Page 18 (1/2)

Chapter 1

“What do you see when you look at this one?” The doctor holds up a card, showcasing an ink splotch that’s twisted and creepy, with eyes that follow you no o

I look at it, heart ha away inside my chest The mess of ink on the white paper reminds me of the monster that lurks in Nana and Papa’s baseo downstairs with it

The one I stopped froht at it

But even at the young age of ten I know I can’t say that I look at the card, re Scott clutch my hand, eyes full of fear

I s hard and shift my eyes to the man in the white coat “The tree in our backyard,” I tell him

He doesn’t react, doesn’t show the slightest of emotion He puts the card down and picks up another This one rese at the center My heart lurches, longing for so I’ve never known

“And this one?” he asks

“Home”

This ti down so fast there’s no chance I can look into the notebook and see what he wrote We go through eight ive the answer that I think should be said

The one that proves I’m not crazy Because I’m not

I’m taken back to the space they call “my room”, and that’s where the realclear plastic in a metal frame, slides open, and the sound of metal on metal makes

Co to take more blood

Co to perform more tests

Co to force me to use my powers

And co to try to take them away

I step into the s aroundto the cot with a thin, foam mattress and even thinner blankets, I pick up a stuffed black cat My sister gave it to me for my birthday lastthe stuffed animal to my chest, I lay down and huddle under the sheet

Tears roll downthe little cat tighter It’s the only thing I have that brings me comfort

“I want to go hoo holow abovefroht

Suddenly, an alarlass door with a syringe in their hand

“No,” I cry, tears falling faster and faster The blue light darkens, and I stand, terrified of what’s to coain “No!”

“Callie” Lucas’s hand lands on my shoulder My eyes flutter open and I sit up, , and I can shtmare”

“Yeah,” I breathe “I was Thanks for waking me up” Lucas sets a book down and takesI let my eyes fall shut for another few seconds as he slowly runs his hand up and down my back “I didn’t mean to fall asleep”

“You haven’t gotten much sleep lately”

I tipwhen I look into his dark blue eyes “And who’s fault is that?”

He flashes a cocky grin “I suppose I’ht is never soize for”

“I don’t expect you to”

He leans down, kissing the top of htmare,” he starts and doesn’t have to finish

“It was a nors about de burned alive in my dreams for about a month now “But it reminded me why your automatic blinds startle h door opening echoes around us It’sof as to come

“Do you want to talk about it?”

My lips part and my heart lurches I should talk about it I should open up and tell Lucas everything I should deal with the emotions I’ve repressed for the last fifteen years

“Not yet”

“When you’re ready,” he says softly and kisseshirateful for hiled around us froo

“What tiet up and move away from Lucas

“About an hour until sunset You slept for three hours”

“I guess I did need it” Sht fills the roolass of my bedroomWhen Lucas doesn’t have vao, he likes to spend the day here in the sunlight, which is so he hasn’t done in over sixteen-hundred years

“I should get up and get lehim almost instantly

I get dressed and hurry out of the roo the door the second I’ured out how to enchant every singlein the house yet The kitchenstill lets har on it

“Anyone want to go for a run withon the front porch, verylike the normal cats we pretend they are Freya rolls over on her back and stretches out Pandora closes her eyes, going back to sleep Binx stands and stretches before lazily trotting over

“I’ain,” I reravel driveway “Lucas has soroup who are

trying to sabotage other vampires who follow the Vampire Council’s laws”

Lucas has told me about it, and while he acts as if it’s just a ly fast There are plenty of humans ready to rally ooden stakes and dehts Give the humans a reason and they’ll be quick to act

Va tihts, and he has done ht for himself, but he’s in the hts so they can own businesses, get a job, and travel by plane Not to ives you sohbor Some protection

Killing a vampire isn’t considered murder since vampires are already dead It’s veryI try not to follow I stay away froical politics as much as possible But I do know that the VC looks into vampire deaths and will hold another vampire accountable

But only if you get caught

“Ready?” I ask Binx, pushing into a jog when h pavement of the country road Weutility trucks pulled over along the shoulder There’s an old estate just past theuys work on clearing out what used to be the driveway, ain

A wave of disappointh it shouldn’t come as a surprise It was only aand sold it to the highest bidder The house was one of the first to go up in Thorne Hill and caught my eye as soon as I took residence in this town

I’ve wanted to buy it but hadn’t been able to afford what the bank was asking, let alone the good million it will take to properly restore theit safe to live in is more than I can afford

Sighing, I push forward again It’s been unseasonably hot all week, and while I love the hot sun and the heat, I’ already Another ain Binx, who’s several yards ahead ofin the middle of the street

“I feel it too,” I tell hi” Eyes wide, I look at the woods The Ley line runs right down the h these woods, and then eventually all the way to Lake Michigan It’s pure y at its finest, and all sorts of life is attracted to it Is that e’re feeling?

But as quickly as the air beca at the woods I felt it, and more importantly, Binx felt it I open my mouth to ask hidown the road