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The next morning, after a family breakfast, I rushed my parents without looking like I was rushing them. Once they left I dashed up the stairs, apologized to my ankle, and grabbed the pendant out of its hiding place in my dresser. After last night, I wanted to make sure Dad didn’t confiscate it.
I held my breath as I settled the leather cord around my neck. It lit up the second the leather touched my skin. I tucked the pendant inside my sweater, slipped on a pair of flats, and headed down to the front door.
I grabbed a hoodie off the coat rack, wrapped a long, bright red scarf around my neck. The damp coming off the ocean could be cold, especially with the morning gloom hanging around.
After locking the door behind me, I took a deep breath, and walked to the sidewalk. My first test was right next door—Mr. Gregory, a retired Marine drill sergeant, who never quite got over being retired. He always watered his lawn first thing every morning, no matter how damp it got overnight. And he never failed to make some comment about my less than feminine fashion choices.
I walked past his front yard, ready for this morning’s critique.
“Hey, kid!” The drill sergeant bark he never lost carried across the street. I halted, looked over at him. And blinked when he looked past me, waving his fist at one of the Jackson twins, who decided to create one of his chalk masterpieces right in front of Mr. Gregory’s gate. “Draw one more line on my sidewalk and I’ll drag you over this fence and teach you the meaning of discipline!”
The twin stuck out his tongue and ran right at me. I had to hug the fence so he wouldn’t crash into me. He didn’t see me, either.
“Wow,” I whispered. Warmth spread across my chest. I glanced down, and could see the yellow glow, even through all the layers. I kept walking, Mr. Gregory’s rants fading as I turned the corner. “This is so cool.”
And it got better. I strolled along the holiday-busy oceanfront streets, and not a single person acknowledged me. Not even when I talked to them.
“Excuse me?” I almost shouted at a couple walking past me. “Do you know where—”
They kept right on going.
I tucked myself in one of the narrow alleys, thrilled with the results of my experiment.
“I could use this for—”
“Ditching school?”
I almost jumped out of my skin at Jake’s voice. “Where did you come from?”
He took my arm and dragged me down the alley, until we were out of earshot of the crowd. “I’ve been following you,” he said. I stared up at him. “The pendant doesn’t work on me—or anyone who’s been in the haven.”
“How do you know?”
“I did my research. The pendant sends out some kind of ‘don’t look at me’ field. It can even hide someone in the vicinity, if the wearer is able to control the field. It was given to haven residents who needed to spend some time above ground. They could walk around freely, without terrifying the locals.” He held out his hand. “I want you to come with me.”
“Why?” I liked Jake, but I still didn’t trust him, not completely. And definitely not enough to go somewhere alone with him.
“Don’t get stubborn on me, Finch. Just do this.”
I took a giant step back. “I have to get home. My parents are expecting—”
He actually snarled at me. “Don’t lie. You’re no good at it.”
I took another step back—and ran into the wall. My heart threatened to pound out of my chest as I realized I’d just trapped myself.
“I have to go, Jake. I’m helping my mom with Thanksgiving—”
“It can wait. I need your help.” Jake looked—dangerous, and more wolfish than usual. “I want to find the accomplice who took those kids.”
My already pounding heart skipped.
“I can’t, Jake.” Just the thought of facing off with someone who could control the Devil tied my stomach in knots.
He pinned me against the wall, his hands braced on either side of me. “You know who it is, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question—he really thought I knew. Time to yank that out of his head.
“I don’t—I never saw them.” My voice shook, and I fought to control it. “Katie told me it was a man, but she didn’t see his face. Now you know as much as I do.”
“Damn it,” he whispered. He closed his eyes.
I took advantage, ducked under his arm and sprinted toward the street.
“Don’t run away from me, Finch.”
Something in his voice stopped me. Swallowing, I turned around. And my heart stopped when I saw the gun in Jake’s hand. Pointed at me. “What—”
“I need your help. And I’ll take it by force if necessary.”
“What would Candace think about your tactics?”
Anger flared in his dark eyes, almost hiding the regret. “She has nothing to do with this.”
“And you think she won’t find out?” I was desperate to talk him out of this, so I was willing to fight dirty, and hit him where it would hurt most. “She thinks you have some humanity left. She’s trying to find a cure for you—that’s how much she believes—”
“Shut up.” He started to shake, his face shock white. Oh, God—I knew the signs, from watching Sam change into a Fenris Wolf. Jake said he had control—but I had a bad feeling I hit him a little too hard. “You understand—more than the rest of them. I need someone who isn’t afraid I’ll turn on them at any second.”
He moved closer. I forced myself not the flinch. “Why do I understand?”
“Because of Sam.” He lowered the gun, tucked it in his waistband, and my knees nearly buckled in relief. It was short-lived. “I’m sorry, Alex.” His hand closed around my throat, and I froze, staring into his eyes. “I’m going to hold this against your mouth and nose.” What he was saying didn’t compute—until I saw the cloth in his other hand. “I want you to breathe, deep. If you refuse, or hold your breath, I’ll choke you out. Understand?”
Swallowing, I nodded. And he pressed the cloth to my face. I nearly gagged as a sweet, pungent smell overwhelmed me. I fought the urge to breathe for as long as I could before my lungs took over and sucked in a deep, chemical filled breath.
It felt like someone shoved ice in my chest.
Jake caught me as I went down, coughing out whatever soaked that cloth. Which of course meant I took in another deep breath. The alley started spinning. I clutched Jake’s coat, afraid I would throw up all over him.
“Relax, Finch. It’s temporary.”
He kept the cloth clamped over my face, his free hand sliding around my waist to keep me upright.
The last thing I remembered before my eyes rolled back in my head was Jake carrying me past a crowd of holiday shoppers—and not one of them looked at us.