ask that?¡± Clearly confused, Ree shook her head.

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s wearing the same clothes from last night.¡± She smiled sadly.

    ¡°Um, I think he spent the night at Weylins'' last night. You know, because their parents are on a cruise.¡± She looked around the room to try and find something to change the conversation with, but she was drawing a blank. Grabbing her MP3 player she checked the charge and added it to the stuff in her bag.

    ¡°I realize that maybe I haven''t been paying attention as much as I should, but I did notice some things. Like how much time you two are spending together.¡±

    ¡°It isn''t that, Mom. He promised Tristan he would watch out for me.¡± Even as she said it, she realized it hurt to think that was the only reason he hung out with her. When she looked at her mom she realized her tone must have given her away, because her mother was looking at her with a small smile.

    ¡°I wouldn''t be so sure of that, Ree, darling. Looking out for you doesn''t include taking you to the movies, or checking out your homecoming date.¡±

    ¡°He''s just trying to fill Tristan¡¯s shoes. That¡¯s what he thinks big brothers are supposed to do.¡± Ree shrugged. There was no way Paden thought of her as anything other than a little sister. Ree was sure any tension she felt was all on her side.

    ¡°I''m just saying that I don''t know many big brothers that take their little sisters to concerts where the tickets cost a hundred dollars each.¡±

    ¡°What? A hundred dollars? Well, it was only because his friend canceled on him.¡± A hundred dollars a ticket? She would have to pay him back.

    Her mother chuckled. ¡°Is thatwhat he told you? When he called to ask if you wanted to go, he told me he got the tickets because he knew you would like the band.¡± Ree looked at her mother blankly. That couldn''t be right. But it was true that wasn''t something that a brother did for a sister ¡°just because.¡± Her birthday had been a couple of months ago, so she couldn''t even chalk it up to that.

    ¡°Ree, while I''m gone, I want you to be careful, okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I always am.¡± She felt guilty about lying. She figured there was no way she was really safe now.

    ¡°No, sweetheart. I mean safe. If you and Paden ever figure out just what is going on between you.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god! Mom!¡± Ree was horrified about the turn of conversation.

    ¡°Sweetheart, I remember being seventeen. All of those hormones.¡±

    ¡°Mom! Stop! Don''t ever say the word hormones again! Please. And you don''t need to worry. Okay? Nothing happening. Nada. Zilch, okay?¡± She waved her hands in front of her in denial. There was a knock at her door and she jumped three feet into the air. She looked at her mom wildly, and her mother cracked up.

    ¡°Ree?¡± Paden asked through the door.

    ¡°Just a minute!¡± She hollered, and then hissed at her Mom. ¡°Not another word! Oh my god. What if he heard you!?¡± She threw her bag onto her shoulder, but before she could walk past her mother, she was snatched into a tight hug.

    ¡°I''m sure he didn''t hear anything. I left him in the kitchen icing the cake. And you know he probably ate whatever was left over before coming to look for you.¡± She kissed Rees¡¯ head and hugged her a little tighter. ¡°He can''t withstand my homemade icing.¡± Ree gave in to the hug, and wondered if she would see her mother and father again. They had already lost so much.

    ¡°I love you, Mom. Have fun in Atlanta, and don''t worry about me. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Her mother sniffed a little bit and kissed her head again before letting go. She stepped back and opened the door. Paden was standing there and looked surprised to see Mrs. McKenna.

    ¡°Oh, I didn''t know you were in there, Miss Susan. I finished icing the cake.¡±

    ¡°I bet you polished off the rest of the icing, too!¡± When Paden gave her a sheepish smile, she laughed.

    ¡°Well, there was only a little bit left. I figured you wouldn''t miss it.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh, I bet you did. Take care of my little girl while I''m gone, Paden.¡±

    He nodded solemnly, and Ree rolled her eyes. She walked past them and headed toward the front of the house. Yep, he took his role as protector a little too seriously.

    ¡°Ree! Before you leave, grab my cell phone. I won''t need it while I''m with your father. There¡¯s a baking convention at the same hotel as his meetings.¡± She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s how he got me to agree to go, you know. That and he promised me a spa day.¡±

    Ree grabbed the phone and charger off of the counter and gave her mother another hug. ¡°I¡¯ll see you next weekend, Mom.¡±

    Paden grabbed the cake and followed her out of the house. After making sure the cake was safe on the floorboard, they headed toward the O''Reilly residence, downtown.

    Chapter 13

    Ree loved the O''Reilly house. The family owned a pub downtown, and they lived in a row house not far away. She had often stayed there with Paden and Tristan during St. Patrick¡¯s Day. They could see the parade from the living room, so they didn''t have to camp out in the cold or rain to get the good spots like everyone else.

    Paden slid the car into a spot across from his house and they climbed up the stairs. His key always stuck, but they never fixed the lock.

    ¡°You know, now that we know what¡¯s running around at night, you might want to get your key fixed,¡± Ree said.

    ¡°Good point. After you.¡± He swung the door open and motioned for her to go in. She would have laughed if she hadn''t noticed him checking over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching them. She shivered instead and stood just inside of the door, not going any further. Paden locked the door behind them and went through every room, turning on every light as he did. When he got to the office, he stopped and sniffed the air.

 Page 10

    Ree stood behind him, motionless. It was an incredibly inhuman thing to do, and she wondered if his sense of smell had been affected by his transformation to immortal. The way he suddenly changed direction and headed upstairs, still sniffing the air, she figured it must have. He motioned for her to stay close and she trailed right behind him. He went straight to his room and stood in the doorway, his anger obvious as he looked around. Once he moved and Ree could see into the room, she understood why he looked so upset. His room had been ransacked. She gasped and walked in, looking around.

    ¡°What happened in here?¡± She picked up some of his clothes off the ground and went to the laundry hamper that had been turned upside down. ¡°Should we call the cops?¡± With that thought she stopped picking things up, worried she might contaminate the evidence.

    ¡°I don''t think the cops can help with this, Ree.¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s what they do! But why would someone break in to tear up just your room? You don''t have any enemies.¡± She stopped and turned to look at him. Her mouth formed an O and then she grimaced. ¡°Oh. Oh, no. The Dark Ones did this?¡±

    He started going around the room and picking things up. ¡°It wasn''t very clean to begin with, so I''m not sure if they took anything. What would they have been looking for?¡± Ree didn''t answer, because she had no idea.

    Instead she helped him straighten his room by righting the desk chair and organizing the stuff on the desk. She picked up his cork board and hung it back on the wall. She noticed the calendar was circled for the concert, and there was something sticking out from the tack next to it. Without thinking she slipped it out and looked. It was the receipt for the concert tickets. He had spent two hundred dollars on those tickets. But he had said his friend had bought the ticket and couldn''t go. Why would he do that? She stood there pondering the receipt and didn''t notice when Paden walked up behind her.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± he peered over her shoulder. She took the receipt down and turned around so they were facing each other, which left very little space between them. She held it up for him to see.

    ¡°I thought you said your friend bought the other ticket?¡±

    He gulped and looked from her to the receipt. ¡°I knew you would like the band, but that you couldn''t afford to go.¡±

    ¡°Paden! These tickets were almost a hundred dollars each.¡± She glared at him. ¡°And you lied to me!¡± She stepped a little closer to him and waved the receipt in his face. She didn''t think he had ever lied to her before.

    He grabbed the hand holding the receipt and moved it down to their side. She had the sudden thought that this was the first time he had ever grabbed her hand, and her heart gave a little thud when his fingers didn''t let go.

    ¡°Don''t be mad, Ree. I had money left over from my summer job, and I wanted to do something nice for you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Her voice was a little shaky, and she swallowed to try and wet her suddenly dry throat.

    He moved a little closer but didn''t say anything. She unconsciously leaned forward in response, her heart beating in her ears. Could he hear that? She almost didn''t care. His eyes dipped down to her mouth and he finally responded.

    ¡°Because I really care about you, Ree.¡± His head leaned down and she closed her eyes. He was going to kiss her, and her stomach was doing all sorts of flips and rolls. The receipt in the hand he was holding fell to the floor, and their fingers entwined. Her hand felt small, pressed against his palm. Her heart was pounding so hard it almost hurt. She had wanted to kiss him for so very long, and here he was touching her in a way she had only dreamt of.

    Just as his lips neared hers, the doorbell rang. Paden jumped away from her like he had been shocked. His face looked guilty, and he wouldn''t meet her eyes.

    ¡°I should get that.¡± Without another word, he practically sprinted out of the room.

    ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡± Ree sat down on his bed and muttered profanities under her breath. What had that been about? He was going to kiss her. She hadn¡¯t imagined that, had she? He did everything a person did when they were going to kiss you. And he really cared for her? What did that even mean? That could mean anything! You really care for your dog or cat. You care for your Great Aunt Gertrude. She groaned in frustration. Maybe she had misread all of the signs. Maybe she had freaked him out by leaning into him. Had she been the one to wrap her fingers through his?

    When she heard voices coming back up the stairs, she got up and started picking up trash to put back in the can. Bryce and Juliette were with Paden. They both stopped and Jules sniffed the room the way Paden had.

    ¡°It almost smells familiar,¡± Juliette said. She smiled quickly at Ree and walked into the room, still sniffing.

    ¡°I know. I just can''t put my finger on it.¡± Paden said.

    Bryce cocked an eyebrow at Ree. He sat down on the bed and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s a little weird that they keep walking around sniffing things. Think I¡¯ll do that eventually?¡±

    Ree smiled. ¡°I have no idea. At least they aren''t chewing on the furniture.¡±

    ¡°Hey, dorks! Our hearing is really good now, too.¡± Jules glared at them over her shoulder. She walked over to the closet and threw open the door. All of his clothes were on the ground, and someone had scratched a message into the back wall.

    Better luck next time.

    Chapter 14

    Paden completely wigged out when he saw the message and ran around the house, smelling for the intruder. Apparently, whoever had written the message had lingered in his parents¡¯ rooms and his father¡¯s office. After Paden calmed down and finally packed a bag, they all went downstairs. He left a note for the maid to have a locksmith change the locks on the house and to take the rest of the week off. He didn''t want anyone at the house in case the Dark Ones came back. He left voice mails telling his parents he had changed the locks because he lost his keys at the concert and to call him when they got back in town. Then Paden called Weylin to warn him of possible intruders at his house and agreed to meet him at the antique shop in an hour.

    Over slices of the cake Ree¡¯s mother sent, Bryce told them about the lecture he had received from his parents. Turns out it was only because he hadn''t answered his parents¡¯ phone calls. He had told them he was staying with Paden and Weylin for a movie fest this week, but he had to check in every night.

    ¡°Even at eighteen, you aren''t really an adult in their eyes.¡± He sighed and ate a chip. ¡°I mean, they act like I have a curfew.¡±

    ¡°Oh, hush. They just love you,¡± Jules said. Her story had been the strangest. Apparently her father had torn into her for being out all night with her boyfriend. She had glossed over the facts, but Ree knew her father didn¡¯t like her dating a boy that wasn¡¯t Japanese. Just when her father was about to ground her, though, her mother, who never intervened, came in and told him to stop.

    ¡°It was the weirdest thing. In Japanese she told my father the goddess had chosen me to do her work and he should be proud of me. And the best part? He shut up, but not before apologizing. Told me to do what I must, but to be careful.¡± She looked immensely happy with herself. ¡°Can you believe that? Maybe this immortal gig isn''t so bad!¡±

    ¡°So, what? You think your mom knows all about this stuff? I mean, it¡¯s on her side of the family that you¡¯re related to the goddess, right?¡± Ree asked.

    ¡°I guess she knows something. And it makes sense. Our family has always believed that, somewhere down the line, we were related to Amaterasu.¡± She blushed a little. ¡°I know that sounds odd to people from the West, but it was the way we were brought up. Most of the family treated it like a superstition, but my grandfather was a big believer. Always said he knew it was a fact. I guess it¡¯s possible he had seen something at one time or another. I mean, humans have to notice something around them sometimes. How could they miss it all?¡±

    No one really had anything to say to that. Ree had noticed odd things as she was growing up, but now she knew it had to do with her being the Alastriana. She figured it was possible other people had gifts or noticed things. If the Dark Ones were feeding off of humans, it was possible someone escaped to tell the tale.

    They left Paden¡¯s car at his house and rode with Bryce. They could all fit in his SUV if need be, so it made sense to take his car. The antique shop wasn''t far; nothing was really far in downtown Savannah. Sophie had been lucky enough to get a shop on Broughton Street that actually had its own small parking lot in the back. Bryce parked the SUV in one of the tiny spots, and they all went in through the back door.

    Sophie was up front with a client, so they sat around in some of the old chairs in the work room. It was full of antiques waiting to be refinished and the tools that were used to fix them. There was a desk with a computer and disorganized paperwork littering it. A small kitchen area with a single sink, a small fridge, and a microwave filled the rest of the space. All of the real magic of the place was in the storefront. The antiques were arranged beautifully, like little rooms set up throughout the place and odds and ends tucked here and there. It was one of the best showcases Ree had ever seen.

    The back door banged open and Weylin came in, carrying a sack full of burgers. He waved at the dust floating in the air. ¡°Immortal Lady must not have heard of Swiffer dusters.¡±

    Ree rolled her eyes. Leave it to Weylin to show up with food and jokes. Even though they had eaten at Paden¡¯s house, the guys hopped up and snatched the bag from Weylins¡¯ fingers. Paden started tossing the sandwiches to everyone. Ree tried to not be hurt by the fact that he still wasn''t looking at her. He hadn''t commented on anything she had said or done since the ''almost'' kiss. She must¡¯ve read that whole situation wrong and had freaked him out. Grimacing, she unfolded the wrapper of the burger in her hands but she wasn''t really hungry.

    ¡°Hey, guys. I''ll be back in a minute.¡± Sophie whisked through the doors into the stock room, grabbed some papers from her desk, and was back out the door before it had even closed all of the way.

    ¡°Does she always move that fast?¡± Jules was munching on her sandwich.

    ¡°Um, I''ve only worked here for like a week. She always seemed to have a lot of energy, but now I think maybe it¡¯s from the whole Guardian thing.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Or maybe she isn''t hiding how fast she can move from us, anymore.¡±

    ¡°Do we know what all of the Guardian-Immortal benefits are?¡± Weylin asked.

    ¡°I can see a lot better than before. Not just at night, but during the day, too. Like, count the leaves on the tree at the end of the street better. It was an adjustment this morning.¡± Juliette looked at Weylin for a moment. ¡°Even in this dim light I can tell you need to shave.¡±

    ¡°Hey, ladies like rugged-looking men!¡± Weylin protested.

    ¡°Don''t forget a more acute sense of smell. Better hope you wore some cologne, Wey,¡± Bryce said with a smile. Ree giggled when Weylin pulled the collar of his shirt up to his nose and sniffed before shrugging his shoulders.

    Paden rolled his eyes at them, before adding, ¡°And our hearing is better.¡±

    ¡°Not to mention you''re much stronger and faster,¡± Sophie said as she pushed through the doors once more. They all heard the doorbell ring, letting them know the previous customer was gone. She plopped down at her desk chair and slouched down. ¡°That man wouldn''t believe me about the antique if I had taken a picture of the stupid chair when I bought it in 1882. Has it been refinished? Are you sure it¡¯s authentic? How many times can one person answer the same question before going insane?¡± She shook her head.

    ¡°Did you really buy that chair in 1882?¡± Ree was extremely curious.

    ¡°I sure did. It was beautiful craftsmanship. I knew it would age well and fetch a large amount of money later on. That idiot of a man wouldn¡¯t know it, though.¡± Sophie shook her head.

    ¡°It was beautiful,¡± Ree agreed.

    ¡°So, not to be rude, but what do we do now? I mean, I feel like we should be doing something,¡± Juliette said.

    ¡°I''m going to close up the shop early today so I can go back to the island with you to start training. It¡¯s time for the rest of you to be turned.¡±

    Weylin and Bryce shifted nervously, but neither of them said a thing.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Melanie? I thought she would be with you, Wey.¡± Ree looked at him with confusion. They were always together. Their family had been very close and the two of them had grown up like brother and sister.

    ¡°Yeah, well, Aunt Kay blew her top about last night. Last I heard, Mel was trying to call her grandmother to get some support. She said she would call when she could escape.¡±

    Sophie pursed her lips. ¡°She needs to be with us. No one can afford to have their training even a day behind. Let me make some phone calls and see what I can do.¡±

    She got up and left, pulling her cell phone out of her back pocket as she went through the back door. Everyone sat there for a minute without saying anything, each consumed by their own thoughts.

    ¡°Sooooo,¡± Weylin said after a little while had passed. ¡°Is this really happening? We''re just going to accept what she says as the truth? Could we get, like, a second opinion?¡±

    Juliette snorted and rolled her eyes at him.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s true, Weylin. You saw how those guys chased us last night. You saw Paden and Juliette''s fangs, you saw my eyes do that weird thing. I mean, what else should we think?¡± Ree shrugged her shoulders.

    ¡°I just feel like there¡¯s something missing, here. All of our lives things go by like every other teenager¡¯s life, and then BAM! We''re some kind of super immortal battling evil? Am I the only one that thinks this is crazy?¡± He looked at the door furtively. ¡°What if this is all part of some psycho lady''s plan to kill a bunch of teenagers? I mean, she¡¯s obviously well-funded. She could have hired people to chase us, or a special effects team.¡±

    Ree shook her head. ¡°No, Paden and I saw that creepy Dark One outside of the concert. And, I have¡­¡± She paused, struggling to admit just how crazy she was. ¡°I''ve seen weird things my whole life. It got a lot worse around the time Tristan died. I just thought . . . .¡±

    Juliette got up and went to sit next to her. ¡°Well, now you know for sure that what you were seeing was real.¡± She put her arm around Ree and gave her a little shake. ¡°And you should have told me you were dealing with that.¡±

    Ree smiled shyly. ¡°Yeah, well, I''m not sure it makes me feel any better to know it¡¯s all real. I mean, I used to think people were outside of my bedroom window. Or the dark stuff I saw around Tristan before he died. The colors that flare around people at different times. And the way pictures would pop into my head when I was talking to people.¡±

 Page 11

    ¡°Holy crap, Ree. Why didn''t you tell me that?¡± Paden was looking at her, aghast.

    ¡°Probably because I didn''t want anyone to look at me like I was crazy. I figured it could all be chalked up to Tristan, and I''d end up in a psych ward somewhere.¡± She looked down at her feet. ¡°In some ways, I wish that¡¯s all it was. I mean, being in the psych ward for a week would be a lot better than having to fight vampires.¡±

    Juliette tightened her arm around Rees¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Don''t think that way, Ree. We¡¯re going to kick some vampire butt and then live it up.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I''m sorry, Ree. We can handle this. I''m just being the complainer that I am.¡± Weylin smiled at her. ¡°I don''t know. I mean, being immortal has to have some great perks.¡±

    ¡°Ree.¡± Paden¡¯s voice was soft.

    She looked over at him, suddenly shy. She still wasn''t sure what was going on with him.

    ¡°If something like that happens again, something new or something you think we should know, you have to tell us. You aren''t in this by yourself. We¡¯re all in this together,¡± Paden said.

    ¡°Well, you will be when Melanie gets here, anyway.¡± Sophie walked back through the door, closing her cell phone. ¡°Her grandmother has already spoken to her mother. Kay isn''t happy, but she is giving in to them.¡±

    Paden asked, ¡°So, some people do know about this stuff?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there are many people that have been brought into our community for one reason or another. Melanie''s grandmother has provided help for some of our group before. Just like Ree started to experience symptoms of her magic, other people have a touch of the gift, as well. Elizabeth has helped those people learn their gifts.¡±

    ¡°Is there a directory? A secret handshake or code word?¡± Everyone turned to look at Weylin. ¡°What? Shouldn''t we know in case of an emergency?¡±

    ¡°Weylin? Be quiet.¡± Ree shook her head. He really was not handling this very well. His sarcastic gauge was set on high, and she would say he looked angry if she didn''t know him any better. She was pretty sure that what she was witnessing was fear and frustration with no clear outlet. ¡°No one is really excited about any of this.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I''m just freaking out a little bit, you know?¡± He looked down guiltily. Ree loved Weylin to death, and seeing him so upset made her heart hurt. Everyone seemed to be trying to find their footing. But maybe things didn''t have to change for everyone. Maybe Weylin could avoid all of this and not be turned. She tucked that away in her mind for later. She would ask him what he wanted to do; let him make the decision.

    ¡°Don''t worry. It may not seem like it now, but things will make sense eventually. And immortality really does have its advantages. Not only are you gifted with strength, speed, and eternal youth, but you''re taken care of by the gods. You will never want for anything.¡± Sophie laid out the benefits as if she were selling a car.

    ¡°Okay, we get paid to live forever and kick vampire ass. But there¡¯s gotta be drawbacks. What¡¯s the downside?¡± Bryce had a good point.

    Sophie was quiet for a minute, thinking. Ree tried to stay focused on the topic and not dwell on the fact that she wasn''t immortal. That she was going to be the most likely to die during all of this. Her friends would outlive her and have lives she would never know about.

    ¡°You will live forever, if you can manage to not be injured to point that you cannot heal.¡± Sophie stopped and looked at each of them. ¡°But your friends and family will not. They will all die and you will be left with nothing but memories of them.¡±

    Everyone was incredibly quiet as that fact weighed on their shoulders. Ree stared at the ground, and was glad to know she wouldn''t have to watch her friends die. When she looked up, her gaze met Paden¡¯s. His expression was dark and full of pain. Her mouth opened just a little bit in shock and her heart skipped a beat. He didn''t look away from her for a very long time. It was like he was trying to memorize everything about her. When he finally looked down at the floor, she breathed in through her nose and looked around the room.

    ¡°What about Ree?¡± Weylin asked. He looked like he was feeling sick. ¡°She won''t live forever. Are the gods going to take care of her as well?¡±

    Sophie smiled at Ree. ¡°She and her family are fully under their protection. They will never want for a thing. And if we all survive this, then she will get to lead a happy, charmed life. I''ve seen it happen.¡±

    Ree smiled at them and tried to put on a brave face.

    ¡°Will we be allowed to see Ree once this is all over?¡± Paden asked quietly.

    Sophie looked away from him but Ree saw there was something haunting her eyes. ¡°Yes. You will have to be careful, because it is best not to arouse suspicion. Since you will not age, her family will most likely notice.¡±

    Everyone was looking at Ree, and she felt herself blushing. She wasn''t really sure what any of them were thinking, but she didn''t want them dwelling on the fact that she would eventually die. After all, it could be much sooner than later, anyway.

    ¡°When is Mel going to be here?¡± She looked out the window and saw that the sun was getting lower in the sky. Only another couple of hours until sunset.

    ¡°I''m going to go total up the cash register and hang the closed sign. Melanie should be here soon, and I want us on the island before dusk.¡±

    Chapter 15

    Melanie arrived in a flurry of excitement. She was dragging a huge bag behind her and talking on the phone to her grandmother. When she hung up the phone she smiled at everyone. ¡°Sorry I''m late!¡±

    Paden went and grabbed the bag from the floor and raised his eyebrow at her. ¡°What did you pack in here? Bricks?¡± He shook the bag and it made some odd noises.

    Melanie laughed and unzipped the bag. ¡°Gram sent some things with me.¡± She pulled out some pots and bottles. ¡°It''s stuff for potions and spells. You know how she is, but I figured why not? I mean, she knew more than I ever did. And look where we are now. Oh, Ree. This is for you!¡± She pulled a necklace out of the bag that had a round, dark silver ball dangling from the chain.

    ¡°It''s hematite. She said it¡¯ll help protect you from negativity.¡± Ree looked at the stone and smiled. It was beautiful, and felt wonderful in her hand. Like a little ball of happy sunshine.

    ¡°Thanks. I love it. Tell her for me?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Will do. She said to wear it all the time.¡± Mel zipped up the bag and sat down on a chaise lounge. She coughed and waved her hand in front of her face when all of the dust rushed up to circle her head.

    ¡°Good, you''re here! Let¡¯s head back to the island. You guys follow me in the SUV. The other cars will be fine here.¡± As they left, Ree watched Sophie wave her hand in front of the door; a faint green light shimmered there for a moment before sinking back into the wood.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Protection. Just in case.¡± Sophie smiled and hopped into her Land Rover. It was silver with leather interior, and it gave Ree a serious bout of car jealousy.

    Maybe when this was all over she would get a cool car, too. Yep, she would focus on the positive. A cool car would be awesome, and maybe she would even get college paid for by the gods. Heck, maybe she wouldn''t even need to go to college. Sophie made it sound like she would be taken care of, maybe not even need to work. She could travel and then settle in a beautiful little town in the south of France. She snorted. Okay, think positive, but keep it realistic. She had to make it through this alive first. France was a long way away.

    Melanie¡¯s'' enthusiasm was contagious. Talking to her grandmother had really put a bounce in her step.

    ¡°She had all sorts of advice and stories. But, boy was my mom ticked! I didn''t think anything would calm her down. She was hollering about my father and how I couldn''t just stay out to all hours. She was mere moments away from having spittle fly out of her mouth. Then I called Gram. I knew that if anyone could get through to Mom, it would be her.¡± Melanie seemed so relaxed and happy; the tension in the group just seemed to melt away.

    ¡°So, none of this bothers you?¡± Weylin asked from the back of the SUV. He and Paden had claimed the very back seats, letting Mel and Ree have the middle. Juliette was in her customary spot up front, next to Bryce.

    ¡°Well, I guess some of it does. I haven''t sprouted fangs yet, but I figure it¡¯s my destiny, you know? I can''t fight it. I might as well look for the good points. Besides, I think it will be kind of cool to be a kick-butt Dark One stalker. I mean, someone has to keep the people of Savannah safe!¡± Everyone chuckled, and Weylin even looked relaxed thinking about what the future held.

    Ree smiled with the others, but thought about the word destiny. She supposed she did have a destiny. And she really hoped it would end well.

    The crossing back to the island was cold and wet. She wished she had brought some warmer clothes, but really didn''t own a lot of cold-weather gear. You just don''t need heavy-duty jackets in southern Georgia. There were usually only a few really cold days every winter, and the rest of the time you could get away with light jackets or hoodies. When Sophie motored up to the dock, Ree could barely feel her fingers, and everyone else looked just as miserable. The sky was starting to darken, and it wasn''t hard to read the relief on Sophie''s face. She was glad they had all made it to the island before it had gotten dark. Could it really be that dangerous for her to be in Savannah at night? Surely her whole life couldn''t change in just one night, right? But she knew better; she had learned the hard way that life could change in an instant the night Tristan died.

    The house wasn''t empty like last night. There were a few people working here and there, removing holiday decorations. Eric was at the dock and helped tie the boat up. There were also a couple of ladies working around the house; one was cleaning and the other woman was cooking in the kitchen.

    ¡°So, these people, do they know what¡¯s going on?¡± Ree asked quietly.

    ¡°Oh, yes. They are all connected to the fight in one way or another. Pam, the cook ¨C her father was killed by a Dark One thirty years ago. She had already lost her mother to illness, and we were able to save Pam before the Dark Ones found her hiding place.¡±

    ¡°And what? Now she¡¯s your house servant?¡± Weylin looked disgusted.

    Sophie threw her head back and laughed. ¡°Oh, gods. Don''t let her hear you say that. No, she went to the Cordon Bleu cooking school in France when she finished high school. She could have worked anywhere in the world, but she wanted to come to the island. It doesn''t hurt that she is paid very well by the gods.¡±

    ¡°Everyone on this island works for the gods?¡± Melanie asked, interested.

    ¡°Yes. If they didn''t know about the forces at work, they couldn''t come on the island. And a lot of people affected by the Dark Ones find it hard to go back to normal life.¡±

    Ree could certainly understand. Could she just pretend that all of this had never happened? Probably not.

    ¡°You guys go put your stuff in your rooms, and meet me outside in the back. We''re going to get started training tonight.¡± She started to walk down the hallway and said over her shoulder, ¡°And I would suggest wearing something comfortable.¡±

    Weylin sighed. ¡°I hope we don''t have to run anywhere. I really hate running.¡±

    ¡°I think we¡¯re going to be doing all sorts of things.¡± Bryce said.

    ¡°Awesome!¡± Everyone stopped and looked at Melanie. ¡°What? I''m just trying to embrace my new life. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all, Mel. We should all try to be open to it, I guess.¡± Ree shrugged. ¡°I''m gonna go change and meet you guys out back.¡±

    She went to the room that had been hers the night before and threw her bag on the bed. A quick glance out the window showed the birds flying over the dock in the distance. It was getting dark fast, and she knew it was going to be cold outside. Going back to her bed, she grabbed some yoga pants and a sweatshirt. She stuck with her tennis shoes and pulled her hair into a sloppy bun on the top of her head. When she walked out of her room, she saw Paden looking at some books on the mantel in the main living space.

    ¡°Ready to learn how to kick Dark One butt?¡± Ree asked, hoping to get back to friendly terms with him.

    He smiled and turned to look at her. He was wearing sweat pants and a sweatshirt, which still managed to look good on him.

    ¡°I guess we''re about to find out,¡± he said. ¡°The others are outside, except for Jules. You know she doesn''t change in a hurry.¡±

    Ree snickered. Juliette was probably picking out earrings to match her sports attire. That girl could have the flu and would still look better than most people did on a great day.

    Ree turned and looked through the French doors to the patio. Her friends were outside sitting on stone benches in the middle of a beautiful garden. It was too bad it was so cold or there would be a ton of flowers. As it was, the fountain in the center, tall shrubs, and well-pruned bushes made for a magical landscape. She wished she wasn''t so scared to go out there. Sophie seemed to be laughing with the others; she seemed so relaxed and at ease with this world of war. For some reason, Ree was surprised to see Roland sitting on the edge of the fountain. He looked relaxed and confident in his dark jeans and black hoodie.

    ¡°You ready?¡± Paden smiled at her and held his hand out. She gave him a tentative smile and let him take her hand for the second time that day. When he linked his fingers with hers, she shivered slightly, and her pulse picked up. Once again she wondered if he could tell she was nervous, hear her heartbeat quicken.

    He squeezed her hand and led her outside to the waiting people. Sophie turned and smiled at them when the doors opened. Before anyone could say anything, Juliette ran out from behind them and struck a pose.

    ¡°The party can start ¨C I''m ready!¡±

    Ree rolled her eyes and tried to not be jealous of Jules¡¯s perfection. She was wearing a matching velour track suit, tennis shoes the same color, and diamond stud earrings. Even her ponytail holder matched the suit.

    ¡°Jules, are you really wearing diamond earrings?¡± Weylin leaned closer to peek at her ears. Bryce laughed and shook his head, and motioned for Jules to sit next to him on the bench. All of the seats were taken, so Paden and Ree stood near the fountain. He had let go of her hand when Juliette barreled out of the doors behind them, but he stayed close to her, almost like he was worried about letting her get too far away from him. Roland glanced briefly her way and winked, causing heat to tint her cheeks.

    ¡°What? A girl should always look her best.¡±

 Page 12

    Melanie snorted and shook her head. She slapped her hands together and turned to Sophie with an eager expression. ¡°All right. Everyone¡¯s here, so let¡¯s do this.¡±

    ¡°Uh, what are we doing exactly?¡± asked Ree, her eyebrows drawn together.

    ¡°You''re going to touch us with the power. Right, Sophie?¡± Melanie looked back at the older Guardian.

    ¡°Who gave her the manual?¡± Weylin asked.

    Everyone laughed and Ree felt a little of the tension seep out of her shoulders. Thank the gods she wasn''t in this by herself.

    ¡°Okay, your enthusiasm is appreciated, Mel. But first we have to teach Ree a safe way to touch the power.¡± Sophie stood up and motioned for Ree to step closer to her. Paden seemed to struggle with not being near her, but eventually went to take a seat on the bench Sophie had left. For so many reasons, Ree wished he was still standing next to her. Biting the inside of her cheek, she looked at Sophie and nodded for her to begin. Ree knew no one was going to be able to really help her with what she was going to do. It was all up to her now.

    Chapter 16

    ¡°First, you need to understand that the power you are manipulating does not solely come from your own body,¡± Sophie said, glancing around to make sure she had everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°The reason it is so tiring for the Alastriana to use the power the first few times is because she is trying to use only the energy she has inside of her. Without understanding how to wield that power it will leave her tired, and, if not careful, drained to the point of death.¡±

    Ree¡¯s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. She could have killed herself last night, and Sophie was droning on like nothing had happened. Well, I guess I didn''t die. So I shouldn''t stress over the what-ifs. She took a deep breath and tried to focus on what the Guardian was saying. Thankfully, Sophie had paused for a moment to let everyone digest what she was saying.

    ¡°That energy you felt last night lives in everything. It is strongest in people, then animals, and in some inanimate objects. In fact, some things can be used to store power. But that is for another lesson,¡± Sophie said.

    ¡°How do I touch the power in other things? And does it hurt them if I do?¡± Ree asked.

    ¡°Once you awaken the power in yourself, you will be able to draw in power from around you and redirect it. Every person creates this energy, and most of them don''t recognize it at all. You can use that energy without most people even noticing. If you are not careful though, you can take too much. You would essentially be draining the very energy that animates their souls.¡±

    Ah, crap. She could feel the blood drain from her face. I''m a monster. Ree tried to shake off the feeling of horror that was wrapping itself around her mind and focus on what Sophie was saying.

    ¡°Now, you should know it is not something that would happen without you being aware of it. You would have to really work to take it all away. For most little things, you will be able to use your own reserve. The Alastriana bloodlines are gifted with an incredible amount of personal energy. That is what you will learn with, at first. Eventually you will become more comfortable with the process and will find it easier to take from around you.¡± Sophie stood in front of Ree and cupped her face in her hands. Ree knew her eyes were huge and tried to calm her nervous heart. ¡°You must understand that you have to use the energy around you. If you do not, then you are putting yourself at a disadvantage. By using your own reserves for little things, you may not have the energy when you need it most.¡±

    Sophie''s eyes were kind, and Ree heard the truth in her words but knew it would be hard to steal from someone else. Because that¡¯s what it felt like she would be doing, taking their energy. She would be just as bad as the Dark Ones stealing people¡¯s blood. Ree bit her lip and nodded in what she hoped was a convincing manner. She would learn all she could and then make her own decisions.

    Apparently Sophie saw what she was looking for and let go of her chin.

    ¡°Wait. I want to say something first.¡± Ree looked at her friends. ¡°If any of you don''t want to do this, you can just say so. I won''t hold it against you. Really, I don''t blame anyone for not wanting to be involved in this giant batch of crazy.¡±

    Everyone turned to look at Weylin.

    ¡°Ah, geez. Thanks, Ree, but I''m in this just like the rest of you.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? Jules, Paden, I know it¡¯s too late for you guys, and I''m sorry for that. But the rest of you have a choice.¡± Ree looked at each of them.

    ¡°I''m sure, Ree. I''m in this all the way.¡± Bryce smiled at her.

    ¡°Are you kidding me? Can''t you tell how excited I am about this?¡± Melanie laughed. ¡°What does a girl have to do? Cartwheels?¡± Ree had the weird impression there was something driving Mel¡¯s excitement.

    ¡°I''m not doing cartwheels, but I''m sure this is what I want. Mel is right; it¡¯s our destiny. But don''t expect me to be all chipper about it.¡± Weylin winked at her.

    ¡°If I have fangs, they get fangs too. Besides, it might even make Weylin less whiny.¡± Jules stuck her tongue out at Weylin. He slapped a hand to his chest and pretended to be in pain.

    ¡°Oh the ridicule I shall endure for eternity. Never any respect . . . .¡± Everyone groaned and Weylin laughed.

    Well, she gave them their chance, and it helped ease a little of the guilt that was rolling in her stomach. A small smile curved her mouth as Ree looked at her friends.

    ¡°So, now we teach you to call the power inside of yourself so we can instigate the change for the others.¡± Sophie took a few steps back and motioned for the others to form a circle around Ree.

    ¡°The first few times it happened, there were Dark Ones around,¡± Ree pointed out.

    Juliette asked, ¡°Or Michael and Shannon. Are they Dark Ones?¡±

    ¡°No they¡¯re not Dark Ones, yet. But it appears they are trying to join their forces. Right now they¡¯re merely initiates. Used for their blood until they can prove their worth. They carry the Dark One taint, but aren''t fully transformed.¡± Sophie¡¯s lips curled in disgust. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the task at hand, for now. We will talk about the initiates later.¡±

    Ree nodded and tried to quiet her mind. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

    ¡°The last time you drew the power, you probably had to do nothing at all. This time you are going to have to call it to you. Imagine that energy building inside of you. When you have it, release it very slowly. Picture a gentle wave flowing out from you.¡±

    No one said anything else, and Ree tried to concentrate on calling the power. She imagined that burning feeling flooding up from her feet, that tingling, almost burning sensation flowing into her arms. She imagined, and she imagined, and¡­ nothing happened. She cracked open one eye and looked around her. Every single eye was trained on her without blinking.

    She clenched her eyes shut again and tried to not grimace. Don''t panic, don''t panic. She strained to find something, some spark to yank to life. Fear started to clutch her throat. How could she possibly do any of this if she couldn''t even call the power when she wanted to? She was going to die, her friends were going to die, and it was all her fault. Why had the gods picked her to do this? Did they mean for her to fail? Anger washed through her. How dare they put this task on her shoulders? She didn''t want to have to fight the Dark Ones to save the Earth. Her family had already lost so much; did they really need to lose any more than they already had? Hot resentment poured through her veins. Rage she had never felt before clouded her mind. And there, in that moment, she felt the spark deep in her chest. Angrily she grabbed at it and fed it with her ferocious resentment. The energy flared inside of her like a burst of lightning. It grew like a wildfire and spread through her body.

    Her arms flung out to her sides and, just before her head whipped back, her eyes flew open. Her mouth formed an ¡®oh¡¯ as the energy rushed out of her in a flood of green light. She heard gasps and scuffling but couldn''t see what was happening. Ree didn¡¯t even want to look to see what the others were doing. The power was exhilarating, a rush that she had never experienced before.

    After a moment she came to her senses. The others were hollering, but she couldn''t understand what they were saying. She needed to stop the tide of energy that was flowing unchecked. She pulled her hands down and tried to rein it all in, but it was still rushing out of her in a flood of green. She started to feel lightheaded and realized she was expending entirely too much energy. She sagged to her knees and continued to try and pull it all back inside.

    Suddenly a hand lifted her chin and beautiful blue eyes framed with dark lashes swam into view.

    ¡°You have to let go of the anger, Ree. Let it all go.¡± Roland was kneeling in front of her and she focused on his face. ¡°Let it go, Ree.¡±

    With a sound close to a sob, she tried to release all of the hate that was filling her heart. But once it started, it was like it had taken over. She fought to accept her fate and the pain that was bound to come with it. She focused on what she would be saving if she won: the lives of her family, her friends, and strangers she had never met. Time slowed for a moment as she reeled it all back into her and then reality seemed to snap back to normal speed. Roland¡¯s strong arms caught her as she slumped forward and took gasping breaths.

    ¡°Shh. It''s okay. Just take a moment to catch your breath.¡± He smoothed some of the escaped strands of her hair away from her face.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± Her voice was breathless, as if she had been running a marathon. ¡°How did you know I was angry?¡±

    ¡°I would be.¡± He shrugged. ¡°And Dark Ones can sense the darker emotions. Often the power is fueled by intense emotion.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± She tried to stand, but her legs were shaky.

    Roland put a hand under her elbow and helped her gain her feet. ¡°You will gain your strength soon.¡±

    ¡°Ree! Are you all right?¡± Paden caught her shoulders in his hands and peered into her face. Roland let go of her elbow and took a step backwards. The others were running forward and demanding to know if she was okay.

    Ree watched as Roland moved to stand next to Sophie. His smirk had returned, but Ree noticed Roland¡¯s eyes tightened when they focused on Paden¡¯s hands. Paden''s fingers squeezed her shoulders gently, and she looked up into his face. Worry creased his brow and his eyes were full of concern.

    ¡°I''m okay, Pay. I''m okay.¡± Her words were muffled because he had pulled her against his chest. She was shocked because the last time he had hugged her was at Tristan''s funeral. She let herself relax into his grip for just a moment. Her head leaned forward to rest on his chest, and then she was pulled from his grasp by Juliette. She practically squeezed the air out of Ree¡¯s lungs. Once she had pried herself free, she looked around the clearing and gasped.

    ¡°Oh, my God. I did this?¡± The stone benches had been thrown yards from their original spots near the fountain. The plants looked like they had been hit by a tornado. The tall shrubs were pushed out and away from where she had been standing. The potted plants were thrown all over the clearing, and some of the panes on the French doors had been shattered. She turned in a circle and looked at the destruction around her.

    ¡°Ree, I am so sorry. I had no idea it would happen like that.¡± Sophie touched her cheek gently. ¡°Normally it comes much easier.¡±

    Ree shook her head. She was still shocked at all of the damage she had caused.

    ¡°Well, at least it worked.¡± Paden pointed at Bryce, Melanie and Weylin. They were all looking at Roland with an odd expression. Ree realized they must be reacting to him being a Dark One.

    ¡°Huh. The fangth hurth the firth time.¡± Weylin was touching his canines gently.

    Melanie was smiling, though. Apparently this was all just part of the excitement. Her fangs were causing dimples in her bottom lip as she beamed at everyone.

    ¡°Well, at least someone is enjoying her new teeth.¡± Roland raised an eyebrow and smiled widely at Melanie. Interest and curiosity pulled her eyebrows together as she looked at the Dark One. His lips resumed their normal smirk, and he wiggled his eyebrows at her. His fangs were a little longer and thinner than the Guardians¡¯. Ree hadn''t noticed them that morning and supposed Dark Ones must be able to retract and extend their fangs whenever they wanted.

    Paden was looking at Roland with a mixture of anger and disgust. Ree elbowed him in the ribs and raised her eyebrow to remind him that Roland was on their side. Besides, she didn''t want to say anything, but Roland was the only one that had been able to help her. Paden ground his teeth and looked away from Roland. After a moment he looked back at Ree and flashed a forced smile. Well, at least he¡¯s trying, Ree thought. She had to give him credit for that.

    ¡°How did I manage to throw everyone away from me, but you weren''t affected at all? Shouldn''t it have hurt you in some way?¡± It had suddenly occurred to her that Roland was completely unscathed. He had been able to walk right up to her and even touch her.

    ¡°The gods tinkered with me. This is a side effect.¡± He shrugged, but Ree sensed he was trying to brush it off. She could almost feel the anger and pain coming from him. She bet the gods had treated him like a science experiment. Her heart clenched thinking about what he may have endured, and yet, here he was still working on their side. Ree couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would entice him to put up with so much.

    ¡°We''re immortal now?¡± Bryce was standing next to Jules. He was holding his jaw funny and his words came out clipped.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Sophie said.

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Paden tried to look nonchalant but it was apparent he wanted to start taking steps to get them all ready for whatever might come their way.

    ¡°Well, we train. Ree, can you still feel the power?¡± Sophie pushed her dark braid over her shoulder.

    Deep in her chest there was still a warm ball of energy. Just by thinking about the sensation, the little spark grew in intensity. She smiled in relief that it wasn¡¯t fighting to run free and nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s there.¡±

    ¡°And is it about to pour out of you and throw me into the house again?¡± Weylin asked from behind Sophie. His peeked out from behind the older Guardian¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°No, Weylin. I have it under control.¡± Ree bit her bottom lip. ¡°Did I really throw you into the house?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. Yeah, you did.¡± He stood up straight and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Pretty crazy, actually.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± She gave him an apologetic smile.

    ¡°Well, if you are all ready, we''re going to split up and start training.¡± Sophie patted Weylin on the shoulder and smiled at everyone.

 Page 13

    ¡°Why are we splitting up?¡± Paden sounded suspicious.

    ¡°Ree needs to focus on learning how to use the power, and the rest of you have a lot to learn when it comes to fighting Dark Ones.¡±

    ¡°And I suppose Roland is going to be teaching us how to fight Dark Ones?¡± Paden¡¯s voice was tight and angry. There was no mistaking the resentment he felt about learning from the very thing he was supposed to kill.

    ¡°Paden, I know it goes against the very nature of a Guardian to trust a Dark One. I understand that. But Roland has done more than you can imagine for our cause. He can teach you more than I possibly could.¡± Sophie sighed. ¡°He can give you the best tools to protect Ree. You need to listen to him.¡±

    Ree could hear Paden grind his teeth as he thought about what Sophie had said. He looked over at Roland. The Dark One was talking to Juliette and Melanie but smirked at Paden when he noticed his stare. Ree just shook her head and wondered if this was really going to work.

    Paden finally nodded his consent but his expression made it clear he wasn''t happy about it.

    Ree gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile and then followed Sophie toward a different part of the garden.

    Chapter 17

    Ree could barely hold her eyes open as she stumbled toward her room. She was utterly exhausted and didn¡¯t think she would make it much longer. Sophie had spent hours explaining how the energy could be manipulated, how it could be used to change things, and how you could use it to lay something like a spell. It wasn''t really a spell, more like leaving the energy somewhere with a particular intent. She could now use the energy to sense emotions of people around her, and the flow of energy between objects.

    For the last hour she had practiced flinging the energy at bowling pins Sophie had set up around the garden. That had left her exhausted. She still found it difficult to use the energy from other things or people. Sophie had offered to let her use her excess energy, explaining that Guardians had an excess for just that reason. Ree had gleaned some of her energy to redirect, but had hated the feeling. It was like trying on someone else''s clothes ¨C they never really fit just right.

    She rubbed at her blurry eyes and looked up just in time to run smack into someone¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Oh! Sorry, I didn''t see you.¡± She looked up at Roland and gave him a tired smile.

    ¡°No problem.¡± He grabbed her shoulder to help steady her and turned in the direction of her room. ¡°Let me help you get to your room.¡±

    ¡°I can get there just fine by myself, thanks.¡± She wasn¡¯t immortal with inexhaustible energy but she could find her way to the room she was using.

    ¡°Don''t be difficult, Ree. I''m just trying to help you. You look like you might pass out on your feet.¡± His usual smirk was drooping a little, and she felt a little bite of guilt for sounding rude.

    ¡°It''s just down the hall. I don''t want to keep you.¡± She tried to step past him, but he held on to her shoulder.

    ¡°I guess some things never change,¡± Roland said quietly as if thinking out loud. Then he sighed dramatically. ¡°Just because someone offers you help, it doesn''t mean they think less of you.¡±

    Ree shrugged her shoulders. ¡°You''re right.¡±

    ¡°See, that wasn''t too hard. Now, from now on just assume I am right about everything.¡±

    Ree snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°Don''t hold your breath. Wait, do you even breathe?¡±

    Roland laughed and started walking down the hall toward her room. Instead of fighting it, she fell into step with him.

    ¡°Yes, I breathe. I don''t think it is a necessity, but it makes living much more comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡± That was all her sluggish brain could come up with in response.

    When they reached her room, he opened the door and motioned her inside. She shook her head and walked in. He stayed in the doorway and watched her cross to her stuff on the bed.

    ¡°Um, thanks. I guess I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡±

    Roland didn''t say anything for a moment, just looked at her with eyes full of emotion. If Ree didn¡¯t know better, she¡¯d think there was longing hiding behind his blank mask, and it sent warm shivers down her spine.

    ¡°Earth to Roland? Did you fall asleep standing up?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I don''t sleep very often. I was just thinking.¡± He gave her a small smile and looked away from her for a minute before returning his gaze back to hers. ¡°Do you believe in reincarnation?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I guess at this point I think anything¡¯s possible.¡± Ree¡¯s nose scrunched up as she looked at him a little closer. That was completely out of left field, she thought. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t important right now. It was just something I was curious about.¡± Roland traded his smirk for a soft smile and stepped backwards through her door.

    ¡°Oookay. Well, goodnight then.¡± Ree stood where she was and watched him with one eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Sleep well, Ree.¡± He pulled the door shut behind him and Ree stood there for a moment, staring after him.

    ¡°So stinking weird,¡± Ree whispered to herself.

    She locked the door, not wanting a repeat like yesterday morning. The clock next to the bed said it was after two o''clock in the morning. Groaning, she grabbed her stuff and trudged into the bathroom. Opening the door, she was once again shocked by the opulence of a room in which you basically spent as little time as possible. Then again, with the Jacuzzi tub, steam shower, and heated floor, people might want to spend more time in there.

    She dumped her stuff on the floor and got undressed for a shower. The water was warm and soothed the knots of stress that were lodged between her shoulders. She used the soaps that were in the shower since she had been too lazy to get her own out of the bag. The steam in the shower strengthened the smell of rosemary and mint from the shampoo and body wash. It was a comforting and relaxing smell. Once she was finished, she used one of the large, fluffy towels to wrap herself in, brushed her teeth, grabbed her bag off the floor, and headed back to the bedroom. Just as she was about to change, there was a knock on her door. Tired and frustrated, she gripped the towel tighter and mumbled angrily as she went to the door. All she wanted to do was crawl in that big bed and fall into the oblivion sleep offered.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°It''s me.¡±

    She ran a hand through her wet hair before opening the door and looking at Paden. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± She motioned for him to come into the room. He hesitated for a moment and then stepped in. She closed the door behind him and turned to look at him.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn''t realize I''d interrupted your shower.¡±

    ¡°I just finished. Everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I just wanted to check on you. See how it all went.¡±

    Ree went and sat on the bed, making sure nothing was peeking from under her towel. Paden stayed near the door, his expression unreadable.

    ¡°It was tiring, but other than that I don''t really feel any different. What about you? Does it feel different to be a Guardian? I mean, instead of human?¡± She cringed at the word human.

    ¡°I''m still me, but I can do more things now. I can hear so much better and smell things I never would have been able to before. Also, I can . . . .¡± He hesitated and ran a hand through his already-tousled hair. ¡°One of the reasons I stopped by before I headed to bed was to tell you something I noticed earlier. I can sense you. Like, where you are, and if you¡¯re upset or hurt.¡± He looked at her, his eyes wary as he waited for her response.

    She tried to keep the shock off her face. ¡°You can tell what I am feeling?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I mean, no. I can''t tell what you are thinking, but I can feel if you are upset, or angry. I knew you were frustrated while working with Sophie.¡± He finally moved closer and sat in the chair next to the bed.

    ¡°When did this start? When did you realize you could sense things about me?¡± She swallowed and tried to stay calm. Did he know how much it hurt her when he ran away at his parent¡¯s house? Would he even understand why she had been upset? She rubbed her sweaty palms on the bedspread.

    ¡°It¡¯s gotten stronger all day. At first, I just had a general idea of what direction you were in, and then I started getting this feeling that you were upset, or angry. I could tell you were more relaxed in the car ride from the antique shop.¡±

    ¡°Do the others have this as well?¡± She felt surrounded and wanted to open the window to let in a breeze.

    ¡°I asked Jules. She said that she could sense what direction you were in and if you moved. She thinks she would be able to tell if you were in trouble.¡±

    ¡°Oh, God. It''s like I¡¯m carrying around a baby monitor all the time!¡± Ree stood up and started pacing.

    ¡°I figured that was how you would take it.¡± He leaned forward and set his arms on his legs. ¡°But, I think it¡¯s so we can protect you better. It could come in handy. Roland said most Guardians have a sense of what¡¯s happening to their charge.¡±

    ¡°Handy? I have no privacy, and you think that¡¯s handy?¡± She whirled around and glared at him.

    ¡°Ree, think about it. This gives you more privacy. Now you don''t have to have someone with you everywhere you go. We¡¯ll be able to tell if you¡¯re upset, or need help.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute. You were going to have someone with me at all times? Like, posting a guard? Geez, Paden! I''m not a criminal!¡± She clutched at her towel angrily. His need to protect her was really starting to get on her nerves.

    ¡°You aren''t a criminal, but it''s our job to protect you. You''re our friend, and we don''t want anything happening to you.¡±

    Ree was seething. Her whole life was being taken away from her, even her mental privacy. It was just too much to handle in two short days.

    ¡°Yeah, well, maybe you guys are just my friends because I¡¯m the Alastriana. Maybe it was never real. Just another hereditary gift from the gods.¡± Her chin trembled at the thought. She loved these people; they had been her family for years now.

    ¡°No, Ree. Don''t think like that.¡± He stood up and took a few steps toward her. ¡°You know it isn''t like that for me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? What is it like for you, Paden?¡± She was too tired and hurt to care if she was crossing boundaries.

    He closed the distance between them and pushed some of the hair out of her face. He didn''t say anything for a long time. She was so tired her legs started to shake but she met his stare angrily. He slid a hand down her shoulder and cupped her elbow. Despite her irritation, she couldn¡¯t fight the shivers his touch caused.

    ¡°You need to sleep, Ree. I know how tired you are.¡±

    She jerked her elbow away from him and poked him in the chest.

    ¡°You''re avoiding the question Paden. Why can''t you just answer me?¡±

    He looked away from her, his jaw clenched as he took a couple of steps back.

    ¡°You''re Tristan¡¯s little sister.¡± Ree looked at him, hurt, and Paden scrambled to explain better. ¡°I made a promise, Ree. I promised to take care of you like you were my own sister.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the only reason you''ve spent so much time with me? These last two years you¡¯ve just been keeping your promise to my brother?¡± After everything that had happened in the last two days, this is what broke her heart. This was the lowest she had ever been, other than when the cops showed up to tell her family Tristan had died in a drunk-driving accident. It was like all of the happy times after he had died were nothing but a lie.

    ¡°I''m your friend Ree. I''ve always been your friend, but Trist gave you to me to take care of, and that¡¯s what I plan on doing.¡±

    ¡°I wasn''t his property to give.¡± She hoped he couldn''t hear the tears in her voice.

    Paden¡¯s shoulders tensed and he moved to the door. He paused for a moment with his handle on the door knob. His knuckles were white, and she heard something creak from the pressure he was exerting.

    ¡°I made a promise to my best friend, Ree. Don''t ask me to break it.¡± Then he was gone.

    Her door swooshed shut behind him and the only things left in the room with her were the shards of her heart. Ree sat on the edge of the bed and took several deep breaths. She didn''t want anyone rushing into the room to find her sobbing in nothing but a towel, but in the end it was useless and she settled for trying to muffle her sobs in a pillow.

    Chapter 18

    The time to wake up came entirely too early. She could hear other people moving around in the house, so she decided to get up and get dressed. She cracked an eye open and sneaked a peak at the clock. Ten fifteen was blinking in bright red numbers. A nightmare of sunlight flooded the room, making her squint her eyes. She had slept for less than six hours. She figured it was only a matter of time before someone came looking for her. Worried they would send Paden, she crawled out of bed and went to her stuff. She pulled out some comfortable clothes, brushed her hair and teeth, and was tying her sneakers when there was a light knock on her door. She sighed, not really wanting to face anyone after her breakdown last night.

    ¡°It''s just me, Ree. I know you¡¯re in there,¡± Melanie said from the door.

    Tennis shoes? Check. Hair brushed? Check. Baby monitor turned on? Check, Ree thought as she went to open the door. Her expression must have given away just how frustrated she was, because Melanie gave her an encouraging smile as she walked in.

    ¡°Come on, Ree. It isn''t that bad, is it?¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Ree said in agitation.

    ¡°I do say so! Besides, I heard that you can sense the emotions of people around you, too. Classic pot and kettle scenario, if you know what I mean.¡±

    That made Ree pause and think for a moment. She could sense what the others were feeling. Concentrating for a moment, she could sense that Weylin was in a rather chipper mood, and that Juliette and Bryce were focused on each other. Pushing further, she found Paden brooding in the kitchen, and a quiet, calm Roland was with a relaxed Sophie. She turned her attention back to Melanie and could tell that under Melanies'' bright smile there was a desperate sense of determination. She tilted her head and looked at Melanie a little closer. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was unkempt, hanging over one shoulder in a messy braid. Melanie''s cheerful grin wilted a little bit as Ree looked at her. And there, in the space of an instant, her friend¡¯s walls fell down and she could sense the burning anger and grief flowing through Melanie.

    ¡°Good God. Melanie, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I figured you would be able to tell. See? We can only sense you, but you can sense all of us, even random people around you. So you can''t be upset at Paden, or any of us.¡±

 Page 14

    ¡°You know, you''re right, Mel. It isn''t fair for me to be upset about that. I think I just overreacted last night. I was so tired, and there¡¯s so much happening.¡± Ree gave her a small smile. ¡°I shouldn''t have taken it out on Paden last night.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and he shouldn''t have said a lot of things either.¡± Melanie went and sat down on the bed.

    ¡°You could hear that?¡± Ree sat on the bed next to her and frowned.

    ¡°Super hearing is one of the perks.¡± Melanie started picking at the end of her braid. ¡°And don''t worry about Paden. You know how stubborn he can be when he has something stuck in his head, but he¡¯ll come around eventually.¡±

    ¡°You really did hear everything, huh?¡± Ree grimaced.

    ¡°I wanted to come talk to you last night, but I figured you wanted to be alone.¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry, I hope I didn''t keep you up.¡± Ree apologized, embarrassed.

    ¡°Nah, I had my own things to think about. And everyone deserves a good cry when their life is turned upside down.¡±

    ¡°Melanie, what¡¯s wrong? There¡¯s so much anger in you. I have no idea how you¡¯re sitting here so calmly.¡±

    ¡°Know how Mom really freaked about me being out all night? Well, apparently she knew something along these lines might happen one day. Maybe not exactly what was going on, but she knew I might be involved in something dangerous one day.¡± She clutched her braid in one hand, her knuckles getting white from the tension. ¡°You know my Dad died when I was nine, but I doubt you know very much about his actual death. I didn''t really know very much about all of it until yesterday.¡±

    Ree moved a little closer to her and grabbed her hand. She could sense that this was very hard for Melanie to talk about, but she needed to get it out. She had never met Melanie''s father; he had died long before she had started school at St. Theresa. Melanie''s mother owned the Old Carriage Inn and handled the day-to-day management. She and Melanie lived in a small house in the garden behind the main residence.

    ¡°Well, Dad got a call from the manager of the Inn late one night. We didn''t live in the cottage at that point. We had a house near Forsyth Square. It wasn''t in the best of shape, but Mom and Dad loved working on it together. Anyway, apparently there were some guests at the Inn causing a lot of trouble, and they were demanding to speak to the owners. Dad told Mom he would handle it. I don''t remember him leaving; I was already asleep. I knew he never came home that night, but it wasn''t until yesterday that Gram explained to me what had happened.¡± She took a deep breath and yanked on her braid. Ree squeezed her hand to reassure her.

    ¡°I thought he had been mugged, you know? I remember the headlines in the paper; his body had been found behind a tool shed near a private driveway. Mom never spoke about it, but the papers said he had suffered stab wounds and bled to death.¡± She gritted her teeth. ¡°But apparently, he had actually been drained by Dark Ones. After they finished with him, they came to our home. Thankfully, Gram had placed wards around the house, and they couldn¡¯t get closer than the front steps. They hollered from the sidewalk until Mom called the police. I remember the sirens waking me, and the blue and red lights flashing through the house.¡±

    ¡°Melanie, was it an accident the Dark Ones happened to find your father? Isn''t he the one you get your immortal heritage from?¡±

    ¡°No. We smell good to the Dark Ones, and their ability to smell is heightened just like ours. Gram figures they had smelled us around the Inn. It doesn''t help that Gram and Mom are from a line of witches. They have a distinct smell too. Anything that has some kind of power is appealing to Dark Ones. They can drain us, and it gives them far more energy than the blood of a regular human.¡± She stood up and started pacing.

    ¡°They came to the house that night for me. Gram had to tell Mom everything she knew, to explain the danger we were in. I knew Mom and Gram hadn''t been on good terms for years, but I had always thought it was Dad¡¯s death that brought them back together. Before, Mom thought Gram was a quack for believing in Wicca and worshiping Hecate; now she¡¯s just as likely to smudge the house and set up wards as Gram.¡± Melanie stopped and stood in the middle of the room, looking lost. ¡°Mom sold the house two weeks after Dad died, and we moved into the Inn. They took every precaution they could to make us as safe as possible. Until this weekend, I thought we were a pretty normal family, you know? Aside from the incense and crystals.¡±

    Ree stood up and hugged her. ¡°So when you didn''t show up the other night, your Mom thought you had been taken, too.¡±

    Melanie nodded her head and wiped a few tears from her eyes. ¡°Yeah, she was pretty upset. But Gram understood what I had to do, and she told Mom it would make me stronger. Able to fight the Dark Ones and capable of protecting other people from what had happened to us.¡± She sniffed and smiled. ¡°Mom may not be a Guardian, but she was pretty fierce. She was all set for me to never leave the Inn again. Gram had to do a lot of soothing to get me out of there. As it is, I got twenty-something text messages from her last night.¡±

    ¡°This is why you are so ready to be a Guardian?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah. I plan on kicking some serious Dark One butt. I don''t want them taking any other fathers from their children.¡±

    Ree squeezed her shoulders and smiled. ¡°Well, I guess we have some more training to do then!¡±

    Melanie nodded. ¡°Yep. We need to be B.A.¡±

    ¡°B.A.?¡± Ree looked at her friend in confusion.

    ¡°Bad Ass!¡± Melanie smiled. Apparently she felt a little better after getting everything off of her chest.

    Ree snickered and pulled her friend out of the room and headed toward the kitchen.

    Chapter 19

    After a breakfast of waffles, homemade hash browns, and bacon they all ended up in the main living area. Someone had taped plastic over the broken window panes in the French doors. The others were lounging around on the leather couch and overstuffed chairs. Sophie entered the room and waved at everyone cheerfully. She was eating a sandwich that looked to be made out of a folded piece of toast and bacon. After swallowing the last bite, she bent over and checked the laces of her shoes.

    ¡°Alright guys! Let¡¯s run!¡± She bounced in place for a moment and then jogged to the door. Ree guessed she was going to be doing some physical stuff today, too. She tried to not grimace, wishing she hadn¡¯t eaten such a large breakfast. She wasn¡¯t athletically gifted like the others were, and it was going to be tough to keep up with them. Well, except for maybe Weylin. The only sport he participated in was flirting.

    ¡°But we ran five miles just last night,¡± Weylin groaned.

    ¡°And you didn''t break a sweat,¡± Roland said entering the room. He shoved Weylin on the shoulder as he passed him and smiled. Ree thought it was a good sign Weylin didn''t flinch or look upset at the contact. She glanced at Sophie and saw she had a small smile on her face as she looked away. If Ree had to guess, she figured having the Guardians train with Roland wasn''t just so they could learn from the best, but to help them learn to trust this particular Dark One.

    ¡°Don''t worry though; this morning will be an easy run. Ree is coming with us, so we won''t be pushing as hard as we did yesterday.¡± He stepped close to her right side and smiled down at her. ¡°I was told you aren''t a big runner?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no. I''m more of a make-the-banner-for-the-team kind of girl. Painting is much more my sport.¡±

    Paden gave her a small smile as he positioned himself on her other side. They hadn''t spoken much since last night, and she was trying her best to not let it bother her.

    ¡°Well, we will take it easy this morning, but we¡¯ll whip you into shape in no time.¡± He smirked when Ree cringed.

    Weylin laughed and pointed at her face. ¡°If only you could see your expression!¡± He chortled as he followed Sophie outside to stretch.

    Melanie gave her a thumbs up, and Jules threw her an encouraging smile. Roland slung an arm over her shoulders and steered her out the door toward the others. Ree could almost hear Paden grinding his teeth behind her, and instead of pushing Roland away she smiled up at him.

    ¡°So, what did you guys do last night? You ran five miles? I hope we aren''t doing that today!¡± She knew it was a pathetic attempt at flirting, but it just didn''t come to her easily. Thankfully, Roland didn''t seem to mind. In fact, she had the impression that he was enjoying it.

    ¡°I''m sure we will have you running five miles in no time. With those lovely long legs you should be a natural.¡± Ree smiled and looked down to hide her blush. She wasn''t used to compliments, and it was weird to have such an attractive guy paying her any attention. Paden walked away from them and joined Bryce to stretch. Roland leaned down, his breath warm on his ear.

    ¡°Well played, little Ree. Do you think you made your point?¡± She looked up at him, not sure if he was bothered by what had transpired. He didn''t move away so their noses were almost touching. She was struck by the sapphire color of his eyes. He gave her a slow, lazy smile and winked. ¡°I think with a little more work, he may actually admit he is jealous.¡±

    For a moment her thoughts were jumbled; his words not making sense. His eyes dipped to her lips and her pulse quickened. Was he just playing the part, or was it possible he was really tempted?

    ¡°Time to stretch, Ree. You don''t want to get a nasty cramp.¡± That broke the odd connection stretching between her and Roland. His mouth twitched into its usual smirk.

    She stepped away from him and went to stretch with Melanie. Her friend raised her eyebrows and tilted her head toward the Dark One. Ree shrugged slightly and went about trying to stretch. She knew this was going to be terrible, but nothing prepared her for just how difficult it would be to keep up with everyone else.

    They started at the end of a stone path that led to a trail in the woods. Right away, she knew she was in trouble. The others took off at a sprint and left her behind without realizing it. They hadn''t been told how far they were going, so she decided to pace herself if they were going to leave her, anyway. From the back of the group she watched as they gracefully loped away from her. Even Weylin was keeping up with everyone. He didn''t seem to be straining or frustrated. In fact, he was laughing with Bryce and Jules. So much for commiserating with him.

    Instead of focusing on running, she let her mind wander over how different they seemed to be now that they were immortal. It was almost eerie to watch them move. It was like they were dancing along the trail. At one point Bryce darted off the trail and then jumped on Weylin¡¯s back from out of nowhere. They all laughed and kept running, with Bryce clinging to Weylin¡¯s back.

    She stumbled on a root, and a hand caught her elbow. Once she gained her footing again she looked up to thank whoever had helped her and met Padens'' green eyes. His hand stayed on her elbow for a moment, and his expression clouded. She could sense his turmoil, but she wasn''t sure what was causing it.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± She started jogging after the others, and he matched his pace to hers.

    ¡°No problem. We shouldn''t have run ahead of you.¡±

    ¡°Nah, I don''t mind. Besides, I have all of this beautiful scenery to keep me company.¡± She waved a hand at the giant oak trees covered in Spanish moss. Even in the cold of winter there was a great deal of greenery on the south Georgian island.

    He didn''t say anything in response; instead, he stared at the path ahead of them. She decided to let the silence rest between them. It had always been easy to be around Paden. Words weren''t really needed. They fell into an easy jog, the sound of their breathing keeping time between them.

    She really had meant what she said about the scenery. The trees were so large, their heavy branches swooping over the path like a canopy. Spanish moss hung down like thick tufts of gray hair. If it was a little warmer the wooded area would be overrun with green vines and palmetto plants.

    ¡°I shouldn''t have said I only spent time with you because of Tristan.¡± Paden¡¯s voice was quiet. ¡°That was a lie, and I don¡¯t want to lie to you.¡±

    ¡°I shouldn''t have forced you to,¡± she replied. She slowed her pace because she was beginning to tire. Even though the temperature was very cold for south Georgia, she was sweating. They had to have covered at least a mile at this point, and she wasn¡¯t really sure how long she would be able to keep running. It was sad, really ¨C she was supposed to be in the prime of her life.

    Paden again slowed his pace to match hers, but didn''t say anything else. When they rounded the bend Ree stopped in amazement. The largest tree she had ever seen was just off the path, its branches reaching up as if to touch the sky. She stepped off the path and walked over to it; she wanted, needed to touch this beautiful old tree. She climbed up and over the massive roots and ran her hand over the bark. When she pressed her fingers against the rough bark, something in her chest warmed. Her power recognized this mother tree, and was responding to her close presence. It was a happy feeling, and she let herself bask in the warm glow as she crawled and climbed around the tree. She grabbed hold of a large, low-hanging branch and pulled herself up to sit on its curved length. The leaves of the giant oak seemed to turn in her direction, and a breeze ruffled her hair. For the first time in days, she was content to just be herself.

    ¡°I think it might take ten people holding hands to reach around this trunk. She¡¯s massive,¡± Paden said quietly, leaning against the trunk beneath her.

    The content feeling in her chest grew a little, and Ree was pretty sure the tree was amused by Paden.

    Running her hand along the rough bark, Ree smiled to herself. She would have to remember this tree when she felt stressed. This place felt very comforting and restful.

    Paden didn''t say anything, just leaned against the tree in thoughtful silence. His attention seemed to be elsewhere, focused on something she couldn''t see or hear. Suddenly the others appeared from the brush, their steps quiet and careful. They all stopped several yards away to look at the tree. Roland smiled at them, but there was something strained in his expression. Sophie was nowhere to be seen, which made Ree nervous. Before she could say anything, she felt like the world had shifted beneath her and she grabbed on to the branch to stay upright. The glowing spot in her chest grew in intensity, almost burning. It stopped suddenly, leaving her breathless.

    She looked at everyone else to see if they had felt it, too. Everyone but Paden and Roland looked as if nothing had changed. Paden was grasping the tree and looking in the direction of the house, while Roland stared at her in curiosity.

    Ree felt a surge of panic. ¡°Did you feel that too, Pay?¡±

 Page 15

    Paden held up a hand to help her climb down, and they both started running in the direction of the house.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where are you guys going?¡± Juliette hollered as everyone followed them.

    ¡°Something is going on at the house!¡± Paden answered.

    Ree was irritated she wasn''t able to move as fast as the others could. She kept stumbling on roots and sticks. Her breath was coming in short, shallow gasps, and the others looked like they were holding back for her sake.

    ¡°Weylin, Bryce, go ahead and see what¡¯s happening.¡± Paden kept his spot next to Ree, and the other two boys flew ahead of the group.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Sophie?¡± Ree asked between breaths. ¡°Is she hurt? I think she¡¯s in the house.¡±

    ¡°Sophie had an appointment this morning. Her guest must have arrived early.¡± Roland didn''t look concerned in the least.

    ¡°Guest?¡± Paden repeated, confused.

    ¡°Yes, I believe the ''disturbance in the force'' was the guest¡¯s arrival.¡±

    ¡°You should save the Star Wars jokes for when Weylin is around,¡± Ree snorted.

    Just through the plants of the last bend she could make out the others standing on the edge of the stone path. She came to a stop behind them and tried to look over their shoulders. The warm glow in her chest was radiating out, and the others seemed to sense it because they moved out of her way. She stepped forward to see what they were all staring at, but stopped in awe. Someone nudged her back gently, and she took a few more steps forward.

    The red-haired woman turned and looked at Ree in interest. She was wearing jeans tucked into tall, tan leather boots, a cream knit sweater, and a green silk scarf. She looked like a model until you met her eyes. There was so much wisdom and power that Ree felt the urge to kneel under her gaze. This woman radiated strength and intelligence in spades. The glow in Ree''s chest became a burning sensation, bubbling up out of her in a green light that ran the length of her body. The others stood where they were, unaffected, but in just as much awe as she was experiencing.

    ¡°Alastriana, I would like to introduce you to Brigid.¡± Roland bowed in the goddess¡¯s direction and, tilting his head, he smiled at Ree.

    Chapter 20

    Not sure what to do or what to say, Ree merely stared at the beautiful woman. The power was still washing out and around her body, but there was no way to control it. It was almost as if it was responding to being in the goddess¡¯s presence. There was no reining in the energy, because she wasn''t the one directing it.

    The red-haired beauty walked toward the teenagers. Her steps were purposeful and steady, with Sophie following behind her. She stopped in front of Ree and smiled a small smile. She seemed to be searching Ree for something, looking deep into her eyes. Gently she cupped her cheek and her smile grew. She brushed some of the blond hair out of Ree''s eyes and then let go, moving her attention to Paden. Ree realized with a start that Paden was Brigid¡¯s descendant, part of her family. The goddess¡¯s eyes were warm as she looked at him. He watched her curiously; suddenly he smiled and looked down at the ground. Ree had the impressionsomething had passed between them. The goddess stepped back, looked over her shoulder at Sophie, and disappeared. Just like that, she was gone.

    ¡°Holy cow. I need to sit down,¡± Weylin said from the back of the group.

    The power seemed to pull back into Ree, leaving nothing but the warm glow in her chest. She continued standing, but the others took seats on the benches and the edge of the water fountain.

    ¡°She didn''t speak at all,¡± Ree commented.

    ¡°Gods and goddesses often have motives we do not understand.¡± Sophie put her arm over Ree¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don''t take it personally.¡±

    ¡°Why did she come then? What did she need to tell you?¡± Ree asked. She stepped away from Sophie and tried to stretch some of the kinks from her legs. It really bothered her that the gods were asking for her to give up everything and yet couldn''t even speak to her.

    ¡°There have been more deaths than usual, and she wanted to tell me in person. Some of them were people I knew.¡± Sophie said it all very casually, but Ree sensed the hurt under her words.

    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± Ree said. She knew from experience how hard it was to lose people you cared about.

    ¡°Who was it this time?¡± Roland asked. He was leaning nonchalantly against the trunk of a tree.

    ¡°The Sullivans.¡± Sophie didn''t turn to look at him, and Ree felt that was a telling sign. It was like they were trying to keep something from the group.

    ¡°All of them?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She started jogging in place and motioned for the others to get up. ¡°We''re going to do another run. This time we are going to keep pace with Ree and try some different things.¡±

    Ree groaned out loud, she couldn''t help it. Her legs were already sore from running earlier. Sophie smiled and handed her a water bottle. ¡°Hydrate, it will help with the cramps. The more we practice, the easier it will get.¡±

    ¡°Why are we practicing running? Are we never going to fight these things?¡± Bryce had his arm in its usual spot, around Juliette.

    ¡°The best offense is a good defense.¡± Sophie smiled at him. ¡°And you guys aren''t ready to fight yet. So, we learn to run.¡± Leaving no more time for bickering, she took off down the trail at a jog. Everyone followed, Ree in the center of the group. As they ran, Sophie had them move in a pattern around Ree, always making sure to keep her in the middle. Occasionally, she would order someone to drop back, and have them fill in the gap. Ree tried to not think what it would really mean if someone left the group and focused on where she was putting her feet. By the time they were back at the house, Ree figured they had run at least three miles. Her legs felt like rubber, and her chest hurt.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m dying.¡± She flopped onto a bench and let her arms hang over the sides. She had long ago pulled her sweatshirt off and tied it around her waist. Her hair was plastered to her head, and her heart was beating so hard she knew it was going to bust out of her chest at any moment. The others sat on the ground around her and laughed.

    ¡°Stop being a big baby,¡± Weylin said and threw some grass at her.

    ¡°I''m not being a baby. I''m being human! You aren''t even sweating. It''s unnatural,¡± Ree retorted.

    ¡°Huh, you''re right! I''m going to save a ton of money on deodorant,¡± Weylin sniffed his armpit.

    ¡°Oh my god, you are so gross, Weylin,¡± Melanie punched him in the shoulder and he winced, rubbing the spot.

    ¡°Watch it! That hurts, now,¡± he whined.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, no more picking on the girls.¡± Melanie high-fived Juliette. ¡°We might just pick back!¡±

    Ree sat up once her heart had slowed and drank the rest of her water. Her stomach growled, and she looked at Sophie, who laughed.

    ¡°Don''t worry; lunch should be waiting on us.¡±

    Once they were all full of warm, delicious food, Ree wanted nothing more than a nap, but that wasn''t on the agenda. Instead everyone was herded into a large work-out room. There were mirrors along one wall, some exercise equipment and several punching bags. Paden cracked his knuckles and smiled.

    ¡°So, we finally get to punch things?¡± he asked, obviously looking forward to it.

    ¡°Slow your roll, baby god. We are going to work on technique, today.¡± Roland lined up the Guardians in front of the mirror.

    ¡°What about me? Where should I stand?¡± Ree asked from the corner. Roland didn''t answer, just gave Sophie a ''told -you-so'' look.

    ¡°You won''t be fighting, Ree. I''m just letting you regain your strength before we go train your power.¡± Ree looked at her in shock, her mouth hanging open, her eyes angry.

    ¡°You mean to tell me you¡¯re sending me out there to fight some big, mean, Dark One these evil gods picked, but you aren''t going to teach me how to fight?¡± She looked back and forth between Roland and Sophie. It only added to her agitation that the others didn''t look surprised. ¡°What if someone gets through the others? What if I need to protect myself?¡±

    ¡°No one will get through the others when I am done training them,¡± Roland whispered from behind her. She jumped into the air, swinging around to face him. He grabbed her arms to steady her and gave her his sad smile. ¡°And if they do, the only thing you can possibly do to protect yourself is to use the power the gods gave you.¡±

    She snatched her arms out of his grasp and stormed out of the room. She might not be fast or have super strength, but there was no reason for her to not learn technique. She didn''t want to be the little girl huddled behind someone else''s back. Surely there would come a time when she would have to defend herself or at least break someone¡¯s hold on her. She fumed as she walked around the house and out to the gardens. Even the cold air didn''t dampen her anger.

    Eventually she found herself sitting on the dock. Her feet hanging over the edge, she watched the birds circle overhead. The sound of the water slapping the wooden supports helped calm her, but she still thought it was silly to neglect teaching her self-defense. She contemplated trying to get one of the others to teach her, but figured it wouldn''t do her any good. She had seen Paden¡¯s face, and she had a sneaking suspicion no one would go against him. He probably thought that if she learned self-defense she would try to do something dangerous. Ree really hated that he knew her so well.

    The sun was setting, casting a gold glow to everything. She pulled her sweatshirt over her head and wrapped her arms around herself. She really did like this island with all of its trees and wildlife. It was beautiful and would probably only get better when the weather warmed. Fiddling with the edge of her sleeve, Ree thought about everything that was happening. Chosen to protect the entire planet from vampires and evil gods. Today Ree had met a goddess and even been touched by the mighty Brigid. She chuckled to herself. I wonder if there¡¯s a spot for that on a college application.

    She still didn''t know how she was supposed to use the power to fight the Dark Ones. She had somehow managed to kill one in front of the Civic Center, but didn''t really understand what had done the actual killing. She contemplated the warm glow in her chest, and held out her hand. Very carefully, she urged the power into her hand and watched as a glow formed over her open palm. She moved her hand back and forth in front of her and watched as a slight trail followed her fingers.

    ¡°Trying new tricks?¡±

    The glow disappeared and she shot to her feet.

    ¡°Dammit, don''t sneak up on me!¡± she hollered at Paden. She was still angry at him for so many different reasons.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said and held up his hands. ¡°Just don''t throw any green stuff at me, okay?¡±

    She rolled her eyes and sat back down, not in the mood to talk. He sat next to her, his feet swinging over the water.

    ¡°The sunset is beautiful,¡± he said quietly.

    ¡°I''m not really in the mood to talk to you, Paden.¡±

    ¡°Look, I know you¡¯re mad at me and mad about not fighting. But hear me out,¡± he ran a hand through his hair and turned to look at her. ¡°You¡¯re the one that can win this battle, not me or any of the others. Can''t you at least understand why it would be important to keep you safe? We just want to make sure nothing happens to you. The Dark Ones are going to be gunning for the Alastriana, and if you were to try and help one of us they could kill you easily. We can''t let that happen, Ree.¡±

    ¡°So, I''m supposed to act like some kind of prissy girl and not get my hands dirty? It just doesn''t make sense, Paden. What if a Dark One slips past someone ¨C no, hear me out now,¡± she held up a hand to cut him off. ¡°It could happen. Who knows how many we will be up against? If one of them gets hold of me, wouldn''t it make sense for me to know some of the basic stuff? If it delays them for even a second then that gives you guys that much longer to get to me.¡±

    He didn''t respond at first, and she figured he was trying to come up with a way to tear apart her argument.

    ¡°You''re right. You''re right about knowing the basics. If nothing else, it won¡¯t hurt you to learn.¡±

    She looked at him in shock, her eyes wide. Thinking he was going to change his mind and take it back, she didn¡¯t say a word.

    He looked at her and laughed. ¡°What? I mean it. I¡¯ll talk to Sophie and Roland. Even if you never fight a Dark One, you might get mugged.¡± He grinned at her expression. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that it won''t hurt anything for you to learn. And, well, you never know when it might come in handy.¡±

    Her whole face broke into a grin but she fought the urge to throw her arms around in him. ¡°Thanks, Pay.¡± She looked up at him and was relieved to see he was still smiling.

    ¡°So, are you going to stop pouting now and learn how to use your power?¡±

    ¡°I wasn''t pouting! I was trying to not kill anyone so I removed myself from the situation.¡± Ree glared at him, then smiled. ¡°Okay, maybe I was pouting a little bit.¡±

    They joked as they walked toward the house, and she was relieved to feel that they were somewhat back to normal. When they neared the steps she noticed a statue surrounded by a flower bed. The woman reminded her of Brigid, beautiful and dignified, wearing robes that appeared to be flowing in the wind.

    ¡°What was it like to meet your great, great, great-times-two-thousand, grandmother?¡±

    He chuckled and blushed. ¡°It¡¯s kind of surreal to find out you¡¯re related to a god. And then to meet them?¡± He shook his head in amusement.

    ¡°What did she say to you?¡± When he raised an eyebrow at her she smiled and shrugged. ¡°I figure she must''ve said something to make you smile. Only we couldn''t hear it.¡±

    ¡°She said she was proud of me,¡± his voice was embarrassed.

    ¡°She should be,¡± Ree merely nodded.

    Neither of them said anything else. Instead, Ree kept her word and sought out Sophie so that she could learn how to kill Dark Ones. She needed to better understand how it all worked, and then make it work for herself. She thought about how she had created that ball of light and smiled. This wasn''t how she had planned on spending her winter vacation, but she would make the best of it.

    Chapter 21

    Sophie didn''t seem put off by her tantrum, in fact she looked surprised she had come back so soon. She was sitting at a large desk in an office that had walls lined with books. Her laptop was open, and she seemed to be reading email. She closed it when she saw Ree and gave her a big smile.

    ¡°You''re back,¡± she said, standing up.

    ¡°I''m back. But I have questions before we get started. I want some answers,¡± Ree held up her hand to stop Sophie from leaving her desk. This seemed to kill some of the Guardian¡¯s smile, but she nodded.

 Page 16

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    Ree sat down in a giant wingback chair and pulled her legs up under her. She had so many different questions, but decided to stick with the basics. For now.

    ¡°What exactly is the power?¡± Ree really wanted to understand just what it was the flowed in her veins.

    ¡°It is a bit of the larger aspect of Creation. It is what makes up the bits of our soul, and it is in everything. The power you can touch, and the power that is inside of you, lets you manipulate creation in small ways. You can sense things, move things, and use the power as if it were an actual object.¡±

    ¡°Creation? Like the big bang?¡± Ree couldn''t begin to fathom all of the power it would have taken to set the universe into motion.

    ¡°On a much smaller scale. You can''t create a planet, or its inhabitants. You can only adjust things that are already here and on this plane.¡± Sophie rested her chin on the palm of one hand. ¡°It is still a great deal of power. When you think of all the things you can touch here on this planet, the Earth, people, weather, animals, and the Power itself.¡±

    ¡°How come you can touch the power? I thought it was only given to a human.¡±

    Sophie looked down at her desk and shuffled some papers. Ree realized it was an uncomfortable subject, but she needed to understand everything.

    ¡°My sister was an Alastriana. She fought a long hard battle, one that was waged not just against her mind and physical strength but against her heart as well. She suffered a mortal blow I wasn''t able to prevent. When she was dying, she gave me a Death Gift.¡±

    ¡°Death Gift?¡± Ree leaned forward.

    ¡°Yes. With the last of her strength she passed on her ability. I am the only Guardian to ever be able to touch the power.¡±

    ¡°Did that upset the gods?¡± Ree asked.

    ¡°Not in the way you would think. Some Guardians have gifts similar to their godly relatives. It is actually beneficial that I can touch the source; it means I am able to better teach you how to use it.¡±

    ¡°Do the others have any gifts?¡± Ree thought it might be helpful if they could do some extra things as well.

    ¡°It is too early to tell. But you should know that it is a very rare thing. Most are of the normal Immortal variety.¡± Ree chuckled along with Sophie.

    ¡°So, how do I use the power to kill Dark Ones?¡±

    ¡°Well, you will be able to sense them and lead the others to their hideouts. You can use the power almost like a spear, which is what happened in front of the Civic Center. Though, I have to tell you that you got very lucky that time. He was a young bloodhound and not expecting you to be able to call the power. Of course, I don''t think any of us were expecting you to call the power to you so quickly. I could tell it wouldn''t be long, which is why I hired you at the shop, but I didn''t expect it to happen so soon.¡±

    ¡°How long have you been watching me? No offense, but it¡¯s a little creepy. I used to dream people were outside my window all the time. It got really bad just before Trist died.¡±

    ¡°I''ve been in Savannah for almost twenty years. The Dark One population seemed to be growing substantially and the gods sent me to try and keep it down. It became clear this would likely be the place of the last battle, so I stayed. I kept track of all families that seemed to be a good candidate to host the Alastriana. Your family was on the list to be watched.¡±

    ¡°What about the other families? Are there a lot of others out there that have the potential to touch the source?¡± Ree wondered if she might have met any of them.

    Sophie grimaced and looked away from Ree before answering. Her whole profile changed, her shoulders tensed, and her face took on a tired look. ¡°I''ve been fighting the Dark Ones for so long, but I can''t win all of the time. I learned that lesson early on when my sister died. She defeated their warrior, but died in the process. Sometimes, sacrifices are made for the greater good.¡± She turned and looked at Ree, her eyes hard. ¡°The Dark Ones began hunting down the mortal lines that could produce an Alastriana. They have murdered hundreds, even thousands of people. I did my best to protect all of the families in my range, but I can''t save them all.¡±

    Ree swallowed and felt a little sick.

    ¡°You have to understand that for a lot of reasons, I felt like it would be your family that would produce the Alastriana. I was right, and the day your mother named you in the hospital, you became my main concern. While I tried to protect the others, you were the one that had to be kept safe at all costs.¡±

    ¡°Oh man,¡± Ree got up and paced around the room. ¡°They died because you were watching me? Was I really in that much danger?¡±

    ¡°Every Alastriana is in that much danger. The Dark Ones can sense you just as well as you can sense them.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean the Dark Ones have been watching me for that long?¡±

    ¡°They have been stalking your family since you began going to school.¡±

    Ree made another lap around the room, her shoes sinking in the thick carpet as she wore a path in front of the fireplace that was quietly glowing. She stopped in front of the mantel and stared into the flames that were licking the wood. She was tired of feeling frightened and scared of shadows. In fact, she could feel the anger from yesterday gathering in her chest. The flames jumped and started to grow as she watched. Taking a deep breath she calmed herself and the fire returned to a gentle crackle.

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s time to learn what to do.¡±

    Chapter 22

    Sophie nodded and stepped out in front of her desk. She pointed at the fireplace and smiled. ¡°Do it again, but without being angry.¡±

    Ree turned back to the fireplace and concentrated. The flames grew some, but not with the fierceness they had shown earlier. She tried again, this time throwing more of the power at the flames, imagining throwing a bucket of water at the fireplace. The fire grew, sizzling and snapping out of the fireplace, and then died back down. She wiped some sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand.

    ¡°It is one thing to send a burst of power, but it takes much more work to sustain that power.¡±

    Ree nodded and looked at the fire again. She imagined the energy pouring out of her in a stream, and the fire began to steadily grow. She kept adding to it, and watched as the flames continued to grow. Sweat trailed down her face, and she was breathing heavily.

    ¡°You can''t use just your energy. Take energy from around you,¡± Sophie said.

    Ree lost the chord tying her to the fire, and the flames dwindled down to almost nothing. She had been so caught up in the power, she had almost forgotten Sophie was even in the room. She watched as the Guardian threw a few more logs onto the fire. The others had broken and weren¡¯t much more than embers.

    Doing as Sophie suggested, she pulled the energy in the room to her and redirected it at the fire. It was almost like she was a giant siphon, sucking the energy into herself. Concentrating harder than she had ever concentrated in her life, she fed that energy back into the fire. She pushed and gave, trying to act more like a bridge than the actual source.

    ¡°Enough, Ree. You''re going to burn down the house.¡± Sophie touched her shoulder and she jumped into the air and cursed.

    ¡°Sorry, Ree. But the fire was out of the fireplace and crisping the walls!¡±

    Ree sagged to the carpet and took a deep breath. She looked at the fireplace and was surprised there was a large black stain that ran around the bricks, and up the wall toward the ceiling. The mantel clock had black clouding its face, and the flowers in a vase on the end were wilted. The room was darker than when she had started, and she realized night had fallen.

    ¡°How long was I staring at the fire?¡± She rubbed her eyes, noting how tired and worn out they felt.

    ¡°Almost an hour.¡± Sophie sat down on the rug beside her and handed her a bottle of water. ¡°But you did really well.¡±

    After gulping down half of the bottle, she put the cap back on and crossed her legs Indian style. That had been a very serious work out, and she hadn''t moved from one spot. She felt even more tired than when she¡¯d run earlier that afternoon. Sophie let her rest for a little bit longer before taking her outside. They sat on the grass and worked on directing the energy more. Sophie set a glass paperweight shaped like a ball between them.

    ¡°Direct the energy into this ball, carefully lift it into the air, and hold it there.¡±

    ¡°Lift the ball into the air with the power?¡± When Sophie only nodded, Ree shrugged and looked at the paperweight. It was a clear globe, the Earth¡¯s continents etched into the glass. There wasn''t any type of energy coming from the globe, it felt lifeless and empty compared to the plants around her. She pushed a little of her own energy toward the ball, and nothing happened. She tried again, thrusting a little more energy. Again, nothing.

    ¡°Try using what is around the globe,¡± Sophie suggested quietly.

    Use what around the globe? Frustrated she cast her eyes around the clearing. There wasn''t anything but her and Sophie in the garden. No, that wasn''t right. She could feel the plants, the grass, even the earth beneath her rear end humming with their own energy. Shifting gears, she touched the earth with her hand and felt a spike of pleasure when the energy around her surged. The globe wobbled and rolled away from her. Carefully she tried to raise the energy from the earth like a field to lift the globe. The glass ball settled against a root, and rocked back and forth. The more she delved into the earth with her mind, the more power she found. There was so much on this little island that Ree thought she might be able to lift the house. Laughing, she laid both hands on the ground, and the globe soared into the air. She tried shifting the currents, and the globe began to spin in place. She watched it, a smile of pride lighting her face.

    A sharp crack snapped her attention, and the globe fell toward the ground. Her eyes squeezed shut, expecting to be pelted with glass shards, but nothing happened. She opened one eye, just enough to take a peek, and saw the globe hovering an inch above the ground.

    ¡°The real trick is to be able to keep your concentration when there are other things happening around you.¡± Sophie pointed a broken tree branch in her direction. ¡°This was only a twig being snapped. Imagine if things are trying to hurt you.¡± Ree looked at the tree branch and thought that it was nowhere near the size of a twig. Where did she find that branch? I don''t remember seeing that when we sat down.

    The tasks Sophie started setting became more and more difficult. She had to keep the globe floating above the ground while Sophie walked around, trying to distract her. Eventually, once she was able to keep from flinching, she had to step around Sophie. It felt like a dance. The globe was the disco ball floating above their heads. Every step Sophie made, Ree had to counter. Once that was mastered, she moved the globe in a pattern above their head while countering Sophie''s movements. The Guardian added arm movements to their dance, Ree ducking and side-stepping as best she could.

    ¡°Good, good. Spread your awareness as much as you can,¡± Sophie said.

    Ree gritted her teeth, not sure she could answer. To say it was difficult to keep the ball moving in its orbit over their heads while anticipating Sophie''s movements was an understatement.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Ree. Talk to me or we will start singing, or reciting poetry,¡± Sophie demanded. She took her teacher position very seriously. ¡°I''ve always been fond of William Blake. Do you know his poem, ¡®Night¡¯?¡±

    It was all Ree could do to keep up, let alone talk. ¡°I . . . do . . . not . . . want . . . to drop . . . the . . . ball . . . on . . . your . . . head.¡± She stepped around a stone bench and barely missed being hit by the older woman¡¯s outstretched fingers.

    ¡°It is a muscle. The more we use it, the stronger it becomes,¡± Sophie said.

    ¡°Fine . . . I . . . prefer . . . ¡®The Tiger¡¯,¡± Ree panted.

    ¡°Ah yes. ¡®Tiger, Tiger, burning bright,¡¯¡± Sophie said, swinging her arm at Ree¡¯s head.

    ¡°¡®In . . . the forests . . . of the . . . .¡¯¡± Ree stumbled on a root and had to scurry to stay out of the Guardian¡¯s reach. ¡°¡®Night.¡¯¡±

    The glass globe felt like it weighed a hundred pounds at this point, and she was beginning to tire. Sophie jumped over the bench and gave her a little push. If she had the time or energy she might have called her something mean, but as it was she didn''t have the energy to expend. She kept moving, the ball making figure eights in the air.

    Sophie merely smiled and kept coming at her. ¡°¡®What immortal hand or eye,¡¯¡± the Guardian continued.

    Ree kept stepping backwards, and the dance continued near the fountain. At one point she realized she was getting rather close to the cold water in the pool surrounding the fountain. Sophie had a serious glint in her eye, and Ree suspected she was going to up the ante. She tried to step away from the fountain, but Sophie kept pushing her back. ¡°Could . . . frame . . . thy fearful . . . symmetry,¡¯¡± she said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°¡®In what distant deeps or skies,¡¯¡± Sophie continued, ¡°¡®Burnt the fire of thine eyes?¡¯¡±

    Ree¡¯s foot hit the edge of the fountain and her attention snapped toward the cold water. She did not want to take a frozen bath. Just before Sophie could reach over and push her shoulder, she panicked and threw the ball at the tall woman. The Guardian ducked, and Ree stepped behind her. The ball resumed its position circling above her head. She smiled at the woman just before she shoved her at the fountain.

    Sophie¡¯s eyes widened as she fell forward into the basin. Just her upper half hit the water, because she braced her arms and the water wasn''t very deep.

    ¡°On what wings dare he aspire?¡± Ree quoted. ¡°What the hand dare seize the fire?¡±

    Sophie stood up and brushed wet hair out of her eyes. ¡°I''d say I deserved that, but I think we both need a bath.¡±

    A wall of water rose behind her and flew out at Ree. Squealing, she ducked behind a scrawny, leafless bush, the glass globe following her without thought. She hissed when the water fell on her ¨C it was even colder than she had anticipated. Another wall of water rose behind Sophie, and Ree ran for more cover. She dove behind a small utility box and waited for the freezing rain to pelt down on her back. As soon as it fell, she felt for the water behind the Guardian and pulled her own sheet, dunking the older woman with her own trick. Sophie hollered in protest and then started laughing. When Ree peeked around the corner Sophie was gone, and a large ball of water hit her in the face. She squealed and ducked back behind her box wiping her face with her sleeve. She reached out with her senses and searched for the Guardian.

    Sophie was standing along the edge of the forest, behind a giant elm. Carefully, Ree grabbed several bucket-sized amounts of water and floated them toward the woman. She lifted her head to encourage Sophie to step out from hiding, and, as soon as she felt the Guardian shift behind the tree, she launched the water. There was a high-pitched squeal and coughing.

 Page 17

    ¡°Truce! Truce!¡± Sophie hollered, laughing. She carefully walked out of her hiding spot.

    Ree chuckled at her draggled hair and clothes. Then she realized that not only did she also have wet clothes and hair, but there were twigs and dirt stuck to her from rolling around on the ground. The state of her clothes made her laugh even harder and she stood up from her hiding spot.

    ¡°Very good, Ree. You pulled that water without so much as a thought!¡± Sophie pointed above her head. ¡°And the paperweight is still doing patterns.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Ree looked at the glass ball in shock. She held her hand out and brought it to land in her palm. ¡°I forgot all about it.¡±

    Someone clapped from near the house, and Ree saw Roland standing there holding towels. She had never seen anything look more appealing than the giant, fluffy towel he was offering her.

    ¡°If you two are done with your wet t-shirt contest, I started a fire in the den,¡± he said.

    Sophie and Ree made a beeline for the warmth, giggling as they ran.

    Chapter 23

    Ree slept like the dead that night. She had the faintest impression she had nightmares, but didn¡¯t have any coherent memories. Apparently all of the energy she had exerted the night before had really taken its toll. Hoping she didn¡¯t get sick from all of the cold water last night, she decided to wear several layers today. What had they been thinking? At least they had some fun. It had gone a long way toward easing the tension and it allowed Ree to see a more relaxed side of Sophie. For a little while last night she almost felt like they were friends or family, not just mentor and student. Once she was dressed she went to the kitchen, looking for everyone. It was quiet but there was a bunch of muffins on the counter. She grabbed one and a bottle of juice and went in search of her friends. She found them in the garden, and it looked like they had already been running. Today is looking up, she thought. I missed all of the running.

    Melanie waved at Ree as she pulled the door closed behind her. ¡°Hey! We didn''t want to wake you up for the first run. Sophie said you did a lot last night.¡±

    ¡°First run?¡± Wrinkling her nose, Ree hoped that she had heard wrong.

    ¡°Yeah, sorry, Ree. The first one you wouldn''t have been able to keep up. Now that you¡¯re awake, we can practice formations again.¡±

    ¡°Anyone else feel like they¡¯re in boot camp?¡± Weylin asked. Juliette raised her hand and Bryce pushed her shoulder gently in mock disapproval.

    ¡°What? It does a little bit,¡± she said, obviously grumpy.

    ¡°Don''t listen to her. She forgot the tennis shoes that match her outfit for today.¡± Bryce grunted when Jules elbowed him in the gut.

    ¡°Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. So good of you to join us.¡± Roland came out of the house drinking a bottle of water. Ree blushed at his words and gulped the rest of her juice down. She saw Paden out of the corner of her eye. He looked away from them and bent down to retie his shoe laces. She set her bottle down on the bench and stretched. Everyone else was limber and ready to go, so she didn''t stretch for very long. The run started out the same as yesterday, with the others working a protection pattern around her as they ran. Roland was in the lead and would occasionally call out one of their names. That person would drop to the back and keep pace from behind. Ree tried to concentrate on keeping her breathing even. Her legs were sore a lot quicker today, but she thought she remembered that being normal. Hopefully tomorrow it would be a little easier. She stumbled on a root, and when she gained her footing she noticed Roland wasn''t in front of them anymore.

    The others were looking at each other in confusion. They kept running, but their pattern seemed to become tighter, filled with tension. Juliette''s head turned to the side just as a dark shape flew out of the trees. Ree squeaked and bumped into Bryce, but Jules twisted and used Roland¡¯s momentum to throw him back into the woods.

    ¡°Well, this makes it more interesting,¡± Weylin said from the rear.

    ¡°Hush, we have to listen.¡± Paden''s eyes darted around the path.

    Ree felt silly for squeaking like a little girl. Of course it had been Roland. They were raising the stakes. Giving them more real-life scenarios to work through. This was different though; knowing there was something real, someone plotting out there where you couldn''t see them was frightening. Something fell out of the tree they passed under, and Weylin hollered in shock.

    ¡°Tag,¡± Roland said, smiling. His fangs descended, causing dimples in his bottom lip. ¡°You¡¯re out.¡± Then he was gone, with nothing to even tell them what direction he had moved.

    ¡°Dang it. Sorry, guys,¡± Weylin picked himself up off the dirt path. ¡°I guess you go on without me now.¡±

    ¡°We''ll see you at the house,¡± Paden said. Ree smiled at Weylin before he turned and started back to the house. Almost as quickly as Roland had disappeared, she couldn''t see any trace of her friend.

    ¡°All right guys. Tighten up and fill the gap.¡± Paden took the lead again, and Ree was amused to watch everyone do as he said. She mock saluted him. He rolled his eyes at her, but she saw the corners of his mouth twitch. They resumed their earlier pace, and Ree tried to sense where Roland was lurking.

    It was overwhelming to send feelers out into the forest. There was so much life around them that she would normally not notice. She let her body keep rhythm with the others, and drifted further out with her senses. Just as she felt something dark and cold she heard Paden holler at the others. He turned toward the left, but that wasn''t quite right.

    ¡°Up!¡± Ree hollered. Just as Roland came bounding down from the trees in the direction Paden was watching, Bryce barreled into him. They rolled over the ground struggling, and eventually Roland disappeared back into the trees.

    ¡°Does that count as a point for me?¡± Bryce asked as he moved back to his spot. Melanie had adjusted to fill the gap and now moved to her spot in the rear.

    Paden laughed, and Ree gave Bryce a high five. They moved on, and Ree kept trying to find Roland. She couldn''t shake the spooky feeling of being watched and she found herself shivering from the sensation. Putting that aside, she concentrated harder on their surroundings. She felt the animals around them grow still every so often, and she started to sense a pattern. She smiled once she was sure it was Roland. She had him now.

    ¡°Paden.¡± she barely said his name. Ree was trying to be as quiet as possible. ¡°Directly ahead.¡± Reaching out to touch Roland with her power was a unique experience. He didn''t have the same glow the others held, but rather a spark that seemed to be contained in a cage.

    Ree felt Roland and just barely saw a blur ahead of them as he darted across their path. In the next moment, he darted behind them, and Melanie fell to the ground.

    ¡°Well, crap!¡± Mel threw a handful of dirt in the direction he had run.

    The others moved to surround Ree in a triangle. Juliette¡¯s eyes looked worried, and Paden seemed tense.

    ¡°Left!¡± Ree hollered. Bryce ducked, and lashed out with his leg. He must have missed, because Ree didn''t hear anything make contact. She could feel Roland still moving around them, searching for any weakness he could exploit. Suddenly he was still; he was in the road ahead of them.

    ¡°Duck!¡± Paden hollered. Bryce grabbed Ree''s arm and dragged her to the ground. Her breath whooshed out of her lungs, but she didn''t have time to catch it before she was back on her feet and being dragged down the path. Paden pointed toward a tree that was overturned. The giant root ball was taller than any of them. Ree was pushed behind Bryce and Juliette while Paden took point.

    There was the sound of rushing air, and Paden was gone. She heard a loud snap, and then Roland and Paden flashed into the clearing. Fists and feet flew with matched speed as they fought. Roland wore a look of interest as he darted in and out of Paden¡¯s reach. Paden, on the other hand, wore a serious expression; his face sported a thin line of blood from a cut that must have already healed itself. Roland got the upper hand and knocked Paden onto the ground with a swift roundhouse to the head. Paden brushed sand out of his eyes and started to push himself up to stand but seemed a little confused.

    Ree could see that he wasn''t moving fast enough and knew Roland was about to pounce. Without thinking, she thrust her awareness into the earth, and the ground shook. Roland stumbled for just a moment, but regained his feet quickly. Paden managed to stand and turn, but nothing was going to stop Roland at that point. The Dark One was entirely too fast. Caught in the battle waging in front of her, she forgot that it was just a lesson and threw everything she had into the earth. She made a fist and lifted her hand into the air. Energy surged through her and she flung it around Paden. Roland slammed into the shield and snarled, his fangs extended and his eyes angry. Paden smiled over his shoulder at Ree and then said something under his breath to Roland. The Dark One replied just as quietly so that Ree couldn¡¯t hear him, but from Paden¡¯s tense jaw muscles she was pretty sure it must have upset him. Once it was obvious the test was over, Juliette and Bryce relaxed their guard and stepped away from Ree.

    Roland stepped away from the shield and retracted his canines. He bowed to her, his cocky grin back in place. ¡°Well played, my Lady Alastriana.¡±

    ¡°Why thank you, Roland.¡± She bowed her head regally.

    Paden snorted loudly and then shook his head to get the dirt out of his hair.

    ¡°How did we do?¡± Juliette asked.

    Ree didn''t need to hear Roland¡¯s answer. They had lost two of their group during this charade, and that wasn''t acceptable.

    Chapter 24

    They ran the gauntlet twice more that morning. The second time, Sophie joined them and pointed out things they could do differently. She taught Ree how to shift the earth in a way that would not affect their group. She also taught her how to cause sink holes and areas where the earth thrust up out of the ground. That last one was tricky because of how quickly the Dark Ones moved and how slow she was as a mortal. It still upset her that she was the one holding everyone up.

    After a hearty lunch, she went with the others to work on martial art forms, and to learn the basics on self-defense. Because of how strong the others were, Roland refused to let them work with Ree. He didn''t think they truly understood their strength yet and might accidently hurt her. Considering Paden snapped the metal ballpoint pen he was playing with in half, Ree couldn¡¯t help but agree.

    The others worked on the forms that Roland had taught them the night before while he tried to catch her up.

    ¡°Feet shoulder width apart,¡± he instructed. ¡°Fists in front of each hip.¡±

    She followed his instructions to the letter, not wanting them to take back the agreement to let her train. Roland didn''t seem too upset when she followed them to the work-out room. He also seemed very amused by Paden''s discomfort. Ree really wished they would get along. She didn''t know a lot about Roland, but she sensed good in him. And he was working very hard to make sure they knew what they were doing. Paden¡¯s hostility really made no sense to her. If she didn''t know any better she would think he was jealous of the time Roland was spending with her. But she did know better. Paden had crushed any hope she had about his feelings toward her. She was Tristan''s little sister and that was all.

    Lost in her thoughts she didn''t hear something Roland said, and turned in his direction just as he was leaning closer. They bumped foreheads as he was leaned down to get her attention.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± she said, rubbing her head. ¡°Sorry, Roland.¡±

    ¡°Where did you go, little Ree? Because you weren''t here with me,¡± he said and touched his forehead ruefully.

    ¡°Sorry, sometimes my mind goes off on tangents,¡± she said sheepishly.

    ¡°Hm. Well, let¡¯s try to focus so no one gets hurt.¡± He smiled at her so she knew he wasn''t mad.

    He went about showing her each step in the kata, repositioning her legs and arms when they weren''t quite right. She tried not to notice how much her heart jumped when he touched her, but it was hard to ignore. She still didn''t know if the others could hear her heartbeat, but there was also the fact that they could sense things about her. The last thing she wanted to go through was a lecture about being attracted to a Dark One. She didn''t need anyone to tell her she was crazy; she already knew.

    Roland moved to correct Weylin''s arm movements, and Juliette looked over at Ree and mouthed the word, ¡°Hot.¡± Ree raised her eyebrow at Jules and smiled. Well, it didn''t look like Juliette would be lecturing her. Melanie, on the other hand was frowning in her direction. She wasn''t unfriendly to Roland, but she also didn''t seem happy when he was giving her one-on-one attention. Ree could understand her being conflicted about him. Dark Ones had killed her father, and tried to hunt her and her mother down. That was really serious stuff, and Mel had a right to be distrustful around Roland. Of course, that was true for all of them. Roland was a different issue though; there was so much emotion alive in him.

    Paden worked on a punching bag, his arms and legs moving so fast she could barely see more than a blur. He had stripped down to a white wife-beater and his sweatpants hung low on his hips. His brows were pulled together, his mouth tense, and his hair was a sweaty mess. She realized she was staring when Melanie cleared her throat and Juliette chuckled. Ree turned red and quickly faced back to the mirror in front of her and resumed practicing the movements Roland had taught her.

    The more she moved through the kata, the more it made sense. Block with left arm, step with right foot, and so on. Cold fingers slipped from behind her around the arm she had raised in front of her face, and she tried to not jump.

    ¡°Stiffen your arm, it has to be strong when you block.¡± Roland led her through the next step, his body behind hers as she stepped to the left and pivoted. ¡°Tilt your hips a little more. Swing this arm down hard.¡±

    Ree¡¯s heart fluttered in her chest as she became aware of the heat from his body on hers, but she tried to focus on what he was saying. She did as he told her and could feel the difference in the moves. There was now power in the movements instead of the halfhearted steps she was doing beforehand. He moved away from her to watch, and she worked through the kata several more times. By the time she had finished the kata four times, the others had begun sparring and she couldn''t concentrate on anything but them. They had broken into groups and were moving so fast Ree was straining to keep up with who was winning the various matches. Every once in a while one of them would laugh or grunt. The air in front of her swished as one of them ran past, and she stepped back, surprised. She turned to follow the direction of air flow and was shocked to see Jules doing a backflip off of the wall.

 Page 18

    Bryce was next to her in a second, and flipped her over his shoulder. She landed with a thud, but scissor-kicked her legs and was standing instantly. She knelt and punched him in the gut, which caused him to double over. Ree was shocked when Jules laughed at him and threw a knee toward his head. He knocked it away and threw her to the mat, where he pinned her.

    ¡°I told you to not take it easy on me.¡± Jules laughed. Bryce growled at her and started to get up but she pulled him back down, distracting him with a kiss. Ree looked away, not wanting to intrude on their moment.

    ¡°Get a room, guys,¡± Paden said from behind her. Ree snorted before turning to smile at him. His eyes were relaxed and a grin slowly spread across his face.

    ¡°You''d think kissing the same person would get old,¡± Ree joked.

    ¡°Not if it''s the right person.¡± His eyes were serious, even though he was still smiling. She looked away from him, not wanting to think about what that might mean. Roland was nowhere to be seen, and the clock on the wall said she had been working out for several hours. She still needed to work with Sophie tonight, and that was going to be exhausting.

    ¡°Where did Roland go?¡± she asked while grabbing a towel to wipe off her face.

    ¡°I think he said something about finding Sophie. Why?¡± Suspicion laced Paden¡¯s voice and rankled along her skin. Ree shrugged and laid the towel over her shoulder.

    ¡°I just noticed he was gone. Want to grab some food before my next practice session?¡± She nodded toward the door, trying not to notice that Jules and Bryce were still wrapped around each other. Weylin and Melanie were working on the other side of the room, so it left Paden with nothing to do.

    ¡°Sure.¡± He grabbed a towel and followed her out of the room.

    They moved through the giant house and headed for the kitchen. Paden grabbed her shoulder as they neared the office and motioned for her to be quiet. She raised her eyebrows in question, but he just tilted his head toward the open door. She got as close as possible, careful to be silent. She had to concentrate at first to be able to hear, but then she realized it was just Roland and Sophie talking. She gave Paden an annoyed look and started to walk into the room, but he motioned for her to stay where she was and listen.

    ¡°It has been almost two weeks,¡± Sophie said quietly. Ree cocked her head to try and hear better.

    ¡°I can wait a little longer,¡± Roland said.

    Ree heard someone moving, and Sophie''s voice seemed to get closer.

    ¡°We can''t take that chance. I can see the hunger in your eyes, and you need to be in peak form at all times.¡±

    ¡°And where does that leave you?¡± Roland was angry, his frustration washed out of the room in waves.

    Ree shifted further away from the door and bumped into Paden¡¯s chest. He put a hand on her waist to steady her and to keep her from moving again. She looked up, and there was a dark look twisting his features.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You have to enroll at school with her on Monday. She can''t be alone, especially with the Half Bloods running around. You need to feed,¡± Sophie said.

    Ree shook her head in irritation. Not only did she have five Guardians attuned to her emotions, she was going to be shadowed by Roland? She would never be able to fly under the radar with him tagging along. She would be lucky if the other girls in the school didn¡¯t lynch her for simply knowing him. People would never understand why someone like Roland would be spending time with her, a lowly art nerd. It was strange enough that the others treated her like a normal person. Everyone else seemed to think that she was damaged goods.

    ¡°Ah, school. That should be fun,¡± Roland sighed.

    ¡°Stop whining. You know why it has to be you. I look too old to do it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, lucky me. Stuck at nineteen for eternity.¡± A deep sigh seeped from him. ¡°But I agree. She can¡¯t go to school alone. Even with the others, she needs more security.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this before they start looking for you,¡± Sophie sounded agitated.

    ¡°At least let me ¨C¡± Roland began, but she cut him off.

    ¡°No. If you use your pheromones I will stop letting you feed from me.¡± Sophie¡¯s voice rose in anger and it sounded as if she had thrown something down on her desk. Ree¡¯s head jerked backwards, hitting Paden¡¯s chest. She had never heard Sophie so angry. And Roland was going to drink from Sophie?

    ¡°It has been a century. We can¡¯t be sure she is Tria.¡±

    Ree¡¯s eyebrows drew together in confusion. Who was Tria?

    ¡°She was my sister, and I will not make this easy on either of us. Do it!¡± Sophie¡¯s voice, again.

    Paden rushed past Ree and into the room, but she was right on his heels. When she rounded the corner, it was just in time to see Roland strike. His fangs sank into Sophie''s left wrist, and she fell to her knees, her eyes closed in pain. Roland looked up at them through heavily lidded eyes that were a shiny, bright, nearly glowing blue. She realized they were swirling with Sophie''s magic.

    ¡°Let go of her,¡± Paden said angrily.

    ¡°No.¡± Pain and frustration laced through Sophie¡¯s voice. ¡°Has to feed.¡±

    ¡°I thought he drank blood from bags!¡±

    ¡°Needs immortal blood. Faster, stronger.¡± Sophie started to look ashen, and Roland slowed down. His eyes were on Ree the entire time his mouth gulped from the Guardian¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Ree said. ¡°You''ve had enough.¡±

    Roland pulled back, his fangs glinting with red blood. He closed his mouth and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes continued to swirl for a little longer as Sophie¡¯s magic worked through his body. He didn''t try to apologize or make excuses for what he was doing. Instead, he went and sat on the couch, his head leaning forward as if he was thinking.

    Ree helped Sophie to her feet and moved her to the leather desk chair. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Some juice, please.¡±

    Ree grabbed a bottle of orange juice out of the small cooler hidden in the book shelf and brought it to the older woman. Sophie looked very weak, so she twisted the cap off before handing it to her. The Guardian drained half the bottle and leaned back in her chair. There was an uneasy silence in the room as everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Ree glanced at Paden; his face was impassive as he looked from Roland to Sophie, then Ree. His eyes stayed on her the longest, and she could almost feel his thoughts percolating around in his brain. He was disgusted by Roland, worried about Sophie, and wishing he could take Ree away from it all.

    ¡°Does it always hurt like that? When a Dark One drinks from someone?¡± Ree asked. She could taste bile in the back of her mouth, but swallowed and focused on Roland. She needed to know as much as possible, and she was starting to believe that if she didn''t ask they would never tell her.

    ¡°No,¡± Roland said angrily. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to hurt. It can even be pleasant if she would let me make it so.¡±

    ¡°Roland,¡± Sophie said sharply. Her eyes were angry, but there was a shadow under them that killed the severity. With a pained look, she glanced at Ree and then back to Roland. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this.¡±

    ¡°She asked, and I am inclined to answer,¡± Roland replied. He got up and walked toward Ree, his eyes dark and intense. ¡°Most victims want to be bitten. They beg for their life to be drained from them.¡± He circled behind Ree, his voice raising goose bumps along her skin. She turned to watch him and heard Paden growl. She had asked Roland to tell her because she wanted to know. Needed to know.

    ¡°There are gifts that come with being a Dark One. When we are hungry, when we hunt, our body releases pheromones that attract victims. We can walk into a room, and there will be a dozen willing meals.¡± He leaned in toward her and she shivered. Without thought her body moved closer to him and his lips curved up in a small smile. ¡°We are attractive, we are deadly, and people want us. They want us beyond reason.¡± He toyed with the ends of her hair, and she closed her eyes. It felt good to have his hands on her, even if it was just her hair.

    ¡°Right now, you feel it. The desire to give me whatever I might want,¡± he whispered, pressing his body against Ree¡¯s. Her breathing grew heavy as her body ached for more attention.

    ¡°Leave her alone.¡± Paden''s voice was deep and husky. She could hear the clipped words that meant his fangs were descended. Knowing he was watching snapped her out of the haze she was under. She opened her eyes and looked at Roland. There was so much hiding behind the blue of his eyes: anger, excitement, pain and longing, all battling to take control. She took a step back, sucking in a deep breath.

    ¡°That is how it begins. Only it gets better, so much better once we bite you. There is no fight, unless the Dark One wants you to fight.¡± He looked away from her. ¡°But believe me, most of them like a good fight.¡±

    He moved toward the other side of the room, and she sucked in another lungful of air. With each new breath she became more ashamed of her reaction.

    ¡°You could have just told me,¡± she snapped at Roland, embarrassed. It was his fault she had acted like a drunken coed.

    ¡°A picture is worth a thousand words,¡± Roland said quietly. ¡°You can''t really understand the power they have unless you experience it.¡±

    She shook her head, not willing to accept that answer. Paden had moved up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. She shook it off, not willing to let him act possessive. He had no right to act like he was her brother or boyfriend. After all, he had made it apparent he only cared for her because of a promise. She took a step toward Roland and pointed a finger at him.

    ¡°Don''t ever do that again,¡± she said.

    ¡°Scout¡¯s honor.¡± He crossed his heart, then smiled. ¡°Unless you ask me to.¡±

    She shook her head, too angry to say anything else to him. Instead she turned toward Sophie and asked the question she thought Sophie had been avoiding.

    ¡°Why won''t you let him use the pheromones if you want to feed him?¡±

    ¡°I will not feel that way about him,¡± she said shortly. ¡°I will not betray my sister in that manner.¡±

    ¡°Your sister?¡± Ree asked, confused.

    ¡°They were intended,¡± Sophie said.

    Paden and Ree both turned to look at Roland, but he was gone.

    Chapter 25

    Ree scooted her stool closer to the kitchen island and used her fingertip to pick up the chip crumbs on her plate. Paden threw the butter knife he was using into the sink and closed the mayonnaise jar. He dropped onto the stool next to her and took a big bite out of his sandwich before snagging the pickle off of her plate.

    ¡°They turned her intended into a Dark One?¡± Ree said for the twentieth time. It was horrible to think of how that long-ago girl must have felt. One moment they were going to be married, the next he was trying to suck her life away. Had he been so in love with that previous Alastriana that even being changed hadn''t killed his feelings?

    ¡°At least you don''t have to worry about that with any of us,¡± Paden said between bites.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Curiosity made her turn to face him. Soft shadows highlighted the planes of his face as he finished chewing a mouthful of sandwich.

    ¡°They can''t turn a Guardian. Once the change was ignited it meant we couldn''t become a Dark One.¡±

    ¡°What about before the change?¡± Spinning her plate around with her finger, she tried to not look nervous.

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re attracted to the people that have the gene, but they usually just drain them.¡± Shrugging, he took another bite of his lunch.

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Ree stood up and put her plate in the sink. ¡°I know nothing. No one tells me anything.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess they think you have other things to worry about.¡±

    ¡°I have everything to worry about.¡± Leaning on the counter, she picked at the edge of her shirt. She swallowed the lump in her throat when she thought about everyone being put in danger. She couldn''t stand that it was because of her.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Paden moved toward her and squeezed her shoulder. ¡°It isn''t your fault we''re in this mess.¡± She shrugged his hand off and turned away from him. ¡°Please don''t do that.¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    She wiped her nose on her sleeve and hoped her voice didn''t sound hoarse. His hand touched her shoulder again and gently turned her toward him.

    ¡°Don''t shrug me away.¡± His eyes were dark and serious. ¡°I know you¡¯re mad at me, but don''t push me away.¡±

    ¡°You know what? Just stop, Paden. There is no reason to pretend I am anything other than an obligation to you. You made it clear you¡¯re only my friend because you made a promise to Tristan. I get it. That doesn''t mean you have to tell me everything is going to be okay.¡± She started to turn away again, but he tightened his grip on her.

    ¡°I didn''t say that was the only reason I was your friend. I just¡­¡± He looked down and then back into her eyes. ¡°I thought you understood. If I care too much, then I can''t take care of you like a sister.¡± He swallowed but didn''t look away.

    Sniffing, she looked up at him with confusion in her eyes.

    He sighed and smiled a little. ¡°Ree, you are so beautiful. Do you know that? It makes it impossible to think of you as I should. But I¡¯m trying to keep my promise. I''m supposed to take care of you like a sister. I don''t think Tristan would appreciate it if I did what I want to do.¡± His cheeks colored a little, and he looked down at the ground. ¡°God, I''m so lame.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think his sister would appreciate it?¡± His face looked horrified, so she smiled to let him in on the joke. ¡°Really, you think I¡¯m beautiful?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡± His fingers were gentle as they brushed the hair out of her eyes and lingered on her cheek. Unconsciously she leaned into his hand and sighed. Several moments passed while they stood like that, still and lost in their thoughts. Carefully, she raised her hand and laced her fingers through his. Leaning down he rested his forehead against hers, and her heart thumped in her chest. A small smile played along his lips and she blushed.

    ¡°You can hear that, can''t you?¡±

    ¡°Mmhmm.¡±

    ¡°Not fair,¡± she whispered. Lifting their entwined hands, he placed her palm on his chest. The warmth of him flowed up her arm, leaving a wave of heat behind. Standing very still, blood rushing in her ears, she could feel his heart beating under her fingers. When she shifted closer to him the rhythm spiked, and it was her turn to smile. ¡°I thought you were convinced I was just a kid.¡±

 Page 19

    ¡°I don''t want to notice you aren''t a kid. I don''t want to break my promise, Ree. But I want¡­¡± He swallowed audibly, his heart thudding under her hand.

    Tilting her head so their noses brushed, she edged closer to him. When his hand moved to her waist, electric shocks radiated out from his fingers to wash over her body.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked quietly, her voice husky.

    ¡°I just want you.¡± His lips skimmed over her cheek and then moved slowly to her mouth. He pulled back just a little and looked into her eyes, so many emotions in his expression. Not wanting for the moment to pass, she placed her free hand on the back of his neck and titled her head upwards in invitation. His warm lips brushed over hers gently and his hand tightened on her waist. His breath was warm and his lips were gentle but purposeful as he tested the waters. When his lips parted hers for a deeper kiss she moaned gently. Never could she have imagined it would be like this, with fire racing under her skin. His fingers on her waist softly massaged small circles, making her shirt bunch up and he brushed the skin of her waist. Her breath caught, and his hand slid under her shirt onto the small of her back. Their kiss took on a new intensity, her body desperate to be as close to his as possible.

    Lost in Paden, nothing else in the world existed but this moment for Ree. She had wanted him ¨C to touch him ¨C for so long the relief of finally kissing him was almost painful. He pulled away from her mouth and she made a sound of distress, but he simply moved to nuzzle her neck before placing delicate kisses on her cheek and forehead. Then he was back, his lips soft and hungry for hers. The edge of the counter pressed into her back as he leaned into her, but she didn''t care; only touching Paden mattered. His heart was pounding under her fingers with an intensity she hadn¡¯t known she could inspire. Somehow through the fog her mind noted that their heartbeats matched; they beat in unison. While wrapped in his arms, she had found the one place she truly belonged.

    Someone cleared their throat from the door way, and Ree jerked her head back, startled. Paden¡¯s face was a war of emotions. Shock, pleasure, and guilt washed off of him in waves. His breathing was heavy, and he obviously took a moment to compose himself before responding.

    ¡°What do you want, Roland?¡± asked Paden.

    Ree''s eyes widened and blood rushed to her cheeks. She peeked under Paden¡¯s arm to see the Dark One leaning nonchalantly against the kitchen door.

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt this beautiful moment, but Sophie is looking for Ree. She was supposed to come back for her training.¡± His smirk was firmly in place and Ree suspected it was one of his personal defenses. Somewhere in her heart she knew it was her fault his walls were up in full force. ¡°And we still have weapons training tonight. If you feel up to the challenge, that is.¡±

    Paden turned away from Ree; his back was stiff and his stance was angry. She stepped away from the counter, sad such a beautiful moment was ending on such a sour note.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means, that if you are finished acting like a horny teenager we have work to do.¡± Roland drew himself up to his full height.

    ¡°That is not what I was doing,¡± Paden snapped.

    ¡°No, I get it. You were just capitalizing on what I started earlier, hmm?¡±

    Ree sucked in her breath, her face on fire. A deep growl vibrated through Paden''s shoulders and he threw himself across the counter. There was only a moment of hesitation before Ree erected a wall between them with her power.

    She hadn''t seen Roland move, but he was pressed against the energy, staring at Paden with disgust. ¡°Don''t try me, young one. You aren''t ready yet.¡±

    Paden snorted and looked at Ree over his shoulder. She knew what he wanted, and she wasn''t about to give it to him. Shaking her head, she faced Roland and did her best to look stern and commanding. She had to do something to stop the situation before it escalated.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be out in a minute, Roland. If you see Sophie on your way to the training room, tell her I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±

    Roland''s mouth dropped open for a moment and then he chuckled. He stepped back to the doorway and leaned against it.

    ¡°Alastriana, you aren''t quite ready to lead this little group, so forgive me for not obeying. I promise to behave, but I must take the young blood with me,¡± he replied. To his credit he didn''t sound snide or condescending. ¡°Besides, I am thinking you don''t have enough time for a private conversation. I can hear the others coming this way right now.¡±

    Even without enhanced hearing the sound of the others running through the hall was hard to mistake. They rushed past the Dark One and barely stopped short when they saw the glimmer of the power in front of Paden.

    ¡°What''s going on?¡± Bryce demanded. His eyes darted between Paden and the Roland, obviously sensing that was the real problem.

    ¡°It was nothing. A misunderstanding,¡± Ree said blithely. She dropped the power and walked toward the door, doing her best to not meet anyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sorry I upset everyone. I have to meet up with Sophie for my training.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already here.¡± Sophie said walking into the room. Other than the dark circles under her eyes, there was nothing to announce she had fed Roland a short while ago. ¡°And I''d like to know what is going on, as well.¡±

    Ree knew she looked like a deer caught in headlights; she could even feel her palms start to sweat when everyone focused on her.

    ¡°The young lady was angry at me for making jokes. No harm done as long as she will accept my apology.¡± Roland bowed his head at Ree.

    ¡°Ree?¡± Melanie asked quietly. Her eyes held a thousand questions. Ree shook her head to try and deter any more questions. She faced Roland and gave him a forced smile.

    ¡°I accept your apology Roland.¡± He held out his hand to shake and she responded in turn, only to have him brush a kiss over her fingers instead. There was a soft growl from behind her, and she silently begged Paden to behave. It was upsetting enough that Roland had witnessed her first kiss. She didn''t want to have to give anyone else an explanation of what had happened. Some secrets a girl should get to keep for herself.

    She glared at Roland and walked out of the room to forestall any more questions. She could hear the others following her out of the kitchen, but she refused to look behind her to make sure Paden and Roland were with them.

    Chapter 26

    ¡°Are you going to tell me what really happened?¡± Sophie asked as she closed the office door.

    Ree grimaced and kept practicing making the flames jump in the fireplace. She could still feel where Paden had touched her, and the fire seemed to understand. Sophie sat down next to her and waited patiently for an answer.

    ¡°Roland was angry we took so long before coming back to train,¡± she said and hoped that would be enough to satisfy the older woman. ¡°And Paden took offense.¡±

    ¡°Roland does not get angry very easily. Though, he does seem to be having a hard time getting along with your Paden.¡± Ree saw a slight smile curl the corners of Sophie''s lips. ¡°Have you considered the possibility that Roland might be jealous?¡±

    ¡°Why on earth would he be jealous?¡± Ree asked, startled.

    ¡°Roland usually treats the Alastriana with respect, and keeps his distance. Yet, he has gone out of his way to be near you. Even allowing you to train with the others.¡±

    ¡°This is the last battle. He has as much invested in winning as the rest of us do,¡± Ree pointed out. Sophie shrugged.

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Though I¡¯m sure it doesn''t help to see how Paden feels about you,¡± Sophie continued. ¡°The gods play dangerous games and stack the odds the best they can.¡±

    ¡°I literally have no idea what you mean by that.¡± Ree shook her head. ¡°I need a manual or something. Is there a book I can read to help figure this stuff out? Why should it matter how Paden looks at me? And what do the gods have to do with that?¡±

    ¡°The Alastriana and her Guardian are always tied together in some way that makes them close. For me, Tria was my sister-sister. For others, they are friends, cousins, lovers. Sometimes even soul mates.¡± Ree gasped and the flames in the fireplace flared.

    ¡°Soul mates?¡± Interest colored Ree¡¯s words. ¡°Is there really such a thing?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. They often incarnate together, but not always.¡± Sophie grabbed another bottle of juice out of her fridge and sat down on a sofa.

    ¡°Incarnate?¡± Ree asked confused.

    ¡°Yes, reincarnation is not a myth. In fact, some of the Alastrianas have been cycled more than once.¡± Sophie took a long swig from her bottle and recapped it.

    ¡°Are you saying the gods would send soul mates as an Alastriana and her Guardian?¡± Ree looked at Sophie, disgusted. ¡°That¡¯s cruel.¡±

    ¡°I know of only one case where they did just that. It was to ensure that no matter what, the Guardian would do everything in his power to protect the Alastriana.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn''t they do that anyway?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but there is a special connection between soul mates. It allows them to go beyond their normal strength to protect the other.¡± Ree could almost understand the logic of such a heartbreaking ploy.

    ¡°Did the soul mates survive?¡± Ree asked, hoping to find a way to honor their sacrifice. She wondered if Roland and her sister had been soul mates. It was such a tragic thought that she felt her anger with him dwindling away.

    ¡°It doesn''t matter now. The only thing you need to focus on is the task at hand.¡± Ree shook her head in frustration.

    ¡°Why do I feel like you guys are hiding so much? I have yet to get a direct answer from you on just about anything. Seriously, I think I can count on one hand the times you¡¯ve answered a question where I wasn''t left with eighteen more questions. Do you guys train for that? Have a seminar on the weekends?¡± Ree flung herself back so that she was lying on the thick carpet. ¡°You are so frustrating.¡±

    Sophie rolled her eyes and chuckled. ¡°Come on, were going outside for more training.¡±

    ¡°Can''t we stay in here? It¡¯s so much warmer in here,¡± Ree whined. She knew she was being unreasonable, but she was tired and had so much going through her mind. She also didn''t want to risk being dumped in the fountain.

    ¡°Up, you big baby! We have work to do,¡± Sophie held out her hand and pulled Ree to her feet. The younger girl sighed and stretched.

    ¡°Okay, but I''m really going to gripe if you hit me with any freezing water.¡±

    Once they were outside, Sophie had her juggle several objects while doing their special dance steps. It was no longer a strain for Ree to lift and move things. She barely even thought about calling the power. Instead she focused on trying to keep from being clumsy, which was a huge task in its own right.

    They worked for hours moving things and dodging things, using shields to block things that were thrown at Ree. After a while she collapsed onto a bench and pulled her sweatshirt off to use as a pillow. She stared up at the dark sky and watched thick clouds roam over the stars and moon.

    ¡°I want you to tell me how this normally works. Do we hunt down the Dark Ones? Do we have a scheduled battle with the Big Bad Dark One? Do I need to run up and hit him in the face with a glove and declare a duel? What?¡±

    Sophie sat on the ground in front of her and leaned against the bench. She picked up a few pebbles from the ground and ran them through her fingers like a worry stone. She shook her head and laughed at Ree.

    ¡°As funny a mental picture as that is, please don''t run around hitting anyone with gloves.¡± She opened her palm and the pebbles floated in a lazy circle before drifting to land on the ground. ¡°To answer your question: each battle is different, as is the Dark One, and that is the true challenge. Dark Ones that were originally human can be killed several ways, though none of them are easy. Fire, a stake through the heart, and beheading will kill the Dark One. If the Dark One is one of the originals brought by the Dark Gods then it is much harder. They are immune to fire, and a stake will not kill them, though it will slow them down. The only sure way to kill them is by beheading.¡±

    ¡°And yet the gods send me to kill them? The small, pathetic human?¡± Bitterness laced through her words.

    ¡°It is your power that makes it possible for them to die. With practice you will be able to hold the Dark One so they cannot escape. The Dark One that will be their champion will be much stronger, much faster, and much harder to kill. And you are the one that must finish him off. You can use your power like a weapon, or just get close enough to kill him in one of the more physical ways. But it must be you who delivers the death blow.¡±

    ¡°How do you use the power to kill them?¡± Ree sat up and brushed the loosehair that had escaped her ponytail away from her face.

    ¡°You gather as much power as you possibly can hold, more than you have ever held before, and thrust it into their hearts.¡± Pushing off from the ground, Sophie stretched, touching her toes and bending this way and that. ¡°You¡¯ve already done it once, even if it was an accident. Thankfully, he was very new and hadn''t fed at that point. So even though your attack wasn''t organized or controlled it still worked and saved the two of you.¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m walking into all of this blind,¡± Ree said. ¡°Nothing is easy or clear. Just a big, convoluted mess.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe you can write a manual someday.¡± Sophie laughed. ¡°I think we are going to call it a night. We are both tired and need to rest.¡±

    Ree yawned as if on cue and headed toward the house. Her friends were heading out the door and it looked like they were going to be working with their swords while running. They were a complete contradiction to watch as they laughed and joked while gracefully carrying their weapons. Weylin ruffled her hair and she shoved him playfully.

    ¡°Remember, pointy end toward the enemy, Wey,¡± she teased.

    ¡°Don''t worry; I know how to use my sword.¡± Weylin waggled his eyebrows, and she made a gagging sound. Paden laughed at Weylin, but kept walking without saying anything. Feeling a little taken aback she watched him head in the direction of the others that were waiting on the trail. Not wanting to take offense for no reason, she decided to try and talk to him before she went in to shower. She jogged toward him, but he was moving with the fast, graceful gait of the Immortals.

    ¡°Hey, Paden,¡± she called to get his attention. He didn''t stop, but there was a small hitch in his step. She slowed and came to a stop, watching him walk further away. There was no way he hadn''t heard her, his new super hearing was too good. Her stomach clenched in hurt and anger. So, he was back to ignoring her. Infuriated, she stomped into the house and slammed the door behind her.

 Page 20

    ¡°Gah! Boys are so stupid!¡± She yelled with her fists clenched at her sides. She didn''t care if the others could hear her. Paden wasn''t making any sense at all. How could he jerk her around like this? She had just gotten her first kiss, and then he turns around and acts like nothing had happened. She thought they had made progress. She headed for her room, thoroughly ticked off. She wanted a long shower and to be left alone.

    ¡°So, is it all males in general? Or just the younger version?¡±

    Ree turned around and stared at Roland angrily. He was buckling a sword and sheath around his narrow waist as he walked down the hall.

    ¡°Right now? I''m thinking they¡¯re stupid no matter how old they get.¡± Suddenly she was aching for a fight and it might as well be Roland that caught the brunt. After all, he was the one that had ruined her perfect moment in the kitchen.

    ¡°Ah, I see your boyfriend is being pigheaded.¡± He gave her a soft smile. ¡°But his loyalty is admirable.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a little skewed.¡± She snorted. Boyfriend, yeah right. ¡°So, do you want to tell me what all of that in the kitchen was about? Why were you acting like such a jerk?¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry about that.¡± He smiled at her sadly. ¡°I shouldn''t have done that.¡±

    ¡°I know that already. What I want to know is why?¡±

    ¡°You don''t really look like her, you know. Tria was your height, but she had this lovely dark hair that reached her waist. Her eyes were the softest brown.¡±

    Ree stared at him and had the faint hope that her mouth wasn''t hanging open. She wasn''t sure what she was expecting, but it wasn''t this. What did this have to do with anything?

    After a moment, Roland continued. ¡°But she had this amazing amount of courage, just like you do. She was thoughtful like you are, and so very funny. People were drawn to her, wanted to be around her. There is something so similar between you.¡± The anger drained out of her as she heard the heartbreak in his voice. The pain was almost enough to bring tears to her eyes. For just a moment, Ree could see the boy he had been, not the adult trapped in a teenager¡¯s body.

    ¡°I''m sorry, Roland. I can tell that you really loved her.¡± She leaned against the wall and slid down to sit in the hallway. With little hesitation he joined her on the floor, leaning his head back against the wall. The sword belted at his waist jutted out to the side, away from them both. ¡°I feel like my life is on fast forward, you know? I''m so frustrated with everything, and I took it out on you.¡±

    ¡°You were right to be angry. I shouldn''t have behaved that way, but when I saw him with his hands on you. . . .¡± He stopped and looked at the ground in front of him. ¡°I wanted to rip his arms off.¡±

    ¡°I''m not Tria, Roland.¡± Her voice was quiet, but firm.

    ¡°Would you know?¡± He shook his head and smiled before looking up at her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now, Ree. The only thing that does matter is making sure you and the others are able to beat the Dark Ones.¡±

    ¡°Roland, I¡¯m not Tria.¡± Ree¡¯s voice was quiet, but her need to comfort him was overwhelming. She reached a hand over and laid it gently on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m just me. Ree McKenna.¡±

    ¡°You are not just anything.¡± His eyes flashed like lightning and he briefly covered her hand with his.

    Ree wasn''t sure how to respond to that. She didn''t think it really had anything to do with her at all, but he probably would be insulted if she said so. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just let it go, okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to let it go for now. I am sorry I baited your Paden. I shouldn''t have said what I did.¡± His voice sounded like he truly meant it.

    ¡°He isn''t my anything. I don''t know what¡¯s going on with Paden. And really, I''m not sure I can spare the brain power to worry about it.¡± She braced her elbows on her knees and leaned forward. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s so much to digest right now.¡±

    ¡°It is never easy. Not once has an Alastriana said, ¡®Oh, Okay. No problem.¡¯¡± He smiled and she chuckled. ¡°Most of them get very angry when they find out the truth. I once heard a story about an Alastriana that refused to acknowledge her powers. She was from a very wealthy family and was convinced she was being kidnapped for a ransom.¡±

    ¡°What, the green glow and scary fangs weren''t enough to clue her in?¡± Ree asked.

    Roland chuckled in agreement. ¡°I am told she thought it was a ploy to brainwash her. She kept asking them where the green lights were hidden.¡±

    ¡°No way.¡± Ree laughed and was surprised to find her mood lightening. Roland had a way of making her feel at ease.

    ¡°Way.¡± He nodded. ¡°When she finally came around, she turned all of that stubbornness on the Dark Ones. She died of old age many years later.¡± He stood up and held out his hand to Ree. She took it and let him pull her to her feet. ¡°I must get going. The young bloods should be nearing the end of their run.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I want to try and get some extra sleep tonight,¡± she said and tried to not look down at the hand he was still holding. Her cheeks felt warm, and she wondered how she could go from being so angry with him to blushing when he touched her. His thumb stroked the back of her fingers and she tugged lightly to pull away.

    ¡°Sweet dreams, Ree.¡± He bowed his head to her and then turned and left. He was gone so fast she wasn''t sure what direction he had left in.

    Chapter 27

    Sunlight streamed into Ree''s room through a crack in the heavy curtains. She flipped over to her other side and groaned. The clock on the nightstand said it was only nine o''clock ¨C barely five hours of sleep. Nice. Noticing that her mother¡¯s cell phone was blinking, she picked it up and realized she had missed several calls. The voice mails were from her mother, wanting to know how she was doing. She groaned and sat up when she heard the last message. Agitated because she hadn''t heard from Ree, her mom was planning on cutting her trip short to come home.

    Quickly, she sent a text message telling her she was fine and hadn''t been able to charge the phone because she had lost the cord. Within seconds her phone began to buzz, and she answered it, trying to sound chipper.

    ¡°Hey, Mom. Sorry about the cord. Sophie bought me another one when she ran out to get dinner last night.¡±

    ¡°I''m glad you''re okay. I was so close to having a panic attack. Don''t do that again, you hear me? Just call us from a landline. I''m sure your boss has a phone in that shop.¡± Her mom¡¯s voice was agitated, and she sounded tired. Ree would bet money she hadn''t slept last night and grimaced in regret. She should have known better than to not check in with her parents.

    ¡°I''m sorry, Mom. You didn''t cancel the rest of your trip, did you? I mean, I''m fine. I didn''t want to bother you and Dad on your trip and didn''t even realize the cord was missing until last night. The phone was dead so I had to charge it before I could call you.¡± She gritted her teeth to stop rambling and hoped she was a better liar over the phone than in person.

    ¡°No, no. I haven''t canceled anything yet. Your dad made me wait until today before I did anything he deemed ¡®irrational.¡¯¡± Ree laughed. That was one of her father¡¯s favorite words. ¡°But I can if you need me. My stuff¡¯s packed and I was just about to go down and withdraw from the seminar today.¡±

    ¡°No, you need to have some fun. Besides, we still have at least another day of work to do before we¡¯re finished.¡± Ree said it all so quickly she wasn''t sure her mother would even understand the words. ¡°I''m kind of glad I¡¯m making this money before school starts back. Means I¡¯ll be able to get some things that I¡¯ve wanted.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Are you sure?¡± There was disappointment in her mother¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Yeah, I''m sure. This will help pay for some of my trip to visit colleges this summer.¡± Ree was using the big guns now. College was the Holy Grail in her parents¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Yes, that will help, sweetheart. Okay, well, since I¡¯m staying I need to hurry up and get downstairs. They¡¯re having a cake decorating class today.¡±

    Ree smiled in relief and lay back down on her pillow. ¡°Yeah, have fun. I¡¯ll try to call you tonight, okay?¡±

    ¡°Please do. Love you.¡±

    ¡°Love you, too.¡±

    After hanging up the phone she realized she wouldn''t be able to go back to sleep. She felt restless even though she hadn''t slept well. Her dreams had been achingly real, waking her up several times. She was running in the dark, her thin sandals kicking up plumes of dust and dirt as she moved through an alley. At one point she had been holding a long dagger and talking angrily in a language she didn¡¯t understand. No matter what was happening in the dream, a woman in a heavy cloak was always present. The woman felt old and powerful, like she could make your biggest fears materialize before your eyes. She was tall ¨C much taller than Ree, and model thin, but not once had Ree been able to see her face. But she had felt the woman¡¯s eyes following her every movement

    Ree shivered and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and wriggled into her pillow. Despite all of the weirdness of the last few days, she was still very freaked out by the nightmare. Closing her eyes for a moment, she tried to banish the image of the woman from her mind. When it didn''t work, she got out of bed and threw open the curtains to let the sunshine fall on her face.

    She stretched for a little while, trying to work some tension out of her body, and decided she was going to get some extra running in this morning. Practice made perfect, and she was far from perfect. Throwing on some yoga pants and a light hoodie, she headed for the kitchen to grab something to eat. Pam, the cook they had seen when they came back to the island, was bustling around the kitchen.Ree¡¯s mouth watered as the smells penetrated her sleepy brain.

    ¡°Hey there, sweetie. You''re up early, considering how late y¡¯all stay up.¡± Her thick southern accent warmed the air in the kitchen even more than the food cooking on the gas range. The older woman maneuvered her body around the kitchen like a ballet dancer, warmth and laughter filling her blue eyes.

    ¡°Thought I¡¯d do a little running.¡± Ree grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. ¡°Are there any granola bars?¡±

    ¡°What, you ain''t gonna eat some of the food I''ve been slavin'' over?¡± Pam placed a hand on her hip and pointed a finger in Ree''s direction. ¡°You need to eat, child. They got you doing a whole lot, and you need food to keep up your energy. Sit down.¡± She pointed at a stool at the island and Ree sat down without thinking about it. This woman was not a person to ignore. It was obvious that when she said ¡®hop,¡¯ she expected you to ask how high.

    ¡°What do you like on your waffles?¡±

    ¡°Um, waffles?¡±

    ¡°Yes, homemade waffles. Butter and syrup? Or would you prefer some fresh fruit? I have strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and caramel apples.¡±

    ¡°Syrup and butter. Maybe some strawberries on the side?¡± Ree watched as the woman started arranging things on a plate and setting stuff in front of her.

    ¡°Bacon or sausage? Don''t tell me you¡¯re one of those girls that don''t eat meat,¡± she said when Ree hesitated.

    ¡°No, it''s just that I was going to go running.¡± She tried to explain but the woman waved a hand over her shoulder and interrupted her.

    ¡°There¡¯ll still be time for that, child. Right now, you need to eat.¡± She set a plate in front of her, piled with waffles that smelled divine. Another plate held four strips of bacon, a large helping of hash browns, and a fried egg. Her mouth started to water and she picked up her fork and dove in with gusto.

    ¡°There, I knew you¡¯d want more than one of those ol¡¯ breakfast bars,¡± Pam said, making air quotes around the word breakfast. Ree nodded because her mouth was too full to speak.

    ¡°So, you''re the one, huh? You''re so little to carry such a big weight.¡± The woman sat on a stool across from her and set her chin in her hand while she examined Ree. Not sure what to say, Ree just shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s always that way I guess. A mortal obligated to protect the world, while the gods hide away and let you do the hard work.¡± She sighed and pushed the bacon at Ree, who grabbed a piece and quickly took a bite. Her eyes closed in pleasure as she chewed.

    After swallowing, Ree took a drink of water and looked at the other woman. ¡°How many of us have you met?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you''re the first. But I''ve heard the stories and the rules. Still seems unfair to put such a task on such a young pair of shoulders.¡± She picked up the rag that was next to her and wiped the counter. ¡°But I guess it ain''t my call to make. At least I can get you some good food while you''re here.¡±

    ¡°It is good. The food I mean, it¡¯s delicious.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, sugar. Go ahead and finish up. I¡¯m just gonna finish working on the rest of this for the others. The more they get accustomed to their new life, the more fuel they¡¯ll need.¡± She smiled at Ree, then got up and hummed while working around the kitchen. It was actually pretty peaceful to sit there and listen to her work. Ree took a little longer to finish her food than it would have normally taken just so she could relax a little longer.

    Eventually she made herself get up and cleaned up her dishes. She told Pam thanks and headed outside to run. The sun was out and the air had lost a little of its chill. Ree grinned when she heard a couple of birds singing in the trees. Maybe this was a better way to start the day than I thought. I needed to spend some time in the sun. She turned her face up and enjoyed the warm rays that washed over her.

    Smiling to herself, she stretched and then headed out on the trail for a little while. It was quiet, except for the wind and the chirping of birds and bugs. There was something brilliant about being alone, even if it was only for a little while. Ree hadn''t thought about it much because she had been so very busy, but the only time she had truly been alone in the last few days was when she was in the shower. It was exhilarating to have the beautiful island to herself, even it was only for an hour or so.

    When she got to the giant tree with the large, low branches, Ree stopped to catch her breath and rest. Sitting on one of the huge roots peeking from under the dirt, Ree stretched her legs out in front of her to work out the kinks. She had been pleasantly surprised by how far she had gotten before her legs felt the strain. It seemed her body was finally starting to accept the torture she had been putting it through. She tilted her head and looked up at the tree that towered over her. A breeze rustled through the leaves and washed over her skin. The chilled air caused goose bumps to erupt along her arms where she had pushed up her sleeves. She tugged the arms of her jacket down and pulled the zipper up higher.

 Page 21

    After a few minutes, she stood up and ran her hands along the rough bark of the tree. Hopping from tree root to tree root, she circled the giant oak, trailing her fingertips over its mass. She was drawn to this tree, content to be shaded by its large limbs. It felt like an island in the middle of a storm. She climbed up onto the low branch and swung her legs beneath her. Ree let her thoughts wander for a few minutes, then leaned against the trunk. Unfortunately, it was farther away than Ree had accounted for, and she slipped over the branch. Her hands desperately caught at the rough bark, leaving her hanging above the ground. She gasped and tried to tighten her fingers, but she couldn¡¯t support her weight and dropped to the earth. She cringed, expecting pain to lance through her body, but instead she was filled with the power. She cracked open one eye and realized she was hovering inches above the ground. Shock made the power slip from her grasp and she hit the ground with an audible oof.

    Ree lay there for a moment trying to catch her breath before sitting up and looking at her hands. Her gaze automatically shot to the branch far over her head and then back to her hands. What the¡­? Had she really managed to catch herself with the power? Was that something all Alastrianas could do? Sophie hadn¡¯t mentioned anything of the sort. She stood up and brushed the dirt off of her clothes.

    She wondered if the others had sensed her mishap and looked around her. Not seeing anyone rounding the corner she smiled in relief and continued her jog down the path.

    As the trees thinned and the breeze picked up, she could hear sea gulls and the crashing of waves. When she reached the top of a large dune, she tilted her face toward the sun, letting it bathe her in its slight warmth. Walking along the surf and letting her mind wander, she lost track of time. It wasn''t until she saw the silhouette of someone walking toward her that she realized she must have been gone for hours. She wondered who had been sent to find her, and, despite the wish that it wasn''t Paden, her heart hurt when she realized it was Melanie. She waved and plastered a fake smile on her face as her friend neared her.

    ¡°Oh, give it up! I know you wish it wasn''t me.¡± Melanie laughed. Ree sighed and looked away for a moment before smiling grimly.

    ¡°Stupid. I don''t even really want to see him.¡±

    ¡°Come on, you know that isn''t true. And if it makes you feel any better, Paden was freaking out when he realized you weren''t in the house. He asked me to come find you.¡±

    ¡°I needed some air.¡± Ree sighed. They headed back to an opening in the dunes where Ree had entered the beach. ¡°Why didn''t he just come to find me himself?¡±

    Melanie just shook her head. ¡°I don''t know. What happened between you two? And don''t give me some mess about Roland upsetting you. There was too much tension in that kitchen for him to have verbally stepped on your toes.¡± Mel gave her a knowing look.

    Ree wasn''t sure how much she really wanted to say, wasn''t even really sure what, exactly, had happened. Mel didn''t push for an immediate answer, but continued walking beside her as they wound their way onto the trail toward the house.

    ¡°He kissed me,¡± she finally admitted.

    ¡°Ooooh. Which he?¡± Melanie asked.

    ¡°What do you mean which he? Paden kissed me.¡± Ree stuttered, embarrassed. Her cheeks deepened to a red hue when she added, ¡°And Roland apparently got jealous.¡±

    ¡°Whoa,¡± Mel put a hand on her shoulder to stop their movement. ¡°You mean to tell me Paden finally kissed you. Your very first kiss, ever, and Roland walked in during it? And got upset? What did he do?¡±

    ¡°Did Paden tell you about Sophie and Roland?¡± Ree asked.

    ¡°He said Sophie lets him feed from her.¡± Melanie''s jaw clenched. ¡°It''s disgusting, but smart. What does that have to do with Paden kissing you?¡±

    ¡°Did he tell you Dark Ones can make you want to be their victim?¡±

    ¡°No, he didn''t say anything about that,¡± Mel replied.

    ¡°Well, Roland demonstrated on me.¡± Ree blushed again, remembering how much she had wanted him to touch her.

    ¡°Oh, I bet that didn''t sit well with Paden.¡± Melanie whistled. ¡°Was this before your kiss?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. When Roland walked in on us, he accused Paden of taking advantage of what he started.¡± Ree bit her lip.

    ¡°Holy crap! He did not!¡±

    ¡°He did. And you saw the result for yourself.¡±

    ¡°So, you threw up a barrier before they could get to each other? No wonder you needed some alone time.¡± Melanie threw her arm around Ree''s waist and hugged her as they walked.

    ¡°So, was it any good?¡± her friend asked.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The kiss! After ages of waiting Paden finally gets up the nerve to kiss you, so I¡¯m asking if it was worth the wait.¡± Melanie laughed.

    ¡°It really was.¡± Ree sighed. ¡°Right up until we got interrupted and he refused to talk to me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Boys are so stupid.¡± Mel shook her head.

    ¡°Yeah, they really are.¡± Ree smiled at her friend.

    Chapter 28

    Paden was standing just inside of the French doors, his eyes fastened on the trail. His arms were crossed and he glared at the girls walking up the path. He didn''t move when Ree pushed the door open and walked in, but his eyes followed her as she brushed past him. If he wanted to talk to her, she wasn''t going to be the one to initiate the conversation. He would probably only chew her out for going running by herself and she wasn''t up to being told what she could and couldn''t do today. She figured the gods made this island so she could be safe and she was going to do what she wanted without answering to her Guardians.

    ¡°Why didn''t you tell anyone you were going running?¡±

    She bristled at his tone and refused to even turn around and look at him. Instead, she headed toward Sophie''s office where she could hear the others¡¯ voices. ¡°I told Pam where I was going,¡± she said blithely.

    ¡°Pam? Pam isn''t the one trying to keep you safe.¡± He was right behind her, his voice tight. She hadn''t even heard him move away from the door.

    ¡°No, I managed to keep myself safe all on my own while running on the god-sanctioned island.¡±

    ¡°Ree.¡± His voice held an edge.

    ¡°Drop it, Pay. I don''t feel like having this argument again. I wanted some time alone and this is likely to be the only place I¡¯m going to get it.¡± She pushed through the office door and was immediately swamped by the excitement of her friends. ¡°What''s going on?¡±

    ¡°We''re hunting tonight.¡± Bryce was tossing a medicine ball from hand to hand as if he was playing with a softball. He smiled and added, ¡°On the mainland. We''re heading downtown.¡±

    Juliette rolled her eyes and leaned her head back on the arm of the leather sofa.

    Weylin sat on the edge of the fireplace, picking at his fingernails with a knife. When he noticed Ree looking at him he raised his eyebrows. ¡°What? I didn¡¯t bring any nail clippers.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because you¡¯re so metrosexual when you aren¡¯t fighting Dark Ones.¡± Ree laughed. Ree sat next to him and ignored Paden as he continued to glare at her from the doorway.

    ¡°So, you guys are ready for this?¡± she asked. She wasn''t at all sure she was ready to go hunt Dark Ones. Good grief, they were going to go kill things tonight. They had barely been training for three days.

    ¡°They think they are, and I think it is time for them to see what they are really up against,¡± Roland said from his seat on the window ledge.

    ¡°But, are they ready?¡± Am I ready? She kept the last question to herself.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your faith, Ree? We¡¯ve been working hard all week!¡± Weylin chided her.

    She nudged her shoulder into his as an apology. ¡°I just don''t think a week is a really long time. And it hasn''t even been a whole week!¡±

    ¡°They''ve learned a great deal in the last few days.¡± Roland shrugged. ¡°This is what they are made for. To kill the Dark Ones and to secure the planet for the humans.¡±

    ¡°That''s right; we are walking, talking, bad ass Dark One stalkers!¡± Bryce fist bumped Weylin, and Juliette groaned. Ree looked at Roland and then at Sophie, thinking they had just demonstrated that they were, in fact, not ready.

    ¡°You aren''t going alone. We will be with you guys,¡± Sophie said.

    ¡°But will they come after us? Will this be the big battle?¡± Ree sat on her hands to keep them from shaking. Everyone in the room turned toward her, their excitement forgotten. Mel put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Gritting her teeth, Ree tried to not snap at any of them. It wasn''t their fault they could tell how frightened she was at the thought.

    Sophie tried to reassure her. ¡°Don''t worry, Ree. Chances are that their leader is tucked away somewhere safe until the showdown.¡±

    ¡°And how do we know when the showdown is supposed to happen?¡± Ree''s voice had turned icy. Anger was her response to fear, and in this case it was a whole lot of angry.

    ¡°It is something that builds over time. You won''t really know when it is going to happen until you are there experiencing it.¡±

    ¡°Not comforting.¡± Ree stood up. ¡°When do we leave?¡±

    ¡°We''re going in early. You guys have an hour or so before we take the boat. Try to wear something that is comfortable, that you can move in but won''t make you stand out. We don''t want to look like a gang of gym thugs prowling the streets. The unfortunate truth is that the nicer you are dressed, the less likely you are to attract attention from law enforcement.¡±

    Ree grimaced, not sure what she had left to wear that was clean.

    ¡°If you didn''t bring enough clothes, I can get some stuff put together for you.¡± Sophie closed the notebook on her desk and stood up. ¡°Any one need anything? We have closets full of different things. We often have people come to stay on the island that have nothing with them.¡±

    Weylin, Paden, Ree, and Melanie all raised their hands. Bryce and Juliette were obviously well prepared, considering Jules had dragged a giant suitcase to the island. Ree liked clothes as much as the next girl, but had nowhere near the amount Juliette collected. Of course, her friend¡¯s clothing budget was probably five times larger than her own meager allowance.

    Everyone headed in different directions: to their rooms, the kitchen, and the training room. Making a quick run to the kitchen, Ree snagged a sandwich from a platter on the island and waved to the busy Pam. She wanted to go to the training room to see what kind of weapon she should carry, but Paden was just turning down the hall in that direction. She changed her plan and went to her room instead.

    Clothes were lying on the bed when she entered the room, and she fingered the dark jeans and black turtle neck as she finished her snack. There were a pair of tall black leather boots and she was amused to see they were the correct size. She brushed the crumbs off of her fingers before looking at the tag in the boots. The leather was soft and supple, and they had a short heel that wouldn''t hinder her movement. When she saw the Gucci lining she almost dropped the boot. She had never owned anything so expensive in her life. Surely they had something that wasn''t so expensive she could wear. What if she scuffed them, or did something else equally terrible to the boots? She set it down carefully in front of the bed and picked up the jeans.

    Ree groaned when she saw the tag inside the waistband, and threw them back onto the bed. She didn''t even look at the black turtleneck sweater. Whose clothes were these? Sophie was much taller than Ree, so they couldn''t be hers. Shaking her head, she decided to take a quick shower before changing. Once finished, she pulled on the clothes, laughing to herself. She had never worn anything so pricey and it was downright ridiculous she was wearing it to go fight evil monsters. She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail and tucked her bangs back behind her ear. Looking at the boots, she sighed and pulled them on over her gym socks and tucked the jeans into the cuff. She put on the necklace Melanie¡¯s grandmother had sent for her and let it hang on the outside of the sweater. Standing up, she realized the clothes were even more comfortable than she would have thought.

    Catching her reflection in the mirror, she stopped and stared. A dangerous, sexy woman was looking back at her. A knock on the door snapped her out of the trance. Dreading an awkward conversation with Paden, she reached out to the person on the other side of the door with her extra senses. The intense battle of emotions hidden under a calm layer of nonchalance meant it was Roland. When she opened the door, he was wearing a small smile. His blue eyes always left her a little breathless, but she managed to smile in return.

    ¡°I brought you something.¡± He held out a knife with a bright blade longer than her hand, and the handle was wrapped in leather.

    ¡°Um, thanks.¡± She took it and held it in her hand, looking at the blade. Something tugged at her memory as she examined the weapon. It felt comfortable and familiar resting in her palm.

    ¡°Careful with that end.¡± He laughed.

    ¡°Har, har. The Dark One has a sense of humor.¡± She held the knife down by her side and wondered what she was going to do with it.

    He walked into her room and motioned for her to follow. ¡°You''re right-handed, right?¡± He pointed at the chair next to her bed. ¡°Put your right foot up there.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± She stood there, looking suspicious and unintentionally tightened her grip on the handle of the dagger.

    ¡°Because I plan on ravishing you.¡± He rolled his eyes when she started blushing and pulled something out of his back pocket, holding it up for her to see. ¡°Gods, you blush easily. I want to put the leg sheath on, and I figure you don''t know how to do it yourself. I won''t bite, little Ree.¡± He chuckled as he watched her fight for composure.

    Pressing her lips together in embarrassment, she set her foot on the chair and watched as he knelt down in front of her. He pulled the boot off of her foot and set it to the side. His hand was warm as he wrapped the sheath around her calf, cinching the leather tight. His fingers trailed down her leg and encircled her ankle. She gulped when his dark blue eyes met hers.

    He wasn''t smiling anymore, and there was heat behind his stare. With his free hand he picked her boot up off the ground and maneuvered it back onto her foot. He held his hand out and she placed the knife in his fingers. Carefully, he slid it into the sheath and tugged at the leather of the boot. After making sure it was secure, he carefully stood up, leaving little space between their bodies. His hand trailed up the leg that was still propped on the chair and briefly rested on her knee. Heat raced through her body and her breathing quickened. Ree knew he could hear her heartbeat stuttering loudly and blushed, but didn¡¯t look away.

 Page 22

    Once again she found herself locked in his stare and didn''t step away when he reached up and touched her cheek. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if he had been so perfect before he had been turned and decided he must have been. He was gorgeous in a way very few were blessed with. Her gaze roamed from his eyes and over the rugged planes of his cheek to the lush fullness of his lips. His eyebrows drew together and his mouth pulled up on one side in a half smile. His thumb ran across her cheek gently and she shivered.

    ¡°It''s your eyes that are so expressive. It''s like reading a book.¡±

    She blushed again, and looked down. He chuckled but let his hand drop and took a step back so she could move her leg down from the chair. ¡°I don''t know how to fight with a knife,¡± Ree said, trying to find a subject that wasn''t so uncomfortable. Tensing her leg, she moved her foot a little to see if the knife was noticeable. It was actually pretty comfortable, and the handle was so slim that it didn''t pucker the denim of her jeans. Even more so, the weight felt familiar and oddly reassuring tucked against her leg.

    ¡°We will work on that later. I just want you to get used to wearing it, and not being afraid of it.¡± He stepped back and looked her up and down. ¡°Sophie did well with the clothes. Very striking.¡±

    ¡°These are hers? Maybe she has some other boots I can wear. These are really expensive, and I¡¯d hate to mess them up.¡± Ree looked down at herself and tried to not think about his compliment.

    ¡°The gods stock the closets with whatever we need. Consider it part of your paycheck.¡±

    It still seemed like a waste of good clothes to Ree.

    As if reading her mind, Roland laughed. ¡°Don''t worry about it Ree. They owe you much more than expensive clothes.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± she said, frowning.

    ¡°C¡¯mon let¡¯s find the others and head to the dock.¡±

    Chapter 29

    ¡°I am really ready for the spring,¡± Bryce said. He was huddled next to Ree on the boat as they crossed the sound.

    ¡°I thought you were all excited about your first hunting trip.¡± Ree smiled grimly.

    ¡°Oh, well, yeah. But it would be better in the spring or the fall.¡±

    ¡°They were humans, Bryce. They may not have wanted to be Dark Ones.¡± That thought had been bothering her for hours. They were going to kill people that had already been tortured and turned into something alien. Did they still have feelings? They might regret what had happened, or even try to avoid killing.

    ¡°They aren''t human any more, Ree. Their soul is destroyed by the disease. Roland told us that while we were training. We can¡¯t let their looks or words fool us,¡± Bryce said quietly, his eyes worried.

    ¡°But Roland ¨C¡± Ree said. She stopped when Bryce shook his head.

    He leaned closer and lowered his voice. ¡°He told us he¡¯s the exception and wouldn''t be any different if Tria hadn''t used her gift on him.¡± He looked around the boat quickly. ¡°We weren''t supposed to tell you because they figured you¡¯d run around and try to fix all of the Dark Ones we run across.¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn''t they tell me that? Of course I would try to fix them!¡± Ree''s voice rose angrily, but Bryce shushed her when the others looked their way.

    ¡°You can''t do that, Ree. Not only do some of them choose their fate, they seek it out for years.¡±

    ¡°But some of them might want to have some of their humanity back!¡± Ree said.

    ¡°It killed Tria. It took so much effort on her part she drained herself to death.¡± The anger seeped out of Ree in an instant, and she sat back in shock. They had told her she could do that to herself, but she really hadn''t considered it a reality.

    ¡°They didn''t tell you because they knew you would try it if it was a possibility. I think you would have ended up trying it on your own anyway, so you should know what could happen.¡± Bryce bumped her shoulder with his, and she gave him a small smile. Ree usually listened to Bryce when he had something to say. He was the one in the group that truly felt like a big brother and his advice was to be taken seriously.

    ¡°Who didn''t want to tell me?¡± She was pretty sure she already knew the answer, but wanted to hear it anyway. Bryce¡¯s eyes darted to Paden, Roland, and Sophie. She sighed and leaned back against the rail. Of course Paden wouldn''t want her to know about that. And they were right that it would be overly costly to even try, but they should have trusted her to make the right decision. The irony of the situation was too much. Save the world and fight the monsters but be treated like a child.

    ¡°Just promise that if you want to do something crazy like that, you at least give us a warning.¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡± She bumped his fist with her own.

    She watched the giant houses go by as they neared their dock. The large Victorian looked as dilapidated as ever, and Ree wondered if the land was only used for the dock or if the house was actually inhabitable. The boat motored up to the dock and Eric cut the engines. The others hopped off the boat gracefully and irritation tightened Ree''s throat as she crawled over the railing onto the dock. A warm hand steadied her shoulder before she could slip and fall back into the boat.

    Paden¡¯s eyes were full of emotion as they met hers. He gave her a small, self-deprecating smile. ¡°Are you ready for this?¡±

    She was instantly disappointed he hadn''t said anything about the kiss and then chastised herself for not being focused on the immediate danger they were about to go looking for. ¡°I guess so,¡± she shrugged. ¡°We don''t have much time before we go back to school and have to leave the island anyway. Might as well get a good taste of what we¡¯re in for.¡±

    ¡°It''s easier for us. Something inside of us was just waiting for you to start the change, to hunt the Dark Ones. We were bred to be something else. But you¡¯re still human, with all of the restraints. The learning curve for us is phenomenal. You have to work to keep up with the changes.¡±

    ¡°I''m human, not stupid, Paden.¡± She stalked past him, even angrier than she had been when he ignored her after the kiss.

    ¡°You know that wasn''t what I meant,¡± he said, exasperated.

    ¡°No, I don''t know what you meant. It sure sounded like you think I¡¯m an idiot,¡± she said, still walking away from him. The others were staring at them as she headed in their direction. Roland''s face was impassive, and Sophie was watching them worriedly.

    ¡°Ree, you¡¯re one of the smartest people I know. I just meant that when you started the change it made us more adaptable to dealing with the Dark Ones. And you don''t have that advantage.¡± He tugged her to a stop before running a hand through his hair.

    ¡°I am tired of being reminded I¡¯m human. That you¡¯re an immortal warrior, descended from gods. I am risking everything ¨C everything! And the best I can hope for is to retire early.¡±

    ¡°Ree ¨C¡± Paden began.

    ¡°No, you don''t get to ''Ree'' me. I have a right to be angry and frustrated.¡±

    ¡°Ree,¡± he said again, a little calmer.

    ¡°And you keep jerking me around. You finally kiss me, my very first kiss, and first you avoid me, then you berate me for taking some time for myself, and then ¨C the cherry on top ¨C you insult my intelligence!¡±

    ¡°I was your first kiss?¡± He stared at her, eyes wide, before looking over his shoulder at the others who were busily putting stuff in cars or talking loudly. ¡°You¡¯d never kissed anyone?¡±

    ¡°No. You know how people treat me at school. I''m a social leper.¡± Heat washed through her cheeks and she couldn''t meet his gaze.

    ¡°What about that guy you went to that dance with? Shaun something, right?¡±

    ¡°Very firmly friends. Anyway, it doesn''t matter.¡±

    ¡°I didn''t know,¡± he said softly.

    ¡°It doesn''t matter, does it? Obviously you think it was a mistake. You could have at least talked to me. I wouldn''t have been a freak about it.¡± Ree''s anger revived and it gave her the courage to meet his eyes.

    ¡°Not a mistake, Ree. I don''t know what I meant; I just wanted to kiss you. But it means breaking my promise.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Your promise. I get it.¡± She tried to push past him, but he wouldn''t budge. For just a moment, she considered using the power to shove him away, but figured that would be childish.

    ¡°It isn''t just the promise, Ree. I¡¯m always going to look eighteen. It would hurt to watch you grow old and lead a normal life.¡±

    Her mouth fell open, her breath hitching as she stared at him. She knew deep down in her chest the immortality thing was an issue. Her mind flashed back to his pained expression at Sophie¡¯s shop when they had talked about Ree growing old. When she was sixty, he would be the same as he was now, gorgeous and perfect. It would be a form of torture. Of course, that was depending on her making it through the battles this war was sure to drop on her head.

    ¡°You know, Paden, I think you¡¯re taking the easy way out, here. We don''t even know if we''re going to live through tonight, much less the next few weeks.¡± Sighing, she pushed past him and joined the others. Talking to him about this thing floating between them left her exhausted and emotionally drained. She didn''t want to go into this hunt tired and distracted. As she climbed into the back seat of Bryce¡¯s SUV she caught a glimpse of Roland''s bright blue eyes before he looked away.

    Chapter 30

    The ride to the historic district was uncomfortable, at best. Paden had stubbornly climbed into the back seat with Ree, effectively cutting her off from the conversation in the front. She had ignored his attempts to get her talking and simply stared out of the window. She tuned out the others as they tried to ease the tension with chatter. She knew they were excited, but she just couldn''t join them in their enthusiasm. Instead she tried to evaluate how having the power changed her perceptions of normal scenes. When she had come to the island the first time, it had been running through her, unchecked. She had felt like things were pushing on her, weighing on her mind as they passed stores and houses. Now she knew what she had experienced was, in fact, the energy of all the people in those homes and buildings. Even now she was aware of a pressure as they drove by different buildings.

    Carefully, she reached for the power and was startled to see the glow of her eyes reflected in the window. While on the island, no one had really mentioned her eyes glowing. Other than a slight aversion to bright lights, they really didn''t feel different so she hadn''t thought about it much. She would have to ask Sophie how to keep them from doing that so she didn''t attract attention from curious people. For the rest of the trip she continued to try and sense different things and to work on picking out what each spike of energy signified. When they passed a couple arguing in a minivan, there was a dark surge of power. It was an angry hum that she could almost feel radiating along her skin.

    As the newer buildings were replaced with old houses and giant, moss-covered oaks, she let go of the power and simply watched the people walking through the downtown squares. Sanctus Island was beautiful, the newer sections of Savannah boasted lots of shops and restaurants, but the history of downtown had always appealed to Ree the most.

    There was a new person working the front at the antique shop. Wearing a vest and bow tie, the older man had a distinguished charm. From what Ree could tell, the couple eyeing the large, four-poster bed was eating out of his hand.

    ¡°Is he part of the, um, community?¡± Ree kept her voice low in case he¡¯d find the question odd.

    ¡°We tend to refer to it as the society, and yes, he is.¡± Sophie closed the door to the front and sat in her desk chair. ¡°Mr. Warren is a professor at the art college. His wife was taken by the Dark Ones six years ago. He provides information when we need it and has offered to help keep the shop running now that you have been targeted.¡±

    ¡°Do you ever worry that you can''t trust someone in the society?¡± Paden kept his voice low. ¡°You guys employ and trust a lot of people that could be moles.¡±

    Her eyebrows drew together as Ree considered what he was saying. Could someone infiltrate their plans and expose their efforts to the bad guys?

    ¡°Oh, we do the normal things. Background checks, investigations, internet searches,¡± A smile crept up Sophie¡¯s face. ¡°The real testing, though, is done by the gods. They can see their dreams, see their secret desires and thoughts. You can''t lie to a god.¡±

    ¡°They can see our dreams?¡± The rickety chair creaked as Weylin leaned forward and rubbed his palms on his jeans. ¡°Oh man. I hope the hot redhead didn''t take a peek last night.¡±

    An orange flew across the room, aimed at Weylin''s head. He caught it deftly and shot Paden an apologetic look. ¡°Sorry, man. I know she¡¯s your great, great-times-a-thousand grandmother. But she was hot.¡±

    Mr. Warren stuck his white-haired head through the door and smiled apologetically to everyone. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, Sophie. The couple up front wants to know about the pickup procedures, but I¡¯m clueless to that part of the business.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Scott. I think I have that information written down in a notebook.¡±

    With a smile and a nod he ducked back into the front and they could hear him talking the customers.

    ¡°Okay guys. When I get back, we are headed out to hunt.¡± As Sophie left the back room and entered the store part of the shop, Ree heard her greet the customers in her lilting accent. There was no telling how long Sophie had lived in the States, but from the time she had spent with the immortal, Ree could tell she was playing up the accent for the sale.

    The others had all headed out to the parking lot in the back. Patiently holding the door open, Paden was looking at her expectantly. Sighing to herself, Ree joined the rest of them in the cold air outside. Tugging the stylish leather jacket tighter, she decided she was more than ready for spring. It might not be snowing or below freezing, but the wind could steal your breath away.

    ¡°Are you ready, Ree?¡± Leaning against the wall, Roland faded into the dark brick of the shop. Light and shadows broke up the planes of his face; the sapphire of his eyes almost glowed.

    ¡°Ready as can be expected.¡± She sat down on one of the parking blocks. She had seen Paden¡¯s shoulders tense out of the corner of her eye when Roland addressed her. He took up a position behind her and crossed his arms over his chest. One side of Roland''s mouth jerked upwards as he watched Paden posturing behind her. She sighed in irritation and shook her head.

    Pushing himself off of the wall, the Dark One sat next to her on the parking stone, his knee brushing hers. She looked at him in consideration, not sure if he was trying to be friendly or just get under Paden''s skin. The corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement when he noticed her thoughtful expression. ¡°Surely with your gifts you can tell I just wanted to sit next to a pretty girl. Of course, irritating the godling is a plus.¡±

 Page 23

    ¡°You''re not amusing.¡± Shifting his feet, Paden leaned over Roland threateningly. Ree rolled her eyes at them both and folded her arms on her knees.

    ¡°Save it for the others, Paden.¡± Sophie''s voice cut through the tension. ¡°And quit baiting him, Roland.¡±

    ¡°Killjoy,¡± Roland muttered, and Sophie shot him a dark look.

    ¡°No one goes off on their own. Do not chase after any Dark Ones. Do not attack unless Roland or I give you the go-ahead. And first and foremost in everyone¡¯s mind should be Ree''s safety.¡± Sophie looked at each of them to make sure they were in agreement with her rules. ¡°Our word is law. You do not argue at any point. Eventually, some of this will change, but for now there is no negotiation.¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±

    They all stared after her for a moment as she started a brisk pace. Roland hopped up and offered his hand to Ree. She smiled at him and let him pull her to a standing position. ¡°Let¡¯s go hunt the things that go bump in the night,¡± he said.

    ¡°Dang it. You can see my dreams, too?¡± Weylin''s despondent voice broke the thrall that was holding them all. Ree laughed and walked after Sophie, the others taking up positions around her so she was ensconced as safely as possible in the middle.

    Chapter 31

    People were crowding the streets in large groups, and laughter and catcalls filled the air. It took a few minutes for Ree to realize it was New Year''s Eve. Families were walking along the busy street, peering into shop windows and heading for restaurants while they waited for the fireworks to start later that night. Children grasped the fingers of adults as they stopped to look at the work of local artists or the decorations that were still up. Couples laughed as they shared pralines and salt water taffy from the candy stores. Anticipation floated in the air as everyone enjoyed the holiday. Underneath the excitement was a darkness only their group seemed to be aware of. Ree and her friends tended to stay on the less crowded streets where victims could be snatched without as much notice.

    ¡°Ree, can you sense anything yet?¡± Sophie asked quietly.

    ¡°What about my eyes? People will notice them.¡±

    ¡°You aren''t pulling the power in just feeling for the differences around you. Keep it centralized in your chest.¡± Sophie''s eyes were steady as she scanned the streets.

    ¡°What about when I need to do more than sense things?¡± When she let her awareness expand, the tourists and locals that surrounded them lit up like Christmas lights.

    ¡°When that happens, you will most likely not have to worry about the humans hanging around long enough to notice your eyes. And if they do, it will be the last thing they are going to be thinking about.¡± Sophie kept walking, her direction taking them toward City Market. Ree knew there would be a large congregation of people gathered at the Market. A lot of the city tours left from there, and famous restaurants, bars, and pubs were surrounded by specialty shops and the usual tourist traps.

    ¡°Will it be easy to find a Dark One?¡± Melanie''s voice asked from the rear of the group.

    ¡°There is no way they would pass up this feast,¡± Roland replied in a dry tone. ¡°Holidays like today are a big draw. People disappear all the time in cities like this and it gets blamed on local crime. St. Patrick¡¯s Day is the worst, however. You can barely walk two feet without running into a stuffed Dark One. They come from all over for the entertainment, the parade, and the drunken people.¡± Looking over her shoulder, she saw Melanie glaring at Roland but noticed his usual smile was nowhere to be seen. Despite the nonchalance in his voice, it bothered him that all of these people were in danger.

    Compared to the happy people out enjoying the festivities, their little group looked downright dreary. They hardly spoke as they walked through the dark streets while Ree concentrated with her extra sense. Despite the cold weather, the people around them felt warm, alive, and almost pulsing in her mind. When one of them came too close to their group, that person¡¯s energy pulled on Ree like she had stepped through a spider web. As they passed a dark alley, Ree stumbled in shock and clutched at the person next to her. Juliette steadied her with gentle fingers, but didn''t let go when she saw the look on her face. Somewhere down that alley a vibrant spot was slowly dying and surrounding it was a bucket of ice cold water. She shook her head to try and get a better understanding of what was happening. Tentatively, she reached out again, prepared for the searing cold she found.

    Sophie had continued on, seemingly oblivious to what Ree had found, but she knew this was part of the test. For a split second she considered keeping her friends out of danger and moving on. But there was someone in that cold alley that was being murdered and she couldn''t stand by and let that happen.

    ¡°They have a human,¡± she whispered to the others. Roland nodded to someone behind her and she turned to see Sophie give her a small nod. Then they were all hurtling down the alley.

    ¡°Duck,¡± Ree hollered. The three in front of her dodged to the side and she threw the power ahead of her. It wasn''t a concentrated enough blast to kill the Dark One, but she hoped it would knock them away from the victim.

    There was the sound of weapons being drawn, and a little voice in her head wondered where the others had been keeping their cutlery. Two of their group stayed at the entrance of the alley to make sure no one accidently wandered into the fight, but the rest made a beeline for the preoccupied Dark One. Paden was the first to get there and he picked him up off the ground and threw him into an old brick wall that shook with the impact. Ree tried to not gape at the show of strength, because the man had righted himself immediately and was zeroing in on her friend. Ree watched as the Dark One hissed and hit Paden in the gut with a hard right. He barely moved; instead, he lashed out with a long curved blade toward the man¡¯s neck but missed, so followed the move with a leg sweep. The Dark One went down in a flash of dust and trash next to Ree. She stumbled away from him as his black eyes focused on her face and he growled. Paden and one of the others grabbed him by his ankles and threw him further into the alley away from her.

    Slipping on trash, Ree landed on her knees next to the unconscious body of the victim. With shaking hands she brushed the blonde¡¯s hair away from her neck and gasped when she saw the wound on her neck. There were no neat little holes like on television; instead she could have been attacked by jackals. Blood pumped from the crater, which snapped Ree out of her study. She fumbled with the woman¡¯s wrist and tried not to notice the wedding band on her left hand. A thready pulse bumped under her fingers, and she sighed in relief.

    Quiet grunts came from further down the alley, and Ree found herself peering into the darkness in worry. Knowing that down there she wouldn¡¯t be able to see a thing, she decided to focus on the victim. Grabbing the jacket that was on the ground, she tried to staunch the flow coming from her neck. A soft moan came from the lady when she pressed harder.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± someone beside her asked. For the first time, she realized someone had stayed with her.

    ¡°I''m calling someone right now. We have people on the local paramedic groups.¡± Roland already had his phone to his ear and started whispering quietly.

    ¡°No . . . .¡± The woman groaned. She wasn''t much older than Ree, perhaps in her early twenties.

    ¡°She''s military.¡± Looking through the wallet had produced a military I.D. card, which Juliette flashed at Ree.

    ¡°She''s a dependent. That isn''t a personnel card,¡± Ree hoped the woman¡¯s husband was just deployed and not dead in a different alley. Who would have thought a warzone would be safer than their hometown?

    A shout of victory echoed down toward the entrance, followed by the thud of the Dark One¡¯s body landing a few feet away. The power flowed into her without thought and she held her hand out in front of her.

    ¡°Don''t worry. Paden already got him,¡± Weylin said, walking back down the alley.

    ¡°He always has all the fun,¡± Melanie complained.

    Ree looked at the man laying next her and took in the hilt of some weapon buried under his rib cage. The disconnected voice in her head noted the slower decomposition of this Dark One compared to the one she had turned to dust in front of the Civic Center. His body slowly crumbled, leaving behind a tailored suit and a gold watch.

    ¡°Why is he disintegrating so slowly?¡± Ree looked up at Sophie so that she could avoid the ugly site beside her.

    ¡°If he hadn¡¯t eaten in a while he would have turned to dust much faster. But considering that we interrupted his dinner¡­.¡± Roland¡¯s voice trailed off as he glanced at the remains in disgust.

    ¡°Did you get hold of Robert or another EMT?¡± Sophie asked as she sheathed her dagger into the top of her tall riding boots.

    ¡°He''s off tonight, but I got hold of Nick. He should be here soon.¡± Kneeling next to Ree, Roland handed her some newspaper he had obviously scavenged from the ground. Taking it, she tried to clean her hands of the blood. Nausea came fast and swift now that the danger had passed and the adrenaline drained away. She tried breathing through her mouth so she couldn''t smell the blood, something that had always freaked her out.

    It wasn''t long until an ambulance pulled up at the entrance of the alley, and someone else joined the group in their little alley of horrors. Light from the old-timey street lamps glinted off of his reddish hair as he knelt next to Roland and immediately began checking the woman¡¯s vitals.

    ¡°How long has she been down?¡± His hands moved deftly over the woman, checking for other wounds and injuries.

    ¡°We''ve been here for fifteen minutes or so,¡± Roland said quietly. He was watching the young EMT as he began placing bandages on the woman¡¯s neck. Nick turned and motioned to the mouth of the alley and someone came, pushing a stretcher over the cobblestones. After they had maneuvered the victim onto the stretcher, they placed her in the ambulance and the dark-haired woman climbed into the back and began hooking the victim up to the equipment. Nick closed the doors and turned to Roland.

    ¡°We''ll take it from here.¡± Roland held out his hand to shake Nick¡¯s. There was the slightest pause before Nick returned the gesture, his eyes blank as he nodded at Roland. When he turned to climb into the driver¡¯s seat, Ree noticed the large scar on the side of his neck. It was terrible looking and Ree had to bite her lip to keep from gasping. It looked like something had gnawed on him, but not in just one place. The scar started just below his ear and traveled down under the collar of his shirt.

    As the ambulance drove away the others joined her at the entrance of the alley. It wasn''t until that moment that she realized why they had been hanging back in the shadows. A large gash started at the outside of Paden''s eye and ran the length of his cheek bone. She sucked in her breath and moved next to him without thought. Her fingers moved toward his cheek but hesitated when she remembered that her hands weren''t clean.

    ¡°Oh my god. Why didn''t you let Nick look at your face? What happened?¡± His warm hand grabbed her fingers and squeezed them in reassurance.

    ¡°I''m fine,¡± Paden chuckled. ¡°I had a lot worse while we were training.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He let go of her fingers and she took a step back. ¡°How is that possible? I never saw any of you hurt.¡± She rubbed her hand into the palm of her other hand.

    ¡°We heal, Ree. Very quickly,¡± Melanie said with a smile. ¡°We all got banged up this past week, but most of it was gone within hours, if not minutes.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I took some serious hits out in the woods, but they were gone by the time we got back to the house.¡± Unperturbed, Paden touched his hand to his cheek and smiled at Ree.

    ¡°He won''t even get a cool scar out of it.¡± Weylin laughed.

    ¡°Okay, guys. Don''t get cocky. There are more out there that need to be removed.¡± Stepping out of the alley Sophie looked over her shoulder, her face was in shadow as the light shined from behind her. ¡°Let''s go.¡±

    Chapter 32

    It soon became apparent that Roland had been correct in his prediction. Dark Ones were out in force to enjoy the easy pickings. Most of the victims or would-be victims were drunk and oblivious to the danger they faced. It was also evident there were more out hunting than even Sophie had anticipated. Her face never betrayed the tension Ree could feel emanating from the older woman, but she could feel it wafting off of her in waves. It was difficult to ignore the people working with her but she needed to focus on what was going on around her.

    When she felt a large cold spot ahead of her she motioned for everyone to slow down. She had a feeling there were several Dark Ones working together and she wanted to make sure the others were prepared. Sophie moved closer to Ree and nodded for her to say what she was thinking.

    ¡°I''m not sure, but I think there are several Dark Ones up there.¡± She nodded toward a side street. ¡°Can you tell how many there are?¡±

    Sophie shook her head. ¡°No, the power does not always work the same way for me that it does for the Alastriana. I wasn''t meant to have it, and it isn''t always very clear to me what it is trying to say.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a cold spot around that corner, but it¡¯s larger than the other ones we found tonight. I think it¡¯s a group working together.¡±

    Sophie said, ¡°Okay, we move in carefully. Paden, how do you want to approach this group?¡±

    Paden''s eyes widened when everyone turned to look at him. ¡°Split up?¡± He relaxed a little bit when Sophie nodded. ¡°I think we should send the two fastest around to head them off from the other side.¡±

    Melanie held out her fist to Bryce while Jules shook her head, irritated.

    ¡°I will go with these two if we are splitting up.¡± Roland moved to stand with the other two. ¡°I promise to keep up.¡± He gave Melanie and Bryce a teasing smile, and, to everyone''s surprise, Melanie held her fist out for Roland to bump. For a moment his smile froze, and his face took on a more sincere quality when he returned her gesture.

    ¡°Okay, let''s get to it.¡±

    The group split and the others disappeared before Ree even realized they were leaving. Once again, the frustration of being the only human in the group rolled over her and it took a great deal of restraint to keep from kicking at some trash that blew across her path. Tucking her hands into her jacket pockets, she decided to at least be at the front of their party so that she could give them any information she picked up. When she pushed up to the front, Paden didn''t try to get her to hide in the middle. Instead, he nodded his head in understanding and turned his eyes back to the street before them. When they rounded the corner they could see what appeared to be three college kids walking a short distance behind a small family.

 Page 24

    Ree''s heart pounded when she realized the girl and two boys were Dark Ones. It was obvious the parents were aware that there was a group behind them; the father kept looking over his shoulder while the mother pushed the double stroller next to him at a faster speed than normal. Her stomach heaved when she realized the Dark Ones were going to kill the family, including the children sleeping in the stroller. Power flooded into her, but this time she pulled from the trees and the plants around her.

    Looking over her shoulder, the blond girl said something to the two boys Ree couldn''t hear. A deep growl ripped from Paden''s chest. In unison the two males turned and rushed their group while the girl made a beeline for the family. They were fast ¨C so fast she could barely see the colors of their clothes as they blurred forward. Instead of fear, though, Ree was filled with anger. Dropping to one knee, she thrust the power into the ground and it rippled ahead of her, throwing one of the guys on his side in surprise. There was a whoosh of air next to her as someone rushed forward to meet the other Dark One. Sophie stopped right in front of him and threw a kick that knocked him into the street. Snarling, he came back immediately, fangs flashing white in the moonlight while Sophie¡¯s dagger glinted silver.

    Ree didn''t have time to watch their fight as the other male regained his feet and was met by Paden. Screaming drew Ree''s attention toward the family and her stomach clenched. The father had shoved the mother and stroller behind him, but he was no match for the female Dark One. Picking him up over her head she threw him into a brick building, causing dust and gravel to rain down on the street. He wasn''t moving, and Ree feared he was dead. She launched herself forward, throwing a ball of energy at the blonde, Weylin and Jules keeping pace with her as she ran forward. At the last moment the Dark One rolled out of the way and rose to her feet in the middle of the street. Lip curling in derision, the female Dark One spat on the ground before turning and running away.

    ¡°Go!¡± Weylin and Juliette responded to Sophie immediately and took off after the Dark One.

    Ree''s attention was turned back to the family when she heard the babies wailing and the mother sobbing. The woman was kneeling next to her husband, the stroller tucked as close to her as possible.

    ¡°Wake up, John. Please wake up. Don''t do this, please don''t do this.¡± She was brushing the hair away from his forehead and whimpering. Ree moved closer slowly and held out her hands to show she meant no harm. Tears ran down the woman¡¯s heart-shaped face when she met Ree''s eyes. ¡°She wanted Caleb and Cole. He told her no. God, please help me. Don''t let him be dead.¡±

    Ree knelt next to her and felt Sophie and Paden join them. The man¡¯s head was bleeding profusely and his breathing was shallow. Still holding the power Ree could tell he was barely holding on to life. There was no time to call for an ambulance. Looking at Paden she felt tears fill her eyes. He dropped to his knees next to the man and looked at his head wound.

    John was fading fast, his breathing almost imperceptible, but Paden, on the other hand, was getting brighter and brighter in Ree''s mind. Mumbling with frustration under his breath, Paden was checking John for more injuries. Sophie had taken one of the babies out of the stroller and handed him to his mother; she picked up the other child and whispered soothing words in his ear. The young woman was rocking back and forth, gently shushing the baby, but her eyes never left her husband.

    Paden¡¯s fingers stopped just above the gaping wound on the man¡¯s forehead, and they began to tremble. A soft glow emanated from his palms, and as they all watched the gash began to close. Ree felt her mouth fall open, and the woman gasped and held the baby tighter to her chest. As the skin knitted closed the man mumbled and moaned.

    The woman gasped in shock and relief, her tear-filled eyes wide in astonishment. She threw herself into confused man¡¯s arms, the baby crying between them. Paden fell back into a sitting position and ran a hand across his forehead, then stopped and looked at it incredulously. Without warning, the woman launched herself at Paden and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He fell back, his head hitting the ground with a loud thwack.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡±

    Paden shoved her dark brown hair out of his mouth and awkwardly patted her on the back. He looked at Ree helplessly, and she pressed her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh.

    John was looking at them in confusion, soothing the baby that was now in his arms. He touched his forehead gingerly and looked at the blood on his hand. ¡°Hush, Caleb. Everything¡¯s going to be just fine. I¡¯ve got you.¡± He rubbed the infant¡¯s back gently. ¡°Anyone want to tell me what happened?¡± His eyebrows drew together in confusion.

    ¡°Someone tried to mug you, but when they saw us rounding the corner they gave it up.¡± Her voice was kind as Sophie helped the woman to her feet and handed her the other little boy.

    ¡°Shh, Cole. Everything is all right,¡± The young mother swayed in a gentle pattern as she settled the small infant in her arms.

    Her husband, John, was looking at them curiously and that was when Ree felt the simmer just underneath the surface of his skin. Ree looked at Sophie in curiosity, because she suspected this stranger had an immortal ancestor somewhere down his family tree. The older Guardian didn''t notice though; she was looking at Weylin and Juliette who had just made it back.

    Weylin shook his head in answer to the question in Sophie¡¯s eyes. Apparently the female Dark One had escaped. Three people rounded the corner, and Ree was relieved to see it was the rest of their group. When they got a little closer, Ree could see that there was blood on Melanie¡¯s shirt, and Bryce had a rip in the knee of his jeans.

    ¡°Everyone okay?¡± Sophie asked.

    Roland nodded and looked at the little family that was huddled against the wall. ¡°We ran into a little trouble, but we''re all fine.¡±

    ¡°Is there some kind of gang initiation going on tonight? How did that girl pick me up? I remember that, and I must weigh a good sixty pounds more than her.¡± John handed the baby back to his wife and stepped forward.

    ¡°Probably drugs,¡± Weylin offered. ¡°They showed a video of a guy on PCP in our health class. He was crazy and did all sorts of things that shouldn''t have been possible.¡±

    John looked at each of them, obviously not completely convinced. ¡°Well, whatever it was I¡¯m grateful for your timing. Thank you.¡±

    Loud cracks of thunder and explosions of color split the night sky, signaling the beginning of the new year. The young couple ducked their heads in shock and the babies began to wail again. Car horns honked while people sang in the distance. For the first time that week, Ree actually felt light-hearted. They had managed to save this family from suffering and death. It felt good to know she had helped keep some things right for the new year.

    Chapter 33

    They continued walking the streets for another hour, but they didn''t encounter any more Dark Ones. Roland had still not caught up with them by the time they had reached the City Market. Sophie checked her cell phone and stopped their little group near the pub owned by Paden¡¯s family.

    ¡°Why don''t you guys head in there for a bit while and I try to reach Roland?¡±

    Ree''s stomach dropped as she looked around the Market. Goose bumps erupted along her arms and sent a shiver down her spine. Someone or something was watching them. She looked at Sophie to see if she had felt it as well, but the Immortal wouldn''t meet her eyes. ¡°If Roland and I don''t show up then you keep yourself in that pub until daybreak. Is that understood?¡±

    ¡°But ¨C ¡± Ree started, but Sophie interrupted her.

    ¡°I doubt anything is wrong. It''s just a precaution, okay?¡± She watched them file in to the pub and was gone by the time Ree turned to look out the stained-glass window.

    An ear-splitting squeal made Ree wince, and she turned around just in time to see a small girl launch herself at Paden. He laughed loudly and spun her around.

    ¡°I thought you said you wouldn''t be at the pub tonight!¡± Claire punched him in the arm before turning to Ree and giving her a really big smile. She was an adorable freshman with soft, wavy brown hair that almost reached her waist. The O''Rielly green eyes filled her delicate face, making her look almost like a fairy.

    ¡°Oh my gosh, did you guys see him?¡± Claire grabbed Ree''s arm, practically jumping up and down with excitement.

    ¡°See who?¡± Ree laughed.

    ¡°If you had seen him, you wouldn''t ask that,¡± Claire said, disappointed. ¡°Of course, that just means that he¡¯s all mine! Total hottie with blond hair, blue eyes to die for and lips that make me want to scream.¡± She squealed again, and Melanie and Ree died laughing.

    ¡°Lips that make you want to scream?¡± Paden frowned and looked around the pub as if he could spot the guy that was tormenting his younger cousin.

    Weylin shoved past him and headed for the bar. ¡°I''m starving.¡± Throwing himself onto a bar stool, he grabbed a menu which was promptly snatched back out of his grasp by the bartender.

    ¡°Underage kids sit at the tables.¡± Sue pointed at an empty table. It was almost two in the morning and the pub was getting ready to close, but there were a few stragglers huddled in the corner playing darts and talking loudly over the Irish music that always played in O''Rielly''s.

    ¡°But Sue! I''m family,¡± Weylin pleaded, throwing in puppy dog eyes for good measure.

    Sue had passed her genes straight to her daughter, Claire; same hair, dark green eyes and lithe build. They also shared a sense of humor and temper. ¡°Not my family, and you might as well give it up on the moon eyes. They haven''t worked on me in years.¡± She jerked her chin toward the table, and Weylin dejectedly walked to it, his head hanging as if he had been beaten.

    ¡°You know, I''m hungry too.¡± Ree pulled out a chair waved at one of the waitresses. Shirley maneuvered through the mess of chairs and tables.

    ¡°Sorry, guys, Liam closed the kitchen just before you came in.¡± She flopped down in a chair next to Ree. ¡°But I can see if he has any leftovers and bring you some drinks. Paden, when are your parents due back?¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Shirley. I think they should be back in a couple of days. Tomorrow, maybe? The days this week have run together.¡±

    She heaved herself out of the chair and smiled at them. ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you don''t have to go to school. A big blur of pointless time.¡± She winked and headed for the kitchen.

    The others sat down and made themselves comfortable.

    ¡°Hey, Melanie, is that blood on your shirt? Are you okay?¡± Claire pulled one of the bar stools over and hopped onto it.

    ¡°Oh, yeah. Some drunk fell off the curb and I helped him up.¡± Mel pulled at her shirt and made a face. She looked at her friends and grimaced. They might have to find a way to bring extra clothes with them for when they went hunting.

    ¡°Ew, we''ve had a ton of drunk people in tonight. Mom wasn''t going to let me come in and help, but Callie called in again. I think Mom¡¯s going to fire her if she shows back up. That¡¯s the second holiday she¡¯s skipped out on.¡± Sue was a tough but fair boss and if one employee didn¡¯t cover their share of holidays she didn¡¯t put up with it.

    Shirley showed up with a tray full of cokes, sweet tea, and a big basket of assorted leftovers. Primarily there were chicken fingers and fries, but there were a few hush puppies, too. Ree grabbed one before anyone else could. They were a specialty of the house and everyone loved them. The guys dived in, shoving food into their mouths and slurping down sodas. Ree half-listened to Claire talk about the people that had been in tonight while she filled her stomach with fried foods. As the time passed she became more and more worried about Roland and Sophie. She was surprised the Immortal had left her with just her friends as protection.

    ¡°So, what have you guys done tonight? Was there a party or something?¡± Claire stuck a french fry into a puddle of ketchup and then popped it into her mouth.

    ¡°I wanted to see the fireworks.¡± Juliette chimed in, her head lying on Bryce¡¯s'' shoulder.

    Ree was starting to feel irritated with all of the chatter Claire was supplying. It wasn¡¯t really the younger girl¡¯s fault; Ree just couldn¡¯t process all of the gossip after everything they had gone through. The happiness she had felt after saving the young family was evaporating quickly. Goose bumps still littered her arms and back, while worry had her twisting her straw wrapper into odd shapes. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and take a few minutes to regroup.

    Splashing a handful of water on her face did nothing to ease the tension cramping her shoulders. Her reflection in the mirror over the sink was haggard and tired. Spiraling silver worked through her pupils as she stared at her face. Reaching out with the power around her she realized why Sophie had felt comfortable leaving her at the pub. Threads of glowing green and silver lined the entire bathroom with the intent of protection.

    She traced her hands over the lines along the sink and lost herself for a moment as she tried to learn just how Sophie had managed to put so much intent behind her work. There were layers upon layers that suggested she had been in the pub several times. A small voice in the back of her head nagged at her as she played with the power wrapped through the bathroom. Reaching further through the pub she was awed by the amount of work the Guardian had put into the building. That was when she felt the cold spots surrounding the pub. There were a group of Dark Ones behind the pub in the alley that led to the trash and there were several spread through the streets of the Market.

    Her fingernails scraped along the Formica of the bathroom counter as she steadied herself from the shock. How could she have been so lax as to not keep searching for Dark Ones while they were out in the city? Her eyes closed in frustration. No wonder the glow had returned to her pupils while she hadn''t been holding the power. Her body had been reacting to its natural enemy. Taking a calming breath she left the bathroom and tried to not draw any attention to her emotions as she took her seat back at the table.

    The closed sign was hanging on the door and all of the chairs except for the ones they were using were turned upside down on the tables while Shirley mopped the floor.

    ¡°What''s going on, Ree?¡± Paden¡¯s eyes were trained on her as she took another breath, hoping her eyes were under control.

    ¡°There are Dark Ones surrounding the building.¡±

    Paden cursed under his breath while the hand resting on the table clenched into a fist.

    ¡°How many?¡± Mel asked. Her head twitched to the side as her eyes scanned the windows.

    ¡°There are at least four out front and in the streets through the market. And maybe two or three right outside the back door.¡±

 Page 25

    All of the color drained from the faces looking at her and Paden launched himself from the table and flew through the swinging door to the kitchen.

    ¡°Paden!¡± Her foot caught the leg of her chair slowing her even more as she stumbled after her friends, but Bryce was right beside Paden. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ree demanded as she scrambled forward.

    ¡°Claire just took the trash out,¡± Melanie yelled as she reached the swinging door and flung it open.

    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Ree said, her mouth suddenly dry.

    Chapter 34

    By the time she had shoved her way out of the kitchen and into the back alley, all hell had broken loose. There were two Dark Ones, a male and a female, putting up a good fight. Paden and Bryce were fighting one that held a deadly-looking, curved sword. Bryce had his hands wrapped around a short sword Ree had not seen before, and for the briefest of moments she wondered where it had come from. All sidetracked thoughts were forgotten when she saw Melanie join Weylin and Juliette who were fighting the female, blonde from earlier that night; the very monster that would have eaten two little children was trying to kill her friends.

    Unprepared for the anger that washed over her, the power matched the red-hot fury and flew out of Ree, knocking everyone over. Instead of being taken aback, she rolled with it and in a move that was much more graceful than she would have thought herself capable of, she pulled the dagger from her boot and launched herself at the female Dark One on the ground.

    For a moment the Dark One was still so stunned from being knocked down, she didn¡¯t seem to understand what was happening. Thankfully, Melanie still had her sense about her and was right behind Ree. Grabbing the blonde around the shoulders, she pinned the monster down. Ree didn¡¯t stop to think about it and did her best to thrust the blade in her hands under the woman¡¯s ribs. The dagger scraped across the bone and jarred her arm, the blood that rushed out made the handle slippery and hard to hold, but Mel put her hand over Ree¡¯s and shoved it all the way in. For a moment she met the girl¡¯s eyes and gritted her teeth, expecting to feel disgusted, but instead she was still angry and afraid for her friend. The blonde wailed while Juliette dragged Ree off of her. Without taking the time to watch her disintegrate Ree shoved the hair that had escaped from her ponytail out of the way and looked around the dark alley for Claire.

    ¡°Claire!¡± She ducked behind the dumpster, looking for some sign of her friend but was rewarded with only litter.

    Grunting and cursing issued from the corner where Paden and Bryce had been fighting their Dark One. When she looked over, she realized they had captured him. A long blade was wedged just under the Dark One¡¯s ribs, causing him a great deal of pain. A pale face glared at the Immortals surrounding him, his breathing was shallow, and spittle flew from the corners of his mouth as he cursed at them all.

    ¡°Where is Claire?¡± Looking down at the man, Paden¡¯s voice was tight and dark. A slight lisp affected his words because his fangs were still extended.

    ¡°Who?¡± Apparently even with a blade inches from his heart, the Dark One had fight left in him. Paden lifted his foot and placed it on the pommel of the dagger. The man groaned and blood started to exit the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°Where . . . is . . . the . . . girl.¡± Paden leaned down closer to the monster on the ground and growled his words.

    ¡°Oh, the little one with curly hair?¡± He coughed and spat blood at Paden. He had an old style of dialect that made Ree wonder just how old this Dark One was. ¡°She was a little too thin for my taste. Not enough meat, if you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Ree demanded pushing herself through her friends.

    ¡°What¡¯s it matter to you, little girl?¡± The Dark One gave a coughing laugh; he turned his head and spit foul-smelling black blood in her direction.

    ¡°Stop stalling and tell me where she is!¡± The power flared around Ree, lifting her hair and sparking in her eyes.

    ¡°Now I can see the resemblance. All that anger and blond hair. Very threatening, Alastriana.¡±

    Ree looked at him, wondering if he was losing his mind. Instead she decided to try a different tactic and wrapped him in the power effectively cocooning from everything else.

    ¡°I will let them put you somewhere the sun will reach, while you wait, helpless and suffering, or we can do this the quicker way. It¡¯s your choice.¡± Her stomach felt sick, and she could hardly believe those words were her own, but she knew it was the truth. She would torture this man to find out what had happened to her friend.

    ¡°He took her to the cemetery.¡± He looked Ree in the eye, his voice mocking.

    ¡°What cemetery?¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to know what its name is? You people have a ton of them around here.¡±

    ¡°What cemetery?¡± Paden yelled and slammed his hand into the wall next to him. The bricks cracked, showering dust down on everyone.

    ¡°It¡¯s the one with all of the soldiers in the middle of the city.¡± He sneered at Paden. ¡°But you can¡¯t get there in time. Might as well start her memorial service now.¡±

    ¡°Ree, he probably means Colonial Park,¡± Juliette said. ¡°We need to run.¡±

    Ree knew there was no way she could keep up with them if they ran full speed. ¡°Go. Get Claire.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re staying together,¡± Paden told her. ¡°We already left the pub; we aren¡¯t going to break the other rules too. And no matter what, we can¡¯t risk you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t keep up, Paden.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll make it work.¡± The stubborn set of his jaw meant no amount of arguing was going to change his mind.

    ¡°What do we do with this guy?¡± Weylin pointed at the Dark One.

    ¡°Yeah, what about me, bitch?¡±

    Those were his last words because Paden had reached his breaking point. With a quick kick he shoved the dagger all the way under The Dark Ones ribs. The man¡¯s eyes bulged with pain and then turned to ash, followed by the prominent features of his face caving in. Ree stared, disgusted as the process left a gaping hole where his face had been while his body fell apart. The fact that it was taking so long for him to disintegrate steadied her stomach because it meant they had avenged some soul that had been murdered.

    There was a blur in her direction and the breath left her lungs as Paden swooped her up into his arms and headed for the alley entrance.

    ¡°Wait, let me.¡± Bryce came up and held out his arms for Ree. Paden hesitated until Bryce said, ¡°I¡¯m faster so the extra weight won¡¯t slow me down as much.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Ree couldn¡¯t help her irritation at being referred to as extra weight.

    Paden carefully handed her to Bryce and smiled down at her. ¡°If you weighed more than ten pounds over a hundred you might be able to complain, but we all know that¡¯s pushing it.¡±

    She sighed and tried to steady herself against her friend¡¯s chest as they took off through the streets of downtown Savannah.

    Melanie pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number as they ran. How she managed to not run into anything amazed Ree. Eventually, Ree closed her eyes to try and counter the motion sickness that was invading her system.

    ¡°I told them where we¡¯re headed. They¡¯re going to meet us there,¡± Mel told them in an even voice. You¡¯d never guess they were running full speed by listening to her. They were blurring through the streets, and thankfully most people were already in bed. The only people still out were too drunk to understand just what they were seeing.

    By the time they reached Colonial Park Cemetery she couldn¡¯t wait to get out of Bryce¡¯s arms. He had tried to keep her from being jarred as they ran but there¡¯s only so much he could do. It had not been a smooth ride, but she had been right when she assumed there would have been no way for her to keep up. It had felt as if they were flying through the streets of Savannah. As soon as they reached the corner across from the entrance to the Colonial ceremony, they stopped. She figured they were listening for the others or for the Dark Ones that had Claire. Bryce set her down carefully and she purposefully ignored the pain on her arms and legs where she had rested against his arms.

    Cold air seemed to radiate from the cemetery, while fog crept across the ground like the hand of death. Alarm bells went off in her head signaling there were definitely Dark Ones somewhere in the maze of old graves and tombstones. Ree knew from experience that the arched entrance was closed and locked by dark. Through the shadows she could almost make out the bronze eagle that sat at the top of the gate, screeching at people who would dare enter. Surrounding the park was a black wrought-iron fence that wouldn¡¯t be hard to jump. Hopefully there weren¡¯t any cops patrolling around at this time of night to see them breaking in.

    ¡°Do you smell that, Jules?¡± Paden took a big sniff of air, his eyebrows drawn together.

    ¡°It smells like whoever was in your room,¡± Jules said.

    A shrill scream broke the eerie silence and Ree jerked forward without thought. The others weren¡¯t far behind; scaling the fence in less time than it took to decide she was going to do it.

    The others seemed to know what direction to head and she gladly followed. She was aware that without thought they had all managed to fall into their protection detail around her. When a quiet moan seemed to seep out of the darkness, Ree felt her hopes plummet. Pulling in the power of the ancient trees around her, she pushed the fog away from them so she could see better and was rewarded by the sight of people gathered around one of the larger monuments.

    An old oak sheltered them from any stars that were out; the heavy Spanish moss hung down like curtains, concealing just how many were actually there. Two of the people looked like they were embracing, and, for just a moment, Ree thought that perhaps they had stumbled upon a group of teenagers out defacing the tombstones. A lot of people tried to do ghost hunts in the old cemeteries around town.

    Then she saw the curly brown hair hanging limply along the girl¡¯s back and she knew it wasn¡¯t lovers, but someone eating her friend. She started forward, ready to thrust the power at the group standing under the tree when the young man holding Claire looked up, his fangs glinting red and blood running down his chin. When his eyes met Ree¡¯s he smiled and dropped Claire to the ground.

    Stumbling to a halt, her mind not able to process what she was seeing, she reached out to one of her friends to steady her. Somehow she knew Claire wasn¡¯t moving, would never move again, even without the power telling her the young girl¡¯s bright warmth was completely gone. But it was the boy with the bloody smirk that made the world spin. He was familiar ¨C too familiar. But there was no way that could make sense.

    ¡°What? Not going to tell your brother you missed him?¡±

    Chapter 35

    The Dark Ones around the tall blond man laughed cruelly. Shaking her head in confusion, she took a step forward, but Paden¡¯s hand on her arm stopped her.

    ¡°No love for the resurrected, huh?¡± Stepping over Claire¡¯s body, Tristan wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. ¡°Sorry about that. I always was a messy eater growing up. I¡¯m sure you remember, Ree.¡±

    Her entire world tilted and she came dangerously close to losing the food she had eaten earlier. Ree didn¡¯t understand how any of this could be happening. Her mind whirled, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Her friend lay dead at her brother¡¯s feet: the very brother that had died almost two years earlier in a drunk-driving accident. He had killed Claire, drank her dry and thrown her small body to the ground. Claire, that never met a stranger, that had her whole life ahead of her, was dead. Dead because her brother wanted a snack.

    ¡°Come on, little Ree. Say something. Or better yet, come give me a hug.¡± Tristan held his arms out, his fangs flashing in the moonlight.

    ¡°No,¡± she whispered, shaking her head.

    ¡°What¡¯s that, Ree? Can¡¯t hear you all the way over there,¡± Cupping his hand to his ear he leaned forward, sending the other Dark Ones into gales of laughter.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t my brother. You¡¯re nothing but a monster,¡± Ree said, her voice trembling on the last word. ¡°You knew Claire as a baby and you just killed her!¡± Her voice broke as she yelled at her brother.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m your brother, Ree. A better version of your brother.¡± In the blink of an eye he was standing just in front of her. Paden was just a step behind him and yanked Ree behind his back. ¡°Of course, eating all of these would-be Immortals is helping to make me even stronger.¡±

    Paden growled and launched himself at Tristan, but he was gone before her guardian had even moved. Paden stumbled before twisting and finding his one-time friend with his eyes.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. She was your little cousin. You just can¡¯t seem to keep anyone around you alive.¡± Tristan hopped from one tombstone to another as if it were all just a game. ¡°First me, and now your little cousin. Imagine how funny it was when I found out you were the one sent to protect my sister. Remember that night when I asked you to watch out for her? Oh, the irony.¡±

    The other Dark Ones were moving closer as Tristan talked, and one of the women kicked Claire¡¯s body as she stepped over her. A roar ripped out of Paden¡¯s chest; frustration and anger rolled off of him in waves. The grief and rage mirrored what Ree felt. She knew he wanted to avenge his cousin but couldn¡¯t leave her unprotected.

    ¡°Steady, Pay,¡± Melanie whispered to him.

    ¡°Yes, Pay, don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Tristan laughed and one of the other Dark Ones bent over Claire¡¯s body and trailed their fingers through the blood dripping off of her neck. He looked at them and smiled before licking the sticky red liquid off of his hand. Ree¡¯s stomach clenched in rage. Her breaths were coming in shallow gasps but she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of Claire¡¯s lifeless form. As the man chuckled at her discomfort, the golden handle of a knife appeared in his chest. He fell backwards and grabbed the handle, cursing as he struggled to pull it out.

    ¡°Show a little respect, you frickin¡¯ pig.¡± Julietitte glared at the man struggling to remove her throwing dagger. It was stuck in his breast bone and wasn¡¯t budging. With a nasty crack he broke it free and threw it on the ground.

    Tristan laughed loudly at the man as he wallowed in the dirt. ¡°Tsk, tsk, Johnson. Juliette has a nasty bite herself.¡± He disappeared again to appear next to Jules. It was so fast even the Guardians seemed surprised at his speed. ¡°Show me those pretty teeth, Jules.¡± She grimaced at him but didn¡¯t open her mouth. With his uncanny speed he rushed Julliette, grabbed her chin, and pulled her against him. ¡°Now, who¡¯s being rude?¡±

 Page 26

    Another knife appeared in her hand but he knocked it aside and continued to squeeze her cheeks in an attempt to get her to open her mouth. Melanie was closest, and with speed that only Bryce could have matched, she stabbed Tristan with her own blade. He dropped Juliette and reappeared near the rest of his group a few yards away.

    ¡°That stings,¡± he complained and motioned to the oldest woman in his group. She grabbed the knife with one hand and yanked it out of his back. She looked at it for a moment and then casually flung it at their group. It sailed through the air and for a moment everyone seemed to be stunned. Paden managed to snatch it out of the air inches from Ree¡¯s face before throwing it right back.

    The Dark Ones launched themselves forward with growls that echoed off of the tombstones and trees.

    ¡°No! She is mine!¡± Tristan roared at the woman who had thrown the knife. In a moment of clarity, Ree watched as the boy that had once been her brother grabbed the woman¡¯s face and twisted savagely. With a massive yank Tristan removed her head from her shoulders. Then there was no more time to think. Paden was fighting two Dark Ones while the rest did their best to keep any from reaching Ree. Paden moved his hands faster than she could keep up with, only the flash of his silver dagger announced where he had struck out.

    Just as she thought she could be helping, a whistling sound filled her ears and she realized what was happening just before she hit the ground several feet away. Blinding pain stabbed through Ree¡¯s body as her head hit a tombstone and a horrible ringing filled her ears. She scuttled up to the monument and tried to stand up, but dizziness sent her crashing back to her knees. Something slammed into her back, pushing her face-down to the ground. The muted sounds of fighting came from behind her and she struggled to get away from whoever was battling on top of her legs. Pulling herself along the ground, she brushed desperately at the blood dripping into her eyes. Her fingers touched something soft, but blackness was starting to creep into her vision and she had to blink several times before she could see what it was.

    Weylin was lying face down with blood covering his face, head and neck. Gasping in fear, she fought to control her breathing so she didn¡¯t pass out, and crawled toward his neck so she could check for his pulse. For a moment she couldn¡¯t find it and her heart split, but then the soft beating made itself known under her fingers. She pulled him into her lap and tried to check his wounds. A deep gash flayed his neck open where one of the Dark Ones had bitten him, and part of his ear was missing. Carefully, she tried to pinch the wound shut and apply pressure to slow the bleeding. With horror she realized he had been the one that had pushed her out of the way. He had saved her from this fate.

    Lightning flared across the cemetery, blinding Ree for just a moment and she tried to pull Weylin with her further away from the fighting. The Dark Ones all snarled at the brightness, but she couldn¡¯t see what had caused that bright light.

    ¡°Ree! Where are you?¡± Roland and Sophie had finally shown up. ¡°Damn it Ree, answer me!¡± His voice held a frantic edge she could hear over the sounds of battle.

    She wanted to let him know she was alive, but the world was starting to spin. She touched her forehead and realized there was a great deal of blood running down her face. ¡°Here,¡± she whispered and hoped they would hear. She tried reaching for the power, but she couldn¡¯t find it. Maybe if she put a shield around her and Weylin the others would be able to stop worrying about her and take care of themselves, but it was useless. She didn¡¯t have the energy to do anything; she couldn¡¯t even touch the energy in the plant life around her.

    The tombstone she was hiding behind crumbled as someone was thrown into it. Peering through the rubble, she found Paden locked in combat with Tristan. It was terrifying to witness the savagery her brother was capable of, and Paden was obviously losing. There was blood flowing down one of his arms, and he was limping slightly on his left leg. The pain and frustration Paden was feeling had been transformed into blind rage, but Tristan was so fast Paden could barely keep up. As she watched she realized that draining Claire had given Tristan a definite edge. Her untapped power was aiding his abilities. He sent Paden sprawling with a roundhouse kick and laughed as his longtime friend spit dirt out of his mouth.

    A dark blur of leather and denim joined the fight. Roland was fast and had a very different fighting style, all kicks and punches. At first Tristan seemed very confused by the fact that another Dark One was set against him. But then he began to bait Roland with snide jokes and insults. Roland never responded, instead he dragged the tip of a sword across Tristan¡¯s face, barely missing the younger Dark One¡¯s throat. Enraged, Tristan¡¯s anger seemed to make him even faster, but he still wasn¡¯t capable of holding off both Roland and Paden.

    With Roland in the fray, they were able to make progress and push Tristan farther from where Ree was hiding. Sophie was somewhere Ree couldn¡¯t see, but she felt a fuzzy sense of the power the Guardian was using. A constant warm feeling radiated from the Immortal with short jerks of power that meant she was attempting to spear a Dark One.

    A bright light lit the area again, and Ree blinked her eyes in pain. Ducking her head made her vision blur and her stomach heaved. She leaned away from Weylin¡¯s limp form, and her stomach lost all of the food she had eaten earlier. Eventually there was nothing left and dry heaves racked her body until tears ran down her cheeks. Weylin moaned and she realized she was pressing on his wounds. She tried to spit the terrible taste out of her mouth.

    ¡°Ree?¡± Paden¡¯s voice was very close to her and warm hands traveled over her head and shoulders. ¡°Are you okay, Ree?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, but Weylin needs help.¡± Her voice was dull, and she could barely raise it over a whisper.

    ¡°Hurry, Paden,¡± Roland hollered.

    ¡°We have to go, Ree. Hold on,¡± Paden said. Someone took Weylin out of her lap and Paden lifted her into his arms. She groaned as the world spun and he pressed her head against his chest. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me, Ree. Please don¡¯t.¡±

    Just before she blacked out she felt his lips on her forehead while he mumbled reassurances.

    Chapter 36

    Groaning, Ree rolled over on the bed and touched her head. There was a very gentle light coming from the corner and once her eyes adjusted she could just make out Sophie sitting in a chair, holding a book on her lap.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make any quick moves. Paden healed your head, but we still don¡¯t know the extent of his ability and you may still have a concussion.¡± Closing the book, she leaned back in her chair and looked at Ree with sad eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I wasn¡¯t there to help your friend.¡±

    Tears poured out of Ree¡¯s eyes as she remembered Claire¡¯s body lying on the ground, surrounded by those monsters. Her brother¡¯s face, twisted with evil laughter and covered in her friend¡¯s blood, seemed to be printed on the back of her eyelids. Tristan, her dead brother, was the Dark One she would have to fight and kill. Her heart just couldn¡¯t understand it. Part of her had been thrilled to see her brother standing there, but then the horror of what he had just done tore through her like hot steel. How could she look at her parents knowing Tristan was walking the streets of Savannah every night, hunting people as if they were animals? For that matter, how could she look at her friends, or Paden¡¯s family? Her brother had murdered the baby of their family. A girl so full of life and love she lit up any room she occupied.

    Her hands twisted in the blanket as she stared at the ceiling, tears dripping down her face. She wasn¡¯t in her room on the island and the need to know where she was helped her gain control of her emotions. She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her shirt and dried her face with the edge of the sheet.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Her voice broke on the last word, rough from the tears she was holding back.

    ¡°Above the shop. There is a two-bedroom apartment up here I keep for emergencies.¡± Sophie made no move to come closer to Ree, so she sat up slowly and turned to face the Guardian.

    ¡°You knew.¡± Ree¡¯s voice was oddly calm as she made the accusation and was rewarded when the other woman nodded. ¡°You knew Tristan was the person I was going to have to fight.¡±

    ¡°I suspected as much, but there was no proof.¡± Ree looked at her and the anger in her chest started to well up and out.

    ¡°You suspected my brother had been turned into a Dark One, the Dark One, the one that would be pitted against me in mortal battle, but you didn¡¯t think you should tell me it was a possibility? When were you going to tell me, Sophie? When we received an invitation to come fight?¡± She stood up, anger filling each word until she was shouting. Sophie sat there calmly with her hands folded over the book in her lap and offered no response. With no outlet for all of the rage running through her, Ree grabbed the lamp off of the table next to the bed and threw it across the room. The stained glass of the Tiffany lamp shattered and rained down on the floor. Still seething, she picked up the little table and it, too, hit the opposite wall.

    ¡°Everything okay in there?¡± Paden tapped on the door.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Sophie responded.

    Ree growled and walked over to the door and snatched it open. Paden stumbled into the room and looked at her with a little fear in his eyes.

    ¡°Did you know? Did you know my brother was a Dark One?¡± It wasn¡¯t a fair question because she remembered the look on his face when he had seen Tristan holding Claire.

    ¡°No, Ree. I didn¡¯t know.¡± Quietly he closed the door and leaned against it. ¡°None of us knew.¡±

    ¡°She did.¡± Ree flung her hand in Sophie¡¯s direction. ¡°She suspected Tristan had been turned. Holy shit, I don¡¯t even know how they make Dark Ones! No one tells me a damn thing!¡± Her head was starting to throb again but she was too angry to stop now. ¡°Did Roland know, too? I want to be pissed at all of the appropriate people.¡± She pinned Sophie with her gaze.

    ¡°You would have to ask him yourself, but the last time either of us saw Tristan he was lying dead in a coffin. We waited to see if he would rise, but became convinced he would not. I have no idea what they did different, but he didn¡¯t show any signs of coming back. We knew he had been spending time with Dark Ones, but couldn¡¯t be sure of their influence over him. I never trusted his death completely, but I had no proof that it was anything other than a terrible accident.¡± Sophie stood and set the book down in the chair. Her face was a work of sorrow and understanding. ¡°I really am sorry, Ree. When you are ready to talk I will answer every question I am able to.¡± She left, pulling the door closed behind her.

    Ree sat down on the bed next to Paden and covered her face with her hands. The bed shifted as he moved closer. His callused fingers pulled her hands away from her face. Gently, he brushed the tears from her face and pulled her into his arms. Her control disappeared when his arms wrapped tightly around her and his face buried in her hair. Her sobs were uncontrollable, thick and loud. So much had happened in the last week, so much had changed. The whole world had been turned upside down and she was trying to keep up with the shift. Fear for her friends and her family, pain for what her brother had become seemed to beat at her heart. Grief for Claire and Paden¡¯s family intertwined with the guilt Ree felt at her death.

    Taking a mighty sniff after a very long time, she finally felt more in control of herself. The tears had helped to cleanse some of the pain that was clutching her heart. Paden had eventually laid her down on the bed, but when he had tried to move away she had yanked him down with her. She didn¡¯t want to be alone with so much pain.

    Tucked against his side with her head resting on his shoulder she toyed with a button on his shirt a little embarrassed by her outburst. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her voice was thick and worn out.

    ¡°Why are you sorry? You haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°I got snot all over your shirt.¡±

    He laughed and his arm tightened around her for a moment. ¡°It¡¯ll wash out.¡±

    ¡°How is everyone else? Is Weylin okay?¡± She tilted her head up toward him and waited for his response. There was a brief hesitation before he answered and fear tightened her stomach.

    ¡°He¡¯s fine, Ree. I don¡¯t know much about what I¡¯m doing when I heal, and his ear was gone. There was nothing I could do about it.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s missing an ear?¡± Ree¡¯s voice squeaked. She remembered the ragged edges poking out of his bloody hair and squeezed her eyes shut. ¡°Will he be okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he isn¡¯t saying much so we left him in the other room to try and get some sleep.¡± Ree frowned and decided to talk to Weylin as soon as he woke up. She owed him a giant bit of gratitude and hoped he could forgive her for getting him into this mess. ¡°What about the others?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fine. We all came back with some cuts and bruises, but you and Weylin were the worst. We don¡¯t heal well when we¡¯re bitten by Dark Ones. It won¡¯t kill us, but it seems to interfere with our Immortal gifts. The biggest thing was the lecture we got once we were sure you two were going to be fine.¡± Grimacing he wiggled on the bed in discomfort.

    ¡°What were we supposed to do? Not try to save Claire?¡± Shaking her head against his chest, she moved so she was more comfortable. Having him hold her was the best balm she could have imagined. ¡°Where were they, anyway? They shouldn¡¯t have just left us like that!¡±

    ¡°Roland ran into more trouble when getting John and his family to their house. It looks like the Dark Ones have started hunting any Immortal lines, or families that have a little something extra in their genes.¡± His voice was very serious, and Ree could feel the anger bubbling just under his calm exterior. She snuggled closer and wrapped her arm over his chest. ¡°Roland texted Sophie to let her know his suspicions and she went to make sure that as many of our people were as secure as she could manage.¡±

    ¡°She thought we would be safe in the pub because she had placed protection spells there,¡± Ree told him.

    ¡°We would have been safe if we hadn¡¯t left.¡± His voice was tired.

    ¡°We had to, Paden. It¡¯s why we¡¯re here, doing all of this. We had to try and save Claire.¡± She looked up at him. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Pay. I loved Claire too.¡±

    His chest shook with his effort to not cry. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes while he tried to regain control of himself. Ree realized they still hadn¡¯t spoken about Tristan and she had no idea where to start. That wound went so deep and was so painful she wasn¡¯t sure she could actually speak about it.

    Finally she broke the silence and asked, ¡°What do I tell my parents? What if they go to the grocery store one night and run into Tristan?¡±

 Page 27

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ree. I don¡¯t think you can tell them their son is still alive, but that he¡¯s a monster.¡± Anger edged his voice and his hand tightened on her arm. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it until we got back to the house, but he started partying when he was hanging out with Michael and Shannon. It¡¯s all starting to add up. The drugs and drinking could have been a cover-up for the Dark Ones¡¯ influence.¡±

    ¡°You mean he was something like Michael and Shannon? What did Roland call them? Darklings? He wanted to be a Dark One?¡± Acid churned in her stomach.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ree. He may not have fully understood what they were offering. Who knows what they told him.¡±

    She lay there quietly, lost in her own thoughts until she realized Paden¡¯s breathing had become slow and even. She glanced back up at him and smiled when she saw his mouth hanging open.

    For a moment she was overwhelmed with gratitude that her friends were with her and helping to fight this evil curse. They made all the difference. Without these people, she would be nothing but a lost girl, but with her friends she might actually have a chance.