just
didn’t peg you as a math nerd.”
“So what nerd were you in school?” I shot back. “Or were you too busy
playing sports?”
“Believe it or not, I loved science,” Lucas said seriously. “You’d better
go before someone notices us,” he said, changing the subject. “And I’d like to
get going as well. Much as I love your company I’d prefer it not be in the
blazing sun.”
“I really do appreciate you bringing me back here. And, uh, having
Nicholas there to protect me last night. It’s not until the light of the day
that it’s hit me how dangerous that was.”
“Why do you think I was so worried when I first got you from the party?”
Lucas asked.
I nodded and reached over to squeeze Lucas’ hand. “You had me terrified.
I had never seen you so frenzied. Thanks again for everything.”
“Anytime. Now go! I’ll touch base with you in a few days; hopefully by
then I’ll know more from my own research, or maybe Emmett will have something.
In the meantime…take care of yourself. Stay in groups of people. Don’t walk
around alone. That kind of thing. You know, what I
tell you every time we part ways.” Lucas grinned, but it looked a little
forced.
He must be worried about Senara . Or Tobias. Or both…
“I’ll be surrounded by my classmates for over half the day. What do you
think could happen?” I hopped out before I could hear Lucas’ answer. I didn’t
stop watching his car until he had turned off the road.
Now what? I supposed I needed
to talk to Henry. The last text I had sent him said I would call him today,
that I had some shopping to do to get ready for classes on Monday.
I had just reached the block my house was on when a truck screeched to a
halt beside me. Emmett!
“Blast, I was trying to catch you and Lucas before he dropped you off,”
Emmett said.
“You could have called one of us,” I said. “We would have arranged a time
to meet and –“
“No, no, no,” Emmett interrupted , shaking his head vigorously. “I hate using the
phone. It’s probably more dangerous now than ever. I figured that Lucas was taking
you back home and I could talk to you both then.”
“What’s going on?” I asked in exasperation. “You’re always so paranoid
about everything!”
“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not after you,” Emmett
said. There was something ominous in his tone. I quickly looked from left to
right to see if anyone was around, watching us.
“Get in the car. You can’t stand there all day!” Emmett was saying.
I hopped into the passenger seat and Emmett started driving. “After I got
home last night, I fell into the strangest sleep. I didn’t dream. It was almost
like I was drugged, knocked out. But when I woke up this morning I had clarity
on several mysteries of your situation.”
“Really?” I asked excitedly. “Emmett, that’s wonderful news!”
“Yes and no. Where to start?” Emmett paused, considering his next words.
“Remember when you called and told me that Henry had visited you in the middle
of the night? You wondered if his father put him under a spell.”
“Yeah, it was creepy as hell. He was definitely not himself.”
“You’re right – he actually wasn’t himself. The creature who came to visit you was a shape shifter who had taken
on Henry’s appearance.”
“Is Henry in danger?” I asked shrilly.
“No, nothing like that. You’re famous amongst the non-humans – the living
dead girl, they call you. And even though Tobias has successfully staged two
top secret meetings, there are rumors, rumblings, about an impending war.”
Emmett paused and let out a long sigh.
“That shape shifter came to you as Henry to find out what you know about
the war. They think you tell Henry everything, and they obviously know that I’m
helping you. That’s why the shape shifter specifically asked if you’d talked to
me recently,” Emmett continued.
“Oh, no!” I wailed. “That means you’re in
didn’t peg you as a math nerd.”
“So what nerd were you in school?” I shot back. “Or were you too busy
playing sports?”
“Believe it or not, I loved science,” Lucas said seriously. “You’d better
go before someone notices us,” he said, changing the subject. “And I’d like to
get going as well. Much as I love your company I’d prefer it not be in the
blazing sun.”
“I really do appreciate you bringing me back here. And, uh, having
Nicholas there to protect me last night. It’s not until the light of the day
that it’s hit me how dangerous that was.”
“Why do you think I was so worried when I first got you from the party?”
Lucas asked.
I nodded and reached over to squeeze Lucas’ hand. “You had me terrified.
I had never seen you so frenzied. Thanks again for everything.”
“Anytime. Now go! I’ll touch base with you in a few days; hopefully by
then I’ll know more from my own research, or maybe Emmett will have something.
In the meantime…take care of yourself. Stay in groups of people. Don’t walk
around alone. That kind of thing. You know, what I
tell you every time we part ways.” Lucas grinned, but it looked a little
forced.
He must be worried about Senara . Or Tobias. Or both…
“I’ll be surrounded by my classmates for over half the day. What do you
think could happen?” I hopped out before I could hear Lucas’ answer. I didn’t
stop watching his car until he had turned off the road.
Now what? I supposed I needed
to talk to Henry. The last text I had sent him said I would call him today,
that I had some shopping to do to get ready for classes on Monday.
I had just reached the block my house was on when a truck screeched to a
halt beside me. Emmett!
“Blast, I was trying to catch you and Lucas before he dropped you off,”
Emmett said.
“You could have called one of us,” I said. “We would have arranged a time
to meet and –“
“No, no, no,” Emmett interrupted , shaking his head vigorously. “I hate using the
phone. It’s probably more dangerous now than ever. I figured that Lucas was taking
you back home and I could talk to you both then.”
“What’s going on?” I asked in exasperation. “You’re always so paranoid
about everything!”
“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not after you,” Emmett
said. There was something ominous in his tone. I quickly looked from left to
right to see if anyone was around, watching us.
“Get in the car. You can’t stand there all day!” Emmett was saying.
I hopped into the passenger seat and Emmett started driving. “After I got
home last night, I fell into the strangest sleep. I didn’t dream. It was almost
like I was drugged, knocked out. But when I woke up this morning I had clarity
on several mysteries of your situation.”
“Really?” I asked excitedly. “Emmett, that’s wonderful news!”
“Yes and no. Where to start?” Emmett paused, considering his next words.
“Remember when you called and told me that Henry had visited you in the middle
of the night? You wondered if his father put him under a spell.”
“Yeah, it was creepy as hell. He was definitely not himself.”
“You’re right – he actually wasn’t himself. The creature who came to visit you was a shape shifter who had taken
on Henry’s appearance.”
“Is Henry in danger?” I asked shrilly.
“No, nothing like that. You’re famous amongst the non-humans – the living
dead girl, they call you. And even though Tobias has successfully staged two
top secret meetings, there are rumors, rumblings, about an impending war.”
Emmett paused and let out a long sigh.
“That shape shifter came to you as Henry to find out what you know about
the war. They think you tell Henry everything, and they obviously know that I’m
helping you. That’s why the shape shifter specifically asked if you’d talked to
me recently,” Emmett continued.
“Oh, no!” I wailed. “That means you’re in
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